What seems like forever ago (it was actually only the start of June) I posted a short story on here called The Serial Husband. It was the first time I've shared any of my own fiction and to say I was nervous is the understatement of the year! As the comments started trickling in, I was so sure they were going to be negative, and when they weren't it felt so good. Thank you to everyone who commented or showed support in some way, it really does mean a lot and helped me feel confident enough to keep writing fiction.
The piece was written as a stand alone piece, but a lot of people were asking me what happens next. I know it's been a long time coming, but here it is, a follow up to the original piece!
If you missed the original, or you want a reminder, you can read it here: http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-serial-husband-short-story.html
And to continue to The End, you can click here:
http://myrandommusings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-serial-husband-end.html
The Serial Husband
– A Follow Up
My eyes flutter open. The light is bright, so bright it’s
blinding me. I screw my eyes shut.
‘Mr. Parker, your wife is awake,’ I hear a woman say. The
nurse? I don’t know. I don’t know anything except how much pain my eyes are
causing me.
Still I force myself to bear the pain and open them when I
hear footsteps approach the bed. There he is. My Matt. My husband. My soul
mate. My would-be killer. Still, my heart skips a beat as he smiles that
charming smile at me.
‘You’re awake,’ he says, pushing my hair back off my
forehead. I thought I’d lost you.’ His voice cracks on the last word.
My head spins with images. Him attaching a drip to my arm,
filled with god knows what. Something that would kill me, of that I have no
doubt. The nurse, a cute little red head, barely in her 20s, flirting with my
husband over my inert body. Him lapping it up. Her giggling and tossing her
hair. Him winking and touching her arm a second longer than he should.
Then something changed. I don’t know what, but suddenly,
they are cold to each other. No more giggles or touches. She is cold,
professional. He is stern and treats her with such disdain. And me, lying
there, helpless. A silent witness.
Then flashes of that night. They argued. He grabbed her by
her throat, shaking her. She tried to fight him off but he was too strong. The
fight eventually went out of her, and her face turned from red to purple. He let
go of her and she dropped like a stone to the floor.
He disappeared, and returned carrying a tarpaulin. He rolled
her in it, and dragged her away. He came back, bucket and cloths in hand. The
smell of bleach. Him telling me he was sorry, how much he loved me. Carrying me
downstairs and putting me on the kitchen floor. The paramedics arriving.
It’s all so messed up in my head.
I’m jerked back to the present, as the door slams shut.
‘The nurse thought we should have a bit of private time,’ he
says. ‘I’m so glad you’re ok. Do you remember what happened?’
‘I…’ I start, but I don’t know how to go on. It’s ridiculous.
There is no way he confessed to killing his first wife, then decided to do the
same to me, changed his mind and killed a nurse instead. It’s too ridiculous!
‘It’s ok,’ he soothes. ‘I came home from work and found you
collapsed on the floor. I called an ambulance. The doctors operated on you and
removed a tumour from your brain.’
The look of horror must be evident on my face. ‘It’s ok,’ he
hurries on. ‘You’re ok now. They put you in a medically induced coma to give
your body time to heal.’
‘I remember,’ I say quietly. Then I go on, forcing the words
out. I have to know. ‘You’re lying. You tried to kill me, then you changed your
mind and killed her instead.’
‘Karen,’ he says. He looks at the floor, then back up at me.
‘The doctor warned me you could have some serious delusions because of the
tumour. I love you. I would never hurt you. You know that.’
Of course I know that. How could I think for a second that
any of that actually happened? My sweet Matt. My soul mate. My one true love.
‘So, it’s not true?’ I so desperately want to believe him.
‘Of course it’s not true.’
‘You saved me,’ I say, relieved. If he hadn’t come home from
work when he did, I would be dead now. The nausea, the dizziness, they were
symptoms of the tumour. ‘I’m so sorry I doubted you. It all felt so real.’
‘It’s ok,’ he says. ‘I understand.’
He reaches for me hand and caresses its back with his thumb.
‘Probably best to keep this conversation between us. You don’t want the doctors
thinking you’re crazy.’ He grins.
I find myself grinning back. He’s right. The last thing I
need is someone thinking I’m crazy!
‘When can I come home?’ I ask him.
‘Soon,’ he responds. ‘You just worry about getting well
again first.’
The door opens and the nurse bustles back in.
‘You’re wife needs her rest Mr. Parker, go home, get some
sleep and come back in the morning.’
Reluctantly, he stands up. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ he says
kissing me.
As he reaches the door, I feel an over whelming surge of
love for him. He was so understanding. The stuff I had just accused him of and
he just took it all in his stride.
‘I love you,’ I say as he opens the door.
He turns back ‘I love you too,’ he responds.
‘He’s a keeper,’ smiles the nurse. ‘He’s barely left your
side. And boy is he cute.’
‘Yeah, he’s amazing,’ I respond.
‘I have to go check on another patient, the doctor will be
here any minute. I’ll pop the TV on for you should I?’
I smile and nod. She turns the TV on and goes hurrying off.
Adverts. Typical. I start to doze off. I jerk back awake,
and glance at the TV. There’s a woman and a man. She is crying as he appeals
for the public’s help in finding his daughter. She’s been missing for a week
now.
I feel so sorry for them. There’s no way she’s alive now is
there? Someone would know where she was.
Her picture flashes up on screen. My eyes fly wide open, and
I am fully awake. Early twenties, red hair, cute. It’s her. The nurse from my
hallucination. Only it wasn’t a hallucination obviously.
The door bursts open. My nurse. ‘Mrs Parker, you are as
white as a sheet. You look like you’ve seen a ghost,’ she exclaims, hurrying to
my side.
‘Oh it’s nothing,’ I say, forcing a smile. ‘I thought I
recognised that girl but I don’t.
‘Terrible business. She’s been missing a week. She was a
nurse you know.’
Yes I know. But I love Matt and he loves me. This is our
little secret. I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I am crazy.
I hope you all enjoyed the story! Let me know what you thought!
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