Alicia pressed the power button on her phone more than once, making sure her battery was dead. She’d just pulled into the garage, but before she’d left Levi’s, she’d turned on her phone and seen two missed calls from Phillip and two from her dad. She’d also seen that her battery was still at 70 percent. So, for a few minutes, she’d sat in Levi’s driveway, browsing her Facebook newsfeed and reading various articles on Twitter. By the time she’d started up her car, her battery had drained to 60 percent. This was when she’d clicked open her iHeartRadio app, found a great R & B station, and played it the whole way back to Mitchell. She hadn’t been sure her plan would work, but thankfully, by the time she’d stopped at the mall and purchased a few items—to prove she’d been shopping—she’d successfully run down her battery and driven home.
Alicia had also taken a shower at Levi’s, washed her face, held a cold towel across her eyes, and reapplied her makeup. That way Phillip wouldn’t be able to tell she’d been crying. It was good, too, that she’d known so many of the songs she’d heard on iHeartRadio, she’d sung her way out of sadness.
Now all she had to do was put on a happy face and prepare herself for all the questions Phillip would be asking as soon as he saw her.
She grabbed four shopping bags, walked up to the door leading to the kitchen, turned the key, and went inside.
Phillip stood there waiting for her. “Where in the world have you been? Didn’t you get my messages?”
“No, baby, I’m sorry. My phone has been dead for hours.”
“What about the charger in your car?”
“I couldn’t find it. I never have to use it, so I must have misplaced it.”
“Where have you been?” he asked in a louder voice.
She set her bags down for effect. “Baby, please don’t be upset…but I went shopping again. I went to see Melanie, she and I got into it, and the next thing I knew I was over at Woodfield.”
“For nine hours? Because it sounds like you left Melanie’s around two o’clock.”
Alicia wanted to ask why Melanie had told him anything at all, but she didn’t want to take a chance on making him more furious.
“I got caught up, and I’m sorry. I know I said I wouldn’t do this again, but Melanie really upset me.”
“Well, while you were MIA, Brad was in a serious car accident and a child died. Her mother was drunk driving and ran a red light.”
“Oh no,” she said, leaning against the counter. “Is Brad okay?”
“No. He has a concussion and brain swelling, so they have him heavily sedated.”
“Dear God. And that poor child.”
“That’s why I kept calling you. That’s why I left you those messages, but some good that did.”
“I’m really sorry.”
“What’s wrong with you? Why are you all of a sudden shopping again?”
“I told you, Melanie and I got into it. I should’ve just come home.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly what you should’ve done.”
Alicia hated having to defend herself about shopping, but it was better for him to believe she’d been at the mall for hours than to suspect the truth.
“Did you just leave the hospital?” she asked.
“About an hour ago, but you really need to call Melanie. And why did the two of you fall out? Because she never said a word to me about it.”
“Remember, I told you Brad wanted me to talk to her about all the weight she’s losing. I brought it up, and one thing led to another.”
“Well, you need to check on her. Not tomorrow but now.”
Phillip was angrier than Alicia had seen him in years. Their quarrel tonight reminded her of all the horrible arguments they’d had the first time they were married.
“Can I use your phone? Mine is still dead.”
“Your charger is right over there,” he said, glancing toward the electrical outlet near the toaster.
Alicia pulled her phone from her tote and plugged it in. When it came on, she dialed Melanie, but she didn’t answer. It wasn’t as though Alicia expected her to, anyway, not with the way they’d spoken to each other earlier.
“I’ll just have to try her later.”
“Your best friend’s husband could have died today, and you’re not going to the hospital? Not to mention Brad’s my best friend who I love like a brother.”
“Visiting hours are over.”
“Not for emergencies.”
“Melanie won’t want me there.”
“Well, I’m going back, but you do what you want,” he said, walking away from her and going upstairs.
Alicia was staying home, and she was glad Phillip had left the kitchen for the time being. He seemed so through with her, but she would explain and apologize for the next week if that’s what it took for him to get over this.
She dialed into her voice mail system and listened to the messages her dad and Phillip had left her. She’d purposely not played them when she’d first discovered them, because she’d wanted her plan to seem as genuine as possible. That way, if, for instance, Phillip walked back into the kitchen without warning, he’d see her checking her messages the same as anyone would do as soon as they realized they’d missed a few calls. But when she heard the last one from her dad, she deleted it. His tone was stern and terse, and he sounded as though he was expecting the worst. There was no way she was calling him back tonight. She would just wait and see him at church in the morning. Her dad wasn’t always tactful, but he would never question or accuse her of anything in front of others. She knew she’d have to talk to him at some point, but it would be on her own terms and not until she was ready. It wouldn’t be a second before that.