Page 63 of The Fate of Us

“Fuck man. Get me out of here.”

Mason chuckles into the phone as I stand and walk upstairs. “You willing to jump your neighbor’s fence?”

I open my safe and set my gun and badge inside. “I’m willing to pretty much do anything at this point.”

“She will leave eventually.”

“I’m sure.”

Mason clears his throat. “Alright well, I just drove past your house and it looks like she is sitting in a chair on the porch.”

“I could have told you that.” I set my phone on speaker and change into jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

“I’ll meet you behind your house. That way you don’t have to break the law. I’m kicking my friend Jason out of the car to walk the street, make sure she doesn’t walk around to the back when you leave.”

I start laughing. The first laugh I’ve had all week. “Is it just me or do you feel like this is high school?”

“Yeah.” He laughs. “It sure does.”

“I’ll meet you out back with Brutus in two minutes.”

“I’ll text you if Jason says she isn’t on the porch.”

I rub my hands over my face as I hang up the phone. I can’t believe I am sneaking out of my own house to escape my ex-wife.

I whistle for Brutus as he follows me down the stairs. I let him outside and head back to the coat closet to grab my jacket and Brutus’ leash. I don’t have a text from Mason so I can only guess the coast is clear.

I see him pull up and I call for Brutus. I attach his leash and head to the driveway. The gate to the back alleyway is on the other side of my detached garage. There is a small chance Claire could see me but I hope she doesn’t.

I make it around the garage without her noticing, pull open the gate, and climb into the back of Mason’s Bronco.

I slam the door as Mason peels out of the alley. “Dude, this isn’t an action movie, you aren’t being chased by the cops.” I hold on to the seat in front of me as I try to grab my seat belt.

“Totally feels like it.”

“If you get pulled over, I am not pulling my badge.”

“Whatever, bro.”

We drive around the block and pick up his friend. I look at my house as we drive by, seeing Claire banging on my door again. I don’t know what the hell is going on with her because she never acted crazy like this. If she did, I would have understood why she left. But this is not the same person I was married to for six years.

I don’t talk about anything as we drive to Mason’s studio. I know he has a ton of questions. Carson and I haven’t told him anything beyond the fact that she is back. I can’t let him know about the potential of my whole divorce being redacted.

When we pull up to the studio, I grab Brutus as we get out of the car. Mason puts the code in for the studio door and I follow him inside.

“I have to check on a recording session but I’ll be out soon.”

I grab the back of my neck. “Sorry Mason, I didn’t mean to pull you from your work.”

He holds up a hand. “Don’t worry about it. Jordan is working. I was just supervising.”

I nod as he disappears into a room. I head to the kitchen area and find a bottle of whiskey. I pour a large serving into a red cup and drink half of it before sitting down on a couch.

Jason cracks open a beer and sits across from me. “I’m not even going to ask, man.”

“Thanks.”

I text Anna again as I sit on the couch sipping on whiskey and Jason strums a guitar. I’m not surprised when she doesn’t answer me back. My eyes drift shut again, the week of no sleep catching up to me.

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