Page 76 of Such a Good Wife

“Jesus Christ!” He drops his keys and rushes to me when he comes home not long after I get there.

“It’s okay, I just. I was attacked, but it’s...”

“You didn’t call me? What the...Christ, what the hell happened?”

“I’m sorry, I was with the police. I just. I agreed to pick Lacy up at that strip club she works at, she called me, desperate ’cause her kid was gonna be left home alone if she didn’t get back before the sitter had to go,” I explain. “I was waiting in the parking lot for her to come out, and you know how that area of town is, some guy came up.”

“Oh my God, you were robbed?” he asks, his eyes wide, his face still, waiting for more detail. I rub the spot where my ring should be and he looks down and takes my hands. “Oh God, you were...”

“It’s okay, really. He only got my ring. I left so quick to pick her up, my purse was still at home on the counter. I thought I’d be back in a half hour, ya know?”

“You made a report.”

“Yeah. It’s okay, he clocked me, but I’m okay. Really.” But tears come, and he holds me to his chest. I let myself break down, and I sob apologies into his shoulder, so sorry for everything I’ve done, and when he asks what I mean, why I’m sorry, I tell him it’s because I can’t believe I let them take the ring. He brushes his hands through my hair and holds me tighter. I can feel him shaking his head in disagreement.

“It’s not your fault. I’m so sorry this happened to you. My God.” He guides me to the sofa, where we sit, the top of my head under his chin, and he rocks me. We don’t say anything for a long time, then I pull away.

“It’s been a really tough night, I just—I just want to take a bath and lie down.”

“I’m here if you need to talk about it. Is there anything I can do? Did they get the bastard?”

“I don’t know who he was. I already told the police everything, and I just need to...”

“Okay, yes. Of course. Let me run you a bath. They checked you out though, you’re okay?”

“I’m okay,” I lie, because I’m not okay. I don’t know if I’ll ever be okay again.

On Monday, Collin says he’ll work from home and we can order takeout and be lazy together, in an attempt to try and take care of me and my battered body, but I insist I’m fine. I tell him that being made to feel like a sick patient just makes things worse, and that I’d like to go about my regular plans. Ben’s tree costume from the school play needs to be done by the weekend, and I want to create as much normalcy as possible.

He sweetly kisses my head and tells me he can be home in ten minutes if I need anything at all. When he leaves, I get ready for my one-thirty lunch date with Joe Brooks at the Roadhouse motel.

I arrive early so I can pay for the room and get myself ready before he arrives. I keep the door open a crack, so when he parks, he can’t miss my car parked in front of the same room with the door ajar. A soft tap on the door makes me jump even though I’m expecting him.

“Hey.” He smiles, still dressed in uniform, eyes sparkling even in the pale winter light. I’m suddenly very aware that he has a gun in a holster, and of course I don’t think he’d just up and shoot me for what I’m about to do, but a hot glint of panic still burns in my chest at the thought that he could. He could call it a suicide or something. I think of a last-minute layer to add to my plan, and feel my breath calm a bit. He shuts the door behind him and is already slipping his police belt off his hips.

“Holy shit. What happened to your face?” he asks, tossing the belt on the bed and coming in for a closer look.

“You like to beat up women. It shouldn’t be so shocking to you.”

“What?” He’s still smiling, maybe unsure about whether I’m role-playing and maybe he should play along.

“Sit down.”

“What is all this?” he asks, sitting at the tacky, peeling table across from me. He looks at the photos I have spread out on it and doesn’t understand.

“A police report.” I point to one of the printouts he’s looking at.

“For what? What are you talking about?”

“For sexually assaulting me,” I say as calmly as I can, so he knows I’m in control now, but my heart beats so fast, I can see my blouse vibrating.

“Is this like foreplay thing, or...”

“No. You like to beat up women and you like to have sex with them even when they beg you not to.”

“You fucking told me to make it rough. Are you fucking with me?” He stands, his face hot and red.

“I would sit if I were you.” I manage a calm tone.

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