She opened her purse and pulled out all of the bottles, and one by one she opened each lid. Michael had been very clear in what he wanted her to do. He’d carefully packed everything for her. even at the end he’d tried to love her and protect her.
What she’d done was inconceivable, she understood that. These past few days had been a blur of questions, of sadness, of broken fractured memories. But she got it now. She got that none of it really mattered.
Michael had shown her the blood.
The clothes drenched in it.
He’d shown her the broken vase and the knife that she’d gripped in her madness, her jealous rage burning hot like the sun.
She trusted Michael.
He’d always kept her safe.
He’d always helped her.
Even now, after what she’d done, he was giving her peace that she didn’t deserve. He could have phoned the police straight away, but he didn’t.
He’d given her a chance to go…
‘…get out…’
To avoid jail…
‘…I’ll phone them in an hour…’
To avoid the stares of hate and anger…
‘…you do it, Del’, you do what I say, because you deserve to die…’
And she did…
‘…you need to die to be truly punished…’
And she did…
‘…go as far as you can, away from our town. Don’t shame me anymore…’
So she did…
‘…and when you can’t go any further…’
“He slipped the bottles into my purse…”
‘…you take these. You’re going to hell for what you did, and that’s what you deserve…’
“That’s what I deserve…”
‘…but after all this is over, I’ll still have a life to try and get on with…’
“Why did I do it, Michael?”
‘…because you were jealous that I was leaving you…’
“But why them? Why not you?”
‘…because you wanted to hurt me, Del’…’
“But they’re my babies.”
