A Woman Lost Read online

  “I remember a time when my father tried to throw away a trash can. It was an old one, so it was pretty beat up, with holes and a stench that would kill a rat‌—‌maybe a rat had died in it‌—‌anyhoos, he placed it in a much larger trash can. When the trash guys came, they carefully pulled the beat-up can out of the other trash can and set it on the curb with the remaining cans. ‘The man’ was furious. His face was beet-red and a vein in his forehead was popping out. I could tell he was having a temper tantrum, even if he didn’t say anything. The next trash day, he hid it inside one of the larger trash cans under a lot of wet, stinky garbage. But when he came home from work, there it was again, sitting on the curb with the other trash cans.

  “The following week, he set it next to all of the others with a note that read: ‘This is trash, please take it.’ When he came home, he saw they’d removed the note, and presumably threw it away, but left the can. It outraged Dad beyond belief. He doesn’t speak much, but when he does, and when he’s angry, it is a sight to behold. The next week, he was determined to be rid of the can.

  “That next trash day was a little windy. When it was like that, sometimes one of the trash cans would wind up in a ravine in the hogback. One of us would have to traipse down there and retrieve it. When I left for school, I didn’t remember seeing the old trash can. But when my father came home that night, he was ecstatic it had finally gone, but so had another one. My father walked down to the ravine and retrieved one.

  “For some reason, I decided to walk down there, too. I just had this feeling. And, of course, I saw the old trash can down there. He must have seen it too, but decided this was his only way of getting rid of the damn thing.”

  Maddie laughed while I told the story. I didn’t realize right away, but that was the most I had ever said to her at one time. It was the most I had said to anyone in a long time actually, unless it was a lecture, or to Ethan.

  “I can’t believe they threw the note away but left the can. That’s one of the oddest things I’ve heard in a while.”

  “Wow, you must be hard-up for stories right now.”

  “Well, I hang out with your father. I’m in a drought.”

  “Touché.”

  “Actually, I’m surprised your father sets out his own trash. Peter would never do that.”

  “Mom always wanted servants, but my father has always refused. He grew up poor. He’s cognizant of his upbringing. Of course, he did concede to having a nanny, but I always wondered whether he just wanted to ensure we would survive our childhood. Mom wasn’t the nurturing kind, if you know what I mean.”

  We sat in silence for some moments. Then Maddie asked, “Is that why you hate your family so much?”

  I set down my knife and fork and watched the light drizzle outside slide down the window. “You know, Maddie, at one point I could give you a whole laundry list of why. But all of the memories are fading. To be honest, I can’t pinpoint the reason I decided to go my own way. At one point, I had a reason, or reasons. Now it’s just more of a feeling. Whenever I’m around them, I don’t like them.”

  “Is that why you never told them you’re sick?” She took one of the flowers out of the vase on the table and smelled it.

  “I never even thought about telling them. No one likes to hear about other people’s troubles. Even Sarah tunes out when I mention feeling ill. I figured that they would care even less. At least Sarah loves me.”

  Maddie sipped her wine, her eyes on the busboy who was clearing the table next to us.

  We sat in silence again. Maddie seemed to be mulling something over.

  “That settles it. Peter is picking up this check.” She pulled out a credit card and set it on the edge of the table.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m tired of the bastard not caring.”

  I could tell the wine was kicking in. Although I wanted to push her on her declaration, I was torn about doing so. Were my intentions to help a friend? Or were they to drive a wedge between my brother and his incredibly gorgeous fiancée? I sat silently while she, or Peter rather, settled the tab.

  Before we left, Maddie handed me the flower she had confiscated earlier and patted my cheek tenderly.

  * * *

  Later that night, I was on the couch with Sarah, watching one of her stupid comedies. I had never been an Adam Sandler fan, or a fan of movies like that, but Sarah loved them, so I agreed to watch one with her. She was stretched out in front of me, my arm wrapped around her stomach. I felt her touch my wrist.

  “What’s that?”

  I looked down at what she was touching‌—‌the bracelet Maddie had given me.

