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We kiss each other goodbye, and he promises that he will call as soon as he has the chance to. I sigh once the door closes, and I'm alone in our home. It feels different than any other day when he's just going to work. Rubbing my arms to ward off the slight chill, I go about my day like every other day.
I've become friends with a few of the other wives in the apartment building, and we always meet in the laundry room at a particular time so we can chit-chat. Of course, the room is buzzing with talk of our husbands going away, and I'm so happy I have these women in my life. Otherwise, I think I would go insane. It's been a long time since I've had a girlfriend to talk to, and I didn't realize how much I've missed it until now.
The days go by slowly, but like clockwork, Beau calls me, and we have amazing conversations. It's been four days since Beau left, but he believes they will be heading home any day now. So, I want to be prepared for when he does come home. I want him to come home to a wife who is ready and waiting for him in the most romantic setting.
I decide to go to the shopping center and duck into the lingerie shop they have tucked away in the corner of the mall. I find an emerald green little number that compliments not only my cinnamon hair but also my husband's eyes. It's a daring piece, not leaving anything for the imagination, and that's okay because something tells me that it's not going to be on my body all that long.
While I'm standing in the checkout line, I happen to see a woman through the storefront window, reading a book as she sits on a bench. The book's title stands out to me because it's The Notebook. Memories of being back in Bain's sitting room flood me, and I remember the pictures. I have been so caught up in wedded bliss that I completely forgot to talk to Beau about this.
"Did you find everything, Miss?" I'm pulled from my thoughts by the smiling cashier.
"Oh, yes. I'm sorry…my mind was somewhere else."
"I bet it was." She winks as she holds up the tiny scrap of material. "He's a lucky man."
"No, I'm the lucky one. My husband is one of the best men out there." I grin and hand her my card.
By the time I leave the lingerie store, the woman reading the book is gone. Did I imagine her? I look around the area, but she's nowhere to be found. I shrug and head for the front of the mall to grab a bottle of his favorite perfume of mine.
Happy with my purchases, I head home. The only thing left is to go to the grocery store once I know he's coming home, so I can cook his favorite meal. I used to think that he only told me it was his favorite just to make me feel good, but a few of the wives have tried my lasagna, too, and they absolutely love it; they've all asked for the recipe.
Going straight to our bedroom when I get home, I toss the bags with my purchases on the bed before using the restroom. When I come out, I stop short and look around the room. The bags are gone. I go around to the other side of the bed to see if maybe they tumbled off the other side, but there is nothing.
Suddenly, my heart rate picks up as excitement fills me, thinking Beau came home early and wanted to surprise me, too. Grinning, I hurry out of the room and down the hall before it opens up to the kitchen on the right and the living room to the left. With evening upon us, the fading light cast shadows in the corner, and there sits a figure holding up the negligée I bought.
"Such a beautiful piece. I bet you'll look even more stunning when you wear it." The deep voice is familiar, but it doesn't belong to my husband. I gasp as the figure lowers the material. "You were a very naughty girl leaving town the way you did."
"Dante…" I breathe, "W-What are you doing here? How…”
"I came to collect my package. It's time to come home, poppet."
I stare at Dante as if he's lost his mind, and I chuckle nervously, "No, seriously. What are you doing here?"
The look Dante gives me is not one of amusement. "As I said. I've come to collect our package. Your stepfather should have known better than to let you leave. He was supposed to have you ready for us."
"Us? What are you talking about?" I shake my head in confusion. "What does this have to do with Bain…or me, for that matter?"
Dante stands to his full height. "Six months. We gave Bain six months to prepare you for my brothers and me. I can see we will have to teach him a lesson. He should have known he wouldn't be able to deceive us."
"I still don't understand…"
"You don't have to," he cuts me off, getting annoyed. "All you need to do is come with me now. Of course, you have a choice. You can come with us willingly, be our little poppet for as long as we want or refuse and suffer the consequences."
"I'm m-married! I can't go with you…"
"Ah, that's where you're wrong. Maybe if you had married someone other than a Huntley, you would have been safe, but it's because ofwho you chose. The Huntleys are damned, never to have happiness with the woman they love. Now, you belong to us. If you're willing, we will be good to you, but if you refuse, we will still have you, but it won't be pretty. Ask your stepdaddy about what happens when you refuse to choose us. Not only that, but your beloved husband will go away for the murder of your ex-lover."
"No! Please, you can't do this…we are finally happy!"
Dante walks over to me and runs his fingers down my cheek, making me wince and jerk back, but he only grips the back of my neck and pulls me close. "That's exactlywhy we need to do it. To take that happiness away from him…for good!"
Tears roll down my cheeks. "What can I do for you to just leave us alone? Beau has nothing to do with his father. Please…don't punish him!"
"You want to save your precious Beau?"
I nod vigorously. "Yes, please, Dante…"
"Then I suggest you write a note telling him you're leaving. Tell him that marriage isn't what you want and to not come looking for you." Dante's hot breath is blowing on my ear. "Sacrifice yourself, poppet. Give the D'Angelo brothers what they want, and your husband will be left out of it."
