Sunflower

Chapter 27

Chris

I've tried to keep things as normal as possible for Lucy lately, but I don't think it matters much anymore. She's consumed with guilt and it's tearing her to shreds. I can't believe her mother would put her through something like this- make her carry around so much fear and uncertainty over something she didn't even do.

I've been responding to emails from potential employers all morning, asking Lucy for her input. I've sent my resume out to probably three hundred business in the Manhattan area and while I've gotten some good call backs, there's nothing I'm particularly excited about.

Of course, it's hard to get excited about anything when the love of my life is feeling so helpless.

The bad thing is, I have no idea what to do. Lucy loves her mom and doesn't want her to go to jail over something she swears was an accident. But if it was really an accident, she wouldn't have forced Lucy to help her hide the body. She would've called the police like a normal person.

I think Lucy knows there's more to the story, but she doesn't want to talk about it and I don't want to force it. I just want Lucy back. I want her to be happy again and I'd probably do anything to make that happen.

After days of unreturned calls and texts, Lucy's mom finally called her back this morning and agreed it was time to talk. I thought Lucy would be nervous or maybe even upset about it, but she's been surprisingly okay. She's been going through jobs with me, cleaning our apartment like her life depended on it, and even cooked a big breakfast, with my favorite food, pancakes.

I guess I know Lucy well enough to know this isn't progress. If anything, it's like a ticking time bomb. At just the right moment, she's going to explode and all hell will break loose.

"Okay, baby. I think the place is clean enough. You should save some housework for Annie," I chuckle, pulling her into my arms. She smells exactly like kitchen cleaner and bleach.

"I'm just trying to stay busy," she sighs.

"I know, but pretty soon, we're going to pass out from the fumes."

She laughs, for the first time in days. It quickly dies out and is replaced with a more solemn expression. It's almost as if she feels guilty for being happy, or laughing.

"Why don't you get a shower. I'll finish the dishes for you," I say, kissing her forehead.

"Okay," she replies quietly.

After she's gone, I finish loading the dishwasher. I get lost in thought, wondering how Lucy's conversation with her mom will go. Will she make Lucy feel guilty so she'll be willing to shoulder some of the blame? Or will she do the right thing and confess to Frank's murder, leaving Lucy out of it completely? I have a feeling it will swing one way or the other and unfortunately, I have no idea which. In all the years I've known Lucy's mom, she's always seemed a bit fake to me. I get being in an unhappy marriage gets you into the habit of putting on a fake smile for family and friends. Maybe she just didn't know how to turn it off?

Or maybe she's truly deranged. Maybe she killed Frank on purpose and just wants Lucy to believe it was an accident. Why else would she want to hide the body?

I startle when there's a knock at the front door, making me drop a plate and shatter it to pieces. I stare at it for a few seconds, a little out of sorts, until the knocking continues.

I answer the door and Mrs. Sunday's smile quickly fades. "Chris? What on earth are you doing here? I thought you and Lucy broke up months ago?"

"We did, but we recently worked things out and got back together," I answer, stepping aside for her to come in.