UP IN FLAMES

The deputies began snapping photographs, one of them taking notes. They stepped through the room, broken glass cracking underfoot, talking quietly among themselves. When they moved outside, Lois spoke up.

“What were you doing outside at three in the morning?” Lois managed to sound outraged rather than concerned.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Vanessa explained, hearing the complete lack of emotion in her own voice and realizing she was beyond caring what anyone thought of her. “I went outside to get some air.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

And, of course, both Lois and Steven gazes drifted from each other to Vanessa and back again, hers narrow and his appraising.

“You had difficulty sleeping?” Lois finally asked, her suspicion clear in her snide tone.

“Yes.” Vanessa stared at the older woman, practically daring her to speak her thoughts out loud. Right now she felt as if she was walking on the edge of a narrow precipice. Christopher was dead, and all the bickering or accusations in the world were not going to change that.

Momentarily, she covered her face with her hands. She still couldn’t shake the out-of-body feeling, like none of what was happening could possibly be real. In the space of a few days, her husband had been murdered, she’d learned that the police saw her as a suspect, and now his parents were here, judging and accusing her silently.

Now it seemed someone truly wanted to kill her. This was a nightmare. She just wanted to figure out a way to disappear. Of course, she couldn’t, she wouldn’t. She’d dig deep and find the strength to deal with all of this and whatever else the universe decided to throw her way.

“You’re lucky the police came in time. You might have been shot,” Steven finally said, his voice gruff. “Seems like Christopher knew what he was doing, hiring a bodyguard. He knew how serious it was.”

“Excuse me.” The deputies returned from checking out the patio area. “We need to take your statement.”

Vanessa went, keeping her explanation concise and to the point. She explained the way the shot had seemed to come from high up, like the shooter might have been in a tree or on the roof of another house.

The two officers exchanged glances. “Judging from the angle of some of the bullets, you might just be right. Is there anything else you’d like to add?”

Vanessa shook her head, then escorted the policemen out. When she returned, she saw that Anita had woken up and joined the Wesley’s in the kitchen. There was a confused expression on her face and an awkward silence had fallen in the kitchen. As she was about to say goodnight and flee to her room, Lois’s hand shot out and grabbed her arm.

“I think we deserve the truth,” the other woman said, her tone hard. “Do you know anything about my son’s death?

Vanessa, Are you the reason why I’ll never get to see my son again?”

Though Lois Wesley’s question appeared to shock Anita, Vanessa wasn’t surprised to hear her ask it. Ever since their arrival, Christopher’s parents had been desperate in their grief to assign blame for the loss of their son.

Straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin, Vanessa looked from one to the other, her eyes gleaming with what looked like unshed tears. “No, ma’am, I did not have anything to do with your son’s death. I’ve never wished him death, throughout our marriage, after we separated and when I filed for divorce. I never once thought of taking his life.”

She took a deep breath, her tone measured and calm. “To be honest, it’s upsetting that you’d even consider something like that. I know you lost your son, but I lost my husband too.”

No one spoke to break the silence. Finally, Lois nodded, tears beginning to silently stream down her cheeks. Her husband put his arm around her and pulled her close. “I know,” she finally said, sniffling. “But since we’re being honest… Vanessa, you really don’t seem all that upset that Christopher is dead.”

Vanessa gasped. Before she could speak, Steven held up his hand, his lips pressed together so tight they appeared bloodless.

“Lois, that’s uncalled for. We all grieve differently. I think Vanessa is a strong woman. Vanessa, I apologize for my wife’s rudeness.”

“Thank you.” Tone icy, Vanessa dipped her head in a gesture of gratitude before turning her gaze to her mother-in-law. “I’m going to overlook the appalling cruelty of your comment,” she said. “And I’m not going to dignify it with a response. While I understand how much you miss your son, I don’t owe you or anyone else an explanation for anything.”

With that, she turned on her heel and exited the room, her back straight and her head held high. Anita let her go and didn’t follow her. Instead, she eyed Christopher’s parents and considered whether she should say anything in Vanessa’s defense. Because these people, for whatever reason, had insulted her friend for no reason when their son had in fact, been the shitty person. She couldn’t stand the fact that they had disparaged Vanessa.

In the end, she decided to make a short-and-sweet statement that couldn’t be misconstrued in any way. “I think Vanessa might be in shock,” she said. “A lot has happened to her in a short amount of time. Please give her a break.”

Steven nodded his agreement but his wife simply looked down at her feet silently, her mouth tight. Oh well. At least she’d tried.

“Good night,” Anita said. She suspected they had no idea of their son’s true character but if they did, she wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they’d turned a blind eye.

Anita walked up to Vanessa’s room. When she knocked twice and got no reply, she opened the door and peeped in. Vanessa was perched on the edge of the bed, crying her eyes out. Anita went to her and put her arm around her.

“They are just being silly and ungrateful,” she said, “Just ignore them. Soon they’ll be gone and out of you life for good,”

“This is the second time someone is accusing me of wanting Christopher dead. Do people really think that I’m so vile that I would do such a thing?”

Anita shook her head. “No, you’re not vile. They are. You’ll get over this eventually, and soon it’ll all be in the past,”