Chapter 3: The Letter
1902 Words
The text did not make sense at 2am.
You should not have come back. You do not belong here.
Unknown number.
No name.
Just cold.
I stared at it until my eyes burned. Then I deleted it. Then I threw my phone across the room and cried into my pillow.
Morning came too fast.
I was in the kitchen at six making pancakes. My hands were still shaking.
Lily ran in first. She hugged my legs.
You smell like syrup, she said.
That is the goal baby, I said.
Leo came in next. He sat at the counter and watched me.
You okay, he asked quietly.
Yes, I said. Just tired.
Damian walked in at 6:45. Suit. Coffee. Dark circles.
He looked at me. Really looked. Like he saw the tear tracks I tried to hide.
Morning, he said.
Morning, I said.
The twins talked through breakfast. School projects. A test. A new dog at the neighbor’s house.
Damian nodded. He did not look at me.
Before he left he stopped at the door.
My office. Nine, he said.
Yes.
Elena.
Yes.
Do not look like that, he said.
Like what.
Like someone hurt you.
I forced a smile. I am fine.
At nine I knocked.
Come in.
He was on the phone. He hung up when he saw me.
Sit, he said.
I sat.
Did you sleep, he asked.
Some, I said.
He studied me. You are lying.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I ignored it.
Elena, he said. Talk to me.
Last night I got a text, I said. From an unknown number. It said I should not have come back.
Damian went still.
Show me, he said.
I pulled out my phone. The number was already gone. I deleted it.
I deleted it, I whispered.
Damn it Elena, he said. He ran a hand through his hair.
I was scared, I said.
He stood and walked to the window.
Could it have been Victoria, I asked.
Maybe, he said. She has been angry since we cut her off from the company. But she would not be this subtle.
Who else, I asked.
I do not know, he said. We have enemies. People who want in this house. People who want me to be alone.
Why me, I whispered.
Because you matter to me, he said. And people know it.
My chest got tight.
What do we do, I asked.
We do nothing yet, he said. We watch. We wait. And you tell me immediately if you get another one.
Okay, I said.
He looked at me. Really looked.
I am sorry, he said.
For what.
For bringing you back into this, he said.
I nodded. I did not trust my voice.
The day went on. School drop off. Groceries. Homework.
The twins were clingy. They both wanted to sleep in my room that night.
Mrs Delgado said no. But she let them stay until they fell asleep.
At 10pm my phone buzzed again.
Unknown number.
He does not love you. He is using you. Leave before he hurts you again.
I threw the phone. This time it cracked on the floor.
Damian heard it. He was in the hallway in 30 seconds. Shirtless. Sweatpants.
What happened, he asked.
I showed him the screen. The cracked glass. The message.
He read it. His jaw ticked.
Pack a bag, he said.
What.
We are going to a hotel tonight, he said. All of us. Until I figure this out.
Damian I am fine.
No you are not, he said. And neither are the kids.
He called Mrs Delgado. In 20 minutes we had suitcases and the twins in the car.
The hotel was downtown. Two rooms. One for me and the kids. One for Damian.
He sat on the floor of our room while Lily and Leo slept between us on the big bed.
You should sleep, I said.
I will, he said. After.
After what.
After I find out who is doing this.
He looked tired. Older than 62.
Damian, I said.
Yes.
Why did you call me back.
I did not, he said. Again.
Then why did I come, I asked.
Because some part of you wanted to, he said. And some part of me wanted you to.
We sat in silence.
At 3am my phone buzzed again. Same number.
I am watching you.
I showed Damian. He cursed.
He stood. I am calling security.
Do not, I said. You will scare the kids.
Then what do we do, he asked.
We go home, I said. And we act normal. And we find out who this is.
He looked at me. You are braver than me.
No, I said. I am just tired of running.
We went home at dawn.
The house was quiet. Too quiet.
Damian hired two guards. They stood at the gate and by the door.
Lily asked why. Damian said it was for a school project.
She believed it.
That week was hell. Every buzz of my phone made me jump.
No more texts came. But the silence was worse.
On Friday I found a letter in my room.
On my pillow. In an envelope. No stamp.
Inside was one piece of paper.
You think you can replace Claire. You cannot. Leave or I will make you.
I went to Damian immediately.
He read it. Then he slammed it on the desk.
This is inside the house, he said. Someone with access.
Mrs Delgado, I whispered.
Do not, he said. Not her.
Then who.
I do not know, he said.
He called a meeting that night. Staff. Guards. Me.
Someone is sending threats, he said. If you know anything, tell me now. There will be no punishment.
No one spoke.
