Chapter 4

One week later

               It’s been a week, and the game with Mariah has been in full swing.  I’m counting down the days, while Zander is blindly catering to Mariah’s every whim.  There’s a knock on the door, and I answer it knowing it’s Ace coming to play his game for two days.  “Thanks again, Saraphina.  I don’t think I could do this without the support of a good friend,” Ace stated with a sigh.

               “Of course, I told you, I’m here for you if you just need to talk.  It’s the least I can do to offer you the couch.  I’m sorry it’s not more, but you know you are always welcome,” I state loudly.  “How’s your mom holding up?”

               “Honestly, she’s a wreck.  I still cannot believe my dad ran off with a twenty-something year old, leaving my mom with nothing.  Selling the house is the hardest thing for her,” Ace continues.  His improvisation is impeccable.

               “Well, come on in.  Make yourself comfortable.  I’m just making some dinner, so you’re right on time,” I state. 

               Ace walks into the living room, says hello to Mariah and thanks Zander for agreeing to let him stay for the two nights while he’s helping his mom move.  Zander’s confused expression says it all when he enters the kitchen.  “Sara, when did I agree to letting him stay?  You know Mariah is in the guest room,” Zander says in a hushed tone.

               “He’s only going to be here for two nights, on the couch.  You said it was fine the other day when we were discussing his parents’ divorce, remember?” I remind him.  “You were grabbing a few things for Mariah at the hospital.”

               “I promise, you won’t even know I’m here,” Ace adds coming into the kitchen.  “Can I help you with anything, Saraphina?  It’s the least I can do with you cooking, and Zander taking care of Mariah.”  He looks around, then decides to wash the dishes that are in this sink.

               “Like he’s not even here, huh?” Zander mutters.  “Only for two nights, Sara.  It’s beginning to get a bit crowded in here.”

               “Two nights, that’s all he needs,” I smile.

               “Zay, I’m cold.  Can you get me a blanket, please?” Mariah practically cries, and Zander goes running.

               “Pathetic,” Ace grumbles as he scrubs a dish.  “I have to stomach two days of this shit?”

               “Two days is nothing.  Try being the wife,” I shoot back.

               “Two more weeks,” Ace whispers.  “How are you feeling?”

               “Exhausted, but I can’t say nothing.  She needs his full attention, he’s even been working from home to care for her since she’s been released from the hospital,” I explain.

               “That’s some illness, huh?” Ace comments.

               I finish dinner, while Ace finishes the dishes.  He insists on bringing the plates to the table to help me.  I’m wondering if having him here is good, or bad knowing that I’m pregnant.  If he’s too caring, Zander will get suspicious.  We all sit down to eat.  Mariah takes a bite, then spits it into her napkin.  “Sara, is there garlic in this?”  Mariah asks.

               “Just a little bit for flavor,” I answer, wondering where she’s going with this.

               “Zay, you forgot to tell her that the doctors say garlic upsets my stomach?” She pouted.  “She just spent so much time making this, and I can’t enjoy it.”

               “It’s fine, I’ll take you to go get something else,” Zander offers, and I watch as Ace tightens his fingers around his fork.

               “You could always order her some take out, while you eat what your wife made us,” Ace states.  “She did just slave over a stove for an hour, and another thirty minutes at least prepping everything.  Honestly, if I didn’t know any better, you two are using this as an excuse to go on a date behind Saraphina’s back.”

               Zander’s eyes flash, shifting between me then back to Ace.  “Ace, you misunderstand,” I quickly say.  “They are old childhood friends, and Zander’s the only person she has left to care for her.  It’s completely platonic between them.”

               “If you say so, if I behaved like that with you, Jake would kick my ass, given that you are a married woman and all,” Ace commented.  “But you are the wife, so if you are fine with it, who am I to argue?  Forget I said anything, carry on.  I will continue to enjoy this delicious home-cooked meal, Saraphina.  If they aren’t going to eat theirs, maybe I can bring some leftovers to my mom in the morning.  I don’t think she’s been making many meals since my dad left her.”

               “Zander, maybe he’s right.  You should eat the meal that Sara cooked. I’ll be okay with just some yogurt in the fridge,” Mariah continued.

               “Non-sense,” I snap.  “I insist, Zander, take Mariah to get some food.  She needs her strength to heal before her big modeling gig.”

               “Are you sure?”  Zander questions uncertainly.

               “Absolutely.  Don’t worry, the food won’t go to waste,” I turn my attention back to Ace.  “I will pack two containers for you to bring to your mom.  Send her my best, it’s been too long since I’ve seen her.  Unfortunately, I’m just so busy with work since my promotion, I barely have time to visit my own mom.”

               “What is your title again?” Ace asks, intrigued.

               “Senior executive of operations.  It’s just a fancy title for the boss of my team to make sure everything runs accordingly for our clients.  I’m in charge of making sure all the projects are done right and on time, while meeting with the clients and presenting the projects to them.  I swear I’m in and out of meetings now every five minutes.  But I’m not complaining,” I explain.

               “Zay, I’m hungry.  Sara said she doesn’t mind,” Mariah whined.

