Page 23 of Do Not Disturb
I flash him a sympathetic look, thinking of Derek. “We all go a little crazy sometimes.”
“Right, but…” He puts down the shovel for a moment and looks off in the distance at his small house. “It’s a lot. On me. It’s hard.”
“I get it.” I bite my lip. “Have you ever thought maybe she would be better off… at another place somewhere?”
There’s a sudden flash of anger in his mild brown eyes. “Anotherplace? You mean like anursing home?”
“Well…”
“She’s my fuckingwife.” His gloved hand turns into a fist. “She’s only thirty-five. I’m not sticking her in anursing home. Are you kidding me? What kind of person do you think I am?”
I take a step back, my grip tightening around the shovel. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I was just…”
I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until Nick’s shoulders sag. “No,I’msorry. I shouldn’t have jumped on you. You didn’t mean any harm. I shouldn’t have been complaining. It’s my fault.”
I’m shocked how quickly the fight went out of him. If this were Derek, it would have been the start of him screaming at me for hours and mentally torturing me for days. When I dared tell him once that his mother’s casserole was too salty, he changed the locks on the front door so I couldn’t get in the next day. (And believe me, that casserole was essentially a salt lick.)
“It’s okay,” I say. “You probably don’t get to talk to people much out here.”
“That’s for sure.” He smiles crookedly. “Anyway, thanks for listening. We’re relatively happy out here. I mean, things could be better. But it could be worse too, right?”
“Sure,” I say.You could be on the run after killing your husband. Or maybe you didn’t kill him, and he’s coming after you. So yes, things could be worse.
“Oh hey,” he says. “I think that’s my phone ringing.”
“I don’t hear anything.”
“It’s on silent. I feel it buzzing.” He pulls off his right glove, revealing pink fingers. He digs around in his pocket and pulls out his phone. “Hey, Rosie. What’s wrong?”
I watch his expression change as his wife speaks to him. He turns and takes a few steps away from the car. His voice is lower this time but I can still barely make it out.
“I’m just helping her dig out her car,” he murmurs. “She’s stuck in the…” He ducks his head down. “No……… Rosie, come on, that’s not...” He lets out a long sigh. “What do you want me to do? I have to help.”
I wince. Greta was right—it looks like I’ve gotten him into trouble with his wife.
He lowers his voice a few more notches, and now I’m having trouble hearing him. Finally, he hangs up the phone. For a moment, he looks annoyed, but then he shakes it off.
“Sorry if I got you in trouble,” I say.
He waves his hand. “It’s fine. Do you want to try the car? See if you can get it going?”
I look doubtfully at my Corolla. We have gotten all the snow off of the car, but we’re still basically sitting in an ocean of snow. How am I supposed to drive out of here? But I’m willing to give it a try. I don’t have to get that far.
I slide into the driver seat. I thought it would be a bit warmer inside the car, but somehow it’s even colder. I say a Hail Mary, stick the key in the ignition, and I’m relieved when the engine turns over. I was worried the car died overnight.
But then I hit the gas. And the car doesn’t budge.
I roll down the window. “It’s not moving at all.”
Nick nods thoughtfully. “Okay, put it back in park. Let me dig your wheels out a little more. Then we’ll try again.”
I wait patiently while he digs my wheels out. After a few minutes, he motions to me to try the car again.
This time, the wheels move forward. I cheer internally for about two seconds, then I’m stuck again. My wheels are spinning, but I’m not going anywhere. I push down harder on the gas, but it’s not enough.
“Damn it!” I cry.
Nick frowns. “I’m sorry, Kelly. I just don’t think it’s going to be possible for me to dig you a trail from here back to the main road. It’s pretty far.”