  “Oh, I was cleaning out a box in my closet and I found this bracelet I used to wear during high school.”

  She fidgeted with it a little, and then said, “It looks weird. Is it a chain of some sort?”

  “I’m not sure, but I’ve always liked it, so I put it on.” I shrugged and turned my attention back to the movie.

  That was that. I didn’t know that lying to my girlfriend would come so easily, and without regret. I reached for a handful of popcorn and ate it. Sarah didn’t suspect anything odd. She snuggled even closer. I squeezed her waist and kissed the back of her head.

  Chapter Eight

  “She gave you what?” Ethan choked on his coffee.

  “Ethan, don’t be so dramatic. You can see with your own eyes.”

  He reached out and stroked the bracelet, as if he thought it would disappear at his touch. “I can’t believe it. Why would she give you a piece of jewelry? You don’t give jewelry to someone you barely know. What do you think it means?”

  “Come on, Ethan. Focus here. I’m telling you that I lied to my girlfriend. That’s the issue right now. I lied, and I didn’t feel bad about it. Right after I lied, I held her tight and kissed her head, as if I felt closer to her. That is the issue; not that Maddie gave me this.” I shook my wrist.

  “But what does it mean that you’re wearing it, and you lied! You lied to Sarah!” His eyes grew big behind his glasses. He waggled his finger in my face. “You lied to her and you are wearing it.”

  “Thank you, Captain Obvious.” I saluted him.

  He stared at me; I mean he really stared at me. Then he looked down at his coffee cup. Speaking more to his cup than me, he said, “She bought you a bracelet. You not only accepted it, but you continue to wear it. And you lied to Sarah about it.” He turned his eyes back to me. “Have you taken the bracelet off since she gave it to you?” He arched one eyebrow.

  “Um … no. No, I haven’t. Why?” It had been too much trouble taking it off to shower, so I had showered with it on. Laziness was the reason I hadn’t removed it, I told myself. “I have clumsy fingers that can’t work the tiny clasp, and I don’t want to ask Sarah each day; that would seem wrong.”

  “That’s it! You don’t have a crush on her.” He looked back at his cup. “Crushes are innocent. We all know they won’t go anywhere. But you … you actually like her.”

  Sunlight streamed in through the window. “What are you talking about, you crazy little man?” I snatched my sunglasses from where they were perched on top of my head and put them on.

  “Yep! I’m right. You only call me ‘little man’ when you feel threatened or on guard and you want to knock me down.” He rubbed the whiskers on his chin triumphantly. I could picture him as a child in the playground, outwitting one of his bullies in front of the prettiest girl in school. When did he decide to grow a beard? I had never seen him unshaven.

  I sipped my chai. “She’s my brother’s fiancée, Ethan.”

  “And you are wearing her bracelet.”

  “Do you know her? Do you know her pattern of giving gifts? She’s probably trying to get one of the family members, one who isn’t crazy, on her side. We can’t assume that just because she gave me this”‌—‌I touched the bracelet and tried not to smile‌—‌“she likes me.”

  “Interesting. I wasn’t talking about her just n
ow. I said that you like her. But you just hinted that she likes you as well.”

  I shook my head in frustration. “Oh, you are twisting everything so it will turn out like a Jerry Springer show. Why do you like drama so much?”

  He smiled and sipped his coffee. For once, he didn’t say anything. He just kept smiling at me. I sat silently and drank my chai. Every once in a while, I caught him glancing at the bracelet. He tapped his fingers on the table, causing me to grimace. His nails were cut too short for my taste.

  Finally, I said, “She’s Peter’s fiancée. There is no hidden meaning behind the bracelet.”

  “I disagree.”

  “And what evidence do you have?”

  “The proof is in the bracelet.”

  I laughed.

  Ethan beamed at his own cleverness, or what he believed was cleverness.

  “What’s it like in your little world?” I queried.

  “So you are threatened, or is it confusion?” Puzzlement spread across his face.

  I shook my head, frustrated.

  Ethan said in a grave voice, “Be careful, Lizzie.”

