Piano in the Dark (10 page)

Must’ve been at least three in the morning. I stretched, then slowly rose, careful not to disturb Ava with whom I’d been spooning prior to giving in to deep slumber. I refused to discuss her delusions any further lest she scare me away as before. But I convinced myself that I could help her…somehow. Not sure if making love to her again would be considered useful, but I was weak. Weakened by her beauty and the unusual, thrilling magnetism that existed between us. Partially true. It was fascinating that she knew me so well. Something I should’ve analyzed and observed from a distance. Clinical. Like I’d learned in law school, before giving up on that path. But I had to be closer. Needed to immerse myself in Ava on so many levels. One of them that took us to this moment…again. Sin and sustenance interwoven where knowing wasn’t as important as simply
being
. Shit. She had me wanting to believe her. Believe in her. Maybe insanity was contagious.

As I rose from the bed, I found my watch on the floor atop my shirt. The damned woman didn’t believe in clocks around here. Of course, if time did stand still in this room, I wouldn’t be in so much trouble right about now.

I strained my eyes to read the tiny dial hands by the dim light. I was lucky. It was closer to 1:30.

Ava mumbled. Called out my name before succumbing again to her sex-induced coma. Felt natural. Like she had been with me more years than weeks. But I wasn’t her husband. Ever. Catching my bearings, I shuffled toward her bathroom. Beneath the refreshing waters of the showerhead, I had a moment of clarity free of Ava’s influence. I slapped my forehead, suddenly feeling regret over the beatdown I’d administered Iris’s husband. Then the deeper regret of what I’d been doing to my own wife Dawn raked at my stomach. Sighing, I reached for the bar of soap, working up a vigorous lather on the washcloth so I could scour Ava’s DNA off my body. But that would only work so well. She was beneath my skin and, dare I say it, close to my heart and not just my dick.

Moments later I toweled off, looking at my weary face in the mirror of the medicine cabinet. I saw the face of a liar and cheat staring back. A stranger to me. Maybe Dawn was right; maybe I was supposed to be a lawyer. Something told me to me reach out. Rather than touching reversed palms with my doppelganger, I grasped the edges of the mirror and pulled it toward me. It came open with a click, exposing the medicine cabinet behind it. I quickly scanned for the familiar brown of a prescription bottle. There were two situated in the bottom right corner. I paused, listening for any activity in the bedroom. Without further hesitation, I grabbed both of them, quickly scanning the labels. One was a two-year-old bottle for Xanax and one a little newer for Depakote. From the dates, I assumed Ava was no longer taking either one. Maybe explaining her fascination with me, but not her familiarity. The prescribing doctor was a Charla Prisbani. I chuckled, seeing the irony of Ava’s pseudonym now—taking her doctor’s first name. I surmised the Nuttier part was a bit of wit from being accused of being
nuttier than a fruitcake
. Wonderful. Now I was seeing into her head. I carefully placed the prescription bottles back where I’d found them, leaving my reflection in the mirror to wonder what I was up to.

I eased back into the bedroom, determined to creep out on her. Parting was difficult enough already. I hastily donned my underwear and slacks, grabbing my shirt and accessories to put on as I made my way out. In the hallway, I could’ve easily made it to the front door.

If not for that damn room of Ava’s.

I took another look at my watch, knowing further delays wouldn’t be beneficial to my health. Ignoring common sense once again, I pushed open the door to her escape space. The painting of the lighthouse was completed. Looked ready for another sale or exhibit. She’d begun another one. This time it was of a mirror—funny considering my medicine-cabinet encounter—with a woman’s hand touching it. The image in the mirror wasn’t completed just yet, only a bare outline of whatever was being reflected. Left me curious for the finished product. Moving on with my attention, I saw the throw still remained off the piano in the corner. Probably just the way it had been left the last time I was here.

Alone, I took time to admire it. It was a fine, sturdy baby grand. Reminded me of the one played for shoppers at Nordstrom in the Galleria. Wondered how difficult it was for the movers to get it inside this space.

I took a seat, perching my fingers lightly atop the keys. I took a deep breath, imagining I was in a concert hall before an attentive audience.

“It’s calling to you,” Ava said, making me almost jump to the ceiling with surprise. I hated being startled. She’d donned a silk robe, short and the color of a soft rose. A gentle smile graced her face after she completed her yawn. “When I didn’t hear the door alarm, I knew you’d be in here.”

“Was about to go. Didn’t want to wake you.”

“Guilt kicking in again?” Ava asked, gliding closer on those firm legs of her. The robe outlined then relinquished the lines of her body with each step.

“Perhaps,” I replied.

“Going to play it for me this time, Chase?”

“No. I can’t,” I said, thinking back to a time as a young boy, when I got my first true impression of my father, the oh-so-great music man. And vowed to never follow in his footsteps.

Ava took a seat, scrunching next to me on the padded piano bench. “Just try,” she said, resting her head on my shoulder. “I know you can,” she offered as she softly rubbed my forearm. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and allowed my instincts to guide me. I began to play by ear, just as I’d learned, doing the opening piano riff to Tupac’s “I Ain’t Mad Atcha” as a joke.

