Elena
I’m tidying up the apartment getting it ready for Barry to come over. There’s no need for him to see all Leo’s stuff lying around. I might as well not rub it in his face that we’re seeing each other. Frankly, it’s more than just seeing each other at this point. Leo and I are in love. We’ve admitted that to each other, and it feels so good. I kind of wish I could ride this morning’s high by treating myself to something special, like a spa day or something, or by going shopping. But it’s worth seeing Barry over here if it means this divorce will finally be over. I’ll do anything to get Barry off my back. And I’m just so glad he’s willing to cooperate.
I straighten up myself too. I’m not gonna get dressed up for Barry, but I want to look good in case Leo stops by. I wish we’d been able to sleep in and spend the day together. Maybe I could’ve dragged him down to the spa with me for a couple’s massage. I wonder if he would do that? Oh well, another time.
I’ve got the coffee on and put out some brunch items just in case this meeting goes longer than anticipated. Hopefully it will make Barry feel welcome in my new home. Barry did apologize and that makes me feel good moving forward. I even dare to hope we can be friends one day. Since he made an effort with me it’s only fair that I return the favor.
The doorbell rings signaling Barry’s arrival, right on time. I’m dressed casually in my faded jeans and t-shirt. I open the door with a big smile.
“Hey, Barry! It was so nice to hear from you. Come on in.” I figure that I can at least meet him halfway since he made the effort to make amends. I hope my cheerfulness rubs off on him.
I usher him into the kitchen and once he’s seated I strike up the conversation. “You know, Barry, I’m so glad you contacted me and that you’re willing to put the past behind us and just move forward with our divorce.”
He looks at me in an odd way. “You think we can put this to bed?” he asks.
“Yes! Of course we can,” I say as I make a tray of coffee for us. “Now that you’ve come around and have decided to compromise, I think a lot of things are possible.”
“You do, huh?” He sounds different, not cheerful at all. Guess my plan to rub off on him isn’t working, but he’s probably just sad because this is really the end of our marriage.
“You know, Barry. I think in the end we’re just different people and we want different things from life. That’s not a bad thing really.” My back is toward him as I put the finishing touches on his drink, cream and lots of sugar. “In fact, I really think you’re going to meet the right girl. I think some woman is going to realize how great you are and you will scoop her up and never look back on what we had. I really hope that for you.” I’m laying it on thick, but it’s also a sincere effort to move things forward for both of us.
“Is that right?” he says in a brooding manner. “So, let me guess, you think I’m gonna find someone the way you’ve found Leo. Is that what you’re saying?”
I don’t know where he’s going with this, but I warn him, “My relationship with Leo is not going to be a topic of conversation between us. It’s private, okay?”
“You know he’s going to use you and treat like a whore, right? He does that all the time. You know he will dump you, just like he dumped Ava. He will ruin your life.”
Now this statement makes me angry and I turn around to tell him so, but when I do, to my utter fear and amazement, I see that’s he’s got a knife, a big one, and it’s pointed directly at my stomach. In one giant flash, I see all the events leading up to this moment replaying in my head. I see the threats and the time I was assaulted. And now, here in my own kitchen and without Leo to protect me, I realize that I’ve just invited the enemy into my home. He’s my stalker. Of course, I should’ve known. Except I never even suspected.
He goes on some psychotic rampage. Everything is moving in slow motion, and yet I hear him going on. “You and I were something special, you know. We could’ve been good to each other. Wasn’t I good to you? Wasn’t I? If only you could’ve listened to me. But no, you had to run around town and get yourself a career when I told you not to. And then, you started fucking my brother. How do you think that made me feel, Elena? It made me feel like shit, okay? You got that? You did this to yourself. You’ve got only yourself to blame.”
He’s goes on and on, and I’m afraid of the knife being wielded at me. I feel hurt by the things he’s saying, but then my senses come back to me in full force and I feel nothing but anger toward him. I wasted years of my life on this loser, and now that I’ve finally got it back, he’s trying to come between me and the only guy I’ve ever really loved. And more than that, he wants to kill me over it. I feel rage and sadness as I realize this moment, here in my kitchen, might be the end of Leo and I and the potential life of happiness we could have had. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.
Thank God my senses have come back and they’re heightened by the sense of danger, because Barry makes his move and lunges forward with the knife. I’ve had my hand on the handle of the coffee pot the entire time and as he lunges forward, hoping to murder me, I throw the hot coffee all over his face. His legs give way to his weight and he falters, clawing at his face in agony. I dodge around him to make an escape, but there isn’t time. He gets up and charges toward me with the full strength of his body and knocks me down. He’s on top of me and we’re both struggling for the knife. It’s either him or me.