Page 5 of Dare You to See Me
“You’re kidding, right? Is Gene really that desperate that he’d go to the extreme to get me back? What…does he think I’ll run into the hospital and fall into his arms like all is forgiven?”
The officers watched me with puzzled looks. “No, ma’am. This is no joke. Your husband was struck by a car. Witnesses said he ran out into the street from a nearby convenience store. There was a woman there with him who identified herself as your cousin, Meredith Smith.”
I swayed on my feet and felt the blood in my veins turn ice cold. I heard Mom muffle her cries, and George cursed while holding tight to his grand-daughter. I looked at each one of their faces and everything moved in slow motion. I felt like I was in a tunnel as the world around me grew smaller and darker.
The next thing I remember was sitting in the funeral home with Mom, George and Gene’s parents, picking out caskets for my late husband.
And now…I’m here. Standing at the front of the church, hearing one sorry after another as mourners tell me they’ll continue to pray for me.
My mom stands to my right with George on the left and Kyle who’s holding a sleeping Dahlia right behind me. A co-worker of Gene’s hugs me and says the same thing as the fifty people before him when I hear Kyle hiss.
“Hell to the motherfucking no.” I swing to look at her and find her jaw clenched and rage burning in her eyes.
I look around trying to spot what exactly has turned her mood foul but it’s difficult to see past the sea of black.
Kyle places a hand on my shoulder and whispers, “stay here,” then passes Dahlia to my mom who is as stiff as a steel beam.
I watch Kyle and George haul off towards the back of the church when I finally see the reason for their anger.
Meredith.
She stands, sobbing into a handkerchief like a widow —like I should be— next to her mother.
My eyes widen and I immediately push past everyone standing in line and leave Gene’s parents to deal with them.
I watch as Kyle drags Meredith out of the double doors by her arm with George doing the same to his sister. I rush out behind them, my heart in my throat and my body shaking, and Mom is hot on my heels.
“How dare you bring her here,” George spits.
“I think I’ll take this trash out around the back. It’s smelling up the whole damn place.” Kyle tugs on Meredith’s arm with a grip that turns her knuckles white.
Meredith stumbles and I put my bitterness aside to be the better person.
“Ky, stop.” All four heads turn to see me standing at the top of the church steps. “Just leave her be. I’m too tired to fight.”
“I’m not,” Kyle growls and legit, takes off her earrings, passing them to me and putting her hands up in fists. “Let’s go, bitch. No faces because I have to be in court next week.”
“No, Ky. She’s not worth losing your job over.”
“She’s right, Kyle.Theyare not worth it.” George agrees and spits on the sidewalk at the feet of his sister.
“Georgie. Please.” Alice holds a hand over her heart in shock. “How can you say that? I’m your sister.” Tears pour from her eyes.
“Because no sister of mine would condone such behavior. You raised a vile woman and I’m embarrassed to call either of you family.”
“What do you mean by condone?” My brow is furrowed and I feel a pounding in my skull.
Mom takes a deep breath from behind me and George turns to face me. “Last night I found out that Alice has known about Gene and Meredith from the beginning. I planned to tell you but thought today was not the day.”
My jaw practically slams against the concrete. I look at the woman who I considered an aunt and angry tears fall.
“Alice. I…,” I look at her and then Meredith in absolute bewilderment. “Why? What did I ever do to you? I’ve loved you both like the wordstepdidn’t separate us. I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I,” a deep voice bellows from behind us.
We all look to find Meredith’s dad standing with his fists balled tight. He looks as angry as George did when he heard what Gene and Meredith did.
“Uncle Dave,” I gasp.
