by Michael Vu
Noah was surprised to hear this question. He thought he would be arrested at once. Perhaps they had video surveillance. Or maybe a witness saw him rush out of the lobby, and now the officers were merely checking the references against his word.
“I was here at home officer. May I ask what this is about? You are making my girlfriend and I fairly nervous. I’d appreciate you being candid.”
“We have bad news for you folks,” said the female officer. “But we’ve just informed Elizabeth Schlossberg that her husband, Mitchell Schlossberg, has passed away by way of suicide.”
Chloe placed her hands to her face. She gave a ghastly cry. Her face filled with horror while her eyes grew wide. The color from her cheeks rushed out with immediacy. She ran up to Noah and placed her small head into his chest. She began to cry. Noah tried to comfort her. He was desperate to console her, but at the same time wondered what the officer’s angle was. He asked:
“How can we help with the matter?”
“Sir, your credit card was used last night at the hotel Mitchell Schlossberg stayed in. In fact, your credit card booked the room next to his. We understand from Mrs. Schlossberg than you are acquainted with her husband. We’re wondering why you booked a room next to Mr. Schlossberg who was staying with an Amy Lee,” said the male officer.
“Amy Lee?” interrupted Chloe.
“Correct Ma’am. We just need to verify where you were last night Mr. Spence,” said the female officer impatiently.
This was it. He could tell the truth; justice would be served and he would spend the rest of his waking life in prison. He considered the possibility of his mind rioting in prison. What would he do in those long nights while all the other jail mates slept except him?
But they believed Mitchell committed suicide. He quickly considered the facts. Noah said:
“I was here last night. Chloe can vouch for me. But the funny thing is, my credit card has been missing. Is it possible Mitchell stole it from my wallet and used it to book a room? Perhaps he did this to conceal his whereabouts with this Amy person.”
The officers stared at Noah with bored eyes. This seemed to be routine for them. They jotted down some notes in their note pads. Noah couldn’t tell if they were actually busy or pretending to be. Their attitude was automatic, as if a suicide investigation was a normal part of their day.
The male officer took a deep breath. He said:
“Makes sense. And you are?” he asked pointing his pen towards Chloe.
“My name is Chloe Walker.”
“Ma’am, can you verify that Mr. Noah Spence was with you all night?” asked the female officer.
“Yes of course I can. He never left my sight. In fact, in fact he snored all night last night.”
“Very well,” said the male officer taking more notes. “That will do it folks. We are sorry for bringing you bad news. We will leave now.”
The officers were not sincere with their message. They gathered themselves and quickly walked out. They gave a final nod before leaving out of sight.
When the door closed, Chloe rushed to the phone. She called Elizabeth, but there was no answer. She ran to the bedroom closet, dressed herself, and dug for shoes.
“This is terrible. Why would Mitchell commit suicide? Oh my god, Elizabeth must be heartbroken. This is horrible! I’m running over there now. Are you coming with Noah?”
“I think I will sit back for a bit,” said Noah circling the bedroom. “I think I need to gather my thoughts.”
Chloe rushed up to Noah. She hugged him tightly. She kissed his cheek. Tears were coming down her face. She hugged him again and then rushed out the door.
Noah stood there alone for a bit. He walked up to his wallet, opened it, and retrieved the credit card he used the night previous. He hid the credit card deep in the back of his closet so that it could never be found ever again.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Elizabeth fell to the floor when she heard the news. She began to cry profusely. The female officer walked up to her. She started to stroke Elizabeth’s back. She helped Elizabeth to her feet.
“Why would my husband commit suicide? Tell me what happened. I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of this!”
“Mrs. Schlossberg, ma’am, let us have a seat together,” said the female officer calmly.
The female officer assisted Elizabeth to the couch. The male officer stood firm, but his proximity was still close. When the two women were situated, he spoke.
“Your husband was with a Ms. Amy Lee.”
Elizabeth eyes turned from sadness to horror. The light in her eyes abated.
