Married to My Enemy

by Nicole Elliot

  Just as quickly as I started moving, I stopped. I shook my head and turned around. I half-ran back to the street. My legs protested, my body longed to go back to the door, but I pushed harder against myself until I was sprinting down the street. I ran hard and fast, not stopping until I was all the way back home. My feet felt like lead, but I forced them to keep moving until I was safely back inside my bedroom. I couldn’t believe what I’d almost done.

  Walking up to the Prewitt’s door at two in the morning because I thought Piper might be inside? What good would that have done? I could only imagine the look on Mr. Prewitt’s face if he’d opened the door.

  I threw myself on my bed and sighed. I felt like I was losing my mind. After waking up in a panicked sweat the last thing I needed was to confront Piper after all these years. Besides, I didn’t even know if she was home. It was just a feeling after all, just an old instinct that told me she was there.

  I forced my eyes closed and told myself I was imagining it. There probably hadn’t even been a light on in that room. I was seeing things. Shit. My mind was playing tricks on me.

  After dreams about that night with Young I always felt shaken and confused. Running was the only thing that cleared my mind. I told myself I was probably still shaken up when I passed Piper’s house. I was hoping to see her, that was all.

  Sleep continued to evade me for the rest of the night, but I remained still. My head was pressed against my pillow and my blanket was wrapped tightly around my body. Whenever I got the urge to leave my bed, I pulled it even tighter. I told myself it would hold me together, keep my mind and my body in check, but I knew that wasn’t true. I knew nothing could hold me together anymore.

  Five

  Piper

  “You aren’t ready yet?!” Audra’s annoyed voice snapped me out of my daydream.

  “I was having a nice moment and you just ruined it,” I said as I turned around to glare at her.

  “A nice moment? You were staring out the window.”

  “Exactly. It was peaceful until you showed up.”

  “Cry me a river,” Audra said with a roll of her eyes. “Get dressed. We have to leave in ten minutes. Mom and Dad are already freaking out that we’ll be late.”

  “They’ve been freaking out since I got here, what else is new?”

  “Just hurry. Please,” Audra hissed.

  “Well, since you said please,” I teased. I walked over to the closet and pulled the door open. I grew up in this room and had unpacked my things the night before, but I still felt like I was living in someone else’s home. The five years since I’d last slept in that bed and opened that closet door had put up a permanent wall between me and my parent’s home. Nothing felt like mine.

  I pulled out a dark dress and some heels. Laying them on the bed, I stripped down to my underwear without realizing my sister was still in my doorway.

  “What?” I snapped, “I’m getting dressed.”

  “Don’t you own anything black?” Audra asked, her eyes glued to my dress.

  “That is black,” I explained with a shake of my head.

  “No, Piper, that’s blue,” Audra said. She walked over and picked up the dress. She held it up to my nose.

  I took a step away from her and rolled my eyes.

  “Fine,” I said. “It’s blue, but it’s a navy blue so no one will be able to tell the difference.”

  “You didn’t pack a black dress?” Audra’s voice was beginning to gain it’s mothering quality. The last thing I needed was a full-on Audra-style lecture right before a funeral.

  “I must have grabbed the wrong one,” I shrugged.

  “Haven’t you heard?” A voice called from the hallway. “Navy is the new black in New York City. Our Piper here has to stay up on the latest fashion trends if she wants to stick it out in the bit city.”

  “Thanks for that, Aunt Miriam,” I called back.

  I caught Audra’s eye and we both erupted into silent giggled. Just like that, all tension faded from the room and Audra helped me step into my dress without any further comment. She zipped me up and leaned against the dresser while I slipped on my shoes.

  “So, tell me,” she began, her tone suddenly serious. “How is it being back?”

  “Honestly, Aud, I don’t know.” I shook my head and gestured around the room, “All of this, it just feels surreal. It feels like an entirely different life. I’m not the same girl I was when I lived here.”

