First Crack in the Armor
Thunder
“She said…” Liz stopped talking, and when I looked up to check on her, I could tell she was trying to gather her thoughts. Her brow creased as she searched for the words to tell me how her appointment had gone. “She said…I’m better.” Liz took a minute before she continued. “More words…in a sentence.”
I sat back in the booth, watching her. She was excited, and while she didn’t bounce, she constantly fidgeted against the vinyl. Smiling, she’d say something, but it would drop as she processed her next sentence. She wasn’t unhappy. I’d been on the receiving end enough times to know better. This was her content, so I’d brought her to the burger joint for a treat.
“I understand…more.” Liz took a sip of her soda before leaning her elbows on the table. “She said…good work.”
“Did you tell her you’ve been having more blackouts lately?” I trusted my wife, but there was one thing I’d learned: to watch her. If she didn’t want something out in the open, she deflected by omission, like she’d done with the new hip brace.
“Yes.” Liz rolled her eyes at me, and I wanted to lean over and kiss her. “I told…her. No testing.”
“She say if she would eventually, or just not right now?” I’d thought the blackouts were getting better. Normally less than fifteen minutes at a time, and she didn’t lose spatial awareness. That was no longer the case. When she’d hung up the phone with Alex, she’d been out for over an hour, and when she’d awakened, she hadn’t remembered she’d been in Flo’s living room.
“Not right now.” Liz scanned the menu as if this was her first time here. It was probably a ploy not to answer me, but I’d let it go for now. “She says…stress.”
I made a noise. “I’m not losing you because no one’s listening. If they get worse, we’ll figure something out, even if that means getting a second opinion.” I was serious, and by the way her head snapped up from the menu, she didn’t doubt me.
“Bob...by,” she said after the waitress had left with our order. Liz didn’t smirk, but the edges of her lips tipped up as if she were up to no good. I said nothing, waiting for the con. “Games…today.” Her smile genuinely widened.
“For who? You’ve been making Kyle play with you.” She had done the one thing I hadn’t wanted her to do—get attached. “It’s a good thing I know where you sleep at night. Otherwise, I’d think you were replacing me.”
“Never,” she giggled.
I couldn’t help the smile I felt appearing on my lips as I watched her. When she’d said she wouldn’t run off and do something foolish, all I’d felt was relief. Our marriage was becoming real, whether or not she realized it, and I couldn’t have been more ecstatic. I was about to tease her some more when my phone rang.
The screen lit up as I brought the phone up to the table.
“Alex,” I said to her.
“Answer.” Her good humor was gone.
I pulled a trick from his playbook, bringing the phone up to my ear without saying a word.
“These games are tedious.” Alex’s accent came clear through the line.
“Yet, you’re still playing them.”
“No, you’re predictable. A stop at that medical complex, followed by the burger joint she likes. She orders the number two special, no mustard. Doesn’t like it. I can clearly see the two of you through the window. If I wanted you dead, you would be right now.”
“Predictability.” I let out a dry chuckle. “It’s a schedule. You of all people should understand that.” I didn’t give a fuck. For almost a year, I’d dedicated mylife to this schedule so that Liz could get the help she needed. My thoughts turned a little darker.She wouldn’t need the help if he’d raised their son to be a decent human being.“If you can see us, you’re close enough to have lunch.” I hung up on him, moving to the other side of the booth next to Liz.
“Invited him?” She was just as confused as I was at my actions.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to articulate what was going through my mind when I’d offered. I wasn’t at my breaking point, far from it, but something about his snide tone irritated me. If he actually joined us, he’d be able to see the damage left over from the accident. If he cared as much as he supposedly said he did, he’d feel it. I didn’t go one day without hiding behind my smile.
I turned towards her, wrapping my arm along the edge of the booth, when a shadow passed over the table.
“You’re here?” Liz spoke first. Her eyes were wide as her jaw dropped.
Sitting on the other side of the booth was Alejandro Rodriguez, El Sombra Roja.
“Mi amor.” It rolled off his tongue, and I wanted to take my soda and fling it at his expensive dress shirt. He’d rolled up his sleeves, no cufflinks, yet I could clearly see the hand-sewn slits. No suit coat, but he wore the silver watch Liz had said she’d given him. “Robert.” The disdain was real.
“Alex,” I spat.
We said nothing else as the server appeared to take his order.