by Angel Rose
The answering machine stopped playing suddenly. I thought I was hearing things. What the hell was going on? It didn’t seem like that was Dave. Someone had to be playing a trick on me. Michael came in from the garage through the kitchen scooping up a finger sandwich and the coffee on the counter.
“I heard the phone ring, who called?” he asked taking a bite of his sandwich. He glanced over at the phone and said, “Wait a minute, no one has this number, who could possibly call here?”
“Wrong number.” I answered quickly.
“Wrong number and they left a message. The light is blinking.” he said as he was about to reach the play button on the answering machine. I grabbed his hand playfully and took a bite of his sandwich to distract him.
“Hey, I’m hungry.” He chuckled. His kissed my forehead and headed outside to check out the front lawn by the driveway.
I didn’t want Michael to hear that message. He would have gone crazy. I’m sure Dave was drunk. He had to be, there’s no other explanation. Michael walked back in and I stopped him in the hallway.
“Dinner?” I asked as I tippy toed and wrapped my arms around his neck. He kissed me on the lips and bit my bottom lip gently.
“I feel like wine tonight…are you up for it?” I was up for anything as long as we were together. I definitely needed a drink after hearing that message.
“Sure.” I winked at him.
“Lock the doors, turn on the alarm, and run a nice warm bath…I’ll be right back. Let me get rid of these guys.” He skipped out the back door laughing like a little kid. I felt all warm and tingling inside, but then the thought of Dave’s eerie message on the answering machine hit me in the gut.
“Okay, hurry back.” I shouted.
I waited for Michael to come back with the wine. I ran the bath water piping hot so when he got home it was just right. I lit some candles and brought up the white orchids from the kitchen table up to the bathroom. The house phone rang again and I actually started to feel like I was in a scary movie. My insides quivered. I let it ring. I heard the voice on the answering machine.
“Jen, I know you’re there, I can see you.” Dave said softly.
I ran to pick up the phone.
“Dave, what are you doing?”
“Jen, why are we playing these games? You know a lot of people have been hurt because of your games.”
“What are you talking about? Where are you?”
“Your husband will be back soon.”
“Dave, is this really you? Dave?”
The answering machine hung up. I didn’t know who the hell was messing with me, but it sounded just like Dave. I felt like I’m going crazy…
Michael returned and I felt like I had no choice but to tell him what was going on.
“Michael, I got another phone call. I’m not sure but I think it was Dave.” I whispered, I held my hands together, clenching them tightly like a crazy person. Michael stared at me confused.
“What? Dave? Really? What did he say?” He placed the wine on the hallway table near the staircase. I looked up at Michael, the nerves in my stomach twisting and turning.
“Listen.” I played both messages for Michael. Michael listened to the first message and placed his hands in his pockets. As he listened to the second message, his faced turned pale and his lips quivered angrily. His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed as he bit his bottom lip. He then grabbed the answering machine, I automatically ducked, thinking he was going to throw it my way, but he threw it across the room shattering the mirror in the living room.
“Michael! Please!” I yelled. I placed my hand over my mouth as I watched Michael’s body tremble in anger.
“That bastard! All this time I trusted him around you! He’s turning his back on me! Why?” he shouted. “He will never be welcomed in this house again! NEVER!” He paced back and forth staring at the broken mirror in the living room.
“Michael, please, what’s going on?” I grabbed his arm to get his attention.
“I need a minute to calm down,” he said tapping his fingers rhythmically on the staircase banister. I stood quietly as I watched his fingers tap the banister slowly, rhythmically, an eerie feeling slowly creeping up my spine. I’ve never seen him do that before.
“We’re going to change our number. I’m going to do that right now!” Michael said pissed off. He pulled out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed the number to the company. He asked them to change the number immediately, fire was burning in his eyes. He could taste Dave’s betrayal and his demeanor changed immediately. He was aggravated. He hung up and glanced around the room then stopped and looked at me. I stood silent and took a deep breath. His eyes were icy and gloomy. I was afraid. Michael walked over to the computer to check the cameras.
