Nineteen Victims

Chapter 6

Chris began to grow suspicious of Gianna's behavior of consistently staying late at work or making up possible excuses. While she was getting ready, Chris was looking at his laptop about his suspicions. Isobel had come through to the door with a smile as she held her stuffed animal in her hand.
"Good morning, Daddy."
"Good morning, princess."
"Does Mommy have the day off?" She tilted her head.
Gianna walked in from the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom. She scooped Isobel up in her arms and tickled her. "Of course I have off. It's the weekend and I get to spend the whole weekend with my favorite person."
Chris chimed in, looking up from his laptop "hey, I thought I was your favorite?"
"Oh, you are my favorite too. But Isobel comes in first." she smiled. She took Isobel downstairs to make breakfast.
"So, Izzy, what should Mommy make for breakfast, hm?"
"Daddy's Mickey Mouse pancakes."
"I could try to make them like Daddy does, but no promises that they'll taste like his."
She began to make breakfast while Isobel sat at the counter watching her cook. She thought about surprising Chris upstairs with breakfast since had seemed very comfortable in the bed. Once breakfast was made she fixed up a plate for Isobel and then she fixed up a plate for Chris.
"Hey, why don't we go surprise Daddy with breakfast in bed. He can be the judge of if my pancakes came out as good as his."
Isobel smiled and nodded. She ran upstairs ahead of Gianna, with Gianna following close behind her.
Meanwhile upstairs, Chris had gone through Gianna's duffle bag to find the bloodied shirt and pants. Isobel had reached their bedroom and stood in the doorway just as Gianna approached. "Daddy! Mommy and I-" That's when Gianna cut off Isobel when she saw the bloody clothes in Chris's hand.
"Izzy, why don't you go downstairs and eat your breakfast."
Isobel went downstairs with no objections. Chris looked at Gianna, but he was still in shock to say anything for a few minutes.
"Why the hell is there blood on your shirt, Gianna?"
"I- Chris, I can explain."
"Yeah you better do a hell of a lot of explaining right now." He shut the door and continued to look at Gianna as he waved the shirt in her face. "This explanation better be good because you have missed out on a lot of Isobel's life because of you supposedly staying late at work or going to the gym. Where you even at the gym last night?"
"I decided not to go to the gym because the day was beautiful out yesterday. I went for a run for the scenery. A runner had passed me on my run and they had tripped, cutting themselves on a sharp twig among other sharp objects that surrounded the area. I had to help them suppress the bloodflow." she ran her fingers through her hair. "I also went to clear my head as I am still upset that Jared is now in prison."
"But why are you carrying the same duffle bag with you even when you go to work, huh?" Are you having some sort of affair? Are you cheating on me?"
"What? Chris, no! We have Isobel. I would never do that to you or her." she shook her head and looked at him.
"You didn't answer my question, Gianna. Why do you take the duffle bag to work?"
"I don't know what you want me to say. I just take my duffle bag with me every day to work just in case I end up getting off early and then I end up going to the gym."
"A part of me wants to believe you, but I don't. Leave the plate on the nightstand, I'll eat it later. And one day, I will get to the bottom of whatever the hell it is that you're doing."
The blonde could tell that Chris was getting pissed off with her, but she couldn't help that she didn't want to tell him what she was really doing. She was already putting her family at risk as it was. She exited their room and left him alone. She didn't want to fight anymore, even if it was her fault they were fighting.
. . .
After a few days of consideration Chris came to his own decision about what he was going to do in regards to Gianna and her behavior. He made sure Isobel was away for the day. He waited until Gianna was home. He had his bags packed and ready to go as he sta at the dinner table. He ran his fingers through his hair as Gianna walked through the door.
"Chris, what the hell is this? What's going on?"
"I need to go, Gianna. You can't be truthful with me. I just think we need a separation, I will go and you and Isobel can stay here since this is all she has known."
"Chris, come on," she paused. "You're about to leave me and a little girl eho loves you very much. You don't have to do this." She placed her hand on his as she sat down beside him at the table. Chris moved his hand from under hers.
"I don't know the full truth of your actions and what you told me was very hard to believe. Because someone just casually trips while on a run and you're to their rescue. They reported two dead bodies just the next day after our argument. So who's to say that you haven't turned into a murderer yourself like Jared." He gave her a look.
"Oh. so that's what this is about. It's about Jared." She shook her head.
"It seems to me like you may have actually done something to the two bodies of the victims they found. You could have easily helped Jared in the killings of the two murders he confessed to. That also explains why you want to keep seeing him in prison." he paused. "I'll be around for Isobel and to make sure I'm being a parent to her, but I no longer wish to stay here right now. I will come back in the future, if my life is headed in that direction and if you influence my decision in such a way to suggest that I should come back. But as of right now, you have not shown me that."
     "Chris, please. You don't have to leave. I'm not seeing Jared like you may think I am, I am just helping him through this difficult time since he practically has no one else that can visit him. I already know he wouldn't want his boys to witness any of that." she ran her fingers through her hair.
      "I don't know what else you want me to say Gianna. Until you can prove to me that it is worth while staying here right now, I am leaving."
     "So you're going to leave your wife and daughter just like that? You know Isobel only sleeps when both of us tuck her in at night."
      Chris grabbed his bags as he stood up from the table. "I can't do this right now. The constant lies and everything in between. I'll be back if you can show me a point to come back." he walked towards the door and shook his head as opened the door to leave.
     Gianna knew Chris might do something, but she didn't think he wouldn't do anything as much as leave her and Isobel. This also meant that Gianna would need to explain to Isobel that Chris wasn't coming back for a while.
                     . . .
      Gianna let Isobel stay with her grandparents for a few days longer so she could clear her head. But in that time frame she had also committed murders of her own as she always did in hopes that she would continue to get away with everything. She picked up Isobel eventually after it had been the few days. She put her in the car seat then got into the car herself. She looked back at her through the rearview mirror.
      "Hey, Bells. We need to talk about something."
      "What is it, Mommy?"
      "Well.. Daddy left for a while, but he will be back. For now I'll be the one tucking you in at night and no more late nights at work." She smiled towards her from the mirror.
      "Good for no more late nights, but I wish Daddy was home to tuck me in at night."
      "He'll be back in no time, I promise." she drove home and kept Isobel entertained as she still drove.
       Once they got home she walked inside with her and continued their day as normal. They continued as if Chirs was on a business trip for work. The two of them had a girls day and spent more time together in a long time than Gianna had realized.