  “What do you mean? I’m sure Sarah won’t ask about the bracelet again.”

  His face plainly showed that I missed his point. “I’m not talking about that. I’ve seen you sabotage your life on more than one occasion. All I’m going to say is look before you leap.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I fiddled with a pen that sat on top of my leather-bound journal.

  “You run away instead of dealing with your issues.”

  “Issues … issues … I don’t have issues!” I bounded out of my chair and hotfooted to the bathroom.

  “You see!” he bellowed.

  Chapter Nine

  I sat in my office, behind my messy desk, grinning woozily at Maddie, who had stopped by to fill me in on her latest misadventure.

  “Oh, my God, Lizzie! The most embarrassing thing happened to me the other day. For lunch, I had sushi. And let’s just say it didn’t settle well.” She winked at me. “So there I was, in this meeting with a prospective client in their home. They wanted to redo their bedroom.” Maddie paused and waved her hand in the air. “But that’s beside the point. I was sitting there in their home, discussing their needs, when all of a sudden I felt something. You know when you start to get diarrhea you get a sharp pain in your stomach. Well, I got this cramp. I tried to push it out of my head and focus on the conversation. I started to fidget in my chair.

  “So there I am, trying to wrap the meeting up as soon as possible. But the husband kept going on and on about how he doesn’t want a really feminine room. The entire time, I’m trying to hold it in.

  “Then, I just couldn’t hold it in anymore. I had to ask them if I could use their bathroom. I walked as fast as I could down the hallway‌—‌without looking like I was about to shit myself. When I sat on the toilet, I exploded. Seriously, I couldn’t believe how fast it shot out of my ass. And I’m sitting there hoping they couldn’t hear me. But I could feel I wasn’t done, so I flushed the toilet, so I wouldn’t clog it. And then I braced myself for round two.

  “That’s when I noticed the toilet didn’t flush completely. I started to panic. How in the world can I go out there and tell them that I had the shits and I clogged their toilet? I thought. So, I jumped up and saw that there was a plunger. Picture this: I’m standing there with my pants around my ankles, plunging like a mad woman, squeezing my ass cheeks so I wouldn’t shit myself.

  “And then I sensed I wasn’t alone. I looked over my shoulder and saw that the blind was up and the window was open. Their neighbor was watching me with his mouth open. You better order a coffin.”

  “What?”

  “I’m gonna die from embarrassment.”

  I smiled, “Could he hear you?”

  “Oh, Lizzie, I don’t even want to think about that.” She shook her head and laughed. “I was completely mortified.”

  She laughed so hard she squeezed out a fart.

  “Did you just break wind?” I asked, floored.

  “Break wind!” She roared with laughter.

  Trying to recover my composure, I said, “Careful. You might do it again.”

  Maddie had started to pop in more and more at my office. I was only too eager to set aside my work to be entertained by her. Afterward, we wandered over to the Lory Student Center and grabbed a bite to eat.

  I couldn’t help but think that she was coming up with reasons to see me. I would never tell that story to anyone. Maybe I would tell Ethan. Maddie’s carefree attitude drew me in. No one in my family would admit to that story. I was learning how much she trusted me with her secrets.

  * * *

  I let out a sigh when I heard the phone ring. There was only one person I knew who would call at this hour. I rolled over in bed and picked up the phone. “You are aware of the time?”

  “Good morning to you, little sis.” He sounded cheerful, but in a condescending way. “It must be nice to be a student. I’ve been up for hours working.”

  I looked at the clock. It was six in the morning. Peter had always been a liar.

  “To what do I owe this wake-up call?”

  “Maddie and I would like to invite you and‌—‌I’m sorry, I don’t know your girlfriend’s name‌—‌to dinner tonight. What do you say, can you make it?”

  “Well, I can. I’ll have to ask Sarah.”

  “Put her on the phone. I know I can convince her.”

  I could almost see his sleazy smile. “She’s in the shower. Don’t worry, I’ll ask her.”

  “All right, my address is 1648 Quentin Road. Mapquest it. Be here at 7 p.m., Elizabeth. I gotta go. I’m getting another call.”

