Ed groaned from the hallway.
"Don't bother."
He emerged and leaned in the doorway.
His expression was a mix of frustration and gloominess.
"What's wrong, dear?"
"I have to go to work."
"That was the garage?"
"Yeah.
Great, huh?"
"They haven't wanted you in on a Saturday in months."
"I know.
Apparently Jimmy's sick, and Mike has to take their dog to the vet to be…."
He trailed off as he glanced at his daughters.
Janet covered her mouth in shock.
Mike was a neighbor from a few blocks over.
Their dog was a beautiful German shepherd, one of the sweetest dogs she'd ever seen.
"Oh, no."
"Yeah," Ed said, lowering his head.
"Anyway, no breakfast for me.
But hey, extra money is good, right?"
She did her best to hide her disappointment.
Unlike some of the other wives in their small town, she actually liked spending time with her husband.
"I'll bring you lunch, if you want."
"Nah, that's okay.
I'll take some leftovers.
Tonight we'll all go out to dinner."
The women all saw Ed to the door.
He received hugs from everyone and a kiss from Janet.
The kids whined a bit as they watched Ed drive down the street in the family car.
The whining was short-lived as Sarah heard a child running and shouting in the backyard next door.
"Mom!" Sarah shouted.
"Let's hurry up and eat so I can go play."
Janet shook her head as she led her children to the kitchen.
They sat at the table behind her while she cooked bacon and eggs.
Every minute or so she'd have to turn and point the spatula at them, threaten them.
Sarah would poke Elizabeth.
Elizabeth would smack Sarah.
Sarah would stare at Elizabeth too hard.
Janet gave them her angry face, but she smiled softly when she turned back to the stove.
"Mom!" Elizabeth shouted.
"Sarah's sticking her tongue out at me."
"Sarah, stop sticking your tongue out."
"I can't help it, Mom.
My tongue itches."
Janet stifled a laugh.
"Your tongue does not itch.
You're doing it just to needle your sister."
"Hey!
Now she's doing it, too."
"Both of you!
Put your tongues back in your mouth!"
She'd served the children first, and was barely able to sit down when Sarah pushed the empty plate forward and stood up.
"I'm done.
Can I go outside?"
Janet marveled at her daughter.
"Good Lord, Sarah.
Can you eat any faster?"
"Probably."
She eyed Mark through the sliding glass door leading to the backyard.
The young boy was halfway up a tree, swinging and hanging.
He'd occasionally glance toward their house, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sarah.
He wrapped his legs around a limb and hung upside-down, the elementary school version of showing off.
"You can go.
But put your plate in the sink first."
"Can I go with her?" Elizabeth asked.
"No.
You have to finish breakfast, and there's a living room full of your toys that need to be put away."
Elizabeth unleashed her pathetic, adorable, sad face.
"Aww, Mom."
Janet had only developed an immunity to the face a year ago.
Ed still fell victim to it on occasion, but was improving as well.
Janet held up a finger and shook her head.
"Elizabeth," Janet said, revealing her own parental tool.
The
tone
.
A mini Hurricane Agnes swept through the kitchen as Sarah rushed to put her plate away, and Elizabeth rushed to finish breakfast.
Janet heard something that sounded like
LoveYouMomBeOutside
as Sarah sprinted through the back door.
The excited girl even forgot to close the door behind her.
Janet nearly yelled after her, but decided it was useless.
She closed it herself, and turned to see Elizabeth downing her orange juice in one gulp.
"Slow down.
You'll get sick."
The child, of course, didn't listen.
Her breakfast was gone in an instant, and then so was Elizabeth.
She sprinted up the stairs to put away her toys.
Janet collapsed in the chair.
She heard Elizabeth above her, but closed her eyes to enjoy one of those rare parent treats.
Quiet.
There were chores ahead of her.
Wash the dishes, do some light cleaning, bake cookies for the upcoming sale, eventually enjoy a shower.
But just for a moment, she'd enjoy the stillness in her kitchen.
She took a deep breath as the moment passed.
There was work to be done.
Janet spent nearly half an hour in the living room, vacuuming and dusting.
She heard Sarah and Mark's voices outside, full of energy and excitement.
Janet imagined they were playing tag, or hide-and-seek, or working on that clubhouse near the back fence that she wasn't supposed to know about.
Elizabeth ran back and forth between the living room and her bedroom, grabbing and moving toys.
It was a dangerous experience trying to clean while avoiding the whirlwind that was Elizabeth.
The dishes were next.
She stood at the sink and went through the motions, wash and dry.
Sarah and Mark ran like maniacs through the yard, one chasing the other on a bike.
Janet laughed as she felt a pang of jealousy.
To be young and carefree once again.
As she washed the dishes, she noticed a tiny letter X written under the current date on the refrigerator calendar.
A smile took hold at the thought of Ed's sneakiness.
Obviously they
were
going out for dinner, and he had something planned.
It had been a while since they had a family night on the town.
She'd have to see if they could recreate last night's magic.
Elizabeth was upstairs for nearly ten minutes.
Her loud footsteps stopped halfway down the stairs.
