Till Death Do We Part

Chapter Ten

The rest of dinner was uneventful to say the least. Joseph and John entered the house just as I came back downstairs and served the creme brulee on the table, and despite the mouthwatering smell of the dessert I decided against asking Joseph if it was okay to have some, knowing he would disagree. We drank through yet another bottle of wine, and when I was certain Joseph wasn't looking I stole a quick glance at Elaine, who held my gaze for a few seconds before turning to her husband or the food that was on her plate. I wished I could get a peek inside her brain and know what she was thinking, but I knew it was futile. She wanted me to get away from Joseph, and though I knew some questions would never be answered, what I did know was that I believed her when she said Joseph would kill me some day, and that I needed to escape.

And I would escape. I just needed to find the right time to.

"Well," John said after the dessert had been finished and the clutter cleared from the table, "I reckon it's about time Elaine and I head out. I still have to sort out the final details of Richard Montez's plea deal, and Elaine here has a house viewing early in the morning. I hope you don't mind if we go?"

My eyes scanned over my husband's smooth, relaxed face, before landing on John and Elaine. I knew that Elaine had met John through Joseph at work --the finer details now clear after my discussion with Elaine-- and I couldn't help but wonder how John and Joseph's friendship began. I knew they worked on similar cases, but while Joseph was trying to convict the defender, John was trying to keep them out of prison, preferring the challenge and stigma that went alongside representing offenders. And, just like Joseph, John was the best defense attorney for those cases Joseph loved. It was only when he went against Joseph that John lost a case, but he didn't seem to mind too much. They were friends, after all, and though it could get ugly in the courtroom they still respected one another and continued their friendship.

As for Elaine, she was a real estate agent. I wasn't sure how great of an agent she was, as she didn't talk much about her work, but from the bits and pieces I had managed to gather from her, I knew that she loved what she did, and part of me was incredibly envious of her. Unlike me, she had a good, loving husband, a great relationship with her family and friends, and had a job that she thoroughly enjoyed. After I had gotten married to Joseph, he had accused me of cheating if I stayed at work late. Eventually, the accusations and cruelty I faced at home led me to quit my job, and I hadn't worked since, as Joseph decided it was best for me to just stay home, "like a real wife," he had told me. And those stories I had posted on magazines and the newspaper articles I used to occasionally write for? I no longer had access to a computer without Joseph's permission, and he refused to let me do the one thing I loved most.

He refused me a lot of things, and I made a promise to myself at that table that once I was away from Joseph, I would find work again and continue to do the things I loved, though I knew I could never post to the same magazine or newspaper article ever again. By then, word would have gotten around that I was missing, and my writing would only open more doors for Joseph to find me and more questions to be asked. I had to play it safe.

"Of course not!" Joseph says with a grin. I pull myself out of my stupor and smile at our friends, nodding silently in agreement as Joseph continued to speak. "I should probably finish going over my case files before meeting with my client tomorrow, anyways."

"The Sumner's case?" John asks expectantly as he pushes away from the table.

"Yes, that's the one. It'll be a hard case to crack since there isn't much evidence and it's all circumstantial, but I think we can win."

"I'd be surprised if you didn't," Elaine chimes in, and Joseph laughs as he follows our guests to the door, me trailing behind cautiously. John and Joseph talk a little more about their cases and how certain it'll all go according to plan, before Joseph claps John on the shoulder in a friendly gesture and opens the front door for them.

"Same time next week?" Joseph questions as he punches in the code to unlock the gate.

"Same time next week," John confirms. "Friday night dinners with the two of you are what Elaine and I live for, especially with the food as good as it is," he add with a friendly wink in my direction. "Thanks again for the lovely meal, Sienna. Goodnight, guys!"

We part ways with our guests with warm hugs and air kisses to the cheek, and once their figures had slid past the gate and made their way to their car parked on the side of the road, Joseph arms the gates once again and closes the front door behind him, locking it. His eyes sweep over my features hungrily, and I take a timid step backwards as he approaches me, loosening his tie.

"And then there were two."