Page 27 of Beneath Her Skin

Finally, curiosity pulls me out of my thoughts. Removing the peach-colored comforter from me, I silently slip out of bed. Just before I crouch to take a closer look at the paper, the floorboardcreaks beneath my bare foot. I stand, shifting my weight. It’s definitely not right. Crouching once again, I move slightly, giving myself full access to the board as I lift it.

There’s a box.

I look behind me. The water is still running.

So I resume.

Digging my hand into the small rectangle, I pull out a black velvet box covered in debris. Gently blowing on the box, I open it. A newspaper clipping is inside.

"Husband slain... pregnant wife not found."

A pregnancy test. A sonogram. The name—scratched out from the top. What the fuck.

"Mi Reina. Are you okay?"Rey’s voice booms behind me, startling me and causing every hair on my body to stand up. A sense of eeriness washes over me. I don’t look behind me. Carefully, I try to shove the box back into its place as footsteps sound behind me. And silently praying he didn’t notice. I hear him sigh. He must think I’m not well again. Annoyance washes over me. There’s something odd about this house.

I can feel it.

I feel Rey’s body lower behind me.

"Are you okay?"

Pulling at the wallpaper, I lie, "This is bothering me," hoping he will believe me. He takes a deep breath in my hair. "Then I’ll ask Josh to repair it."

"Okay," I sigh, sinking into his embrace. His arms wrap around me, rubbing over my active daughter. She kicks his hand as he holds us both.

"I think we should up your medicine," he whispers, catching me off guard.

He knows how I feel about them. I pull away, my eyes catching on the barely noticeable bruise on his collarbone, followed by small, lunar scratches.

I slap him.

"Who is she?"

"Who is what? Serena." His eyes widen as he takes me in.

"Who is she?" I ask again.

But Rey shakes his head, pushing back his wet, salt-and-pepper hair.

"I have to go to work. I told Josh to keep an eye on you. Next week, your nurse will start coming. And we will up your meds."

For the first time since being married, he speaks to me like I’m his child.

Not his wife.

Not his equal.

Just something to take care of.

After he left,I went back to sleep and then decided to take my mother’s advice. Maybe I needed to be more. Always more. More. More.

Cutting up the onion, I focus on the window, expecting to see the woman from yesterday, but all I see is him. Using an axe to cut up wood, on the clearing of the fields, no shirt, sweating and looking sinful. I should be ashamed, trying to be a good wife while checking out the man who works on our grounds. Then a small kick inside me brings me back to reality, and I snap out of it.

Continuing my work, I’m making pot roast and leaving it to cook. Maybe I can get things back to how they were. A good dinner and some sex can bring us whatever it is we are losing. From the corner of my eye, I see a shadow, catching the small hint of white fabric before it disappears into the hallway exitingthe kitchen. Placing the knife down on the chopping board, I follow the footsteps.

Maybe I should have grabbed the knife…

Maybe Rey is right, and I’m losing my mind.

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