Duplicity (3 of 4)
Eric prepares for a romantic dinner. Complications.
Chapter four
The next day, I act casual. I resist asking when she came home last night—the security app shows three a.m. I make her breakfast and enjoy her smile. Sipping coffee, I probe, “Any plans tonight?”
“Tonight?”
“I thought we could spend the evening together.” I’m ready to insist if she declines.
She frowns, considering, then grins. “I was to see Jennifer, but I can postpone.”
“We can watch a movie or something.” I give a hopeful smile.
“I’ll be home at seven.”
“You’re leaving again?”
“You said tonight, and it’s morning. You don’t want me inside all day.”
“What about our garden? The pool?”
“In this cold? Don’t worry. I’ll be back before seven.”
It takes nearly an hour to prepare everything for our dinner together. Since I’m not a cook, I search online for restaurants, selecting the most delicious cuisine.
When the food is delivered, I take the time to arrange all the dishes on the table, making sure that each of us has a plate, a bowl, and two wine glasses. The wine bottles stay off the table so I can add the pill unnoticed. Two candles adorn the center for extra ambiance. Slipping into my finest jacket, I stash the pill in one of its pockets.
At half past seven, just as my patience begins to wane, Lily enters the house. “I’m so sorry, honey. Linda stopped me. I had no choice but to talk to her. You’re not angry, are you?”
Gritting my teeth, I lie, “Not at all.”
She glances at the dinner table. “Wow! Looks amazing. I’ll freshen up and be back in a jiffy.”
Ten minutes later, she's back, her hair still damp. She’s even wearing my favorite dress. Guilty conscience? Was it really Linda or some guy she wanted to see?
My newfound powers help me banish these intrusive thoughts. The darkness is soothing.
“So how was your day?” Lily asks, interrupting my mental exercises. She reaches for her empty glass, looks around, and frowns. “Where’s the bottle?”
“I forgot.” I grab our glasses and head to the bar. First, I fill mine. Then, with my back to her, I pour her favorite wine, reach inside my pocket, retrieve the pill, and empty its contents into the red liquid. I give it a stir and return to the table. “I’m sorry. To our night together?” I hand her the glass and down mine in one gulp.
“So fast? Not your style.” But she mirrors me, drinking her wine in one go. “Pour me another one, please.”
I swallow my pill as I refill our glasses. From now on, I must pay strict attention to my thoughts.
Chapter five
“I’m so drunk,” Lily slurs, taking another swig from her glass.
I concentrate, attempting to listen to her thoughts. If I ask her something now, even if she lies, correct answers are bound to pop up in her mind.
I worry when nothing happens after twenty minutes. Did I miss something?
<I want to go to bed.>
“It’s still early,” I answer, then I realize she hadn’t said it aloud—it was her thoughts. “I mean, you can’t be that drunk. You have way more experience with this than I do.”
“You think so?” Her eyelids flutter as she picks up a single olive from her plate and pops it into her mouth. <Please, don’t ask me to have sex.> She yawns.
My mind races. If I can hear her thoughts now, she can hear mine. Where’s my darkness when I need it? Damn. I have to keep talking, so even if she hears something, she’ll think I said it aloud.
“What did you say?” She looks at me, squinting.
“I was admiring how beautiful you look tonight.”
<Oh Gosh. He’ll certainly want to fuck.>
I keep a straight face. “We finally get to spend some time together.” I attempt to sound happy. “I have your favorite dessert.”
“You do?” A radiant smile lights up her face. “Hand it over.” <At least we won’t have to fuck right now.>
My face burn, so I dash to the fridge and put copious amounts of her beloved brand of ice cream and her cheesecake on two plates. This thought-reading is hard on me.
“How was your day?” I place her plate in front of her, satisfied my hands don't shake. “Everything okay with your friends?”
“Lilly-white,” she uses her favorite expression. <Except that Linda wants a divorce, and her bastard husband refuses to sign the papers.> “I really dig the cake. Your making?” <Why do I even ask?>
“I… ah… ordered it, to be honest. I didn’t have enough time.”
“I know how hectic things get.” <Sits at home all day and doesn’t have time to learn how to bake?> “Did you get much work done today?”
“Some.” I stuff too much ice cream into my mouth, causing my teeth to freeze.
“Poor you. It’s so sweet of you to have done all this for me.” She beams. <At least he knows how to order.>
“Your friends….” My teeth and tongue finally unlock, allowing me to speak again. “How come you have so many? I have none.”
<That’s because you park yourself in the same spot all day and never go out.> “I don’t know. People just like me.” Her grin glows brighter than the sun. <Especially Walt.>
I freeze. Who the fuck is Walt?
Fortunately, her full attention centers on her treat, or she’d hear me screaming in my mind. I take a deep breath to calm myself. “So, is it mainly ladies? Or guys, as well?”
<Another interrogation. But he’s not wrong.> She devours her cake in a single bite. “Mainly ladies. And their partners if we visit them at home. But outside, it’s strictly girls.” <Unless we sprint naked on the beach… Or make love in the dunes… Fucking sand, finding its way everywhere… Wonder what Walt’s doing now? Reading in bed? Fantasizing about me?>
The sound of breaking glass interrupts our conversation.
“What was that?” Lily asks, her eyes glued to the floor near me.
I look down. “Clumsy me. It’s nothing. Just a plate.” I crouch down to gather the shattered pieces.
“Never mind. We have too many dishes, anyway.” She gets up. “Bathroom.” And then she’s gone.
Make love in the dunes? With Walt? That bloody hag! I’m going to slaughter her! So I was right all this time. She is cheating on me. But how can I force her to come clean? Should I just tell her I can hear her thoughts? But then I’d have to admit I gave her the pill.
I discard the remains of the plate, seize the dustpan and brush, and start sweeping the floor.
At least it’s not Chang…
“You wanted to watch some movies?” She’s back from the bathroom a few minutes later.
I have to control my thoughts—no room for error. I plaster a smile on my face. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”
<Better than pretending to have an orgasm in bed.> “Not at all.” <It would be so embarrassing if they caught us while he fucks me.>
What? Who are they?
She gives me a strange look, as if she noticed something.
I summon my darkness, but it ignores me.
“So, what’s on tonight?” She glances at her watch. <Ten twenty. They said they’d come between eleven and twelve.>
What the fuck? Who’s going to come?
“Now I need a piss.” I head toward the doorway. “Just… check what's on while I’m gone.”
“Will do.” She moves to the couch and grabs the remote.
I pick up my cell and rush to the bathroom. Then I check the home security app on my phone. My breath catches in my throat. The alarm is deactivated. DEACTIVATED!
I aim my finger at the ON button, but it takes three attempts to press it—my hands are shaking so much. Did I forget to turn it on when Lily came home? Or has someone else switched it off? But only Lily knows the code. Did she do it when she was in the bathroom? But why?
With just a couple of walls between us now, I try to focus on her thoughts. Chang didn’t mention the range of thought reading, so I’m not sure I’ll hear anything. But after a minute of trying hard, I succeed.
<Or maybe I should fuck him? For the last time. My alibi would be more credible then. Husband shot dead, making love to his wife. Wife mysteriously spared. Beautiful headlines! Damn, I’d be famous!>
My blood turns to liquid nitrogen as I struggle to comprehend her thoughts. Fucking bitch! Must've noticed my mind-reading, and she's amusing herself at my expense. Because if that’s not the case... It would mean… she hired someone to assassinate me tonight!
NEXT: Duplicity - part 4