  “I know that,” Audra nodded. “We all do, Pipe. No one expects you to be exactly the same. We just wanted to see you.”

  “I know and I’m glad I’m here.”

  Audra gave me a skeptical look. I stared at her defiantly for a few seconds before I sighed and let a small smile escape onto my lips.

  “I am,” I insisted. “Even if it’s weird to be back, it’s good that I came.”

  Laughter echoed up the stairs and I heard children running around in the living room. In a second, my mother would come and demand they all quiet down. This was a morning of sadness, after all. It wasn’t time for playing. Still, hearing them laugh helped make my words to Audra feel true.

  “How’s Mom been?” Audra asked weakly. I glanced at her quickly, a warning in my eyes that made her quickly add, “I’m just asking.”

  “It’s like I said, she’s been freaking out since I arrived yesterday. They both have.”

  “No, I don’t mean about the funeral,” Audra said with a wave of her hand. “I mean about you.”

  “She’s been fine,” I said evasively. “Shouldn’t we get going? I thought everyone was afraid of being late.”

  Audra opened her mouth as if she were going to argue, but she soon thought better of it. She grabbed my purse from the dresser and handed it to me. After smoothing my hair and pinching my cheeks, she smiled at me in the way only a big sister can.

  “Let’s do this,” she said. Her tone suggested we were going into battle and maybe we were. A Prewitt reunion, even one for a funeral, was always an interesting event.

  “Do you feel sad?” I asked.

  “I do,” Audra nodded. “Don’t you?”

  “Not really,” I answered honestly.

  “Monster,” Audra teased.

  “Shut up, I hadn’t seen the man in ten years.”

  “You’re going to hell,” Audra said, pretending to be serious.

  “Fuck off,” I said, jabbing her in the ribs with my elbow.

  “There’s that Piper Prewitt charm,” she cooed.

  “I hate you.”

  “You adore me.”

  We stepped out into the hallway and I pulled the door closed behind me. My mother was standing at the foot of the stairs, her head tilted upward as if she were about to yell something to us.

  “Oh,” she said, relaxing her neck. “You’re ready.”

  “Yup,” I said as Audra led the way downstairs.

  “Good, let’s go.”

  Six

  Piper

  The funeral was large and loud. When we stepped inside the church, I immediately spotted ten cousins and four second cousins. They were all crammed in the middle of the aisle talking loudly and boisterously. If you didn’t know why we were all there, you would have thought someone was getting married not buried.

  My mother led the way down the aisle, squeezing her way between relatives, stopping to say hello as she went. I kept my head down. Avoiding eye contact was the best way to get through this without someone…

  “Piper?!” A voice yelled from a few feet away. Everyone in the vicinity immediately fell silent. “Piper! You came!”

  I turned to see my cousin Melissa hurrying toward me. She engulfed me in a bone crushing hug before pulling away. She held onto my arms and looked me up and down.

  “Ugh! You look gorgeous,” she said with venom in her voice. “I don’t know why I’m surprised, you always were the pretty one.”

  “Thanks Mel,” I said softly. “You look great. How long has it been?”

  “Six years!�
�� she half-yelled. “Can you believe that?”

  “No,” I shook my head and glanced around me. I caught Audra’s eye and tried to silently convey I needed help. She just laughed and made her way into a pew with the kids. I could have killed her.

  “So, what have you been up to? Still in New York? How are things? Are you still a paralegal or something like that?”

  “A lawyer,” I nodded. “Yeah, I’m still…”

  “Oh no!” Melissa interrupted. “Looks like they’re about to start. We better sit.”

  Melissa hurried away in a blur. I turned around and made my way over to Audra in a fog. When I sat down, I shoved my shoulder hard against hers.

  “Ouch,” she snapped.

  “I can’t believe you just left me with her!” I hissed under my breath.

  “You looked like you were doing fine,” she chuckled.

  “I hate you,” I told her again.

