Distilled

Chapter 10

Michael

Susana had finally returned from her business trip and I was going to unmask her today. We arranged to meet at a bar in front of the company. When she arrived, I had already ordered a martine for her.

-Hello my love. I miss you.

-Hello, Susana. How was the trip?

-Oh, it was wonderful. Very satisfying.

-How was the trip, Susana?

-It was great. Did something happen to you?

-Nothing, I just don't like lies. So if you could tell me the truth, I would be immensely grateful.

Her martine arrived and so did my beer. It was already my 5th bottle.

-My love, there is no lie. - She said drinking her drink.

-So tell me who is this woman here who looks a lot like you. -She said showing some pictures that a detective had taken.

-I don't know what you're talking about.

-No no no, tell me Susana. I'm not an i***t. What were you doing in San Francisco if you had a business flight to Hong Kong? In fact, I don't even know what business these are, you never told me that either.

-Nothing, this is bullshit. It's not me.

-Susana I swear to all the gods that if you lie to me again I'll kill you. I destroy you.

-All right, all right. I was in San Francisco. I was with Richard.

-The realtor? Who sold us the house?

-Yes, I've seen him for a while.

-How long, Suzana?

-No, no, it doesn't matter, love. I ended it. I just want you.

-TELL ME! How much time?

-Eight months.

- Is he here in London now?

-I don't know...

-Tell me. Now.

-Yes, he's here.

I made Suzana write down the address on a piece of paper and I turned to her before leaving.

-This here. The two of us, or what's left of the two of us. Ended. I don't want to see your face anymore. Never.

I left the bar and followed the address and found this guy Richard. We had a little fight and I stole a bottle of whiskey from his house to make up for the tear in his eyebrow he gave me.

When I got home, half the bottle had been consumed and blood was dripping onto my white dress shirt. I went in and left the bottle in the kitchen and found her. I didn't know if it was her or just a vision. But I found out it was real when she turned towards me and I saw the startle in her eyes. I hated myself for being found under these circumstances and making her worried, so I let her do what she had to do. She bathed me, then sewed up my wound. I was so drunk I didn't even feel pain. Then she put me in her bed. I couldn't bear to go back to my room, to that bed of lies. At least not now.

I lay down and made myself in bed. I replayed every moment of the night in my head and couldn't sleep. After a while I felt Alice lie down on the bed and, pretending to sleep, I grabbed her waist and pulled her close. Her hair had a delicious strawberry scent that drugged me and I was finally able to sleep. A sleep without dreams or nightmares. I just blacked out.