“We have reason to believe that after intercourse, your husband and Ms. Lee got into altercation. He suffocated her with a pillow, realized what he did, then proceeded to take his own life by way of jumping off the balcony.”
Elizabeth started to cry again. This time more loudly. As the female officer tried to console her, the male officer received a call.
“This is officer Lance. Yes do you have the name of the neighbor staying in that other room?” Officer Lance took out a small pad and pen from his utility belt. “Noah Spence. Could you spell the last name and do you have an address?”
“Noah?” cried Elizabeth.
“Let me call you back.” Officer Lance hung up the phone. “Do you know this person?”
“Yes of course. What does he have to do with this?”
“Well, that’s odd. We’ve checked for witnesses at the crime scene. We knocked on nearby hotel rooms to see if anyone knew of anything. But when we knocked on this Noah Spence’s room, nobody was there for a statement. We had to check with the reception to get the name, which I just got. Do you know where he lives Mrs. Schlossberg? We will need to pay him a visit.”
Elizabeth fell into a deep depression. She spent many nights with Chloe and Noah. The thought of returning home made the blood her in veins turn cold. She decided to pack her things and move out of the apartment at once.
It just so happened that there was an opening in Noah’s apartment. It was a small one bedroom, but she decided it was best to be near company. Chloe tended to her needs. She cooked meals for Elizabeth. She reminded her to eat and care for herself. But Elizabeth was unable to focus or stay mentally present. The mechanics of her mind failed her; she was like an old car running on expired motor oil.
Her looks began to fade. New lines and wrinkles formed on her face. Her lovely long blonde hair now had streaks of grey in it. Her skin, once radiant, was now dull, dry, and weathered. She appeared to advance many years.
She could not understand Mitchell’s action. Why would he choose to be with another woman? With Amy Lee no less! A co-worker of theirs! She felt embarrassed, though was not entirely surprised of her suspicions that he was seeing someone else. It explained the late nights. It explained a lot, but now, to know Mitchell now as a murderer? She could not fathom it. She knew her husband too well, so attempted to rid her bad feelings by telling herself she possessed no sign or knowledge of his ability to take a life.
But what she could not understand was why Mitchell would take Noah’s credit card to book another room? Perhaps he planned to sleep in the adjacent room alone? None of it made sense. The case was closed. There would be no investigation. Elizabeth tried to move on.
But she grew more and more lonely. Having Mitchell around filled a void, and now that he was gone, her sentiment towards Noah’s relationship agitated her. She grew jealous by their companionship. She wanted what Chloe had.
If she were honest with herself, she would admit how much she disliked Chloe. She resented the woman for treating her with so much care. She thought Chloe was horrible; it was with courage to stand in her presence. But Elizabeth remained with her because she wanted to be comforted by Noah. The proximity to him gave her comfort. She sought solace in him.
Elizabeth could not understand why Noah was distant. Perhaps, Noah was mourning for Mitchell, she thought. Elizabeth saw that his manner towards her was much dif
ferent than before. He seemed to always carry with him a sense of guilt or sadness in her presence. Though he tended to her needs, his eyes invoked a different message: one of sadness and despair; like that of a dog in a corner who is wishing for his master’s acceptance.
Elizabeth felt like she was a nuisance to him. She did not like being the third wheel. But Chloe insisted that she remain with them, and so they continued to see one another. But the truth was, the sight of Chloe and Noah together only made the blood in her veins colder. She could no longer help it. She wanted his attention. She wanted him to love her more.
Elizabeth spent most of the nights awake while others around her were in a deep sleep. She envied their ability to fall unconscious, because now her sleep patterns were random.
Late one night, while sitting near the window with Miles, she saw a man walk by. She watched him along with Miles. But as the figure continued to move, she thought she recognized the movements as Noah’s. She recognized the slouch in the back and dragging of the feet. She realized it was in fact Noah when he walked under a streetlight.
“Noah?” she said with her indoor voice. “Noah,” this time a little louder.