  “You might want to be careful with your hatred today. I could be next, you now?” She gestured toward the casket at the front of the church.”

  “Drama queen,” I mumbled.

  ***

  At the funeral, I realized how sad I actually felt about my Uncle Jeff. It may have been a decade since I last saw him, but when the eulogies were read, I remembered everything I loved about him. It didn’t take long for me to start crying. Audra held my hand and all of our bickering was forgotten.

  After everyone moved to the cemetery and we watched as Uncle Jeff was lowered into the ground, we piled into cars and drove through town toward Kellan’s pub. Uncle Jeff’s one request was an Irish wake and the Prewitts were nothing if not accommodating to the dead.

  Kellan’s was decked out in pictures of Uncle Jeff. Every inch of bare wall was covered with his face. I shook my head and went straight for the bar. Grabbing two pints, I claimed a table with Audra and we raised our glasses to Uncle Jeff.

  “He was a good uncle,” Audra said.

  “He was a little pervy,” I reminded her.

  “But good all the same,” she argued.

  “Yeah,” I agreed sadly. “He was.”

  “I know I already said it,” Audra began. “But I’m really glad you’re here, Pipe.”

  “You’re just happy to have someone else around to incur Mom’s wrath,” I teased.

  “I’m serious,” Audra said. She took a swig of her beer. “We miss you when you’re not around.”

  “She’s right,” Jack, Audra’s husband, said as he pulled up a chair beside Audra.

  “Where are the kids?” I asked with a nervous glance behind me.

  “I set them up on the patio,” Jack said. “They’re good for a few hours.”

  I nodded and took another swig of my beer. I had forgotten how good beer from Kellan’s tasted. I took another drink.

  “Even Mom and Dad talk about it,” Audra continued. “Things just aren’t the same without you.”

  “Is she drunk already?” I joked, looking at Jack.

  “Nope,” Jack laughed. “Just sentimental. It happens when you turn thirty.”

  Audra slapped Jack’s arm playfully and rolled her eyes.

  “Fine,” she said. “I won’t gush over how much I miss my little sister or how badly Mom and Dad want her to move back. If it bothers you guys that much, I’ll just go check on the kids.”

  “No,” I said quickly. “Audra, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to make fun of you.”

  “Yes, you did,” she snapped.

  “I miss you guys, too,” I promised.

  “Do you?” She asked seriously.

  “Of course,” I laughed. “You’re my family.”

  “Then why don’t you ever come home?” Audra demanded.

  “Aud…” Jack warned.

  “You know why,” I told her softly. “It’s hard for me. Being back here.”

  “But it doesn’t have to be,” Audra insisted. “The more you come back, the easier it’ll become.”

  “I don’t want it to be easy,” I said. “I like my life in New York.”

  “Do you?” Audra’s skepticism annoyed me.

  “Audra, don’t you remember how long I spent thinking up plans for my life? By the time I was fifteen I knew exactly what I wanted to do, who I wanted to be.”

  “I remember,” Audra said.

  “So, aren’t you the least bit happy for me?”

  “Of course, I am,” Audra promised. “I just don’t think you are happy.”

  “What does that mean?” I could feel myself getting defensive and the last thing I wanted to do was fight with my sister.

  “It means that you’re drowning, Piper.”

  “Drowning?” I scoffed.

  “You flit from relationship to relationship, never settling down. You work crazy hours and…”

  “I have a job, so what?”

  “So, that job is not your entire life.”

  “And you think I don’t know that?” I demanded.

  “I think you’re scared,” Audra said bluntly.

  “Scared?” I asked, “Scared of what?”

  “Living.”

  I fell silent and leaned back in my chair. As annoyed as I was with Audra, I couldn’t find it in me to argue with her anymore. She hit on a touchy subject that I didn’t want to explore. It was bad enough having to picture Logan’s face. I didn’t think I could handle having a conversation about him.