  I didn’t bother saying goodbye, since I knew he had already hung up. I stared at the bathroom door. Should I invite Sarah? The last two times I hadn’t, she’d flipped out. If I got caught again, it would be over for sure. But did I want her to go?

  She walked into the bedroom, drying her hair with a towel. “Did I hear the phone?”

  I laughed. Sometimes I thought she had special powers. “Yes, you did. Peter called to invite us to dinner tonight. Would you like to go?”

  “What?” She stopped in her tracks and dropped her towel on the floor.

  “Do you want to go to Peter’s for dinner tonight? You know, my brother,” I teased.

  She ran over to the bed, straddled me, and leaned down, holding my arms above my head.

  “Are you asking me to a family function?”

  I smiled. “Well, he invited you, and it would be rude if I didn’t extend the invitation. And I remember you telling me that you wanted me to let you in more. I’m warning you, though, it’s like stepping into a viper’s den.”

  “Don’t be a jerk right now. This is groundbreaking for you. The mysterious Lizzie is letting me into a part of her secret world.” She leaned down and kissed me.

  I brushed her hair out of her face. “It’s not a secret world. I don’t like them much, and I’m surprised that anyone would want to subject themselves to my family.” I shrugged to the best of my ability, since she was still holding down one of my arms.

  A puzzled look crossed her face. “Why did you laugh when I asked if I heard the phone?”

  “What?” I ran my free hand over her breasts and down her torso.

  “You laughed when I asked the question. Why?”

  “I don’t know. I just did.” I laughed again. “Come here.” I pulled her closer and kissed her. Then I asked, “Can you be ready by five? I know you’ll have to leave practice early, but we have to be there early.” Volleyball season had started, and Sarah was the girl’s JV coach.

  “What time is dinner?”

  “Seven.”

  “We’ll be really early.” She looked perplexed.

  “Trust me.”

  She smiled. “Of course, I trust you, and I’ll be ready at five.”

  Chapter Ten

  We arrived at Peter�
��s house a little after 6 p.m. Part of me was surprised when I saw his house. The other part thought, Typical Peter. Simply put, it was ostentatious. He had a four-car garage. Floodlights pierced the sky near every tree. And from the looks of the neighborhood, it was newly built. The house was reminiscent of a plantation home.

  “What does your brother do?” Sarah gasped.

  “Investments of some sort. And he kisses Dad’s ass.”

  “It seems to work for him.” Sarah leaned closer to the windshield to get a better view.

  I parked the car on the street and we trekked to the front door. We had to climb a winding stone staircase to ring the bell. Where in the hell did my brother think he lived, the old south?

  Before I rang the bell, I gave Sarah my are-you-sure-you-are-ready-for-this smile. She smiled back at me, but her expression lacked confidence. For a brief moment, I felt bad for her. Then again, she had been asking for this, so here she was. I turned to the door and pressed the bell. I could hear church bells chiming. Oh God, Peter. Do you think you’re Jesus?

  Maddie opened the door and immediately threw her arms around me. “I’m so glad you are here.” She let me go, and then threw her arms around Sarah just as enthusiastically. “Sarah, I’m glad you could make it.”

  She whisked us past the foyer and into the kitchen. Peter was standing at the bar, preparing a scotch. That was when I knew my parents were in attendance. Nice, Peter. Real nice not to give me all of the information. I should have suspected. His nose was so far up their asses it would require surgery, and massive amounts of therapy, for Peter to stand on his own two feet.

  “Hey sis, you made it. And you must be Sarah. Maddie told me you were quite lovely. Well, that figures. Elizabeth is of the same stock, and boy do we catch fine-looking women in our family.” He nudged me with his elbow, winked, and lifted his glass to toast Maddie.

  Sarah obviously didn’t know what to do after this little performance. She chose to go with a deer-in-headlights look. It was the best choice, considering.

  “Don’t mind him, Sarah. He just pretends to be crude. Deep down somewhere, there’s a nice guy … or I keep hoping there is.” Maddie patted Sarah’s arm.