“We can’t see the blind spots on the camera. I’m going over there to that company to knock someone’s fucking head off! I’ll be back!”
Michael stormed out the back door, got in the car, and lowered the window.
“I’m coming right back, I can’t believe this, what’s gotten into Dave? Stay inside. I’m going to call him right now. Lock the doors. NOW!” He demanded. I ran into the house and set the alarm. Now I was really frightened. Every horror movie crossed my mind, Scream, Hostel, The Chainsaw Massacre. Then I giggled to myself, trying to ease my mind. This is ridiculous I said to myself. This is Dave we’re talking about. This has to be someone who is angry with Michael about Marquis. It’s a scare tactic and I’m not going to let them win.
A deafening, eerie silence fell upon the house, so I decided to turn on some soft music. I started to clean up the kitchen, finger sandwiches, coffee and packets of Splenda were sprawled across the counter.
“What a mess.” I mumbled.
I cleaned everything up and decided to start dinner when the phone rang. I swallowed hard hoping that Michael or the phone company was on the other end of that line.
“Hello?” I whispered as my heart sprinted against my blouse.
“Why did you change your number?” The familiar voice said softly.
“Dave?”
“Don’t you understand? I’m a detective, it’s my job to find out everything about you. You know that little lady. I can get information about you at the drop of a dime, and I did.” He sighed. “You know, when I met you, I thought you were the girl next door, but then when I dug deeper I found out a lot about you.”
“Dave, what’s going on? Why would you have to find out anything about me?” I said with a nervous giggle.
“Well for starters, I check out everyone. But you…There was just something about you I couldn’t resist. So, I dug…deep.”
“You know, this has gone just about far enough. I’m going to hang up now until you sober up.”
“Don’t.” he said harshly.
“Dave…” I tried to blow him off.
“Be quiet Jenesis…and listen.” His voice was serious and cold.
“This isn’t funny, Dave.” My voice trembled. Horrible things were running through my mind.
“It’s not meant to be, now be quiet and listen to me. You’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”
I took a deep breath. His voice frightened me but I didn’t understand why I needed to be afraid…of Dave.
“Go on.” I said hesitantly.
“Okay…let’s start with your family. Your drunken father, Bobby, your cheating mother, who by the way was fucking Dr. Joe, Penn State, your cousins in Brodheadsville, your poor aunt Stephanie, and your best friend Vivian, pretty impressive, don’t you think?” he said sneeringly, and all in one breath. My heart sunk low into my belly, the twisted nerves constricting as I began to breathe erratically. I could barely hold the phone. I was dying inside and whoever was on the other end of this phone knew they were tearing me apart.
“Who are you?” I inhaled deeply. “You’re not Dave? Who are you and why are you doing this to me?” I demanded. “Uncle Mike, is this you?” My voice was unsteady. I was so scared my en
tire body was shaking.
“No it’s not your Uncle Mike, it’s me Dave…It’s me Dave. The only Dave you’ve come to know and love. Now listen…enough games.” he said coldly.
“Dave, what’s going on? What’s happening? How dare you say that about my mother, that’s not true, she loved my father, do you hear me? She loved my father!” My voice was trembling, and I was shouting at the top of my lungs.
“You’re so fucking naïve Jenesis, grow the fuck up already. Your mommy was a whore. That’s right Jen, a whore.” I stood silent on the phone, my heart thrashing against my chest. “I’m fifty-three years old, and you’re in your twenties. Do you actually think I never wanted to fuck you?” I swallowed hard, disgusted by the words that so emotionlessly spewed out of his mouth. “Come on, after Carl you needed a real older man, he couldn’t satisfy you, that’s why you didn’t sleep with him.”
“What are you talking about? This is absurd. You knew I dated Carl. I went to you for advice about him. Why are you speaking to me like this? Dave, are you drunk? Are you on drugs? Dave?” The blood from my veins scorched through my body. I could feel the heat rising to my face.
