This is a Fiction piece written in response to the prompt on a website I love, The Red Dress Club.
The prompt was “In the middle of the night, you get an urgent call from a friend you haven’t talked to in years. Something terrible has happened. What is it and why is he/she calling you?”
After a very long, trying day my breath exploded from my body as I dropped my suitcases in the entryway. While nudging the door closed with my hip I kicked off my pumps and sighed with relief. I steadied myself with a hand on the wall, my head pounded and there was a ringing in my ears.
My only thought was of a hot shower and getting changed into what my fashion forward friends condescendingly referred to as my “Mumu”.
I didn’t care what they called it; in my mind that body length fleece hoodie was a God-send at times when I needed to unwind.
Ignoring my luggage at the front door I made my way to the bathroom while shedding my body of the oppressive business suit. The cold bathroom tile felt wonderful on my swollen feet as I turned on shower on.
With the pulse of the hot water upon my scalp the stresses of the day seemed to float away, the delayed flight, horrible traffic and inept law clerk working under me were a thing of the past.
I was caught up in the soothing heat and the fragrance of the products as I lazily bathed.
Feeling refreshed and relaxed I found myself humming while towelling off and had to smile, I’d better not quit my day job I thought to myself. Glancing in the mirror I caught sight of myself and wondered what the folks from my hometown would think if they could see me now. Would anyone have imagined I’d end up as a Lawyer in “The Big City”?
Slipping on my “Mumu” I made my way into the kitchen to check for phone messages when suddenly it rang. My eyes instantly went to the clock on the microwave.
“Bloody hell its 2:30am, who could that be?”
Bound with anxiety my tense arm reached out and I snatched up the receiver.
“Hello?” I said too quickly in that horror movie way.
“Macy, Is that you?” was the response in a calm accented voice I couldn’t mistake.
“Boyd, wha…” I floundered for understanding, leaning against the wall for support.
My mind raced, I hadn’t seen or heard from Boyd since the Law school graduation party fiasco. Thoughts raced through my head, Where did he live? Why is he calling? How did he get my number? My heart was pounding, nervous energy flooded through me.
“Macy, listen carefully I know it’s late but you need to hear me, are you awake enough?”
“Yes I just got in from a flight…..what’s going on?” I softly asked, fearing the response.
“You have to meet me first think in the morning at the Courthouse, I need your help.”
Breathing a sigh of relief my thought was “Okay its work related, this I can handle!”
Relaxing my muscles while straightening my posture I smiled to myself as I put on my game face and the attitude to match.
“What makes you think I’m available for a phone call at this hour or that I would take on a new case?”
He sighed deeply into the other end of the phone “You haven’t checked your voicemail yet have you?”
In my oh-so- important Lawyer voice I haughtily repeated that I’d been out of town and was just getting home.
There was a long pause and in a much softer tone he said “Macy I hate to have to tell you like this but there’s been a situation at your parent’s home.”
Again there was a pause as my pulse throbbed in my throat, my facial skin felt tight and itchy from the lack of moisturizer, I stared at the Lilac candle on the shelf in front of me, and the ringing in my ears began again.
I felt my brain closing down, avoiding hearing what he had to say next.
But I heard it, that terrible thing that he said.
The Unthinkable.
“Macy your Mother has been arrested for the murder of your father tonight and she needs us at the courthouse tomorrow.”
There it was, the tragedy which would forever change my life with its bloody gore and its media tagline “Slaughter on Park Lane”.
