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“What?” “I have a charge for $8.32 on my statement from a Blockbuster in La Plata you asshole and that’s fraud!” Claire shouted. “Jesus, Claire, I returned a movie late, that has to be a late ;charge. We had the same account, remember?” Claire was silent. “I’ll pay it tomorrow and change the account, okay?” “You better,” Claire slammed the phone. “Who was that?” Matt said. “Nobody,” Claire said, “No fucking body.” The dog barked. “Quiet Tootsie,” Matt said. “Shut that fucking dog up or I will,” Claire said. “Quiet, Tootsie,” Matt said, picking the dog up. “Be quiet Claire or you’ll wake Annie.” Claire stared at Matt. She clenched her teeth and jerked off her coat. A button popped off and hit the carpet. She threw her coat on the couch and glared at Matt. Tootsie, in Matt’s arms, barked at Claire. “Quiet, Tootsie,” Matt said, “you’ll wake up Annie.” He petted Tootsie and calmed her down. Claire made for the kitchen, pulled the vodka from the freezer, and poured herself a tall one. She disappeared upstairs. Matt went for the phone and hit RECALL. He saw the 301 area code. Bob! He put down Tootsie and sat on the couch and grabbed his head. He felt a migraine coming. From that position, he saw the loose button on the carpet. He had memorized the prices at Colorado Lace. He looked at the button again. It would be three dollars to sew it back on and another seven to clean the coat. He shook his head. Matt leaned forward and picked up the button. He grabbed her coat off the couch and went to put the button in a pocket so he wouldn’t lose it when he felt a piece of paper. He pulled it out and looked at it. It was a receipt from a room at the Hyatt. He looked at the date. It was last Tuesday. He was at home with the baby and Claire was stuck at work last Tuesday. He looked at the time. The receipt was printed at 4:16pm. Claire got home around eleven, at the earliest. Matt sat back down. He started to shake. He started to shake uncontrollably so he stood up, looked around, and made his way to Annie’s room. He lifted her gently from the crib and he headed upstairs to Claire’s office. Tootsie followed. Matt carefully pushed Claire’s office door open with his foot as to not disturb Annie. He saw Claire at her computer. He quietly approached Claire from behind and saw that she was watching a man fuck a girl from behind while the girl was sucking off a second man in front of her. A third man walked on screen with a pipe. “What are you doing?” Matt said. Claire jumped, spun around, saw Matt and Annie, spun back and minimized the screen, then stood up, glared at Matt and said, “What the fuck does it look like.” Tootsie barked. “I’m leaving," Matt said, turning. He held Annie close and Tootsie followed. “The fuck you are,” Claire said. Tootsie barked. Claire ran at Matt. She grabbed his shoulder and tried to turn him around, but Matt wouldn’t budge. He lifted his right foot very high and slammed his work boot in the open-toe shoe on her left foot. “Don’t touch me!” Matt said as he drove the heel of his work boot into the flesh of her toes. Claire cried out and went to the floor. Matt hurried downstairs with Annie. Tootsie barked at Claire. Claire reached for the railing and pulled herself up and kicked Tootsie down the stairs. Matt heard the yelp. He turned and saw Tootsie tumble down the stairs and heard her smack the landing. She didn’t move. He quickly sat Annie on the couch. Annie woke up and started to cry. Matt ran for the kitchen. Claire ran down the stairs. She saw Matt pull a knife from the drawer. She heard her daughter cry out, saw her on the couch, and saw how Annie was moving herky-jerky like she would fall off. She made her way for Annie. “Move again and I will kill you!” Matt said, moving toward Claire with the knife. Annie cried. Claire stopped. Matt stopped and stood very still. His eyes were inhumanly wide. He held the knife forward and the veins in his arm pounded. Claire didn’t move. She looked at Annie, then Matt’s eyes, then the knife. She stood still and did not move. Tootsie, at the bottom of the stairs, was sprawled out awkwardly and did not move. In this sudden silence of the room, Annie cooed, stretched, yawned, and closed her eyes. She fell back to sleep easily and more quickly than on most nights. |
