Page 43 of Midnight Wedding

“Lena, are you sure you aren’t in trouble?”

Not even a little bit.

“I know this is going to sound crazy, but I got married last night. His name is Arsen, and he’s going to help take care of us. This is a good thing, Mama, I promise. Dad won’t have to work anymore and he’ll take care of your bills. You can get the in-home help you really need. You can focus on getting well.” I’m rambling a little bit and I know it, but she hasn’t said anything and it’s freaking me out. “Are you still there?”

“I’m here. It just sounded like you said… you got married.” She laughs lightly. “But this is a prank, right?”

“No, it’s not a prank. His name is Arsen?—”

“You married someone last night? In the middle of the night without telling anyone?”

“Yes, but?—”

“And now you’re telling me that he’s going to take care of us financially? Lena, you have to know how that sounds.”

I stare up at the ceiling then down at the beautiful and expensive rug. It sounds exactly how it is.

“I’m safe. I promise. And you’re going to be safe too. It’s just… I’m not coming home.”

“What are you saying?”

“I moved in with him. It’s this place out in Roland Park?—”

“That’s on the other side of the moon! Are you insane?”

“It’s just on the edge of the city, Mama, not that far away at all. Fifteen-minute drive at most.”

“Twenty in traffic. I’m calling the police.”

“Mama!”

“No, I’m calling. You’ve been kidnapped. Is he listening right now? Hey, bastard, you will not traffic my daughter, do you hear me?!”

I grimace and start pacing. “I’m not being trafficked. Seriously, I’m okay.”

“I’m going to hunt you down, you asshole?—”

“Mama, stop it! You’re sick!”

“I’m going to cut out your fucking tongue and feed you your own severed prick!”

“Mama!” She goes on like that for a little while longer until I convince her that I’m alone, nobody is forcing me, and this was my choice. I can tell she’s extremely confused and unhappy, but at least she agrees not to call the cops until we’ve had a chance to sit down and talk.

I just hope that’s going to be soon.

I’m exhausted and drained when I finally work up the nerve to shuffle out of the bedroom. Hunger and the smell of coffee calls to me like a siren’s song. The house isn’t so creepy during the day at least. It’s old and creaky, but there’s a lot of charm. Original details like wood paneling and hand-carved banisters on the stairs make it obvious this place was well-loved. I survey the nearby rooms, unable to help my curiosity, but they’re nothingspecial. Two guest rooms, a laundry room, and an office that looks like it’s never used.

“There you are, my dear. I was starting to wonder when you’d get out of bed.”

I yelp as I step back into the hall. I feel like I was just caught breaking and entering, but this is supposed to be my own house. “Sorry. I’m sorry. The doors weren’t locked?—”

The older woman smiles at me. She’s standing at the top of the staircase with poofy, dyed red hair and a casual outfit of slacks and a navy button-down. “Feel free to look around. It’s your house, after all.”

“Aren’t there renovations? Arsen said something about off-limits areas?”

She waves that off and beckons for me to follow. “Don’t kick down any locked doors and you’ll be fine. Are you hungry, dear? We haven’t had a woman in the house in quite some time.”

That grabs my curiosity. I want to keep exploring, but I don’t know anything about this place or about Arsen himself, and I realize this woman might be able to tell me a thing or two. “How long have you, uh, lived here?”

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