  Jack sat beside Audra with a concerned look. He’d always worried about me, from the time I was a little girl and he and Audra started going out. He was a good brother, a good husband to my sister. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to ignore my sister and focus on Jack.

  “Jack,” I said pointedly. “How’s work going?”

  “Oh,” Jack said. He glanced at Audra who just shook her head and sighed. “It’s really good. Things have been…”

  Jack launched into an explanation about how wonderful business had been lately. The repair shop he owned was the only one in town, so it wasn’t like he had competition, but it was his pride and joy. He loved that shop almost as much as he loved his family. It was his goal in life to pass it down to his sons when they grew up.

  I listened to the rise and fall of Jack’s voice, not catching every word, but happy to be sitting there listening to him. Despite what Audra thought, I did miss being in Bradberry. It was nice to see her and Jack. It was nice to see my cousins and even Aunt Miriam. As much as I hated to admit it, I was even happy to see my parents. There was only one thing keeping me away from Bradberry and it didn’t have anything to do with my family.

  The door clanged open behind me and I turned around instinctively. I expected to see another relative or family friend walk through the door and grab a pint, but instead my eyes fell on a familiar face. The exact face I had been picturing moments before.

  Logan walked further into the pub, his eyes scanning the room. He looked bigger than the last time I saw him, stronger. His muscles were threatening to tear apart his suit coat and his tie seemed too tight around his neck. Still, he looked handsome. More than handsome. My eyes roamed over his body and his face, glad that he hadn’t seen me yet. I felt glued to my chair. I wanted to move, to run before he saw me, but I couldn’t. My entire body felt heavy.

  “What is he doing here?” I heard a voice ask, but it took me a minute to realized it was mine.

  “I don’t know…” Audra said, but her words were lost as Logan’s eyes finally found mine. We stared at each other for a fraction of second before my body suddenly felt light and I jumped to my feet. Without a word, I ran toward the back of the pub and disappeared out into the alleyway out back. I didn’t stop running until I was several streets away and breathing heavily.

  My heart was racing and my forehead was dripping with sweat, but I didn’t care. I sat down on a curb and put my head between my knees. I told myself to breathe, that I was being ridiculous, but my mind was still racing.

  Why was Logan at Kellan’s? Why would he show up to the wake? Was it to see me
? Or was it to see…

  I sat up and shook my head roughly. My thoughts were running away from me and I had to pull myself together. When Audra accused me of being scared to live I knew she was right. I didn’t want to admit it, but there was a truth to her statement that I couldn’t ignore. Ever since Logan broke my heart, I had been hiding. Ever since that night, I had been terrified of everything…

  Seven

  Logan

  My first thought was that I should turn around and go home. I walked up to Kellan’s and stopped just before I made it to the door. There were people covering every inch of the patio. Some were walking to and from their cars, others were crowded around tables drinking and talking animatedly. My stomach felt weak as I finally took a step forward and pulled open the door. Screw this, if I was going to do it, I was going to fucking do it.

  Immediately, I began looking around for her. I could feel pairs of eyes tracking my every move. I knew I should get a beer and find somewhere to sit down, but I needed to see her face first. Just once. Piper’s Uncle Jeff was someone I’d only met in passing since I’d moved back to Bradberry. He was a loner, the kind of guy who never married or had children. He only left his house to see his family and even that was an imposition for him.

  Still, when I found out he passed, I was sad. My heart ached for the whole Prewitt family, but mostly for Piper. She hadn’t seen him in years, that much I knew, but I imagined the funeral would still be hard for her. I wanted to be there for her. So, even though I knew I shouldn’t, I went to Kellan’s hoping I would get a chance to talk to her again.

  My eyes continued to roam around the room, searching for those curls and bright blue eyes. It wasn’t until I looked to the far corner of the bar that I saw her. She was sitting at a table with her sister Audra and her brother-in-law Jack. All three of them were staring right at me. They looked like they’d seen a ghost.