I sat in the car, knowing that when I pulled out of the parking garage, it would be for the last time. Whatever my next step would be, I’d never come back to the company that had built me.
I put my head in my hands, trembling with overwhelming sorrow. No tears came, just pangs of fury mixed with terrible fear about what would happen to me. My bank account balance was dwindling, my wife hated me, and I had no job, no place to go…
As if to add insult to injury, a shrill beep sounded through the car, and when I looked up, I noted the low fuel light that had lit up on the dash.
The idea of staying with Elias, even for one more day, was impossible to stomach. What, then, were my options? I could go back to the motel, but my money would run out even sooner that way. I needed to find something to pay the bills that would stack up quickly. Though I hadn’t made great money, my income had paid three-fourths of the bills. Addy was going to be devastated.
Disappointed in me.
What was new?
We’d never had a nest egg, always having to use whatever we’d saved to cover the latest emergency or expense. It wasn’t easy to unbury yourself from debt when life was always at the top of the grave, shoveling new dirt on top of you.
The air conditioner had gone out one summer.
We’d needed new tires the next.
Rory had fractured her arm just before Christmas one year, and we’d had the car break down and need a new transmission just as soon as the debt had been paid off.
It seemed to be Murphy’s Law, and now it was catching up with us, with me, tenfold.
The last place I wanted to go was back to Elias’ apartment, but I needed to get my things. Even if I had to sleep in the guest bedroom, I was going to go back home. Addy could hate me all she wanted, but she wouldn’t want me to be homeless. Besides, like it or not, we were in this together.
A few minutes later, after refilling the car’s gas tank, I parked in the parking garage of Elias’ apartment, almost feeling lighter about the idea of leaving the place for good. No matter what happened next, I would never have to see Elias again.
I climbed the stairs and slid my key in the lock, but the moment I opened it, my smile evaporated.
“Addy? What are you doing here?” Addy stood in front of me, Elias just to her left. “What is going on?”
She looked at him; he looked at me. “I invited Addy here so that we could talk to you.”
“Talk about what?” I demanded, moving toward her to protect her from him. I reached for her, but she stepped back, shaking her head.
“Why don’t you sit down?” she asked, but I didn’t move.
Not a chance in hell, I wanted to say. I knew in my gut that something wasn’t right, but I couldn’t bear to take my eyes off of her long enough to form thoughts about what could be happening.
“Fine, you don’t have to sit,” Addy said, her voice honey sweet, as I’d often heard her when talking to Rory, but rarely me. “Elias contacted me this morning and said it was important that I come over so we could all sit down and talk things through.”’
I nodded. “About Stephanie?”
Addy flinched at her name. “No,” she said quickly. “No, this isn’t about her, Wes. It’s about you.”
“What about me?”
Elias took a step toward me, his voice soft. “We’re worried about you, Wes. I know you’ve been dealing with so much stress at work, and with the divorce—”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” I hated the way they were both looking at me. “Stop looking at me like that!”
“I’m worried you’re close to a breakdown,” Elias said plainly. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Elias told me that you’ve been paranoid about people stealing your stuff… About him trying to impersonate you or-or take your job? He said that you’ve been angry and lashing out, and that you were fired last night? Tell me that’s not true, Wes,” Addy said, though she looked like she already believed it.
“How could you have known I was fired?” I asked him.
“You told me,” he said, shaking his head. “Don’t you remember?”
“I wasn’t fired until this morning. You had no right to call her—”
“That’s not what you said last night,” he said, then looked at Addy. “See what I mean.”
“Don’t you start that!” I screamed, pointing my finger at him. “This is what he does. He,” I put my hands on either temple, “he gets inside your head and tricks you. Just like he ate meat in front of me and then told me he was vegetarian. He’s trying to make me think I’m going crazy!”
“Wes, listen,” Addy said, stepping toward me, her eyes full of worry. “I know you’re dealing with a lot, but you need to talk to us, okay? We only want to help. Why didn’t you tell me things had gotten so bad?”
“I’m fine!” I screamed, pleading with them to believe me.
“Lashing out,” Elias said, walking a circle around me. “It’s a classic sign.”
“What are you talking about? A classic sign of what?” I demanded.
“It doesn’t matter,” Addy said. “We just need to take this one step at a time, okay? Will you sit down for me?”
“Sit down? Addy, please, tell me what this is about. What does he have in your head? I’m fine, okay? I’m fine!”
“Have you been sleeping, Wes? Have you been eating normally?” Addy asked.
I nodded. “Yes.”
At the same time, I saw Elias shake his head out of the corner of my eye.
“What the hell are you doing, man?” I asked, spinning around to look at him. “Why are you lying? Do you just get off on making me look crazy?” I looked back at Addy. “Did he tell you
