Page 5 of Carlos

“Not soon enough,” she half-laughed. “Got another six weeks to go.”

He nodded easily. Zoe could see him assessing her, looking for bruises or marks that he wouldn’t find. Davis hadn’t laid a violent hand on her since the day she’d shown him the positive pregnancy test. There was a part of her that feared what would come once she gave birth, but she had to believe that that chapter of their life was behind them. Davis had only been upset because she’d struggled to get pregnant. Things were even better at his work and he’d recently gotten a promotion.

Carefully, Conner leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I wish you all the best, Zoe.”

THREE YEARS AGO

Zoe hated having to quit her job, but Davis refused to pay for daycare or a babysitter for their son.

“Why should I pay for a service? That’s what I have you for.”

She missed her residents. She missed her co-workers. But her son was her priority. She was taking care of the household and her son. She no longer had time for family, friends, or work. Davey was the sweetest baby in the world, and she loved him with all her heart. It was a good day if she could get Davis to even hold his son.

After Davey’s birth, Davis had demanded a paternity test. Davey had been born with brunette hair that had turned into curls and large, green eyes. Even Zoe had to admit that he looked nothing like his parents, but she could see the resemblance to baby pictures she’d seen of her own father. She had not had an affair and she’d been faithful to her husband, which the paternity test proved.

Davis never stopped claiming she’d forged the test results, though. “Ain’t no way that baby’s mine!”

Davis had black hair with brown eyes. He had naturally tan skin and a lot of bulk. Zoe was fair skinned with bright blonde hair and blue eyes. The fact that his son was a brunette was only the start of Davis’s mistrust of her.

He installed cameras in their house so he could watch her throughout the day. When she’d taken Davey to the park without his permission, he put tracking devices in all of her shoes. After Zoe had purchased a toy for Davey that Davis had not authorized, he took away her credit and debit cards. Even money that she’d earned from her previous paychecks was no longer hers.

Recently, he’d been making comments that Zoe had not gained back her figure after giving birth. Zoe hadn’t been actively trying to lose weight, but she’d also only given birth a few months ago. Davis had put her on a strict diet. While she still made him full meals, Zoe was restricted to a carb-less diet that mostly consisted of vegetables.

She was also no longer allowed to breastfeed their son to slow her milk. Davis did not like having to share his wife’s body with his son. He also had not waited the full six weeks after she’d given birth before he’d demanded sex again. She’d tried to find other ways of pleasing him, but Davis would not relent. Sex now was so painful that even the thought of being intimate with her husband brought tears to her eyes.

But worse than all of that was how furious Davis got when Davey would cry.

“Shut that fucking thing up or I’ll shut it up for you!”

It. He called his own son an it. Like Davey was at fault. Like Davey wasn’t a person or his flesh and blood. A thing that could easily be disposed of.

One day, Zoe broke down and carefully made a phone call she never thought she’d have to. Thankfully, though Davis went through her phone daily, she still had many of her old contacts saved in it. After making it look like she’d read about the death of a resident in the newspaper, Zoe picked up her phone and made the call she swore she never would.

It rang and rang before finally going to voicemail.

Zoe had to fight not to glance at the camera in the corner of the kitchen. She could practically feel her husband’s eyes on her even though he was at work.

“Mr. Alessi,” she said, using a made-up surname, “this is Zoe Rutterson. You knew me as Zoe Ballas. I used to work with your grandmother at her senior center. I just saw her death in the paper and I wanted to pass along my condolences. I have some pictures and videos of your grandma at my house. If you’re interested in them, please reach out to me. Again, I am so sorry to hear about her passing. She was a lovely woman.”

That evening, Davis questioned her about the phone call. His voice was accusatory, like she’d done something wrong by speaking to another human being. Zoe was careful to be nonchalant and express her sympathies for her former resident’s passing. Davis continued to eat in silence. Zoe picked at her salad, wondering what she would do if Conner did not call her back.

Davey got an ear infection. It seemed such a simple thing. Babies got ear infections, but Davis acted like Zoe had done something wrong. He called her a bad mother. He said she was worthless and incompetent. When she argued back that babies are prone to ear infections, Davis backhanded her across the face.

As she’d been holding Davey at the time, Zoe was unable to defend against the blow and lost her balance. Fear for her son had her instinctually clutch him tighter and land unprotected on the carpet. Her head smacked against the floor and Zoe lost consciousness.

She awoke to the sound of Davey crying. Somehow, she’d kept her grip on him. Her head screamed at her as she tried to rise. The nursery was dark and there was no sign of her husband. Though, Zoe could faintly hear the echoing sounds of the television downstairs. She checked herself for blood and found none.

Tears fell freely. Both from pain and from sorrow. She hated her life, but what could she do? Her husband was a police officer with many friends in the city. Where was she to go? She had no money. Her every move was watched by him.

She couldn’t stay though. Davis could have killed Davey today. He’d left her unconscious on the floor with their infant son on her chest. Anything could have happened.

No. Zoe didn’t know how she was going to do it, but she was going to leave her husband. She had to. For her son.

It took almost a week before Zoe got an acknowledgement from her phone call. It came in the form of a text. At first, it looked like a spam text message, but a second glance had her wondering if perhaps it wasn’t.

Unknown Number: Dirty House? Call Arnold Sweepers! We clean, dust, and take out the trash! Call or download our app today! We get all up in your business! [link]

Zoe stared at the message for so long. It was the name ‘Arnold’ that gave her pause, but also the trash and business lines. Could it really be? If so, why would Conner reach out to her in such a clandestine way? It seemed so cloak and dagger.

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