“No, actually, um, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” It’s as though a door has suddenly shut inside her. Her posture has changed. She carefully folds her arms over her chest as though she’s hugging herself, trying to protect herself from that memory. A memory I think we should discuss. Something I would love the chance to explain to her. I tried before and she misunderstood me.
I haven’t had the nerve to try again for fear that I would push her away.Every move I make with her has to be the right one. It has to draw her closer to me.
“Kayla, that choice I made…”
“No, please, Josiah, I asked if we could talk about something else." Her eyes are shining as though she’s fighting tears.
I nod, clenching my jaw.
Just at the wrong moment, the waiter arrives.
“Hi, how is your meal this evening? Are you enjoying everything? Can I possibly get you another bottle of wine?” he asks, standing next to the table with a massive smile on his face.
“No, thank you,” Kayla answers for both of us.
“You can bring us the check, thank you,” I say, reading her silent request to go home.
My heart is heavy. I wish the night didn’t end this way. I haven’t laughed with anyone like I laughed with her and all the memories we shared tonight—how do I tell her that I want it all back? That those memories mean everything to me. I want to makenewmemories with her, and there’s no reason why our lives can’t be that happy again.
In the car, she is quiet and withdrawn.
The need to reach out to her is overwhelming. The silence hanging between us is too heavy.
As I glance across the car to speak to Kayla, I notice something in the rearview mirror.
It’s the same car that was behind us when we left the restaurant. The same car that turned off when we left Main Street.
Every muscle in my body goes rigid as my senses become ten times more heightened.
“We’re being followed,” I tell her calmly, not giving away even an ounce of my own anxiety.
I have been in these situations before. Far too many times to count. Usually, I am calm, but this is different.
Because she’s right here next to me, and I want to keep her safe. I have something to lose.Something that would destroy me.
I take a sharp left, testing my suspicions, and the car behind me speeds up, giving chase.
Kayla lets out a yelp of surprise and sinks lower into the seat.
“Josiah,” she cries out my name as though pleading with me to keep her safe.
“It’s okay. The car is armored. We're safe in here,” I tell her.
“Armored? Likebulletproof?” she blurts out, even more horrified.
I have to try to shut out her fear so that it doesn’t distract me.Keep her alive, get her out of here. Don’t let them take her.
When a bullet smacks into the side of my car, I realize they are trying to herd me in a specific direction, so I turn towards the gunshot instead of away from it. Kayla screams and ducks lower.
A car revs into the middle of the road, and I push my foot harder against the accelerator, refusing to stop, refusing to veer off course.
The attacking car is pushed out of the way and up onto the sidewalk. The sound of metal against metal pierces througheverything else for a moment, then goes silent as I break free from the other car.
I speed away from them as they open fire again.
I turn corners and race up side streets. I maneuver my car with expert precision, and when I reach the street I'm aiming for, I turn sharply into an underground parking lot and press a button on my remote to close a thick steel rolling door.
My breath is so heavy I can’t hear myself think.
