Face Of The Monster

***3***

Phoebe Kim should go home and she knows it.

Chloe has been calling her all day and Phoebe has been texting her all day, lying that she is busy, that she has clients lined up until seven thirty. Chloe has been texting her back all day, saying that they need to talk, they need to talk, they need to talk. They do need to talk. After last night, they need to have a long talk.

Phoebe knows this, but she doesn't go home. She is waiting for Emma Ramos.

She has so many questions today. The new chapter is short but jam-packed with strange, new subject matter. Who is the homeless woman? Why does Lillian scorn her so even though she has proven herself kind in the past? Why does she have no sympathy for the children? How do the mentions of Lillian's past as a prostitute connect to Emma's life?

Phoebe does not think Emma Ramos is or has ever been a prostitute. She has talked to prostitutes, to strippers, to whores. These make up a good percentage of her clients. They all have similarities that come in different forms: backstory, attitude, attire, schedule. Emma does not share these commonalities. Still, Phoebe will have to ask her.

Chloe is calling again. Phoebe lets the phone ring. A second later, the telltale beep goes off and she hears Chloe's voice. "Hi. It's Chloe again. Can you please, please, please just call me back? Like, I know you're busy or whatever, but I just . . . need to talk to you. At least let me know what time you'll be home, okay? Um. Bye."

It is Monday. Phoebe and Chloe spent Friday night watching Chloe's niece receive her first communion. Then they spent the remainder of the evening being passive-aggressively, then just flat out aggressively, questioned about their relationship by Chloe's family while the other in-laws watched sheepishly. The night ended with Chloe's mother screaming about the demons inside of Phoebe, at which point Phoebe grabbed Chloe and kissed her in front of everyone before storming out without another word.

She did not handle the situation well. She knows that.

They spent Saturday in quiet suspension, listening to the phone ring while Chloe's family tried to reach them, either to apologize or to scream some more. Phoebe couldn't be sure.

On Sunday, they reached a silent conclusion to put it behind them. They had dinner together and talked a little bit before apologizing to each other and going upstairs with a bottle of wine one of Phoebe's clients had bought her last week.

When they were done, Phoebe was drunk from both wine and sex, which she supposed explained why she did what she did next.

She adjusts the collar of her turtleneck to cover the bruises on her neck from Chloe's teeth. She sighs, remembering the look on Chloe's flushed, unsuspecting face when the question sprang out of her mouth: will you marry me?

Thinking about it makes her feel icky inside so Phoebe decides not to think about it right now. Especially not now because Lars has just knocked on her door. Emma is here.

She thinks Emma has something to do with all this. Phoebe supposes that Emma makes her feel insecure in her own relationship; that her subconscious wants an affirmation that she really does love Chloe and would never do anything to undermine their relationship. So she popped the question.

Phoebe replays Chloe's message. Um. Bye. Usually, Chloe ended her messages with Love you, but not today. Phoebe turns off her phone, getting out of her chair. She misses Chloe already. A space seems to have opened up between them. The psychologist in her knows that they are scared, they are afraid so they are drawing back from each other. The person in her knows that if she doesn't fix this soon, she might lose Chloe.

She opens the door. Emma's hair is down today and she looks nice, but Phoebe doesn't let herself look. "Come in," she says. She flinches. She can't sound too upset; her number one rule is that a visit should be about the client, not her.