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When my eyes awoke, I felt peaceful. My heart seemed to be beating at a normal pace again. My body wasn’t tight and tensed like it was when I got here, and I’m sure the foaming stopped. I was still half-asleep but fully aware of everything that had happened last night, where I was now, and why.
“Hey Katie, you’re awake . . .”
It was Epiphany. I knew she would be here, but Kyle? Why was she here? I didn’t want that bitch to see me like this. On second thought, I don’t care what she thinks. I don’t care what Epiphany thinks. I don’t care what anyone thinks anymore. After what happened at Fenmore’s last night, I’m finally ready to admit I have a problem. Or shall I say my husband has a problem? There is definitely something wrong. I can feel it in my heart, and so can my sisters. That’s why they’re both looking at me like my body is about to shatter right in front of them.
“I’m okay.” I rolled over, so my back was to them. I didn’t want to look at them. I didn’t want to answer the questions written on their faces. I just wanted to be left alone. I wanted to fall back asleep, and when I awakened this time, last night would be part of a dream that I’d never have to relive again.
“Do you want some water?”
“Epiphany, I said I’m fine.”
“Katie, will you look at me and tell me what happened last night.”
I sat up in the small, hard hospital bed. With my sisters here—and the morning sun shining through the drape-less windows—it was clear I wasn’t going to get any more rest.
“The doctor hasn’t been in yet this morning. They ran tests when she first got here.”
“It was just a panic attack!” Just because I’m in a hospital bed doesn’t mean I was helpless. I could speak for myself. I didn’t need Epiphany explaining anything to Kyle. Besides, it was nothing but a panic attack, gosh.
Kyle asked, “Where is Eric now?”
“I’m right here.”
My husband was standing in the doorway of my room. He didn’t make his presence known to Kyle or Epiphany because we all jumped at the same instance from the sound of his voice.
“Kyle, . . . Epiphany, I want to speak with Eric alone, please.” I could tell from the look on their faces, especially Kyle’s, they didn’t want to leave me.
They were so protective of me as if I needed protection. Well, I didn’t. What I need is to speak with my husband in private.
Kyle looked at Eric, then back down to me. I didn’t realize it, but she’d been holding my hand since I woke up.
“We’ll be right outside that door.”
I nodded for them to leave. And they did without connecting eyes with Eric.
He came closer to me as I sat there with my arms folded across my chest. I didn’t speak even though I wanted to. I had queries that only he could answer like why was he here now? Today is Thursday. He always leaves me on Wednesdays.
Then there was the incident at Fenmore’s last night. I want to know who were those people he introduced me to? His brother, niece, and hygienist came out of thin air. I knew Eric one year before we married, yet I never even heard him mention a brother or niece. His story was always the same: Mother and Father were killed when he was ten; he was sent to a home for boys, left that home when he turned eighteen and got a scholarship into The University of Maryland School of Medicine. I took his story to be true; now, I don’t know what to believe.
He asked, “What are you doing?” as I pressed the little red button on the cord lying next to me as hard as I could. I needed my sisters more than I ever imagined I would. I needed Kyle and Epiphany to save me from this man staring down at me. Rescue me from any more of his shenanigans. Just get me out of this bed, away from this hospital, and far away from him!
“Yes, Mrs. Reynolds?”
I wanted to cry as I spoke into the intercom, but I held back the tears. “Nurse, can you send my sisters back in here, please?” I knew they were right outside my door, but I didn’t want to alarm them by yelling out into the hallway.
“Yes, Mrs. Reynolds, I’ll send them right in.”
“Why are you calling for your sisters?”
“Eric, I think you should leave.”
“Leave? What-what did I do?”
I didn’t answer him.
“Katie?”
Now I wouldn’t look at him.
“Would you please talk to me?”
Nope.
“Katie . . . look at me.”
I wouldn’t.
“Katie, please.”
Come on Kyle and Epiphany, hurry . . .
“Katie, why are you—”
“Katie, is everything okay?” Epiphany came into the room first.
“Katie, what is it?” Kyle came charging in after her. They were both heading right for me, which meant my husband would soon be heading out.
“Why are you doing this to me?” I could hear the desperation in Eric’s voice as he spoke. “Katie, what did I do?”
“Eric, I think you should leave.” My little sister was always there when I needed her to be. She was saying the words to my husband I was afraid to say. Her body language was sharp and bitter just as mine would be if I had more strength. She was strong for me. She was angry for me. She did exactly what I needed her to do without any verbal orders from me.
“Katie, what is this about? I don’t understand why you’re doing this!”
“This is about Katie not wanting to talk to you right now, Eric! She wants you to leave.” It was Kyle’s turn to stand up to Eric man-to-man. I love my sisters.
“Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on? I’m not going anyplace until I get some answers.”
“Eric,” back to Epiphany, “lower your voice. This is a hospital.”
My husband looked back down at me. “Do you want me to leave, Katie?” When my answer stalled, he said, “I asked you a question. Do you want me to leave?”
I didn’t know what to say. My sisters were on my right, glaring over at my husband with him on my left glaring down at me.
“Katie?”
“Yes, Eric, I think you should go.”
“Why are you doing this? Just tell me what I’ve done?”
“Katie, I’m calling security. Dr. Reynolds needs to go now!” Kyle’s sarcasm flew across the room.
“Kyle, this is between Katie and me!”
