Priscilla
Priscilla watched him drive away. She’d grown so accustomed to his presence she could feel a void growing in her watching him leave. She went back into the house.
She was making some sandwiches when she heard a knock on the door. She knew it was Janet and Phil.
“I’m coming,” she said, walking to the door.
She opened the door to see David. He was the last person she was expecting to see on her front door given the circumstances.
“You have a lot of nerve walking up here,” she said.
“I had no choice,” he replied.
“I couldn’t call. You blocked my contact.”
“What do you want?” she asked firmly.
“You know what I want. You know what you did.”
“I woke up this morning to a cop knocking on my front door. It was said you reported a break and entry and I was the main suspect.
“You know, I’m starting to see how much of a horrible person you are. Beneath that innocent face lies a cold bitch.”
His words stung her.
“I’m in no mood for your altercations, David,” she replied.
“I’m going to ask you to get off my porch before I call the cops.”
“I came to tell you I didn’t break into your home. How low do you think I would stoop because of you? You really overrate yourself, Priscilla. You think you are better than everyone, don’t you?”
“I won’t tell you again, David. Get out of here or I’m calling the cops.”
“You know, perhaps you truly deserved what you got.”
She felt the sting of his words.
“You are a real douche, David,” she said.
“Meeting you was the biggest mistake of my life,” he said.
“That makes two of us,” she replied.
She slammed the door hard into his face and turned the lock behind it.
She was having mixed feelings. She felt glad she finally stood up to him and didn’t allow him to push her around, but sad she accused him falsely because now she was sure it wasn’t him.
She went back to finish up the sandwiches she was making. She settled down at the dining table and munched at one slowly.
She heard another knock on the door.
Who is it this time around? She groaned.
She walked up to the door. This time she peeked through the hole to see who it was before opening the door.
“Took you long enough,” she said.
“Tell it to the guy with a garbage for a truck. The stupid truck broke down twice on our way here.”
“Shut up, Janet.”
“You could have walked. No one forced you into the car.”
“I have a better chance getting here faster on foot than with that useless truck.”
“Enough!” Priscilla said firmly.
“Both of you. I’m not in the mood to listen to a petty squabble.”
“She started it.”
“I don’t care who started it. Just cut it out, both of you.”
“Sorry, Priscilla. That was quite insensitive of us,” Phil said.
“Yeah, Phil. That was quite insensitive and childish of you,” Janet said mockingly.
She gave her a look that finally shut her up.
“Were you hurt?” Phil asked.
“No. They were gone by the time I was here.”
“What was stolen?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” Janet asked.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“Absolutely nothing,” she replied.
“What was the point of breaking in then?” Phil asked.
“Do you want them to steal something, Phil?” Janet asked.
“Shut up, Janet. I didn’t mean it that way. You took that off my fucking mouth.”
She gave them a stern look.
“What do you think their motive for breaking in was?” Phil asked.
“I have no fucking idea.”
“The house was trashed a bit and Max was killed.”
“Who’s Max?” he asked.
“Her cat, dumbass.”
“I thought her cat was dead before.”
“She bought another one.”
“Oh, I never knew.”
“Why didn’t you call me?” Phil asked.
“Oh, wait, let me see. I
Your phone was unreachable,” she said. She wouldn’t have called Peter if Phil was reachable.
“Yeah, true. I’m sorry. I switched it off because Daniel complained I was too fixated on the phone and wasn’t paying him enough attention.”
“No one is interested in the details of your nuptial night, Phil,” Janet said.
“What about me? Why didn’t you call me?” Janet asked.
“I don’t want to put you in a dangerous situation. Sorry.”
Jane looked upset. Her friend was in danger, and she wasn’t called to help.
Priscilla saw her expression. “I’m sorry Janet.”
Janet rolled her eyes, but kept quiet.
“I was expecting to meet a mess.”
“Peter called a cleaning company called Aftermath to do it.”
“Peter?” Phil asked.
“Peter came here?”
“Yeah.”
“I called him.”
“I can’t believe you called him, and didn’t call me,” Janet muttered.
“Where is he?” Phil asked.
“He left a few minutes ago.”
“What about your mom?” Phil asked.
“I’m quite surprised she’s not here.”
“She’s not around.”
“Besides, I didn’t tell her the whole truth.”
“You didn’t?” Janet asked.
“Why?”
“Well, nothing was stolen.”
“So?”
“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tell her about it.”
“She has quite enough to be worried about. I wouldn’t want to worry her any further.”
“What have the police found out so far?” Phil asked.
“Basically nothing,” she replied.
“No fingerprints, nothing.”
“They aren’t exactly enthusiastic about investigating any further.”
