Janet and I were drinking some tea at the table in the kitchen. She looked at me as if she wanted to say something but then quickly retreat from her thought.
As I took a sip from my tea she hit me with this question:
"Jolie, how long have you been having an affair?"
I nearly choked on my tea and began to cough. "Janet, what makes you think I'm cheating?"
Janet got up, "Come on Jolie. Do you think I'm stupid? I saw that guy in the towel. I love you very much because you made my brother happy but if you were sleazing around on him, I think the truth better come out now!"
My eyes were widened as I looked up at her. "Janet, I have never cheated on your brother."
She rolled her eyes incredulously, "Jolie, I know you and you do not just pick up random guys and have sex with them."
I got up this time. "First of all, I told you he was an old school friend and second, we did not have sex-"
"There you go again! Lie after lie. Is this what you did to Michael, huh? Are those kids even his because Michael even doubted them!"
That last comment hit me in the heart like a sharp knife...
"What?"
Janet's look on her face showed that she knew she had gone too far.
"Jolie, I'm so sorry. You weren't supposed-"
The tears were pooling in my eyes. "Jan-et," my voice cracked, "I think you should go now..."
She nodded understandingly and grabbed her purse. "The initial reason I came over was to tell you that I took care of the memorial stuff and it is next weekend at St. Michael's Church."
Tears were dropping from my eyes now. "Please...just leave..."
The last thing I heard was the door close.
***********************************************************
My head was killing me when I opened my eyes. I saw a woman, who looked like she was in her late twenties or early thirties, looking down at me. I couldn't really tell because a veil covered most of her face leaving her eyes uncovered. She said something in her native tongue yelling to someone. In a few seconds a little boy came with a glass of water.
"Where am I?" I asked.
The woman, ignoring my question, sat me up and put the cup of water to my lips. Within a matter of seconds I drank the whole glass, I didn't even realize how thirsty I was.
"Can I have some more please?" I asked.
The woman nodded her head and said something to the little boy and the boy took the glass and left.
As I began to wake up a little bit more, I looked around. I was in a small room with a mini television with "Jeopardy!" quietly playing in front of me and I was sleeping on an old mattress with a blue floral bed sheet over it. There was a cracked, dusty window where I could see little children running around playing soccer barefoot in the street.
The little boy came back with the water and this time she gave me two capsules to take with the water.
"This will help with your headache," she said in English. As a soldier, one must learn the language of the people but the language she was speaking, I didn't understand so I was grateful she spoke English too.
I nodded and downed the pills with the water.
"Where am I?" I asked again.
"You are in Pakistan," she said.
Pakistan? "Do you know how I got here?"
The woman shook her head. "My oldest son said he saw two bearded men throw you out of a truck. They didn't know he was watching so when they left, he came to get you. By then you had fainted. Probably from the heat and the pain. My son carried you here, luckily it wasn't that far from where the men dropped you off to our home."
As she told the story, I remembered. Anubis is trying to take my family away from me! I need to get back.
"I have to get back to my family; can you please help me get back to America?" I pleaded.
"I looked through your clothes and found your ID; it says you are an American soldier. Are you part of the people who bombed our village?" I could see the hurt in her eyes.
"Well, I am a soldier but I don't shoot or bomb anyone. I am a surgeon. I help the wounded soldiers and civilians."
The woman looked at me. "Okay, I will help you but you will need your rest before you are well to travel."
"Thank you," I said gratefully.
***********************************************************
This day was just so intense. I'd yelled at everyone who'd come through my door, I'd barely spent time with my kids...I'm losing myself. Why couldn't things just be how they used to be? I wish Michael never joined the military. I'm proud at what he did for his country and for the people over there but what about us? What about his family? I remember the day he came home from his job at the local emergency room so vividly...
***
"Babe! I'm home!" he yelled from the door.
"I'm in here!" I yelled from the bedroom.
He walked to our room and plopped himself on the bed. "Babe," he said, "I joined the military today."
My eyes grew wide. "What?" I exclaimed. "You joined the military?"
"Yeah, isn't that great?" he smiled.
I stood up. "No! It isn't! How could you make a decision like this without discussing it with me first? It's dangerous over there!"
This time he stood up and walked over to me. "Jolie, it's dangerous over here too. Besides I'll be helping people in a way that I haven't before and you know that has been my dream..." He came closer to me and wrapped his arms around me.
"I know Mike, but we've been married for barely a year and I just...I just don't want to lose you," tears began rolling down my face. I wiped them away and laid my head into his chest.
"Jolie, you won't lose me," he said assuring me.
We stood there just holding each other for a moment then finally I broke the silence. "Is this what you really want to do?"
"Yes. If I told you no, I'd be lying."
I sighed deeply. "Okay, if this is what you want, then I am one hundred percent behind you."
He smiled and let go of me to pull my face to his. He kissed me on the lips and then looked me in the eyes and said the sweetest "I love you."
***
I thought about that day and how happy he was. But now those days are just memories of the man I will never see again.
I didn't want to cry so I grabbed the remote and turned on the television. I flipped through the channels and stopped on the news channel when I saw a familiar face. It was a picture of Damion and the caption underneath the picture were the words in bold letters: ESCAPED CONVICT. My eyes grew wide as I turned the volume up to hear the anchorwoman speak.
"Convict Damion Vasari or known by his street name "Anubis" has escaped Mule Creek State Prison three weeks ago. The California State police are searching high and low for the fugitive. If anyone has any information regarding the search or if anyone has spotted him, alert the local authorities immediately. He is a risk to society and is linked to a surprise bombing of U.S. military bases in Afghanistan. He was convicted for the rape and aggravated assault of a woman in 1998 so women and children are advised to stay indoors at all possible times. Again, if anyone has any information on the fugitive alert local authorities immediately or call the 24-hour police hotline: 1-800-POLICE (1-800-765-423)".
"Oh my goodness..." I got up and started pacing the floor.
I'm the dumbest person on the planet! Good behavior? How could I have been so stupid and naïve? How could I have thought for a single moment that Anubis of all people could change? This all must be some kind of plan to get me back or something. He's freaking obsessed with me! How else would he have known Michael died? Oh my goodness! The hospital! He was Dr. Vasari! He was near my kids!
Wait a minute...
The anchorwoman said that he was linked to bombings to military bases in Afghanistan.
I sat down because my legs would soon give up on me
He killed Michael...
He knew I'd be so stressed out that I'd let anyone into my life, including him...
I have to call the police!
I got off the couch and went to the kitchen to the wall phone. As I got to the phone, I heard footsteps coming toward me.
"Please don't!--"