After everyone left he turned to me.
Elena, he said.
Yes.
I think you should go, he said.
My heart broke.
What.
For your safety, he said. I cannot protect you here.
I thought you said we were going to figure this out, I said.
I was wrong, he said. I was selfish.
Damian please.
No, he said. Pack your things. I will pay you for six months.
I nodded. I could not speak.
I went upstairs. The twins were asleep. I kissed them both.
At midnight I was at the door with my suitcase.
Damian was there.
You do not have to do this, I said.
Yes I do, he said.
Then why did you say stay, I asked.
Because I was weak, he said.
He opened the door.
The cold hit me.
Before I stepped out he grabbed my wrist.
I am sorry, he whispered.
For what.
For loving you, he said.
Then he let go.
I walked to the taxi. I did not look back.
The hotel was cheap. One room. One bed.
I slept for two days.
On the third day there was a knock.
Lily.
She ran in and hugged me.
Daddy is sick, she said.
What.
He will not eat. He will not sleep, she said. He just sits in his office.
Leo stood behind her.
Come home, he said.
I looked at them.
I cannot baby, I said. It is not safe.
Then we will stay here with you, Lily said.
I started crying.
That night Damian called me.
Elena, his voice was rough.
Yes.
Come home, he said.
Damian.
Please, he said. The kids need you. I need you.
Whoever is doing this will hurt you, I said.
Let them try, he said.
I went back the next morning.
The house felt different. Lighter.
Damian met me at the door.
He hugged me. Right there in the hallway.
I am sorry, he said into my hair.
For what.
For being stupid.
Okay, I said.
We started again. Slow.
More guards. Cameras. No one in the house without a check.
Two weeks passed. No letters. No texts.
I started to breathe again.
Then on a Tuesday I was folding laundry in the laundry room when I heard a noise.
Someone was there.
Victoria.
She was standing by the dryer. Holding a letter.
You, she said.
What are you doing here, I asked.
I live here, she said. This is my family’s house.
No it is not, I said.
Damian gave it to me in the divorce, she said. From my brother.
Your brother is dead, I said.
She smiled. And she threw the letter at me.
Read it, she said.
I did not.
You are trash Elena, she said. A nanny who seduced a grieving man. You think he loves you. He does not. He loves the idea of you.
Get out, I said.
Or what, she said.
Or I will call security, I said.
She laughed. Then she left.
I took the letter to Damian.
He read it. It was from his lawyer. From five years ago.
Agreement to keep Elena Carter away from the children.
He crumpled it.
She has no right, he said.
She said this was her house, I said.
It is not, he said. I bought her out years ago.
He pulled me into his arms.
I am so tired of this, he said.
Me too, I said.
That night we made a decision.
We were going to tell the twins. Everything.
At dinner Damian cleared his throat.
Kids, he said.
Yes Daddy, Lily said.
Elena and I. We have feelings for each other.
Leo dropped his fork.
What kind of feelings, he asked.
Adult feelings, Damian said. The kind that means we want to be together.
The table went quiet.
Lily looked at me. Then at Damian.
Is this why you left, she asked me.
Yes baby, I said. Because we were scared.
Are you scared now, she asked.
Yes, I said. But not of each other.
Leo thought about it.
Does this mean you are staying forever, he asked.
I hope so, I said.
He nodded. Okay. Can we have dessert.
We all laughed. We cried.
That night after bed Damian came to my room.
No guards. No rules.
He just held me.
I do not know what happens next, he said.
Me neither, I said.
But we will figure it out, he said.
Yes, I said.
He kissed me. Soft. Like a promise.
The next morning there was no text. No letter.
Just sunlight and the twins fighting over cereal.
Normal. Finally.
At breakfast the mail came. Mrs Delgado brought it in.
There was one envelope. Cream. My name on it. Handwriting I did not know.
I opened it at the table.
Inside was a photo.
Me and Damian. In his office. Kissing.
Taken five years ago.
On the back it said:
Last chance. Leave. Or I show everyone.
My hands shook.
Damian saw it.
What is it, he asked.
I handed it to him.
His face went white.
Who, he said.
I do not know, I whispered.
He stood. He called security.
Then he looked at me.
Elena, he said. I am so sorry.
For what.
For dragging you into this, he said.
I shook my head.
I am not leaving, I said.
Elena.
I am not leaving, I said again. Not this time.
He nodded.
Okay, he said. Then we fight.
Together, I said.
Together, he said.
He reached across the table and took my hand.
Outside the snow was falling again.
But inside, for the first time in years, the house felt warm.
Chapter 3 End
- Writer
