Page 64 of Married to the Devil

Marnie: Guess who sat up and ate all by herself today?! Give me a few days and I’ll be using the bathroom like a big girl.

June: I’m so, so proud of you, Marn.

Marnie: Gosh golly it feels good to get praise for stuffing my face.

June: Have you thought about going somewhere else? How long are you stuck there?

Marnie: Honestly I don’t know where I’d go.

Marnie: It’s not like I have anyone at home waiting for me.

Marnie: HA WOW that’s depressing!!!

Marnie: But seriously, I’m fine!

I blink back tears. An overwhelming sense of responsibility hangs over my head. Marnie’s in this state because of me. Maybe not directly my fault, but still. She’s lying in a hospital bed right now and I feel horrible about it.

June: What if you came here?

I send the text without thinking through the issues.

The biggest being: what if Rafe says no?

Marnie: Seriously? To your husband-slash-kidnapper’s house?

I grimace and quickly reply.

June: It’s not like that. I mean it’s a little like that.

Marnie: Relax, I’m not calling the cops. Unless you want me to?

June: Stop, Marn.

Marnie: Okay, okay, whatever, but I don’t know. Is he going to lock me in a dungeon?

June: This place is huge. There’s plenty of space for you, and he can afford round-the-clock medical staff. And Hattie’s been asking about Auntie Marnie.

Marnie: I don’t know…

June: Think about it. Seriously, it might be good for you.

Hattie shrieks, pulling my attention away. I’m halfway in the water before I realize she’s only chasing after a beetle. I set my phone aside and join her, but the idea of bringing Marnie here keeps bothering me.

It would be good, right? If Rafe agreed, I think Marnie would be more comfortable and get better care here.

And yeah, it would alleviate some of my guilt, there’s that.

By the time the day rolls over and Hattie’s down for bed, I’ve already convinced myself about a dozen times.

But Rafe’s late. I sit in bed waiting for him, stifling yawns. He doesn’t appear until it’s nearly midnight and I’m already tossing and turning with the lights out. I wait for him to climb in beside me, amazed at how quiet he can be when he wants to, and roll onto my side to face him.

“Rafe, I want to ask you to do me a favor, and please consider it before you say no.”

He glances at me in the darkness. “What do you need, wife of mine?”

“You know Marnie⁠—“

“I’m aware of her, yes.”