But Noah did not turn around. Elizabeth quickly hurried to her bedroom closet. She found slippers and headed to the front door where Miles stood waiting.
“Mommy will be right back,” said Elizabeth as she leaned down to kiss the needy cat.
Elizabeth rushed through the streets to find Noah. It was a clear night, with a slight dampness in the air. She could feel the moisture from the air settle on her cheeks. The stars rested evenly bright above. The moon was visible, but that night it was the size of a penny.
The area was fairly quiet. Elizabeth was used to seeing the area busy with cars and people in a rush to get to their destinations. Now the land was mysterious and mystical. You had the impression that at any minute a switch would be flickered to give back the city its liveliness and breath.
Elizabeth spotted her target. Noah was slowly walking down Austin Street towards Continental Ave. She watched him from behind as she made her way closer to him. He walked with his hands in his pockets. He wore the light green linen shirt Elizabeth had purchased for him at a nearby boutique. His legs were covered with khaki pants.
“Noah!”
Noah turned around. He attempted to adjust his eyes. When Elizabeth reached him, he said:
“Elizabeth. What a surprise. Were you not able to sleep either?”
“No. My sleep is gone I guess,” she said with a laugh. “What are you doing? I saw you walk by my window. I thought I’d catch you.”
Without Chloe’s presence, the two shared a different experience; it was as if they had met for the first time and did not know how to speak to one another. Their voices were high in tone and their body language was playful.
“Wonderful. Will you walk with me my queen?”
The two walked side by side. Elizabeth seemed a bit frightful. The quietness of the streets, and not seeing other walking patrons alerted her. She walked rather closely to Noah. She desperately wanted to hold his hand. She was quite gay to have a moment alone with Noah. As they continued to walk, the existence of Chloe did not register a thought in her mind. In this moment, the only two people living on the planet were the two walking now. If only the moment could last a lifetime, thought Elizabeth. Could the sun do her a favor and be at rest forever? Noah broke the silence.
“How have you been holding up?”
“Some days are better than the rest. Some days are worse. I’ve decided to go back to work next week. I think it’s time. I’m ready to keep busy. Keep my mind elsewhere. You know?”
“That’s great Elizabeth.”
“Money isn’t a concern. I was left with a substantial sum.” Elizabeth took a deep breath. Her eyes darted towards the sky. She continued: “But I think the only way to start moving on is to actually get up and do something. I’ve been dormant about my life for too long.” She looked at Noah as they crossed the street. “Can I ask you, have you ever felt like telling someone something, but when the moment came, could not?”
Noah searched Elizabeth’s eyes. In her eyes there was a sense of tenderness and sincerity, and at the same time it showed agony and pain. The sight made his stomach ache.
“I know what that is like, Elizabeth. It’s never good to hold things in. I believe it can lead to self-destruction or maybe worse, can develop an ability to hurt those you love most. Life could be a different world if more were not only honest with themselves, but also with others near them.”
Silence overcame them. They continued walking and turned on Seventy First Avenue towards Forest Hills Gardens. Elizabeth thought about Noah’s words carefully. His speech repeated in her head like a broken record stuck on one track.
Then on a sudden, a cat jumped out in front of them. Elizabeth jumped in the air and gave a loud cry. When she landed, she was astonished to find herself in Noah’s arm. She held his hand tightly.
“It’s just a cat my queen. A black cat to be exact.”
“It came out of nowhere! My lord! It scared the shit out of me,” said Elizabeth while trying to catch her breath.
The black cat gave the couple a long stare. It rushed away and headed up the stairs towards the Long Island Train Station.
“Looks like he is heading to Long Island,” said Noah in a mocking manner.
The two looked at each other. They laughed and continued walking. Elizabeth continued to hold Noah’s hand tightly. Her thoughts wandered furiously.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“I do,” said Noah.
“And do you, Chloe, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?”
“I do.”
Chloe and Noah kissed.