“You did, but did you know he couldn’t satisfy Margaret, either? Right now, he can’t satisfy his wife, you, me or anyone else for that matter, especially since I just put a bullet in his head last night.” I stared at the phone. I was screaming in silence while the shock of Dave’s words send shockwaves throughout my body. It wasn’t Dave on the phone…it couldn’t have been. “You see, I’m not one to brag, but I can get away with shit like that, especially if the little bastard was cheating the college out of a ton of private funds. He was a thief Jen, and no one would miss him. Fancy cars and fancy restaurants Jen, all with the school’s private funds. Read today’s paper. Its front page news little lady, the daily news now for sale on your front step.” He hung up the phone.
I hung up the phone listening to the deafening busy signal tone that sounded ten times louder than it really was. I felt like I did when my mother, Vivian, and Margaret passed away, all wrapped up in three terrible uncontrollable emotions, Abandoned, Reckless and Shocked. I felt I would die right there and then, and I knew someone was fucking with me. Dave would never do this to me. HE LOVED ME. HE LOVED ME.
I dialed Michael’s cell phone number frantically. He didn’t answer, it went straight to voicemail. I began to pace back and forth thinking about what I should do next. I contemplated on the whether or not to open front door and grab the newspaper, but the fear that reverberated over my body was so strong, I couldn’t get myself to even touch the doorknob. My hands were wobbly, I was weak, and I was afraid Dave would come running into the house. I wanted so much not to believe that was Dave on the phone, but I knew it was.
I took a deep breath, shut off the alarm, opened the front door and picked up the newspaper. My intentions were to grab it and run into the house, but then I stopped. I glanced down at the newspaper. I read the front page and fell to my knees, it read “John Jay College professor found shot in the head near Hunter College”. The paper fell out of my hands and scattered across the concrete steps. I scanned the area as the tears that surged my eyes began to cloud my vision. I crawled inside the house on my hands and knees and locked the door behind me. I reached up next to the doorframe and set the alarm again. I sat on the floor in front of the door sobbing hysterically wiping the blood from knees with my hand. I tried calling Michael again. He finally answered me.
“Michael! Hurry! Come home! Michael!” I screamed.
“Jenesis! I’m on my way! Lock the fucking door, Jenesis, Lock it!” He shouted.
“I did! Michael, Dave…it’s Dave!” I shouted.
“Oh my God, Jenesis! Tilly just called me. They found Eddie…they found his body in a ditch off the highway near the city of Lancaster! Headless…he was beheaded. Jenesis, don’t lock the door! Get out! Get in your car! Get out of the house! Now!” he shouted hysterically. I ran upstairs and grabbed my pocketbook.
Michael walked in screaming,
“Jenesis!”
“Michael! Michael put the alarm! Michael hurry. Dave! Dave!” I cried desperately as I ran down the stairs tripping right into his arms.
“Jen, what happened? What about Dave?” he asked frantically.
“Dave! He called here! On the house phone!” I bawled.
“How? No one has this number!” he said in surprised.
“Michael! He said he killed Carl, that he put a bullet in his head last night!” I screamed as I grabbed and held him tightly around his waist, my face buried in his chest.
“No! That’s not true!” he shouted.
“Look outside at the newspaper. It’s on the front steps.”
He turned off the alarm, opened the front door and saw the papers scattered on the front steps. He grabbed the paper and read the front page. He dropped the paper on the floor, turned around and stood staring at me as he slowly closed the front door. His eyes were filled with apprehension and sorrow. He looked wounded, completely defeated.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen.” he whispered through gritted teeth, shaking his head.
“What? What wasn’t supposed to happen? Michael, what are you talking about?” My heart was thrashing against my chest. I was sweating, and I couldn’t contain myself any longer. I started to cry hysterically.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen. You were supposed to be simple.” His voice was soft and apologetic.
“What? What are you talking about? Simple?” I screamed grabbing him by his arms and shaking him. I was confused, and I looked into his eyes for guidance.