               “You’re still here?” I ask, looking back up at Zander.  “Is everything alright, husband?”

               “Everything is fine,” he grumbles.  “Let’s go, Mariah.”  He grabs her by the arm, practically dragging her out of the house.

               “Wow, I’m surprised he actually left.  The gears are turning in his head. I’m going to be sure to stress to him that we are strictly friends and that I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes,” Ace commented with a smirk.  “It’ll be better coming from me.”

               “We’ll see.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he wants to have sex tonight,” I mutter.

               “Is that a good thing?”

               “He doesn’t want to fuck her, but that doesn’t mean he’s not thinking about her while he’s fucking me,” I answer.  “I’ve caught him looking at a picture of her while being intimate with me.”

               “That’s fucked up,” Ace states.

               “You’re telling me.  But remember, there is absolutely nothing going on between them.  They are just friends.”

               “Jake will fucking kill him.”

               “Which is why Jake will not find out,” I remind him.  “Please, Ace.  You're here for two reasons.  One to show that I have a friend like her, and two, witness everything to prove I’m not going crazy being gaslit.”

               “No, there’s definitely something going on between them.”  Just then, my phone sounds with a notification.  It’s another social media post by Mariah.  I slide it over to Ace, who looks at it and almost crushes my phone in his hand from gripping it so tightly.  “I’d fucking print everything and hang it up as décor.”

               “That’s not a bad idea for week four.  See, I knew you were the right choice,” I smirk.  “Do you mind giving me a hand, moving some boxes to storage tomorrow?  I have it off, but I’m going to pretend to leave for work.  Maybe we can bring them to my car tonight before they get home.”

               “Sure thing, after all, I am helping my mom,” Ace chuckles.  Ace is an orphan who's been passed around from one foster home to another until he was 13, when he ended up with our neighbor as a kid. Looking at him now, you’d never know he was a shy, scrawny kid with only two outfits to his name.  Now he’s a physically fit, brawny man with wide shoulders and tattoo sleeves on both his arms.  His brown hair is cut in a crew cut, and he has a scar on his nose between his brown eyes from when he crashed his bicycle at fifteen.  Jake broke his arm in the same crash, but Jake’s handlebars sliced Ace just right.  There was so much blood, they thought it was his eye.  As soon as they turned 16, they both bought motorcycles and learned how to fix them.  By 21, they both joined an MC called the Brotherhood.  We don’t talk about what they do, I’m just happy when my brother comes home for a visit.

               After dinner, I bring Ace up to the bedroom and show him the boxes I’ve already packed.  He takes two, while I take a light one.  “He hasn’t even noticed I’ve been systematically packing up my belongings,” I comment as we put the boxes into my trunk.

               “He’s too preoccupied by his childhood friend, and she need to be fussed over.  She’s got a damn broken ankle that’s in a boot.  She can walk on it and be okay.  It’s not like her arms are broken,” Ace mutters.  “I know I promised I wouldn’t kill him, but can I shake him a little?”

               “No,” I laugh.  “Two more weeks, then I can walk away and he can’t stop the process.  I need to keep pretending for two more weeks.”

               “You are stronger than I am.  That bitch would be dead in a ditch on the side of the highway if I were in your shoes,” Ace stated as we entered the house again. 

               “Don’t think the thought hasn’t crossed my mind.  I know all I have to do is say the word to Jake, and she’ll become a Jane Doe in a morgue somewhere, but she’s not worth sending him to prison over,” I admit.

               “True, there’s a special place in hell for people like her.  Karma will eventually catch up to him,” Ace replied.  “How long before he sees what they’ve done?”

               “A month or two, before he realizes we’re divorced and I’m not coming back,” I shrug.  “He’ll think I’m throwing a fit somewhere, and that eventually, I’ll cool off and return.”

               “Exactly where do I come in?”

               “In case I need out before three weeks is up,” I answer.  “I need to put my health first, for obvious reasons.”

               “We can help you disappear,” Ace offers.

               “I’m going to stay with my parents for two weeks, to make sure everything is final.  Then, I’ll figure out my next moves.”

               “Jake and I can loan you money.”

               “No need, I have plenty of my own.”

               “Okay,” Ace nods.  I walk to the linen closet and return with a pillow and a sheet for him.  “You remembered?”

               “That you don’t like sleeping with actual blankets, of course.  How could someone forget that fact? It’s so odd.”

               “It’s not odd, I get hot when I sleep.  I love sleeping outside in the desert.  It’s so cold it’s amazing,” Ace replies.  “Minus the snakes and scorpions.”

               “You can keep your bugs, reptiles, and cold.  I prefer to be warm at night,” I reply.  “I’m going to go to bed.  I’m exhausted.”

               “Have a good night, Saraphina,” Ace comments as he pulls his shirt off, before dropping his pants and lying on the couch with the sheet draped over his legs.  “I’m making breakfast tomorrow. What do you want?”

               “Anything but eggs.  They make me so nauseous.”

               “Got it, I’ll figure something out and whip it up.”

               “Thanks, Ace.”