I woke up the next morning, my throat raw. I slipped out of bed and threw on some sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt and went down the stairs, rubbing the back of my neck, exhausted. I had nightmares and kept tossing and turning, not really sleeping. I heard noise coming from the living room and I slowly walked in. I didn't see anyone sitting on the couch, until I got closer. I gave a small smile at the sight. Karen was sleeping on the couch, her arm hanging off of the edge, her mouth agape. I grabbed the blanket that had fallen to the floor and threw it over her carefully, making sure to cover her feet.
She didn't stir and I grabbed the dishes off the coffee table. I brought them into the kitchen and put them into the dishwasher. I finished loading it, and made sure that it was started before I heard the phone ringing. I hurried to answer it. "Hello, this is the Hartman residence. This is Lindsay," I said, trying to sound cheerful.
"Hi, Lindsay, this is Mr. Baker, Madison's father?" a male voice asked. I mentally groaned.
"Yes, Mr. Baker, hello, how are you?" I clutched the phone, my fingers beginning to ache. He cleared his throat.
"I'm fine. Listen, I am calling in hopes to speak with your mother." I stared out the window in the living room.
"Um...she isn't home right now, I'm afraid. Is there something that you need?"
"Uh...well..." he sounded nervous. "I was hoping to discuss the matters of a party that took place at my house some time last month. I don't know if you were there or not, but Madison...has gotten herself into some trouble. Were you by chance there?"
"I was actually."
"I see...look I just really need to talk some things over with your mother." I sighed heavily.
"She is out of the country with my father on a mini vacation. She said that she wouldn't be back with him until after the beginning of the school year."
"Is there anyway you can have her get ahold of me?" I shook my head.
"Sir, I honestly don't think she'll be wanting to discuss business with you at this moment in time. I wasn't there that long after what happened to me and Angela."
"You and Angela?"
"Yes, her and her friends threw beer on us, and we left."
"Seriously?! Oh my gosh, Lindsay, I am so sorry for Madison's actions. When she gets out of the hospital she will be hearing about this." I froze, nearly dropping the phone.
"Madison is in the hospital?" He sighed heavily.
"Yes, she was admitted some time last week, after she hosted that party. She has severe liver damage from the amounts of alcohol that she was drinking, and her mother is taking this out on me...I'm...trying to get a divorce from my wife and have full custody of Madison, and...I really shouldn't be telling you this, but my wife was at a friend's house that night and she left Madison by herself, with the liquour cabinet unlocked. She must've been in a rush I guess. I'm really sorry to burden you with this information, Lindsay. I know how much you cared for my daughter." I nodded my head, feeling kind of sorry for her.
"I really am sorry, sir. When Angela and I were at your house, she seemed pretty intoxicated at the time, so...if I had known how much she had had, I would've tried to get her to quit drinking, but I mean, at least she's okay."
"Yeah. Yeah, she is. Listen, Lindsay, please don't say anything about this to anyone at school. Madison wouldn't be happy if anyone else found out." I nodded my head.
"Of course, sir, and I'll try getting ahold of my mother as soon as possible."
"Thank you." With that, I hung up and put the phone back on the stand. I rubbed my eyes, thinking about Madison. I went into the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing the milk. I reached up, taking a plastic bowl from the cupboard, and headed for the pantry. I grabbed some Fruit Loops and made myself a large bowl. I kicked the fridge shut as I walked by it and made my way to the living room. I saw Karen's figure, sitting upright, watching the television screen. I stopped short of the doorway, noticing that the phone was pressed against her ear.
"Yes, I understand. No, no. The girls are upstairs sleeping. Baker called, I guess. Something about his daughter being in the hospital. I think he wanted Lindsay to talk to Diana and see if she would get ahold of him, I didn't hear much else," she said softly. I was quiet as I took a spponful of cereal, sticking it into my mouth. Karen hadn't noticed me yet. "Lindsay started the dishwasher for me, the darling. Makes me almost wish that...well that's not entirely important to you is it? You just called to check on things and now you should be getting back to your wife." I couldn't hear what the person on the other line was saying, but it seemed to make Karen upset.
"You are the one who told me that you loved her. That you didn't want to be unfaithful to her anymore, and so you got your wish, me out of the picture. I thought that's what you wanted from me, because I sure as heck didn't know what I was thinking, sleeping with a married man...especially one that I had fallen so hard for." I froze, hardly chewing the food in my mouth. 'Karen was with another man?' I watched her, listening to what she was saying to this mystery man. "Look, I really have to go. I would hate for one of the girls to wake up and hear this conversation. I-I can't talk about this anymore. You are married and so am I...we need to stay that way." With that, she pushed the end button, placing the phone back on its stand.
"Who was that?" I called. She jumped, spinning around to look at me, her jaw dropped. I slowly walked towards her and she jumped up.
"No one," she said. Her eye twitched. She was lying to me.
"You're lying." She shook her head, a smile plastered on her face.
"What are you talking about, Lindsay? I think that it's time for you to finish your cereal and head back upstairs to bed." She walked around the couch, and placed her hand on my shoulder.
"You were with a married man...and while you were married to your husband, Karen. I thought that you were better than that." Her face fell, looking grim.
"Lindsay, you don't understand. I love my husband, truly I do...but the spark in our marriage just isn't there anymore. Please, Lindsay, don't say anything to either of your parents about this call. They would fire me for sure if they knew that I used their house phone to make a personal call. My husband couldn't hear me saying those kinds of things, and NOT think that something was up still. I am begging you, Lindsay, not to say a word about this to anyone." I nodded my head slowly, turned on my heel, and headed back for the kitchen.
I threw the still full bowl into the sink, milk splattering everywhere. I grabbed a sweatshirt from a hook by the front door, slipped on my shoes, and grasped the doorknob in my hand. "Where are you going?" I didn't dare look back at her.
"Out," I said as I opened the door and slammed the door shut behind me. I walked down the street, not knowing where I was going. After about an hour of walking, I found myself at the pier, overlooking the lake as it moved, waves crashing against the shore. I sat down on the edge, undid my shoes, and let my feet dangle in the water, thinking long and hard about the last month of my life.