“Yeah, and she asked you to leave!
“Everyone stop! Please, just stop fighting.” I took a deep breath. “Kyle, Epiphany, give me five more minutes alone with Eric; I shouldn’t have called you guys back in here so soon.”
“Katie, you don’t want him here, that’s why you called us back in here so soon.”
“Epiphany, five minutes.”
I could tell she didn’t want to leave. Neither did Kyle, but I had to speak with my husband alone once more.
“We’ll be right down the hall when you’re ready.”
I waited for Kyle and Epiphany to leave the room to say what I had to say to Eric.
“Katie . . . I don’t get this. Why are you and your sisters treating me this way? What have I done?”
“Something doesn’t feel right, Eric. Something is just not sitting well with me.” I asked, “Why did you take me to that place last night?”
“I told you, my receptionist—”
“I know what you told me, but . . . Eric, who is Courtney?”
“Courtney is the head hygienist at my practice. I already told you that too.”
“Who is Thaddeus?”
He breathed heavily before he said, “Thaddeus is my older brother. We’re four years apart.”
“Who is Miranda? And don’t say your niece, because I’m not buying it. Just like I’m not buying this, Thad person is your older brother. Just tell me the truth, Eric. For once, don’t lie to me. Stop trying to control every single piece of content in our marriage, and just talk to me. Be honest with me.” My words were coming out beyond my control. “I sit there in that house all the time waiting for you, wondering what you’re doing. Who you’re with? What you’re eating? What kind of cologne you’re wearing? I sit and wonder because I don’t know. You’re always away, and that’s so unfair to me, Eric. I am your wife! I need you more than just a few days a week, can’t you see that?” All the muscles in my face collapsed as I started breaking down. “You have me on this schedule that I just can’t take anymore.” He stood there quiet. “And would you say something! I’m about to lose my mind, and all you can do is stand there blank? Say something!” I sniffled before I reached for a tissue.
“Katie . . . Katie, how could you say those things?” His voice was low and raspy.
“Because, Eric, it’s all true, and-and it’s killing me.”
“You had a panic attack last night, Katie. A panic-attack. I had nothing to do with that.”
“You don’t think so?”
“No, I don’t. And for you to lie there and make accusations about my family, and colleague is outrageous!”
“You want to talk outrageous? If I wasn’t in this hospital bed right now, where would you be? Huh? Let’s hear it, Eric. Where-would-you-be!” When he didn’t answer, I screamed, “Exactly! You wouldn’t be with me. You wouldn’t be at our home. You wouldn’t even be a phone call away. You never are unless it’s our designated time to be together. That’s what’s outrageous!” More tears streamed out of my eyes as my bottled-up feelings poured from my lips. “I can’t do this anymore, Eric. I can’t be your wife Sunday through Wednesday, or whenever you decide to come back home. I just can’t . . . I won’t.”
“Katie, I’m a doctor!”
“That’s funny—that’s not what the private investigator said.” Oh God, I didn’t mean to say that! Shit! Shit! Shit! I wasn’t going to bring the PI up to him, at least not this way. I went too far . . .
I could tell Eric was fuming before any of his angered words left his mouth. “Wait-a-fucking-minute! You hired a private investigator?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“So, who did? Your nosey, miserable sisters? Your parents, who you see maybe once a year? Who the hell did this, Katie?!”
“Eric, this isn’t about anybody but you. You and those people from last night.”
“I told you who those people were, and you’re still sitting there accusing me of lying about my family?! You dirty bitch, how dare you?” When my eyes bugged out of my head, Eric came back with, “Yeah, I said it...You are a dirty, wicked, coldhearted, lowdown bitch for that. It’s your family that should be questioned and scrutinized, not mine, Katie! And you wonder why it’s taken me so long to bring them around.”
Eric’s eyes were starting to scare me. He didn’t look like the same man I fell in love with. He didn’t even look like the same man that walked into this room a few minutes ago. Even the tone of his voice had changed. The look in his face was now wild and vicious. His fists were balled up. His teeth gritted in his jaws. His mouth had formed a complete circle from anger.
“You listen to me, Katie Morgan, and you listen good because I will not say this more than once. You pull whatever private investigator off me before I make you, your fat-ass sisters, and your distant parents all disappear. You don’t wanna fuck with me, bitch.”
I didn’t know what to say or how to react. Eric has never spoken to me this way before. “Eric, how dare you call me those names! You don’t speak to me that way; I don’t care how mad you are!”
“Oh, you better care how mad I am . . . your fucking life depends on it.”
“That’s it! I’m calling security!”
Before I could reach for the red button on top of the long tan chord, Eric threatened, “If you call security in here, I will bury you alive under our house.” He reached down and fisted my hospital gown. “Look at my face.” He stared into my eyes. “I hope you can tell that I’m serious.”
Eric yanked me back before he turned and headed for the door. I sat there, trembling until he was gone. I was so scared I didn’t move. I didn’t blink. I just sat there, shaking.
I didn’t know that man that just left . . . I didn’t recognize him or his threats. Eric would never talk to me that way. He wouldn’t call me a bitch and threaten to bury me alive. Whoever that man was, I’m glad he’s gone.
When Kyle and Epiphany came through the door, I quickly warned, “If you haven’t pulled that PI off Eric, please do so right now. Please!”
I thought my life, and theirs depends on it . . .