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Last night, I had hoped taking a hot bath would help me relax, but it only allowed me to overthink everything. For the first time in a year and a half, I cried about missing my mom. Before that, it was when Robert proposed, and I had wished more than anything she was here to celebrate with us. But now I’d do anything to talk to her about how I feel so she could guide and tell me what to do.
Although I don’t remember a lot about her, I feel the emptiness and ache in my chest from her not being here. Katie and Everleigh give great advice and tell me to do what feels right, but I still need and miss my mom. She had life experience that I’ll never learn from and stories I’ll never hear. After years of being married, having kids and a family, Mom would know what’s best and could give me the advice I need.
My father leaves work early to drive out of town for a custom part, but Tyler stays in the garage even after I lock the lobby. We hardly spoke when we were in the break room earlier. I asked him what he thought of the Labor Day parade, and he responded with, “It was eye-opening.”
Instead of asking him what he meant by that, I nodded and left the room. I don’t know how to fix the tension that swarms between us. The friendship, or whatever it is, gives me whiplash. One moment things are fine, and the next, it’s awkward.
After work, I don’t immediately go home and stop by the store to pick up some groceries. Robert texted me earlier and said he had a work meeting and wouldn’t be able to stop by tonight but told me to be at his house so he could see me. Instead of agreeing, like usual, I declined and tell him I’m cooking dinner for my dad. We still haven’t talked about what happened yesterday at the parade because the moment I speak up about his behavior and the pressure he’s putting on me, it’ll blow up and turn into another huge fight. Perhaps it needs to happen, but I don’t have the energy to deal with that right now.
As I load my bags into the back of my car, I notice a black SUV sitting across the street. I focus on it, trying to read the license plate, and swear it was parked near the garage today. It could be a coincidence, but my paranoia has me convinced Robert’s having me followed. There’s no other reason someone would park outside where I work for hours and then conveniently be at the store when I am.
Witnessing his temper at the double date and listening to his demands about firing Tyler or quitting already doesn’t sit well with me. But if he has the audacity to hire someone to follow and watch me throughout the day, I’m going to be at a level of pissed off he’s never seen.
As I drive home, I watch in my rearview mirror. They stay far enough back not to be obvious but close enough that I notice I’m being followed. Before making any false accusations, I decide to turn down a random street, and when they do too, my stomach clenches.
What the actual fuck?
Does he really think I’m going to cheat on him? Or that Tyler and I are hooking up in the work bathroom with my father nearby? Every time Robert says something negative, I second-guess marrying him, wondering if I truly know the man I’m going to spend forever with.
I turn again, and the SUV tails me, which confirms my suspicions. Whoever Robert hired more than likely already has my address, so I decide to end this and go home. Hopefully, once this asshole sees I’m not being joined by anyone, he’ll leave.
As soon as I pull into my driveway, I grab my three grocery bags and rush inside the cottage. I peek out the window and see the SUV park across the street.
“Seriously?” I mutter as my blood pressure rises. “This is an invasion of privacy.”
Grabbing my phone from my bag, I call Robert, and I’m sent straight to voicemail. Growing angrier by the second, I call back. Voicemail again. He’s at a dinner meeting, and the fact that he’d rather ignore my calls than interrupt his mealtime pisses me off.
Gemma: Call me as soon as you can. It’s important.
He reads it seconds later, but it takes him a few minutes to respond.
Robert: Are you okay? I’m with a client.
Gemma: If you really cared, you would’ve answered my calls. It could’ve been an emergency.
Robert: I’ll be done in an hour, maybe two. Meet me at my house, and we’ll talk then.
I roll my eyes and toss my phone on the counter without bothering to reply. That’s always his answer. We’ll “talk” when it’s convenient forhim.
Wanting to get a better look, I sneak around the side of my dad’s house and look toward the street, trying my best to stay hidden. I watch a man in a suit get out of the SUV. For a moment, I think he’s coming to my dad’s front door, but then another man exits from the passenger side, and they scope out the place. One of them has a camera around his neck and the other has binoculars. My adrenaline rushes through my body so quickly, my hands shake. I tuck my lips into my mouth and rush back to the cottage. My heart pounds hard in my chest, and I swear I hear leaves crunching in the backyard. I’m so fucking scared; I close my blinds and curtains, then lock the doors, hoping they leave.
This is insane. They saw me leave the grocery store with bags in my hands. I’m alone, but it’s not good enough for them. I’m sure they’re hoping to catch me in the act to provide Robert the proof that doesn’t exist. Whoever they are, they looked like professionals, but I’m not sure what they’re after.
Gemma: You crossed a line. Call off your private investigators!
Robert: I have no idea what you’re talking about. What private investigators?
Gemma: The ones you hired to follow me.
Robert: Why would I hire people to follow you? You aren’t making any sense.
I swallow hard, unsure if he’s being honest or not. Robert isn’t a liar, but he’s a pro at getting what he wants. If this is a scare tactic so I’ll agree to move in with him, I’m going to unleash my wrath. Perhaps it’s a stretch to think that’s why they’re following me, but there’s literally no other reason. Maybe he hopes I’ll be too nervous to live alone, and it’ll push me to move up the wedding date.
If that’s the case, I’ll cancel the whole thing, including our relationship.
Panic rushes through me as I think about these men being outside my house. With my dad being away, I can’t call him for help, but I wouldn’t want to worry him either. I text Everleigh and Katie, but neither of them responds as I put away the rest of the things I bought at the store. Another twenty minutes go by when I decide to take another look outside. The SUV’s finally gone.
I release a deep breath, relief flooding through me, but it doesn’t stop the anxiety from taking over. My heart races, and I double-check to make sure all my windows and doors are locked. I can’t settle down, and after no one returns my texts or calls, I break down and reach out to Tyler.
