by Crist, J. D.
"It's red, your favorite color," Chad spoke before she could. Emily looked back at the red coffee pot once more. Chad was trying, sure, but he had been so selfish for so long that he didn't even realize his mistake. Her favorite color was green, and Chads was red. Emily considered pointing this out to him but decided this was not the time. They were on shaky ground as it was, and he was trying. She made a note to find a way to bring this up later, but she wanted to hold on to the hope she had right now.
"Thank you, Chad," she said as she turned back to him. "It is lovely. We have a lot of work to do, but I think we are on the right track." Emily watched as a smile spread across his face. "Why don't you head on to work, and I'll finish the dishes. I know you have a lot to do with the launch and the promotion."
"Are you sure? I want to show you that I am willing to take on my fair share around here."
"I'm sure. We are supposed to support and help each other, right? she smiled at him.
"You're the best, Em. I'll be home by six-thirty."
With a quick kiss on the cheek, Chad was out the door. Emily finished cleaning up the kitchen and headed to work. She was early again but had a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt like she forgot something. She checked to make sure she had her lunch and remembered locking the front door. She decided to ignore it and headed into the office. Once inside the building, she went about her routine as usual. She had to ask Steve, one of the foremen, to change the water bottle for her. She had nearly emptied it yesterday. He did it with a smile, asking her if the office turned into a desert the day before. Emily laughed with him and thanked him as he left. The rest of the day was business as usual, but the feeling that she forgot something remained.
As she headed home, the feeling continued to grow, and she could not shake it. She decided she probably felt out of sorts because of everything at home. She assured herself that everything was fine as she arrived home. Emily turned the handle, and she found that the door was locked. There was nothing left that she could have forgotten to do today. She took this as confirmation that she was right about everything and unlocked the door. Once inside, she headed to the kitchen to decide what creation she would make tonight. But, a note on the mini-fridge caught her eye. She walked over and grabbed it. Her eyes moved over the words that Chad had written:
Sorry, Emily, my boss invited me out to dinner to celebrate. I would have loved you to join us, but it's a "guys only" thing. I noticed nothing in the fridge for tonight, so I transferred $10 to the joint account. Would you please get yourself something to eat on me? I left all the information on what my new raise will be and the things we should do in my office. If you could look at it and start making a plan, it would be great. I will be home late, so don't wait up.
I love you,
Chad
Emily placed the note on the table and stood for a moment in the empty house. He was trying and making changes. This was the first time he had transferred money to the joint account in years. She felt her stomach rumble and realized how little she had eaten over the past few days. She pulled out her phone and began to look at “Freno's”, her favorite pizza restaurants website. She found that they had a couple's special going on right now for eight dollars. While it was more than she would normally eat, she decided to go with it and treat herself. She called the restaurant and placed her order. She felt a little bad that she wouldn't have much of a tip, but there was nothing she could do about that now.
Emily decided to look at the list that Chad had left; it was sure to lift her spirits even higher. She headed to his office and found the red folder on his keyboard. She took it back to the kitchen and began to look through it. His raise was more than she could have imagined. He was going to be making three times as much as she did. She quickly found the list he had made, excited to see where he wanted to start.
Yet, as she looked through his list of priorities, she felt the red returning to her cheeks. All the hope and happiness she felt was ripped from her, and she was back to anger. She couldn't even manage to feel any sadness as she read through it.
1. New car for me this year, new car for you next year.
2. Personal Shopper - you do so much already. Having someone else to shop for me would give you time to find clothes for yourself.
3. Teeth Whitening - we can get you one too if you want.
4. New Monitors
5. Rolex
6. Second hot plate
7. Household repairs ($500, we won't include the hot plate or the coffee pot)
The words on the paper began to blur as Emily's rage filled her. He tried to make it seem like he was changing, but she saw right through it. They could afford a new stove with his raise, but she got another hot plate while he got a personal shopper. She crumpled the paper in her hands and threw it into the trash. She felt like he just did not want to lose his human slave. She was nothing to him, and he just wanted her to shut up. It was almost like someone else had taken over as she logged into her bank accounts. They each had a personal account and a joint account. They each said they would transfer funds into the joint account. It was for household costs, but only Emily ever did it. She had her account set up to move all her paychecks into the joint account every time she got paid. She felt like she was watching someone else control her body as she clicked through the screens. She watched as she canceled her transfer for the next day and all future transfers.
As she finished and logged out, she heard a knock on the door. She searched through Chad's desk and found his emergency twenty. She went to the door to find a teenager standing there with her order. He seemed less than thrilled about his job but perked up when she tipped him the twenty. She took her feast to the bedroom and set up a picnic on the bed. She then turned on the small TV to watch her show. She ate while she watched and was shocked that there was almost nothing left. As the show ended, she cleaned up the remains of her meal and got ready for bed. She crawled between the blankets, still high on her newfound confidence. She had no idea how Chad would react, and right now, she didn't care. She felt strong right now and wasn't going to back down. She wasn't going to fall for his act again, and he was going to learn the hard way.
