“He Knows”

“Thanks again for the ride, Ross,” Abby called down the hall to him, as she unlocked the door and walked slowly into her room at the boarding house. Lost in her thoughts about Colin lying back in his hospital bed, she was startled when a voice suddenly spoke to her.

“Where ya been, darlin’?” Dwayne asked, as he sat casually waiting for her in an armchair in the corner of her room.

“Shit! Dwayne, you scared the hell outta me!” Abby exclaimed, nearly jumping out of her skin. “How’d you get in here, anyway?” She was more surprised than angry, as she sat down on the bed and slipped off her shoes.

He grinned a sly grin at her, tilted his head, “Oh, you know me, I just sweet-talked that pretty young woman that runs the place, she let me right in. Oh, she sends her best, by the way... says congrats and all on our upcoming nuptials.” He stood up and slowly sauntered over to where she sat on the edge of the bed, knelt down in front of her, taking her dainty hands in his large, strong ones, “Darlin’, you didn’t answer my question... where’d you go? I stopped by the paper to pick you up and you weren’t there. Whole place was dark. I was worried sick about you.”

“Oh... sorry, Dwayne. I just, umm... went to visit a sick friend, that’s all,” she told him, biting her bottom lip. She wasn’t lying... exactly. Colin was a friend, after all, and she did go to visit him in the hospital.

“Sick friend, huh?” Dwayne narrowed his eyes, studying her face. She was lying to him, he knew it; she was never very good at it. He leaned in, his lips curled up into a crooked smile, “So, tell me,” he whispered into her ear, as he pulled her close to him, “how is that O’Brien feller anyway? There was talk ‘round here that he broke his leg when you pushed him out a window.” His breath was warm on her ear, sending goose-bumps through her whole body, causing her to let out a slight groan.

Dwayne pulled back a bit, grinned, relishing in the effect he still had on her, “But I stood up for you, darlin’,” he said, “I told them there was no way my sweet, lovin’ wife would go and do somethin’ as awful as that, that there must be some kind of misunderstandin’ and they shouldn’t go ‘round spreadin’ nasty rumors like that unless they wanna go and make a feller real mad-like. Why, even that nosy sheriff from down the hall and that little girlfriend of his he tries to pass off as his deputy went and tried to get involved, sayin’ they figure it must be my fault somehow and how they’re keepin’ an eye on me and all. Can you believe the nerve of them?! Thinkin’ I’d go and do somethin’ like push a man off a balcony like that! Why, I don’t even know that feller, have no reason to go and break his leg now...do I darlin’?” This last part was more of a warning than a question, Abby knew. He was letting her know that he knew about them, knew what had really happened, and he wasn’t happy about it.

Her eyes wide with fright, she looked at him, his face calm and loving, but his eyes saying something completely different. She didn’t think he’d ever hurt her, but there was just always something... something there in the way he looked at her... something dangerous behind his eyes, that scared her. It was silly, she thought, shaking it off. He had never been anything but kind and loving to her, always, the entire time they’d been together. Must be imagining it, she thought to herself, managing a slight smile.

“Um... he’s okay, I guess,” Abby told him, softly, embarrassed the she’d tried to deceive him. “He was sleeping, but the nurse said he’d had surgery. Broke his leg in two places. And no, I didn’t push him out a window... apparently, he jumped from the balcony.” She didn’t add how he’d gotten to be on that balcony, but she was certain Dwayne knew anyway.

“Ah, well, that’s too bad... that he had to have surgery and all. Seems like a nice sorta guy. Maybe I should get to know him a bit better,” Dwayne said, sounding quite sincere, then added, “since he’s a friend of yours and all.”

“Yeah... um... I’m sure he’d like that,” she replied, awkwardly.

“Now then,” Dwayne told her, still holding her hands and gently pulling her to her feet, “What say you and I go see if we can talk to that preacher down at the mill... see if he’ll be willin’ to perform our wedding ceremony for us?”

“Sure... okay,” Abby replied, hesitantly. Shit, how was she ever going to get outta this one?

“Good,” Dwayne smiled, wrapping an arm around her and leading her towards the door, “then, afterwards, I’ve got a real surprise for you that I think you’re gonna just love, darlin’.”

Abby managed a smile, followed Dwayne out of the room and off to meet with Reverend Harris.

TBC...