“This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. It was never meant to be this complicated.” He grabbed my hands and placed them by my sides. “I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with you or really even care.” He stared at me, his eyes piercing, stone cold, EMPTY.
“What? What the hell is going on?” I kept staring at him looking into eyes to find him. He was lost. He was gone.
“I love you…I swear to God, I love you…” His closed his eyes.
“Michael, you’re scaring me, please.” my voice shook and I began to sob louder.
“My father told me you would be easy to handle, he told me not to get too involved but he did. He made it difficult by falling in love with you, too.” He clenched his hands together into a ball. His eyes were burning with rage, and he stared at me with love and hate at the same time.
“Your father?” my heart dropped to the floor as my mouth parted in awe.
“He said he would let me have you, and he wouldn’t interfere, he promised. He said he loved you like a daughter and that this time…things would be different. We would be happy.” His voice was almost at a whisper. He began to cry, sobbing like a hysterical child as he stood there ringing his hands together. He was so tense, his body stiffened. I stood staring at him, not moving, not understanding what he was trying to say. He began to pace up and down the hallway.
“Michael, you’re father? Who are you talking about? Your father’s dead! Set the alarm Michael, hurry, I’m afraid!” I shouted hysterically as I pushed him out of the way to press the buttons on the alarm.
“He promised me that he would let me live a normal life! No more killing! Michael, I promise, No more killing! She’s good for you, she’s good for us.” he said clenching his fists and crying.
I slowly walked backwards into the kitchen searching for a chair with my hands. I slid my body down on the chair without looking, keeping my eyes locked on Michael. I didn’t know what to do or think. My body was shaking violently, my eyes were filled with so many tears I could hardly see him. This was insanity. Has everyone lost their minds?
“Michael, what are you saying?” I pleaded. “Michael, please, what are you talking about?” I begged. “Please, I’m scared.” The terror in my voice escalated, and I could barely say another word. My body was taking over. My heart was racing, I was losing my breath.
Michael watched from a distance, tears trund
led down his cheeks. His eyes were gleaming, his face was overwrought, and then he hung his head down towards the floor. My heart hurt and I grabbed my chest with my hand. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack, he frightened me. I was so afraid I thought I would pee on myself. I grabbed my cell phone and scanned Dr. Logan’s phone number. I never thought I could have an ounce of fear in Michael’s presence, but I was genuinely afraid. Michael walked towards me and got on his knees, grabbing on to my legs, and started bawling like a child, to the point where I actually thought he might pass out. He glanced up at me wiping the tears from his face.
“Jenesis, I never loved any woman that I was with. My father…Dave, killed them all except for Dina. She was the only one who got away. She never suspected anything. She slept with my father, and the day he was going to kill her, he let her go, but he never told me why. My father threatened her life if she didn’t disappear fast enough. She never spoke, never. That day that we saw her she was drunk, I knew she was going to talk. I called my father and he met them both on their honeymoon vacation…and…he killed them. But he promised me he wouldn’t touch you! But then he said he had to! He had the urge. The urge, he called it! He said he wanted you. He wanted to hurt you and slit your throat!” he said as he stood up and banged his hand against the wall. “I told him No! I begged him! I cried! I told him I loved you! That we were going to have a son together! I didn’t want to get any more girls for him to kill, but he made me, he made me!” Michael barked at me in my face. The strain of his screams and the distorting features of his beautiful face into a homicidal maniac, made me stand up, but I couldn’t move. I was frozen. I thought he would kill me…right there and then.
Michael’s body was shaking and the river of tears that fell from his eyes almost drowned him. I was so terrified I couldn’t speak. I just stared at him with a pain in my heart; the same pain that could only describe the feeling when you find out the man that you loved, that you trusted…that you worshipped was…INSANE. I held on strong and I needed to. I needed to wake up from this nightmare and I knew in my heart he was telling lies. It couldn’t be true? None of this. He must’ve been high on drugs. That’s it, they were both high on drugs.