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“He just turned three.”
“Ah, such a nice age.”
“You have kids?”
“No, but I always wanted them,” she answers wistfully, but presses her lips together as if it’s a touchy subject.
I open the backpack I placed on the bench beside me and pull out a couple of plastic wine glasses and a bottle of wine. “I know this is going to sound strange, but it’s a special day, and I hate celebrating alone. Think you might like a glass of cheap wine with me?”
She looks taken aback for a minute, and who can blame her? Not many people get asked to share a bottle of wine with a stranger in a dog park.
With a smile, she nods, so I unscrew the cap, pour her a glass, and hand it to her. She takes a sip and grimaces, making me chuckle.
“I did warn you it was cheap. I find if you knock it back in one go, it’s not too bad and gives a nice little buzz afterward.”
She looks at the glass, unsure, before shrugging. “Here goes.” She drinks the whole thing before gasping. “That’s…”
“Disgusting?”
“Not too bad now that it’s gone, like you said.” She laughs.
I pour her another glass before pouring myself one. “Ready? On three, two, one—Crap,” I grumble, yanking my cell phone out of my pocket as she tosses her drink back. I hold my finger up to her so she’ll give me a second.
“Hey, yeah, no. We are about halfway now. Just stopped to walk the dogs and stretch our legs. He’s good. He napped for a while, and now he’s running around with Reggie and Ronnie, burning off all that energy.”
I listen to nothing—since there’s nobody on the end—before continuing. “Alright, gotta go. I love you too, Valen.” I hang up and slip the phone back into my pack before turning to look at the woman watching me. Her cheeks are flushed, and her eyes glassy. I look down at her empty glass and take it from her.
I pour my wine out on the grass and place both glasses back in my bag with the half-empty bottle.
“I thought you were celebrating?” Her words are slightly slurred.
“Oh, I am. It’s my husband’s birthday today. And, well, he’s ridiculously rich, which makes him impossible to buy for, you know? So, I was racking my brain, trying to figure out what to get him, and then it came to me.”
I stand up and call Casper and the dogs over. “Time to get going, little man.” He huffs but doesn’t argue as he hurries over to me. I bend down and hold my arms open as he runs into them. I pick him up and swing him around before kissing his nose.
I turn back to the woman who is now slumped over, her head lying on my bag, and tsk. I yank the bag out from under her and grin when her head hits the bench.
“Lady sleepy, mama?”
“She is, so we’re gonna leave her to take a nice long nap, okay?”
“K,” he answers and begins to wiggle, so I put him down.
I lean over and run a finger over the woman’s cheek. “Where are my manners? I almost forgot to introduce myself. I’m Rue Ward. And you’re Hailey Bale, right? You know my husband, Valen Ward. You were the bitch that got him sent to Briarwood House,” I snarl the last part quietly so Casper doesn’t hear me.
Her eyes are full of fear. She knows she’s dying now, and the thought brings a smile to my face.
“You sent that boy to hell. The only reason I’m not ripping off your nipples and feeding them to you is because he walked out a man. Not because of you, but because of me. He stood beside me and helped me slay every single one of my demons. It’s only fair that I slay his. Have fun in the afterlife. Trust me when I say you’ll have lots of company.”
I sling the bag over my shoulder and turn to Casper, who is hugging an unimpressed Ronnie. “Race you back to the car. The winner gets ice cream.”
“Yay, ice cream,” he squeals before running in that uncoordinated way toddlers do, the dogs giving chase as I follow behind with a smile on my face.
I turn one last time and see her staring sightlessly in our direction and feel peace wash over me. I might not be able to tell my husband what I got him, but he’ll find out about her death eventually. And when he does, he’ll feel exactly like I do, even all these years later.
Free.
He’s at the door waiting for us when I pull up.
