A local woman missing- Mary Kubica

“I shouldn’t be speaking to you,” I say.
“If you did this,” he says, “if this was your idea, I’ll ruin you. Do you
hear me? I will ruin you.” He enunciates one word at a time. I. Will.
Ruin. You.
I hang up the phone. My whole body shakes long after I do. For
over an hour I sit at the kitchen table, unable to move. My thoughts
dwell on one thing: How will he ruin me exactly? Will he ruin my
career? Or will he physically ruin me?
Josh comes home with the kids. They’re bubbly, loud. Delilah is
excited. Their classroom is getting caterpillars. When they turn to
butterflies, they’ll release them outside.
She hugs me. She’s getting taller. Her arms, when she wraps
them around me, reach my waist. She asks me, “When can I have a
playdate with Piper and stupid Lily Morris?”
“Delilah,” I tell her, “we don’t call anybody stupid.”
“But she is,” she pouts.
“Delilah,” I warn. My voice is stern.
“Fine. But when can we have a playdate? And does Lily Morris
have to come?” she pleads. She sets her hands on her hips. One
juts out. Only six and already she has a flair for the dramatic. I smile
at her, wishing life could only be this complex. I do feel badly for her.
I know how hard it is to be left out.
“Yes,” I tell her, “Lily Morris has to come. Because we don’t want to
leave anyone out. That doesn’t feel good, does it?”
Once the kids leave, I tell Josh, “I was just about to start dinner.” In
the next room, the TV turns on. I haven’t so much as thought about
dinner.
“How about we order something?” he suggests. I like that idea. I
don’t feel like cooking. My stomach is in knots. I don’t even know that
I could eat.
Josh is looking at me. He’s incredibly handsome. Josh has always
been incredibly handsome. He’s dapper. His suit is slim-fitting, navy.
He has many suits. While other men collect cigars or license plates,
Josh collects suits. Some are tailor-made and others off the rack.
He’s always trying to impress. He has a likable personality, a
gravitational field. People are drawn to him. He’s outgoing. His smile
lights up a room. Everyone likes Josh.