“He’s watching TV. He wants to know why I’m asking.”
“He says everything’s fine.”
The taxi hit a red light, and the car went quiet. We exchanged glances. It felt like we were all thinking the same thing, but nobody wanted to say it.
Marissa ran her hand over her forehead. “Michelle, we’re almost there. It’s better to check it out, and if this is nothing, we’ll all laugh about it tomorrow.”
“And if it’s not?” Hannah asked quietly.
Nobody answered that.
It felt like we were all thinking the same thing.
Soon, the taxi pulled to a stop outside my house. The porch light was off.
“That’s weird. We always leave the porch light on.”
“You want me to wait?” the driver asked.
“Yes,” Hannah said before I could open my mouth. “Keep the engine running.”
I stepped out onto the curb. I studied the house as I moved toward it, but apart from the porch light, everything looked normal.
I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The taxi pulled to a stop outside my house.
It smelled like my vanilla candle.
There was no TV noise. Nothing.
I stood in the entryway and let the silence settle over me. Something felt… wrong.
Then I looked at the hallway rack.
The kids’ jackets were gone. Liam’s red hoodie and Ava’s sparkly pink coat were both missing from their hooks.
Something felt… wrong.
He’d told me they were asleep and that he was watching TV. Both lies.
Where was my husband, and more importantly, where were my kids?
I was reaching for my phone to call 911 when I heard the voices.
Jack was speaking in a low voice, almost pleading, “Not yet. Just a little longer, please?”
And then I heard a woman’s voice, laughing. “Begging won’t change my mind.”
I hurried up the stairs. Halfway up, the voices got clearer, and by the time I reached the top, I knew exactly which room they were coming from.
I was reaching for my phone to call 911 when I heard the voices.
I pushed open the bedroom door.
The lamp was on. A woman was standing near my dresser, barefoot on the rug, her hair still damp. She was wearing my robe.
Jack was sitting on the edge of our bed.
All three of us stared at each other.
Then Jack stood. “Michelle. Oh, my God. What are you doing here?“
She was wearing my robe.
“Who is she?”
