The Second Wound

Chapter 3 - Neme

***

I'm sitting across from Dr. Grandi bouncing my knees up and down dreading the barrage of question she's going to ask me this morning.

"What happened this morning? Tell me about it."

I let out a frustrated sigh. "I just had a nightmare. It was nothing."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

I can't tell her I dreamed that I saw Aaron. I certainly can't tell her I saw blood spilled all over my room floor. The only option is to lie.

"I just had a bad dream about the day it all happened. That's all."

She leans back in her chair some. "Tell me about it."

"You already know what I say happened. You don't believe me just like no one else believed me. Why do you want to hear it again?"

"I've only ever read your police statement. You've never agreed to tell me yourself what happened, Neme. You only ever told me to read the police report. You haven't been very cooperative with talking to me. I would truly like to hear it from you. And I've never told you I don't believe you."

I'm staring into my lap but briefly glance up at her. "No one believes me."

"Try me. Tell me, in your words, what happened that day."

"Fine, I'll tell you. Then can I go back to my room?"

"Sure."

She scoots up to here desk and puts the recorder in the center and pushes play.

I take a deep breath in. "It was Easter Sunday but Aaron had realized he forgot something at work he needed to finish over the weekend, so he left to go by his office. I was home cooking lunch. The only reason I know it was Easter is because it was the Sunday my interview with the Anderson's was coming out. I'd finally gotten a headline story on the front cover of the Edenville Gazette. It was a day I'd worked hard for. Also, that morning when I woke up there was a huge stuffed rabbit on the bed with a silky pink bow around its neck with a card attached."

I cross and uncross my legs. I can't sit still while talking about all of this.

"Just take your time dear. The card was from Aaron?"

I nod. "Yes, it was. He wrote a little note inside saying congratulations on my article and about how next Easter we would be buying a pink or blue Easter basket but he was hoping it would be a pink one. He really wanted a girl."

Dr. Grandi slides a box of tissues across her desk towards me. I feel a tear slip from my eye and just now realize I'm on the verge of crying. I take a tissue but instead of wiping my face I just start fidgeting with it in my hands tearing off little pieces bit by bit.

"Anyway, I was cooking breakfast when the doorbell rang. I couldn't wait for Aaron to get back because he was picking up a copy of the paper for me. It was Sunday and we always sort of just lounged around on Sundays so I still had my pajamas on. I looked out the peep hole and saw it was Cain. I closed my robe up and tied it snuggly before opening the door."

The more I tell her, the faster my heart hammers in my chest and the angrier I feel.

"He was holding a paper in his hands and he was pissed."

"What is this Neme? Are you purposely trying to ruin my case?"

He pushes past me and into our living room.

"Well come on in Cain. Make yourself at home," I said, sarcastically.

"You know what I'm referring to. This." He points at the front of the paper. "The Andersons are suing the Edenville Police Department and the county District Attorney. My firm is representing the DA. I can't have my sister in law rubbing elbows with the fucking family I'm fighting in court. This article makes my client look really seedy."