“It doesn’t feel like…it feels like everything else that has to be done in order to move on…laundry, cooking, cleaning the bathroom.”

“If I had known it was so easy, maybe I would’ve killed your sister instead of leaving her handcuffed to a chair in some shitty hotel room, you know? Maybe I should’ve taken out the garbage.”

I stared at her, watched as her face explained the lack of calls from my sister and how she knew where Maggie and I would be. Why hadn’t I considered it before?

“So this is it?” I ask, leaning forward on the table, “you’re here, you’ve found us. Now what?”

“I’m a bit lost on the details now, actually. Now I know that you’re capable of killing me, which has me a tiny bit worried. My brother is an asshole, and it’s not like you’re torturing my niece or anything. Maybe I leave you alone here in your house and go back to California. Tell everyone that unfortunately, I’m coming back empty-handed. Something like that, huh? Oh, Ashley, I don’t know. I just don’t know. I was going to kill you. I was going to kill everyone. But I realized that I’m not capable of it. Besides, I’d say you beat me to it times two.”

“I had to do it.”

“Why?”

“Aiden…he…he hurt you.”

“You hurt me,” she said, pointing towards me with a thin, accusatory finger, “you hurt me.”

“I know.”

“And Rebecca?”

“She was going to take Maggie from me and move to Europe or something.”

“How do you know?”

“I heard her talking. I came home from school and she was speaking to someone.”

“School?”

I smiled, despite myself, “Culinary school.”

“Good for you.”

“Thanks,” I nodded, though I wasn’t sure how sincere she was being. Or why it mattered that she might be proud of me after everything that had transpired.

“You just poisoned her, huh?”

“What?”

“You poisoned Rebecca?”

I stared at her, letting my silence be her answers.

“You really can’t stand for people to get in your way, Ashley.”

“I wanted my daughter back.”

“And we all had to suffer for that. Two people are dead so you could play house.”

“The only one I really care about is you. Hurting you is the only thing I regret.”

“That’s nice.”

“I was…I still am, absolutely in love with you. And I know that you can’t believe that, but it’s true. I miss you so much.”

“Show me your room, please.”

I was caught off-guard completely.

“What?”

“Let’s see. Let’s see if you’re finally telling me the truth.”

She stood up, waiting to be led. And since I was in no position to tell her “no,” I hesitantly stood up, and led her down the hallway.

Our shadows like soldiers on harsh white walls.

My trembling hand finally finding purpose in wiping away my tears.

This wouldn’t end easily, nor quickly.

It would end with my consequences, on a very simple day.