Chapter 2
Emily awoke the following day with a clear mind, ready to face Chad about how he was behaving. She glanced next to her to see that he was already up and gone. Emily dressed and headed towards the kitchen. Emily opened the door, part of her hoping for the smell of fresh coffee to be filling the house. Yet, the house was quiet, and it was apparent that Chad had already left for the day. Emily made her way to the kitchen and could not help but stare at the coffee pot on the counter. It was several minutes before she noticed the note hanging from the mini-fridge. Emily read the message and could not help but laugh at how self-entitled Chad was.
I left Early. We decided to take a trip over the three-day weekend to celebrate. I will be back on Monday night at around five. I found my list in the trash. I'm going to assume it was an accident.
Also, something is wrong with your paycheck. It is not in the joint account. It would be best if you had this fixed immediately. I don't want to look poor on this trip.
Chad
Emily ripped the note from where it hung, crumpled it, and threw it in the trash. "Nope, not a mistake," Emily said to herself. A glance in the mini-fridge reminded her that there was nothing left. She closed the door and headed to the living room. After gathering her keys and purse, she ran out the door and climbed into her car. She drove to her favorite drive through and ordered a breakfast sandwich and coffee. Paying with her debit card felt strange as she could not remember ever using it, and it still looked brand new.
She arrived at the office half an hour early. She decided to go ahead and enjoy her breakfast at her desk. Emily unlocked the front door and turned on all the lights on her regular route to her desk. Once there, she pulled the food out of the brown paper bag and out in front of her. She enjoyed the silence and her disobedience of Chad's rules as she enjoy
ed her breakfast. As she finished and disposed of her trash, she heard her cell phone begin to ring. A glance at the Caller ID showed it was Chad. He must have been upset that she had not transferred the funds. Emily considered answering it for a moment, but it was time to start work according to the clock. She pressed the silent key and dropped it back into her purse.
Emily set to her work while her phone was vibrating in her desk drawer. Emily could not help but laugh and allowed the phone to remain in her purse. She couldn't help but be extra cheerful with the crews as they come in for their morning assignments. Fridays were always crazy, and she was sure to have plenty to keep her busy. Soon the crews are all gone, and Emily began her Friday routine.
The usual Friday phone calls started from upset crews and needy customers. Emily handled them all with the most grace she has ever shown. By lunch, the phones are silent, except for her cell, which continued to vibrate in the desk drawer. With no food left in the house, she did not have anything to bring for lunch. She decided to take Everett up on his offer and closed up the office to go out for lunch. There was a little cafe a few blocks away that she loved. She only went there on her birthday with her sister once a year. Yet today, she decided to go to celebrate her newfound strength.
She arrived in a few minutes and requested a table on the patio. It was a lovely day, and she does not want to be penned up inside anymore. She placed her order with the waitress and began sipping her water. She then remembered her cell phone and realized it had been quiet since she arrived. She decided to make sure she had missed nothing important and took it out. Even she is shocked by what she sees. There are sixteen missed calls from Chad and twenty text messages. She can't help but be impressed by his persistence.
She only glanced over the texts but got the gist of what he is upset about in moments. The money was still not in the account. How dare she ignore his calls? He would come to her job if he remembered the name of it, blah blah blah. She decided to put down the phone without listening to the voicemails. Today is her day, and he was not going to ruin it. As she was about to slide the phone back into her purse, it began to vibrate.
"Really!?" Emily breathed to herself. Resolved to put it away, she barely saw the name on the Caller ID. It was her sister Rachael. Emily pulled the phone back up and answered the call.
"Hey, Rachael."
"Don't you hey Rachael me? I wanted to make sure you were alive after you stood me up!" Rachael was trying to sound angry, but Emily could tell she was more playful.
"I didn't stand you up," Emily replied, uncertain what her sister was talking about at all.
"Yes, you did. I sat at the cafe for two hours yesterday. I would have called you, but I figured you went out with Chad or something and forgot about me." Rachael then added a few fake sniffles, but Emily could hear the playfulness in her voice. Emily remembered the feeling the day before that she forgot something. That something was her damn birthday!
"Oh my God, Rachael. I am so sorry. I completely forgot."
"Well, you need a break if you can't remember your birthday. Is Chad out of town or something? I know he makes a big deal out of it." Emily had been lying to her sister about this for years. Chad had not celebrated Emily's birthday since right after they were married.
"No, he must have forgotten. You know how life can get sometimes." Emily did not feel like getting into the details right now. Not until she was sure what was going to happen herself.
"Well, I'll forgive you this once. I can't be mad at you at the party. Mom and dad would kill me!" Rachael said very casually. But Emily felt her heart jump into her throat, and party was not a word she was expecting.
