Focal Enemy | ✔

Comeuppance (a punishment or fate that is deserved)

“Mr. Howley? Theodore? Can you hear us? You’re at Prince’s Hospital. Don’t worry. You’re going to be all right. We’re going to save you. We’re going to look after you.”

#

“Do not tell me you have got more hot chocolate!” exclaimed Josephine’s mother. “I thought that you would've had enough after last night.”

Josephine just smiled, sinking down into the sofa, beside her mother. While Theodore was no doubt getting out of his head and drunk, she stuck to the comforting stuff – hot chocolate, marshmallows and ice cream.

“Horrible weather again,” Josephine remarked, watching as the weatherman pointed towards the roaring winds they were due to get. “Looks like me and Genevieve won’t be going on that walk.”

Her mother hummed. “Tomorrow looks a bit better.”

A grimace crossed Josephine’s face. September was never good.

“You had a voicemail on your phone.”

Josephine snatched the phone from the table, and true to her mother’s words, there was indeed one unopened voicemail that had been left by none other than Theodore. And, it was big enough to fill up her entire mailbox.

“Mum! What have I told you about snooping on my phone?”

“Josephine –“ Josephine flinched at the sound of his voice, so desperate and quiet. “I don’t expect you to listen to this voicemail, but I had to try and get hold of you. I’m sorry. I know I’ve said it a million times, but I really do mean it now, just as I did for all them times before.” Theodore was a terrible liar. “I should never have put you in this situation. It was selfish of me and you were right – this is some sort of strange addiction that I can’t stop. It’s like being a alcoholic, but with murder and torture on my mind. I don’t blame you for leaving me. You done the best thing. Maybe now you can have the life you dreamed of an deserved, instead of a life full of misery and someone who is as damaged and dangerous as a broken bottle. I never meant to hurt you, -“ that was a lie “but like I said, it’s a bad habit, and there’s only one way to stop it. I’m going to sort this out.”

Josephine’s hands tightened around the phone.

“Goodbye, Josephine. I love you. I always have, and I always will.”

His voice was really desperate, like he had something that wasn’t worth losing. He spoke as though he was protecting her as he should have done all the time.

Josephine held her phone to her chest. There was no telling what he meant by having to ‘sort’ it out. It could have meant going to Joe, going to the police – for two very different reasons – or it could mean that he had run, far away from where Joe could reach. And, if the message had been left at midnight, then his fate was set in stone now. Josephine wished she knew what he had chose.

#

“How long are you staying for?” asked Erin, straightening the pillow.

Josephine shrugged, making the other side of their parents’ bed.

“Until I sort out something else,” she said. “It shouldn’t take me too long. I’ve still got my eye on that penthouse in New York. Oh, it’s heaven, Erin.”

Josephine pretended not to notice the way that Erin’s face screwed up in distaste.

“Yeah, I suppose,” she muttered. “Was that the door?”

The pillow in Josephine’s hand hit Erin in the chest. She gasped.

“What was that for?”

“For trying to escape from my company,” said Josephine. “Who would be visiting on a Sunday, Erin?”