Sunshine Valley

This mess

     Evie was shocked to see Dillon pullin’ in her drive way. He wasn’t scheduled to be off work for another 5 hours. He didn’t get out. As she got her phone to call him, he slowly walked toward her house. She knew in an instant something was wrong. 

     He didn’t speak as she let him in. When she looked at him, it was obvious he had been crying. He was shaking and something told her it wasn’t from the cold. There he stood in her living room like a marble statue. 

     After several minutes he squeezed out, “I am so very sorry. From the depths of my soul.” He sank to his knees. 

     With a gentle touch, she caressed his face, “for what?”

     He couldn’t contain his emotions anymore and between sobs – blubbered, “it’s all my fault.” With all his might, he tried to bury his face in her shoulder. 

     “What is ‘all your fault’?” 

     “Did he follow you here when you came back for my dad’s funeral? Did he see something back then that we didn’t see? He took it out on you?” He snubbed, “we didn’t do anything. I’ve went over that week a hundred times.” He pleaded, “we didn’t do anything!” 

     This didn’t make sense to her. What was he talking about? “Dillon?” 

    He leaned up to face her. “It was my fault Evie. Doug attacked you because of me. The first attack happened the day you went back after dad’s funeral. That first e.r. visit was one month after you left. Why? Evie, why?”

     She sighed, looking at the floor. “Dillon, I don’t know why. I don’t have any answers.”

     “He had to say something. Anything.”

     “Nothing. He didn’t say anything to me other than what he said when we were in the presence of hospital staff or law enforcement. Then it was all sweetness and light. He was the concerned dutiful husband carrying for his sick wife.”