I stopped, looking at Ava as she righted her head. “Y’know…Pac,” I said with a chuckle.

Ava’s brow crinkled in the dark. I waited a moment longer.

“Tupac. ‘I Ain’t Mad Atcha.’ From his album
All Eyez On Me
. You don’t listen to rap, huh?”

“Ohhh,” she said absentmindedly. “Tupac. I’m a little slow. From
before
he became mayor of Oakland.”

“Mayor of Oakland? Cute,” I said with a smile as I raised a skeptical eyebrow at her. “Pac’s dead. Unless you’re one of those conspiracy buffs.”

“Me? No. I must be thinking about someone else.”

“You are the odd one,” I said, grasping her hand and kissing it. “Always looking at things in unusual ways, like what
might’ve been
. You see the potential in all of us, I guess.”

“You would see the potential too if you stayed with me, Chase. I promise.”

“You know I can’t.”

“Do you love me, Chase?”

“I—”

“Spare me. I can say it freely. I love you, Mr. Chase Hidalgo.”

I abruptly stood up, feeling that turn in the air when things get weird. Thought about those old prescriptions in the medicine cabinet. I’d been enabling her. Pure selfishness. “Ava, I’ve seen how things can get. Especially today,” I said as I reflected on Iris. “Today I beat up a man, probably more out of guilt than necessity. And I don’t want my wife feeling like the man I beat up. I’m sorry to be adding to your confusion every time I come around. That’s why you won’t be seeing me anymore.”

Maybe she sensed the difference in my tone, the resolve I was trying to project. As I crossed my leg over the piano bench to leave, Ava rushed to stand up as well. We collided. Off balance, I fell to the floor.

“No! You can’t leave me!” she said, her robe coming undone as she bent over to either assist me up or barricade my exit. I looked away, avoiding staring at her lovely body. I wanted nothing more than to be reckless a while longer and take her once again. To slide up inside her on this floor and feel her tremble and writhe beneath me in ecstasy. As she came closer, I braced my arm.

“Back up. Please,” I said, firmly yet minus any animosity.

“You don’t mean it. Here, let me help you up,” she said, her proximity threatening to erode my will.

“No. I said, ‘back up’, Ava. I have to go.”

No real surprise, she ignored me. Ava grasped me as I stood up, hugging me tight and refusing to let go. We tussled as I forcibly pried her arms from around me. In my haste, I accidentally knocked her into her the easel. The easel fell sideways, catapulting her newest project across the room, where it bounced off a wall. The crash of her work gave both of us pause. In that moment, I looked into Ava’s eyes and saw something beyond sadness. I saw a dark desperation that frightened me. And that moment, I knew this had to be over.

“This isn’t how it was supposed to be,” Ava said, looking suddenly defeated. I was still breathing heavily as I rushed past her. She dropped to her knees, moving her hair out of her face as tears ran uncontrollably down her face.

“I’m not sure about that, but know it never should have been. I was wrong to lead you on,” I offered, briefly pausing in the doorway. “I apologize for this trouble and wish you well.”

“You don’t love her! I’ll make it right, Chase! I’ll make it right,” she yelled, leaving me more than a little concerned as I closed the front door behind me.

I reached my hand from under the comforter, fishing for my iPhone until I found it. I checked the number before answering.

“Where are you?” Dawn asked before I could even say hello, disturbing me from the briefest bit of escape. Took a moment for me to realize where I was. I sat up, seeing the crumpled bag from Frenchy’s chicken on the desk along with two empty Heineken bottles. After driving around mindlessly, I’d grabbed some food and checked into Hotel Derek on Westheimer near the Galleria. Going home would’ve been unseemly after what had happened with Ava.

“Jacobi’s,” I answered. “We were up so late that I didn’t want to disturb you. Was also too lazy to make the drive.”

“Uh-huh. And how many drinks did you have?”

“A few,” I replied with a chuckle.

“Good of you not to drive, then. Still missed you, though.”

“Ditto,” I said.

“Chase, this house is lonely with you working late all the time. We need to think about filling that spare bedroom.”

“I thought you were more concerned with me being a lawyer,” I chirped, regretting it almost immediately as it left my lips.

“I haven’t forgotten about that. But I’m not getting any younger. And no one said we couldn’t multitask.” Since turning thirty, Dawn’s maternal desires had come to the fore.

“Okay. We’ll talk,” I said. “Right now, I’m about to get up and hit it, babe. I’ll see you when I get off. Leaving early today. Maybe we can ‘multitask’ then.”

But I didn’t have work to go into. Not with the senior partners having put me on involuntary leave.

I rolled over, deleting the new texts from Ava, then completely removing her number from my phone. Damn sunlight coming through the window was bothersome. I placed one of my pillows over my head then went back to sleep. The world could wait a while longer.

Eventually I moved from the bed, placing a call down to the concierge for some last-minute dry-cleaning. Looking semi-crisp yet again, I checked out around 3:00
P.M.
, figuring it was time to go home.

