Still, I had trusted her.
She rested one hand over her stomach.
Pregnant.
Garrett reached the shore.
Penelope threw her arms around him.
He kissed her.
Not like family.
Not like friends.
Like lovers.
Then they both turned toward the river.
Toward us.
Garrett smiled.
I felt something inside me collapse.
Three years of marriage.
Three years of waking beside him.
Three years of hearing him say he loved me.
Three years of him making warm milk for me every night because I worked too hard.
Three years of him kissing my forehead before bed.
All of it suddenly felt poisoned.
The water reached my chest.
I twisted toward Tobias.
He was trapped behind me.
The rear cabin was nearly underwater.
“Tobias.”
He looked at me.
Strangely calm.
“I’m sorry.”
My voice broke.
“I brought him into this family.”
He said nothing.
The water reached my shoulders.
I closed my eyes.
Then I heard a heavy impact.
Bang.
I opened them.
Another blow.
Bang.
Something shifted behind me.
Then Tobias rose.
Not lifted himself with his arms.
Rose.
Onto his feet.
I stared.
He was standing inside the sinking SUV.
Standing.
On both legs.
I forgot the water.
Forgot Garrett.
Forgot everything.
“Tobias?”
He reached beneath his jacket.
He pulled out a compact cutting tool.
He leaned forward.
He cut through the wire holding my seat belt.
The belt snapped free.
I stared at his legs.
“Your legs…”
“I’ll explain later.”