The married couple purchased a house in Forest Hills Gardens. To make their lives a little easier, they purchased a vehicle. Chloe, from New York, had to get a driver’s license. She flunked the first test. Noah was frightened to be behind the wheel with her, but found the nerve to stick it out and tutor her.
The house was large. It sat deep inside the Gardens. The house contained four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a basement. The housing market worked in the young couple’s favor; it proved to be a good investment.
Chloe wanted children to fill the empty rooms. Noah too wanted this, but he feared that his children would rear his sleeping condition. He did not wish them to be born like him. But what if he were to have children who could never sleep? He could never forgive himself if he knew he passed on this trait.
Chloe and Noah agreed in solidarity that Elizabeth, if she desired, should move into their house. It was not far from the apartment building they lived in. The train station was still near. Chloe wanted to look after Elizabeth; she felt more close to her than ever. Chloe even mentioned to mutual friends that Elizabeth was not just like a sister, but actually was a sister.
Months later Elizabeth agreed to move in. She was happy for Noah’s advancement. He had come into a higher position at work, and what ensued was more responsibility, which paid accordingly.
Presently, the three were eating dinner. Each member of the household had cooked a meal. They sat around the table feasting on each other’s creation. Nobody was modest about his or her servings; they ate with great appetite.
“Elizabeth, I think it’s time for you to start dating,” Chloe blurted while holding a chicken wing.
“Honey. Please. Let’s just eat,” yelled Noah.
“No babe, I think Elizabeth needs to hear this. I love her and I think it needs to be said.” Chloe paused, and then turned to Elizabeth. “It’s time sweetie. It’s been long enough. I’m not trying to, to apply pressure. But I think it would help you to get out there. I know what it’s like to be stranded. Take it from me, if you stay out of the game for too long it starts to change. And when you get back into it, you are just completely lost. It’s like learning a new game all together. What do you think Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth paused. She helped
herself to more potatoes. She said:
“I guess you are right. You know, it has been a long time. I appreciate your concern.” She looked at Noah. “I guess it’s time to let things go. No, fuck it, you are right. I need to move on with my life.”
“Damn right girl,” cried Chloe. “I’ve already set you up with someone!”
“Chloe!” yelled Noah. “What are you doing? Have you gone mad? Elizabeth doesn’t need you to set her up with people. You should have consulted us first.”
“It’s fine Noah. I could use some help. So whom did you set me up with?”
“You shall meet him tomorrow! Oh, I am so excited! I’ve never set up blind date!” Chloe began clapping her hands. “He’s a photographer. We’ve worked together at some events.”
“Are you talking about Bob? I fucking hate that idiot! He’s not right for Elizabeth. He’s no good.”
“No, it’s not fucking Bob, Noah you retard. He’s coming over tomorrow to pick you up. What do you think Elizabeth? You’ll say yes won’t you?”
“Sure why not.”
Chloe jumped out of her chair. She rushed up to Elizabeth, who had a mouth full of potatoes, and hugged her tightly.
“Not so tight Chloe,” said Elizabeth struggling in her arms. “Not so tight. Food will come back up.”
“Sorry. I’m just so happy. Aren’t you happy Noah? I’m happy!”
Noah wanted to vomit all of the food back up. He waited impatiently for the next evening to come. He spent the evening roaming the streets with clenched fists. At work the next day, he was restless.
Chloe helped with Elizabeth’s attire. The two ladies were upstairs doing cosmetics, hair, and polishing of the nails. Chloe was so energetic; one would believe it was her who was going on a date.
Noah sat downstairs with a book. He pretended to read. The laughter and cheerfulness upstairs prevented him from concentrating on the words.
When Elizabeth came downstairs, Noah looked at her with awe. She was by far the prettiest woman he had ever seen. She wore a tight silver sequence dress. The length of it ran just above her knees. It was Elizabeth’s face that dominated his attention. She no longer appeared dull or despondent. The makeup to covered her blemishes. Elizabeth looked confident, youthful, and energetic. She had a certain pop to her step. Her skin was as lively as ever. The sparks in her eyes glimmered like stars twinkling in a dark night.