Fake (A Pretty Pill) (30 page)

“Important numbers?” I ask, looking over her shoulder.

“Jean and Paula; and two from mom.” She says concerned.

“You better see what
Jean and Paula’s calls are for.” I state, it’s a bit concerning to be hearing from both of them I think.

She begins
by calling Jean first, and I get back up and fix the quilt over the bed, before settling down beside her again.

“Jean?”

…

“When did he make bail?”

…

“A week ago?” 
She gasps, “Why didn’t I get notified?”

…

“How can it possibly be worse?”

…

“Yes, he’s here.”

…

“She wants to speak to you.” She says, handing me the phone.

I notice my breathing is harsh and my heart rate has spiked.  I’m feeling a little sick.

“Hello Dr. Jensen.”

“Silas, can Isobelle stay with you?”  She asks.

“Yes, she just agreed to move in with me.  What’s this about?” I ask.

She sighs.

“First promise me that you’ll utilize your therapy and try not to stress too much.” she demands.

“I’ll try, but I can also tell you I’m already stressed.” I explain.

“Noted.  Ethan made bail.” She begins.

“I gathered that, Isi is sitting here shaking like a leaf.”

“That will be the anxiety.  Perhaps you can come over and I can give you some Valium for her.”

“I’ll ask her if she wants it;
do you want some Valium?” I ask Isi.

She shakes her head.

“She doesn’t want it.”

“Damn.  She might need to take it anyway.  Ethan’s on the run.”

“He’s absconded?” I ask shocked.

Isi’s eyes are nearly bursting.

“It’s worse.  He’s not even really Ethan.”  She exhales noisily.

“He’s not Ethan?”  I ask stupidly.
  Isi’s eyes close and she has her hand over her mouth as if she’s attempting to hold back her nausea.

“Fuck.  I wish I didn’t have to tell you Silas.  It seems we just get you
both better and on track, only to face further drama.  You’re both in for more serious shit.” she explains.

I’m ignoring that,
my life has always been filled with one mountain of shit after another. 

“How is it that Ethan is not Ethan?” I demand.

“He’s an impersonator.”

“And they didn’t find this out till now?”

“No, they knew 5 days ago, they just didn’t tell us till now.”

“Motherfucking cocksuckers
.  Does the Department over here really have the shittiest men for the job?” I shout out.

“S
ilas, you’re shouting in my ear; and no, most police officers in this county are really good at their job.  It seems you’ve just stumbled upon a run of incompetent ones.”  She assures me.

I move over to Isi, who has pulled the quilt up to her neck and is looking glassy eyed and alarmed.  I sit beside her and wrap my arm around her back and hook her
into me by pulling her to me by her waist.  I kiss her forehead and continue the conversation.

“So, who is Ethan really?”

“They don’t know.”

“So maybe he wasn’t even a nurse?”

“No.  He has some sort of background there, he has way too much knowledge; but the real Ethan McCormack went missing 8 years ago.  He was a Canadian nurse, and he looks a lot like Ethan, but it’s not him.”

“Fuck
.  How could they not know who he is?”

“He doesn’t come up on any data banks
.”

“Why?”

“He hasn’t been convicted of a crime.”

“No, of course
not.  He’s just fucking perpetuating them.” I growl.

“
So it seems.”

“Who bailed him out?”

“His pastor.”

“So he really does go to church?”

“Yes.”

“Dr. Jensen; this is really fucked.” I point out.

“I agree.”

“What do I do?” I croak.

This is rather overwhelming.

“Look after her, if you can handle it
; or bow out and let someone else look after her if you can’t.”  She reasons.

“Fuck that,
as if I’d walk away.”  I shout.

“Shouting Silas,
shouting.”

“You just told me to walk away
.” I shout.

“No,
I just told you your options.  I’m glad you aren’t interested in bowing out.”She argues.

“Of course I’
m not, she belongs with me; she’s mine.” I explain.

I hear her intake of breath, “Silas, people aren’t possessions.”

I growl down the line.

“Well I’m hers,
I’m her possession.” I argue.

“We’
ve got a lot to talk about when this is all over.”

“
Think what you like Dr. Jensen.  But I kid you not, she definitely
owns
me.  I’ll do everything I can to protect her.  She’s my responsibility; she’s the woman I want to be with and she’s the woman I’m determined to keep.”  I snarl, thinking how Isi definitely is mine… my girl.

“Silas, I’m on your side
and I know you’ll keep her safe, which is why I suggested she stay with you.”

I feel a little annoyed by Dr. Jensen at the moment,
even though I know none of this is her fault.

“I won’t be letting her out of my site.” I respond.

“Don’t crowd her too much, let her do things, just don’t leave her on her own.”

“I won’t.”

“Good Silas.  You’re a good man.”

“Thank you.”  I sigh.  “Is Paula’s
messaging the same?”

“Yes.”

“Can you call Paula and tell her she’ll be staying with me from now on?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.  Now
, can I briefly speak with Isobelle?” she requests.

I look at Isobelle and I hand the phone over.