"What do you mean party?" She asked, trying to hide the concern in her voice.
"The one you couldn't say no to because you stood me up yesterday. Mom and dad are insisting. We are going to come to your place on Saturday around noon. We can talk and catch up, and then they will take us all out to dinner. You guys don't have plans, do you?"
Rachael knew that this situation would be complicated. Though her parents only lived twenty minutes away, Emily only saw them once or twice a year, and she always went to them. She didn't want them to see the house, see her struggles, or now to see that she and Chad werw having issues. But she knew that there was no getting out of this, and she would have to play the part.
"Chad is out of town until Monday, so I am free. But I could meet you guys at the restaurant instead. Things are crazy around the house right now." Emily could not help but cross her fingers. Hoping that her sister would bite the hook she was dangling.
"Crazy! Try having three kids under the age of five. That's crazy. I'm sure everything will be fine, Ems. We will see you on Saturday. I've got to go for now. Take care, and I love you."
"I love you too." Emily chimed back, hoping she sounded as cheerful as she wanted to be. She slid the phone back in her purse as the waitress reappeared with her order. She found it hard to be as excited for the meal and ate half of it. She made sure to leave the woman a generous tip and drove the few blocks back to the office. Once inside, she decided not to think about it. She worked through the afternoon and kept herself busy. So busy, she did not notice the cell phone vibrating in her desk drawer. Soon it was five, and Emily closed up for the weekend and headed for her car. She considered checking her cell phone but was not in the mood. Emily had a lot to do before her family arrived. She had to try to save herself some embarrassment, and dealing with Chad would make it worse.
The whole way home, Emily could do nothing but think of ways to hide all the broken things about her home. She could put the mini-fridge in Chad's office and pretend the refrigerator worked. The hot plate could slide into the oven. They would not be cooking at the house anyway. The broken floorboard in the hallway she could not think of a way to hide. She had no idea how to fix it, and we just have to pray no one stepped on it. The thoughts were still running through her mind as she pulled into the driveway.
As she looked at the house, she realized that you could not tell it was anything but a beautiful home from the outside. Everett had offered to do her landscaping a year after she began working for him at no charge. Her car had broken down again, and he had given her a ride home. The yard at the time was like looking at an abandoned house. Chad did not have time for such a thing, and she tried but was struggling to make any headway with it. She would never forget the day that she came home to see it all beautiful. Everett still had a crew come by once a week to mow the yard and maintain the flower beds. Emily had saved for months to buy enough paint to repaint the door and the shutters. She borrowed a power washer from work to clean the siding. Chad had called it a waste of time, but she loved the outside of their home.
Even as she walked up the steps now, it was still her favorite part of her home. It hid the truth that everything inside was rotten and broken. Once inside the door, she put her keys and purse down and looked around. The couches were stained and ripped. The carpet in the center of the room was missing. Chad had wanted to see if there were hardwood floors underneath. The answer had been no, but the hole had been on the carpet now for years. The paint was peeling or even missing on sections of the walls. This is where she would start doing what she did best, hiding the truth.
She had put an area rug down in the bedroom last year because she could not stand to walk on the bare sub-floor anymore. She went to the bedroom and rolled up the carpet, and took it to the living room. It covered the whole carpet nicely. A good vacuuming and her floors would look decent. She then moved the few pictures on the walls to cover the worst of the failing paint job. A quick trip to the closet allowed her to find a few blankets that looked decent enough to cover the couches. By the time she had finished, the living room looked halfway decent.
Next, she headed to the dreaded kitchen. She began to move the makeshift appliances as she had planned to make it look like everything worked. As she carried the heavy mini fridge into Chad's office, she felt the anger crawl back inside her soul. Thi
s room had new flooring, a fresh paint job, a new light fixture, and only the best of everything. Anyone who came in here would think they had their life and relationship on track. They would never know how selfish he was unless they saw the rest of the house.
She put down the fridge, slammed the office door shut on her way out, and headed back to the kitchen. Four chairs sat at the table, but they would fall apart if anyone touched two of them. She started to make a list in her head of things she could buy cheap to make the house look presentable for her family. Superglue, flowers, and placemats made a list. She wiped down everything in the kitchen and tried to make the broken counters look like they could be a style. As she cleaned around the coffee pot, she thought to serve everyone coffee while they were here. She then remembered that she only had two coffee cups. According to Chad, only two of every dish and utensil because dishes are a waste of money. She hated that these thoughts kept creeping in while she worked. She added four more coffee cups and drinking glasses to the list.
She wiped down the inside of the broken fridge as she did every week to keep it from developing a smell. She decided that she could put a few bags of ice in here to keep some soda cool. It would help to sell the look that the refrigerator worked. She added these things to her growing list. She then glanced up at the ceiling. The water spots were not glaringly obvious from the roof leaking every time it rained, but they were there. She breathed a sigh as she decided that there was nothing she could do about those except hope no one looked up.