As I turned into my neighborhood, I received a call from my prodigal friend.

“Bro, I’m so sorry for not calling you back. You at the office?”

“No. I’m driving home. Not going to be at the office for the near future. They sent me home yesterday for laying hands excessively on Iris’s husband. She didn’t tell you?”

“No, man. I haven’t talked to her since he dotted my eye. Figured it best. Thanks for hemming him up for me, bruh.”

“It wasn’t for you, man. He just came along at the wrong time. And it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t mixed business with pleasure. Dude, you dumped a lot of shit on the firm. And this ‘hiding out’ hasn’t helped matters. You need to grow the fuck up,” I said, getting it off my chest.

“Okay! I got it, Chase. I’ma get my head out my ass. And I’m sorry about you getting caught up in my shit. I’ll make it right. I promise.”

“I’ll believe it when I’m back to work,” I said tersely, hanging up as I arrived home, prepared to pretend the last twenty-four hours hadn’t happened.
For the sake of my marriage
, I thought to myself.

Entering my home from the garage, I was greeted by sounds of conversation. Dawn had company, so I quickly composed myself.

“There’s my baby,” my mom said as I came around the corner. She and Dawn were gathered in the kitchen over a pot of chili on the stove. Never good with two chefs in charge, but they seemed to be making do. I put on my best smile, set down my briefcase, and gave my mom a kiss.

“Can’t believe someone got you out your house,” I teased her as I wrapped my arms around my wife.

“I volunteered to take your mother grocery shopping since you’ve been swamped with your big trial,” Dawn volunteered as she rubbed my back. “And since I’m off tomorrow, I begged her to have dinner and stay the night.”

“That was so sweet of you,” I said as I kissed her on the lips. Right when I’d become this stranger in our marriage, Dawn was doing all the right things.

“How was your day, baby?” Dawn asked.

“Less hectic than yesterday,” I replied, glad that my knuckles barely showed wear from what I’d done at Treebeard’s. My phone buzzed, interrupting my response. I quickly checked it to see if it was Ava. Despite my deleting her number, I’d memorized it. I ignored the call, but it did succeed in bringing my pressing issues to the forefront.

“Baby, been meaning to surprise you with something. And now is as good a time as any.”

“Oh?” Dawn said, taking a quick stir of her chili. Her face lit up from the suspense.

“Both of us have been so busy. I think we need some time together for just us. Kind of like what you were hinting at this morning.” Dawn smiled even more. “Let’s take a cruise, baby. This week. We can sail out of Galveston…spend a week in faraway lands. The seas, the sun, a little sand. What do ya say?”

My mom had a curious look on her face. A look I intentionally ignored, but couldn’t help but notice. She’d probably heard similar slick proposals from my dad. When I turned my focus back to Dawn, she had dropped the gleeful smile. Her hands now rested on her hips.

“Baby, you mentioned a cruise before. Remember? You know I can’t with my work. And how can you take that kind of time off with your ongoing big case? You know Jacobi doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“Dawn, let’s not get into that. I—no—
we
deserve some time off. Forget my job and your job. Let’s do this. We can begin packing tomorrow.”

“Maybe another time, Chase. I’ll have to check my schedule at Macy’s. Besides, we can’t go this week anyway. We have an art exhibit to attend.”

“Excuse me? What art exhibit?” I asked, trying to fathom what she was talking about. Maybe I’d been so preoccupied that something had slipped my mind.

Dawn smiled coyly. “Remember that woman?” she asked.

“No,” I replied, trying to hide how perturbed I was. “
Who
?”

“Charla Nuttier.” My throat tightened as my mind tried to interpret anything beyond the two words she’d just strung together. Despite trying to hide it, I looked at my wife like she was plumb crazy.

“Dawn, what do you mean?”

“Me and your mom ran into her at the new HEB supermarket over on FM 2920 and Spring Cypress Road…of all places. We were grocery shopping and the woman struck up a casual conversation while we were in line at checkout. Then I find out she’s the same artist you had pulled up online that time. Small world, huh?”

“Crazy,” I mumbled. The small world felt more like a broom closet right about now. What was Ava up to? No way it was a coincidence.

“I know. And she’s
sooo
beautiful in person. Anyway, she invited us to her next showing. This week! Can you believe it? Her card is on the counter over there,” she said, motioning with one hand while tasting the chili from her spoon. My mom walked over to the cabinet to get some bowls for us.

“And you really want to go?” I asked timidly.

“Certainly!” Dawn gushed as she added another shake of chili powder to the pot, then stirred again.

“I might have to work,” I said, fumbling for words. I still stood in the center of the kitchen. My mom moved past me to retrieve silverware from the drawer to my right, probably wondering why I hadn’t moved aside.

“But you mentioned the cruise like you had the time already set aside. Chase…is something the matter?” Dawn asked as both she and my mom eyed me suspiciously. Now, neither one of them was moving. My legs felt weighted down with lead.

Again my phone buzzed. I wanted to hurl it and watch it smash into a million pieces.