The only sound throughout the house was the water running in the sink, along with Janet clanging the dishes.
"Elizabeth?" Janet called.
"You okay in there, sweetie?"
"Mommy, who is that sitting in the chair?"
Janet sighed.
Elizabeth had an active imagination, and regularly engaged in conversation with imaginary friends, despite having an older sister.
It was a sticking point in some heated discussions between Ed and Janet.
He didn't see the harm, whereas Janet would rather her youngest daughter interact with the world around her instead of something imaginary.
"I don't know.
You tell me, baby.
Is it Mr. Biggs this time?
Or Floppy the Bunny?"
"Hi," Elizabeth said, her voice small and sweet.
"How are you?
I'm Elizabeth."
Never did Janet imagine one of Elizabeth's imaginary friends would answer back.
"I actually didn't ask, kid."
Janet's eyes shot open at the sound of the stranger's voice.
It was male, and she realized immediately it wasn't Ed.
She dropped the dish she was washing in the sink, shattering it.
Staring into the living room, Elizabeth was slowly approaching the chair in the corner.
The angle blocked Janet's view.
She couldn't see who her daughter was talking to.
She nearly ran to Elizabeth, scooping her into her arms.
She spun toward the chair, toward the voice.
The entire time she washed dishes she didn't hear anything unusual.
The front door didn't open.
There were no footsteps crossing the living room.
But someone was in her house.
A man sat in the easy-chair, adjacent to the couch.
He dressed nicely, a pair of slacks with a white dress shirt.
A tie hung loosely around his neck.
He sat with his legs crossed, the morning paper stretched through his hands, like he completely belonged in her home.
He had the look of a business executive, someone who sat in an office all day and flirted with the secretaries at his disposal.
Janet's mind raced for a rational explanation as to why the man was sitting in her living room.
He wasn't familiar at all, and she was acquainted with most of the town.
Mistaken identity was the only thing she could latch onto.
"Uh, sir, I think you have the wrong house."
The stranger looked up over the paper, their eyes meeting.
A chill ran down her spine at the dark expression on his face.
Whoever the man was, there was no rosiness in his cheeks, no friendliness in his eyes.
"Oh, no.
I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."
She drew her foot back a step, simply wanting to be further away from him.
Her eyes darted to the front door, but running wasn't an option.
Her oldest daughter was fifty feet away in the opposite direction.
"Listen.
There are no drugs here, and we don't have any money."
The stranger laughed, an unpleasant sound.
"Believe me, I can see that.
This place looks like it was decorated by a retard.
And I'm pretty sure I saw that same couch near a dumpster a few blocks over.
Not even the town bum would sleep on it."
Janet's jaw dropped.
She was oblivious to Elizabeth squirming in her arms.
The stranger was dangerous.
She knew this instantly.
She took a step toward the dining room, and he did something that froze her completely still.
He smiled.
His body tensed, like he was ready to lunge, and he let out that terrible smile.
"That's not the best idea you've ever had," he said.
"I'd be on you in two seconds.
It's not easy to run with a fifty-pound bag of shit in your arms."
"Mommy," Elizabeth said.
"Put me down."
"What are you waiting for there, Mommy?
Put the brat down."
Janet lowered Elizabeth to the floor, keeping a hand on her neck to keep her close.
"What were you doing, kid?
Cleaning up?"
Elizabeth nodded slowly.
"I was putting my toys away."
"Well, hop to it.
Or no lunch, or supper, or whatever it is parents use to control you little bastards."
The child looked up to her mother.
"Mommy, I don't think I like him."
Janet tensed at what the stranger might do, but he only chuckled.
He folded the paper and rose to his feet.
The man was probably an inch or two taller than her husband.
Broad shoulders, very imposing.
"Very smart kid," he said, shaking the paper at her.
"Elizabeth, go upstairs.
Get your toys together."
The stranger watched Elizabeth as she carried out her mother's word.
Janet's gaze never left his face.
There seemed to be a hidden anger under his calm demeanor.
His cheek twitched slightly.
She had to keep her composure, but was afraid for her children.
He flipped the newspaper around to show her the headline.
"Incident at Democratic National Committee headquarters," he quoted.
"Wait until they find out what
really
happened there.
That stupid son of a bitch."
He tossed the newspaper.
Pages flew everywhere across the room she'd just cleaned.
The stranger took a step toward her.
Janet held her ground.
"Let's get down to business," he said.
"I'm looking for your husband.
Ed Fields."
"He's not here."
"Thank you for that amazing insight.
Where is he?"
Janet pursed her lips.
She said nothing as her body stiffened.
"That's okay.
I'll just ask Elizabeth."
He tried to turn, but Janet reached out and snatched his wrist.
He violently pulled away as his eyes widened, his expression a twisted mix of surprise and rage.
"He's working!" Janet said.
"He got called into work today."
"On a Saturday?
Ed doesn't work Saturdays."
"Well, he had to today."
The stranger's lip curled into a sneer.
"Of course he did."
He wiped at the spot Janet touched him.
"That changes things a little, but we'll make it work.
First things first.
My name's Byron.
And you are?"