“Wait a minute,” Janet said.
“What?” Priscilla asked.
“Do you think they’re both related?” Janet asked.
“To what?”
“The woman that was assaulted a few weeks ago. Nothing was also stolen in her shop.”
“I doubt that,” Phil replied.
“It’s literally in the same neighborhood.”
“Both were broken into without anything stolen. You think it’s a coincidence?”
“That is preposterous,” Phil said.
“But truly, it seems like a wild assumption,” Priscilla replied.
“But it wouldn’t hurt to let the cops know about it. Who knows, it might help out with the investigation,” Janet said.
“This is another reason to be more careful and avoid staying out late.”
“We are having this conversation because she stayed out late,” Phil replied.
“What if they met her at home?”
“I never thought about it that way,” Janet said.
Neither did Priscilla. Would she be the one murdered gruesomely and eviscerated? She would be rotting away in the house till someone discovered she was missing. It sent chills down her spine.
“You know, having both of you over is starting to feel like a terrible idea,” she said.
She stared at them. They looked truly remorseful. She sat back with a frown to prevent any further antics.
They both shut up, but only for a while.
“I guess he wasn’t the only one that had a great night at the football game,” Phil said.
“What do you mean?” Priscilla asked.
“We saw Peter hug you at the match,” Janet said.
She froze.
“You did?”
“You didn’t really think that would escape us, did you?”
“You sly. When did you plan to tell us about you two?” Phil added.
“It was an emotionless hug. He was caught in the moment of celebration of the last goal. Besides, you made him sit with me,” she said dismissively, hoping they would buy that.
“You didn’t complain much about it. And you don’t just hug anybody because your team is winning.”
“I didn’t hug Janet because we were winning.”
“Probably because I would punch you in the face if you did,” Janet said.
“True,” he replied.
“That’s beside the point. He walked you from the food stands and drove you home from the game.”
“I just happened to run into him at the food stand, and he drove me because y’all wouldn’t, which I’m sure was another one of your gimmicks.”
“I’m glad you had your thrill of him driving you home and having more alone time, but it wasn’t my intention,” Phil said.
“Yeah, whatever.”
“How did you manage to sleep here all alone?” Janet asked.
“I didn’t.”
She regretted it immediately, but it was too late.
“You didn’t?”
“Where did you sleep?”
“What?” she Priscilla feigned ignorance.
“You said you didn’t sleep at home.”
“I never said that.”
“Do we look stupid?” Phil asked.
“Yes, Phil. I am inclined to agree to that,” Janet said.
“You definitely look stupid.”
“Come on, Janet,” Phil groaned.
“I thought we were on the same side.”
Janet pulled out her tongue at him as a sign of mockery.
“So, ma’am, back to you.”
“Where did you sleep?”
“I already know. I just want to hear you say it.”
“Don’t fight it. Just admit it,” Phil added.
It was obvious they knew already.
“I slept at Peter’s.”
They both laughed sardonically.
“Even both of you have to be rational at a time like this. I slept over at his place due to an unforeseen dire circumstance. I didn’t have a choice. Or would you rather have me sleep here alone? It wasn’t my fault my friends were nowhere to be found when I needed them the most.”
It was her last attempt to escape their troll.
She scanned their faces. They looked serious. It worked. She was relieved it did.
“Did you sleep on the same bed?” Phil asked.
They burst into another fit of laughter.
She was wrong. She was so, so wrong. She would never hear the end of it.
She wished Peter was here. His presence would have put a stop to it.
“Phil!” she said with a dead eye.
“Sorry,” he said with a mocking facial expression.
She knew he wasn’t.
“So, did you?”
“Gosh, no,” she lied.
“How low do you think of me?”
“Pretty low when it comes to Peter,” Janet said.
She sighed.
“And where is Peter?” Phil asked.
“He told me he was coming back.”
She was also starting to wonder where he was. How long does it take to drive to and from the outskirts of the city?
“Can I have this sandwich?” Phil asked.
“I’m famished.”
He was holding the sandwich she made for Peter.
“No, Phil, you can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I said you can’t.”
“Are you saving it for someone?” Phil asked with a mocking face.
“Yeah, Phil, I am,” she snapped.
“Can you make me another?”
“She’s not your slave, Phil,” Janet said.
“Can you make one for me too, when you are making his?”
“I’m not making anything for anyone,” she said assertively.
“Besides, we are out of fresh loaves.”
“Let us have Peter’s then. It’s becoming stale.”
“No, Phil, you can’t.”
“You are choosing Peter over us,” he said with a pout.
“Yes, I am.”
She was starting to feel worried. She had really anticipated his return. Perhaps he got held up with something. She hoped he was alright.