Isi talks to her for another 20 minutes.  I realize that Dr. Jensen is counseling her through her anxiety; and so I just hold Isi to let her know I intend to protect her.

When the phone call is over, Isi isn’t
quite herself, but she’s okay; we’ll wake up okay tomorrow once the initial shock wears off.

Isi.

“Thanks Bonnie.”  I offer, when she helps me shift the chairs back under their table after washing the floors.

“How are you hanging in there honey?” she asks kindly.

I know what she’s talking about.

Ethan or whoever he is.

But whoever he is, he’s off somewhere else.  It’s been several weeks since we found out he’d absconded.  A warrant is out for his arrest, despite them having no idea who he is
; but they do now have his photo and his finger prints.  And the Canadian police are after him to extradite him now too.  Hopefully they’ll find him.

Silas and I have navigated through counseling, sharing the financial burdens of coupledom, Halloween
(don’t even get me started, he was so jittery by the end of the night, I thought he was going to strangle the next kid that knocked on our door)
; and finally, settling into a homeostasis of unity.

My course of CBT has been successful in getting me through all of this.  I have a monthly ongoing scheduled visit
s with a personal counselor, and I feel like I’m able to continue applying the skills I developed while at Harrington House.  It’s pivotal because it means I can live outside of my bubble; that I’m not defined by my PTSD.

The next stage is meeting my father alongside Silas, since he’s been ringing me regarding his breakup with my mom.  And before you think he finally left her, think again.  She left him
for someone else.  For a younger someone else… a much younger someone else.

Yeah, I know
she’s a bitch.

Bonnie looks at me, she’s waiting for an answer.

“I feel really good.  Everything is going really well.”  I offer.

“That’s good.”

Bonnie’s a school counselor.  She works at the local high school.  I see her every day, because
she lets me in the house in the morning, and she comes home for lunch.

I’ve never met her three teenage children.  But I dust their photos all the time.

“Bonnie, can I ask you a personal question?”

“That depends.” she smiles.

“How did you meet Jean?”

“Over the internet.”

“You hooked up on the internet?” I smile.

“We became friends on the internet.  Then we hooked up.” she chuckles.

“Oh, so how long have you been together?”

“Ten years.”

“Wow, that’s a long time.” I grin.

“Longer than my marriage.” she grumbles.

“Sorry.”

“No, he was an asshole.” she states.

“Were you always attracted to women?”

Bonnie begins to chuckle, then she laughs harder.

“What?”

“I’m not attracted to women.” she says.

“But,”
confused much?
  “You live, um, share the same room. Jean?” I quiz.

“I’
m attracted to Jean, yes.  But I have never been attracted to any other woman, I’ve been attracted to plenty of men.” she explains.

“Oh.  I’m sorry to have pried.” I apologize.

“Don’t be silly.  It’s natural to be curious, and you’re not being rude.” she waves off my apology.

“Okay.”

“Let me explain.  I fell in love with Jean because, well; because she’s wonderful.” she grins.

“She is pretty incredible.” I nod.

“It was the same for her.  She’s never been attracted to women before either.  I guess we just saw past all the outside bullshit; and into the soul of each other beneath the exterior.”  She says, fetching up her keys and making to leave.

It’s time for me to go to
o.  Silas will be frantic.  This is the first week I haven’t had him trailing me around everywhere.  Picking up my phone, I see he’s already sent me a text.

“I know what you mean about seeing the soul of the person.” I say to Bonnie, as I reach for the front door.  “I feel that way about Silas.”

“It’s something you have to grab with both hands.” Bonnie says, pulling the door closed and checking that it’s locked.  She turns around.  “It’s about being with the person that makes you feel the best you can be.”  She smiles.

“Well I’ve found that.” I grin, walking to my car and jumping in.

She waves over her shoulder as she makes her way to her own car.

I pull out my phone and start texting.

Me
:

Just said goodbye to Bonnie.  In car now.

Today, 12:23

Silas:

I’ll meet you at home.

Today, 12:23

Me:

Don’t forget we’
re having dinner with Dad tonight.

Today, 12:24

Silas
:

You should already be driving.

Today, 12:24

Typical, he’s bossy when it comes to my safety.  I start the car and head off.

Silas.

I’m not convinced we’re out of the woods concerning this Ethan imposter, I mean I’m trying to give her more room to move about, but I just can’t relax till he’s caught.  I remember the slimy
bullshit he used to say to her; to my girl.  She was my girl then too, I just didn’t quite see it back then; but she was.  My body and soul knew it.  They just needed my brain to catch up.

Her Dad’s?

I fucking hate that we’re going over there to talk divorce bullshit with him.

Where’s he been the last two months?

Why did he let his wife talk to Isi like that for the last three years?

Actually, why did he let her mom treat her like shit for the last
seven years?

If you ask me, he deserves a punch in the head, just for being a passive standby all those years.  What a dickhead.

But, I’ll do it for her.  I’ll go to dinner and keep my mouth shut as much as I can, just to keep her happy.  But if he steps out of line, it won’t be pretty, it just won’t be.