Murders Of The Past

TWENTY-FIVE

WESLEY LOCKS EYES with me from the other side of the room, his smile wavering before he gives me a gentle smile. Instead of returning his smile I look down, pulling the towel tighter around my shoulders.

  Vivian walks into the living room and towards me, plugging in a hair dryer before flipping it on and blowing my hair in every which way. I watch the light brown strands fly past my eyes. The blonde is almost gone now. Six years of having blonde hair, now I'm suddenly a brunette again.

  Vivian turns the dryer off and sets it aside, beginning to brush out my brown locks when there's a knock on the door. We all freeze, except for Wesley who slowly walks to the door, hand on the gun in his belt. I hold my breath as he reaches for the knob, we all seem to hold our breaths as we wait to see who's behind the door.

  Finally, the door creaks open. It's a man, tousled black hair, muscular frame, and raging blue eyes.

  I sink down into the chair I'm sitting in, wishing I could disappear into a grain of sand.

  "Can I help you?" Wesley asks. The man ignores him and looks past him, searching for someone until his eyes land on me.

  "What the hell is wrong with you!" He booms, pushing Wesley aside and marching towards me. I'm instantly up on my feet, the towel that was on my shoulders on the floor. Everyone is staring at me, including Carlos, and the only thing I can think of to do is scream, "Stranger danger," and run past him and outside.

  "Sadie!" I stop at my bike, lifting my leg to get on when arms wrap around me and lift me into the air. Once they set me down I turn to face him, glaring up at him.

  "You shouldn't be here," I mutter out.

  "You're right, I shouldn't be here; I should be at home, cooking dinner for my kids, not here, retrieving my wife from some man's house!" He gestures to Wesley's house. I look over my shoulder to see if they're watching. Not that I can see.

  I open my mouth to reply but I have nothing to reply with, so I close my mouth.

  "What the hell Sadie!" I jump and look at him.

  "Why are you here?" I shake my head at him, crossing my arms.

  "Why are you here?"

  "I asked you first."

  "Why do you think I'm here? To take you home." I shake my head.

  "No."

  "Why won't you come home?"

  "That's not my home anymore."

  "That's not your-- " He chuckles humorlessly. "Let's go." He grabs my wrist and starts pulling me towards his car, but I pull myself free.

  "Stop." He quirks a brow, facing me.

  "Sadie, we don't have time for this."

  "Oh but we have time to feed our kids, to play with them, to sit at home and watch movies?"

  "What?"

  "You're right, Carlos. We don't have time. We're running out of time and I don't want to waste my time." He blinks at me confused, taking a step forward.

  "Sadie, just please get in the car."

  "No."

  "Sadie," he huffs, reaching out and grabbing my shoulder. I look down at his hand, remembering how warm and comforting it is. No. Snap out of it. "You've been here long enough, it's time to come home."

  "You just don't get it, do you!" I shove his hand away. "I. Don't. Want. To. Go. Home."

  "Why not?" I stare at him with wide, furious eyes.

  "Just go away, leave me alone." I turn to walk into the house when Carlos grabs my hand, spinning me into his chest and holding me tightly.

  "Sadie," Carlos whispers in a soft voice, taking hold of my left hand and holding it up to his face, staring down at the ring. "I miss you." I try not to, but my eyes get the best of me and find his desperate ones. "Please come home."

  Me eyes shift from his down to his lips as I get a familiar itching urge to wrap my arms around him.

  But I can't. Because if I do, then I'll end up going back. And I can't go back.

  "Aiden's a handful to deal with alone." Now you know how I feel about you. "Blair is having boy issues and I don't know how to help her." The girl is only nine years old. "Thana wants her mommy." My vision becomes blurry as I bite my lip. "Hey." I look up into his eyes. "I'm not leaving here without you." He tilts his head, leaning forward. I want to lean in, but I'm holding back because I know it will ruin everything.

  It takes all my strength, but I pull out of his arms and turn around, walking into the house. He may be here, but that doesn't mean I am.