Chapter 6 - THE SUITCASE
Preston looked toward Audrey.
“You said you needed space.”
“I said I was leaving.”
“Temporarily.”
“No.”
Audrey’s voice remained steady.
“I softened it because every time I spoke clearly, you told me pregnancy was making me emotional.”
Rocco’s jaw tightened.
He did not interrupt.
Audrey continued.
The marriage had not collapsed in one dramatic moment.
That was what made it harder to recognize.
Preston never struck her.
Never screamed across the house.
He simply corrected.
Constantly.
What Audrey wore to Reed dinners.
How long she stayed with Rocco.
Whether she should tell people the baby’s name.
When she should rest.
When she should stop resting.
What information about the pregnancy belonged to the family.
Whenever Audrey objected, Preston called it concern.
Then Brenda became involved.
She made comments about Moretti women being spoiled.
About daughters becoming leverage.
About how Audrey would understand sacrifice once the baby arrived.
Audrey asked Preston repeatedly to stop her.
He told Audrey Brenda was grieving old things and should be ignored.
“I didn’t know what old things.”
She looked toward Lily.
“Now I do.”
Preston stepped closer.
“I can change.”
Audrey shook her head.
“This is not the moment to ask me that.”
He stopped.
Rocco watched his daughter.
Part of him wanted to end the marriage for her.
Remove Preston.
Send Audrey home.
Decide everything before midnight.
Then he remembered what she had just said about Preston.
Control wearing the clothes of concern.
Rocco stayed silent.
Audrey noticed.
“Thank you.”
He nodded once.
Brenda looked toward Preston.
“You knew she was leaving.”
“Yes.”
“And you used me.”
“No.”
“You told me she was taking another girl away from this family.”
“I wanted you to talk to her.”
Brenda stared at him.
“You knew what I said three weeks ago.”
Preston looked away.
Rocco caught it.
“What exactly did she say?”
Preston’s silence returned.
Gary spoke.
“I heard it.”
Everyone turned.
Three weeks earlier, Brenda and Preston argued inside the Reed house.
Gary came through the side hall.
He heard Brenda say:
“If Audrey gives birth to that girl, she’ll take her and make us watch another daughter disappear.”
Preston told her to calm down.
Then Brenda said:
“Maybe the child should never get that far.”
Audrey’s face went pale.
Rocco looked at Preston.
“And after hearing that, you invited her tonight.”
Preston swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I thought family around her would keep her under control.”
Brenda laughed bitterly.
“You thought an audience would make me behave.”
“Yes.”
Rocco looked toward the broken gift table.
Preston had treated danger as a reputation problem.
Not a safety problem.
Then Gary added:
“He didn’t only invite her.”
Preston snapped toward him.
“Gary.”
Gary ignored him.
“He put Brenda at Audrey’s table.”
Audrey stared.
Preston spoke quickly.
“I wanted them to talk.”
Gary shook his head.
“You wanted Audrey cornered.”
Preston’s face hardened.
“No.”
“You told me yourself.”
Silence.
Gary looked toward Audrey.
“He said if Brenda reminded you what happens when women cut themselves away from family, you might stop packing.”
Audrey stared at her husband.
Then she removed her wedding ring.
She did not throw it.
She placed it carefully on the table.
Preston looked at it.
May you like
Audrey stood.
“That suitcase is staying packed.”
