Trust

Alice had always been my friend. My best friend. From childhood we became inseparable. We took the same AP classes in school and went to the same college. We even worked the same jobs throughout college just to spend more time together. Now as she runs away from me, as I chase her through the alleyways of our beloved city, I cannot help but wonder what made her do it.

Matt and I started dating in the later years of college, he proposed at graduation, and we were married the very next year. Of course, Alice was my maid of honor. She helped me plan the event, steering me clear of the pastel pinks and deep royal blues.

“It will look like a glorified gender reveal party!” She laughed. Even when my other three bridesmaids gave their insights and opinions I always listened to and followed Alice’s advice. The wedding went smoothly. It was the happiest day of my life; well, the second after the birth of our daughter. Within just three years we had the perfect family, a happy husband who provided for his family, a loved wife who was able to stay home and raise the children, and our perfect three kids.

I was so happy when Alice announced she was pregnant and that she and Andrew were getting married in the fall. I was ecstatic that I was able to return the favor to her, be there to give advice and the do’s and do not’s that I wish I had known for my own wedding.

I was there for her in the delivery room, just like she was for me. Alice was everything to me, like a sister I never had. I tried to be there for her when I found out Andrew was hitting her, I would let her stay over and help her hide the bruises with makeup. I stayed up all night learning the best way to utilize makeup for her. I tried to get her to report him, but she feared the backlash she would get if he found out.

We stayed up night after night planning ways to kill him or turn him in or just watching movies to distract us before she had to return to the reality of her abuse. Matt would sometimes join us and help produce creative solutions.

For a few long months I did not get to see Alice. Things got really tense between her and Andrew. He became mad at the amount of time she spent at our house. Swearing that she was only here to see Matt. That I was not even home. It became too much for her.

Everything got better when Andrew had a car accident and died. Sudden onset heart attack according to the doctors. He was a fit and healthy man, so it made no sense, but we accepted the blessing. Alice and her two kids moved in with us for a while until she could get back on her feet.

I was so excited to have her back so close! We went shopping and went on day trips with the kids. It was the best of both worlds, she got to heal, I got to spend more time with my friend! I found a part time job as a cashier working the closing shift at our local store. The extra money was a blessing to our household, and it was perfect because Alice was able to be home to watch the kids.

I never hurt her like she hurt me tonight. I would never think of doing something so horrible. After everything I helped her through. All the nights holding her and all the nights telling her she would be okay.

I should have noticed the signs early on, but I was so tired after work, not getting home until midnight or later. Everyone would be asleep, I would pick up the mess left out by the kids, clearing the two empty wine glasses on the kitchen table. The plates that were left in the sink. I would go behind Matt and pick up his trail of clothes that led to the bedroom, I never could understand why he had such a challenging time finding the laundry basket.

Sometimes I would come home to the credits of a movie rolling and the kids still up playing, Matt and Alice asleep on the couch together. They would startle awake as I opened the front door and Matt would jump up to hug me and ask about my shift.

My only days off would be spent watching the kids while Matt took Alice around to find jobs, I was so lucky to have such an amazing man willing to help my friend. He really did a lot to help without any complaints. I truly felt lucky.

That is what made tonight so painful. My manager asked me if I wanted to go home early and I was ecstatic! I have not been home before eight in such a long time. I rushed home and busted through the door with a box of steaming pizza to surprise my family.

“Honey! Kids! I am home!” I yelled, there was no response. Thinking maybe they went out for dinner I played the recordings on my answering machine: Hey Mat, I know you just dropped of the kids, but alexander is wanting to come home, I hate to be a bother but when you get a minute can you call me back.

I looked at the clothes on the ground with confusion, I was not aware of a sleepover for the kids. That is when I noticed the pile of clothes; mixed in with my husband’s pants and boxers were a lacy pair of blue underwear and a blue laced bra.

I instantly recognized it because I was with Alice when we bought it. She told me she had a new man she was talking to and wanted to make the first move on him on their next date.

I rushed into the bedroom and caught them. She was on top of Mat, both nude, neither of them bothering to stop or cover up.

“MAT! ALICE!” I yelled. They turned quickly, pulling the covers over themselves. Mat started panicking and telling me it was not what it looked like, Alice was apologizing and blaming Mat, saying he made her do it.

I was outside my own body with rage; I looked down and did not even remember grabbing the gun from my dresser drawer. They both had their hands raised, frantically apologizing. I remember a bright flash of light as I pulled the trigger, Mats voice no longer in my ear.

Alice scurried from the bed; she ran past me without caring for her clothes. I turned with rage building inside me, red hot anger filling every pore in my skin. And so here we are, chasing my best friend down the streets of our city in the nighttime.

I caught her at the dead end of one of the turns she took. She turned and begged me, she got on her knees, her naked blood splattered body half covered by the shadows of the night.

She was sobbing with her hands up. “Please.” She begged. “I regret… I regret everything!” I lifted the gun and tilted my head at her, no empathy in me, “You may regret it… But I will always remember…” A bright white light filled the alleyway.