Page 46 of Between Secrets and Obsession
Lounging on the couch, I enjoy the solace as I watch TV. It’s short-lived because the front door soon whips open, and everyone crowds inside, being loud and energetic as fuck.
Sophie picked up Maddie from school, and Mason must’ve gotten off work at the same time.
“Hey, Hulk,” Maddie singsongs, dropping her heavy bag on the couch as she sits next to me. “Got the mail.” She hands me a small pile, and I thank her with a curt nod. “Don’t forget to pack for the wedding. I saw your mountain of dirty clothes, and I’m not getting tricked into doing your laundry again.”
I snicker at the few times I’ve added my clothes to her wash when she wasn’t looking. Then she stuffed them in the dryer, and once she started folding everything and realized what I did, she whacked me across the head and cussed me out.
“C’mon, I’ll pay you five bucks.”
“Hard fucking pass.” She glowers at me.
“I thought you wanted to save money for a car?” I taunt, knowing that’ll grab her attention.
“Five bucks won’t do shit unless that’s per item. In that case, I might entertain the idea.”
I grimace, crossing my ankles. “No, babe. Five bucks per load.”
“Five bucks per load…” Maddie repeats, snickering before standing and taking her bag. “Is that in your Tinder bio?”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever, your loss!”
“Not really. Keep your gross underwear away from my clothes!” she calls out, walking to her bedroom.
“You two fighting already?” Mason asks, taking her seat and handing me a beer, then sips his.
“Nah, that’s how we communicate,” I quip.
“How was work today?” I ask as Sophie sits on his lap. These two lovebirds are inseparable, and though I’m happy for them, I could go without seeing all their PDA.
“Eventful and busy as usual.” He shrugs, wrapping his arms around Sophie and pulling her closer.
The moment she leans down and kisses him, I push myself up and stand. “Gonna get started packing.”
“Good idea,” Sophie calls out. “We leave in seventy-two hours!”
“I’ve packed for a seven-day trip with ten minutes’ notice. Pretty sure I can manage a weekend.”
“Yes, but bring nice things! Did you get your tux yet?” she asks.
“I will tomorrow. Anything else,Mom?”
“Clean socks and underwear too!”
“How about you worry about Mason, and I’ll worry about myself?”
“I have all my shit together already!” he brags.
“Of course,” I mutter, then take the steps two at a time.
Once I’m in my room, I go through my mail. Most of it’s junk since we pay the majority of our bills online, but on the bottom of the pile, there’s a manilla envelope with my name on it with no return address.
I slide out a single piece of paper and my heart stops.
It’s a five-by-seven glossy picture of Maddie and me leaving the house together. Last weekend, she’d begged me to take her to a bakery for donuts, and we ended up leaving with two dozen. In the shot, I look fucking smitten as we walk side by side to my truck. I was teasing her about paying for gas since I drive her around all the time. She retorted that being in her presence was payment enough.
However, the photo being taken outside our house isn’t what I’m most worried about. It’s the red target drawn over Maddie’s face.
I flip it over and see sloppy handwriting.
