DANIEL

I watched Marcus and Gage converse by the diner door. I stood by Jason, continuing to block his view of his father’s wound. I had also shifted to put myself between him and Gage. Especially after the discussion that just happened. Denise continued to hold the bloody rag to her husband’s head and whisper to him. Brett answered between groans and moments of obvious pain.

Emily burst through the door. She was breathing heavily, like she’d run in place the entire two minutes Gage had given her. Her eyes were wide as she looked at me. And then Jason behind me. And then at her watch. “ I thought… I didn’t…” She was panting and struggling to finish a sentence. She took a deep breath. Pushed dark hair that had come loose out of her eyes. “I thought I didn’t make it.”

“Gage and I were just having a discussion about that,” Marcus answered.

“It really wasn’t a discussion. Marcus got you off on a technicality.”

Emily looked at Marcus for an explanation.

“It wasn’t a technicality as much as simple truth. When Gage gave you instructions, he said it was 1:47. He then said you had two minutes to be back in here. He wanted you back by 1:49. That really isn’t fair. For all we know, the clock changed to 1:48 the second you walked out the door. The time limit itself was a setup to fail. Honesty isn’t Gage’s strong suit, so I just nixed the whole two minute thing.”

Gage looked like a volcano ready to erupt.

Emily closed her eyes and exhaled.

“Emily, please.” It was Denise, still holding the rag to the back of her husband’s head.

“Yes. Of course. Sorry.” Emily carried the suture kit over to them and exchanged places with Denise. She opened the case. I got her attention before she started and nodded toward the ambulance outside. She shook her head and got to work.

Everyone went to separate corners, at least for the moment. Marcus returned to his seat at the head of the table and spoke to Charlie. Gage went back to adjusting things on his camera. Emily and Denise worked together on Brett’s stitches. I turned to see Jason still looking a little pale.

“You okay?”

“Yes.” He looked unsure about his answer.

“Why don’t you sit?” I pulled a chair out. I sat down next to him and saw him pull something out of his pocket. He started moving the sides around. “A Rubik’s cube. I haven’t seen one of those in years.”

Jason nodded, moving the cube faster in his hands.

“You’re really good at that.”

“Isn’t he?” Marcus jumped in. “It’s fascinating.”

I watched him work, turning and spinning with concentrated ease. “You must have practiced this a lot.” The boy was quiet, and while I respected that, I was hoping some sort of conversation might ease the tension of the night for him.

“I do it all the time,” Jason answered. “You’d think it would get boring, but it really doesn’t. It helps me think.”

Gage walked up behind me. “You have an IQ of 133. You shouldn’t need help thinking.”

Marcus looked up. “You know, there are plenty of other chairs in this place. Please don’t make me use one.”

I chuckled despite the adrenaline keeping me on edge.

Gage leaned over me and his scent — whatever evil lay within him — washed over me. “Marcus. There is a line. And you are very close to it.”

The moment passed and Jason handed me the Rubik’s cube. It was aligned perfectly, every color assigned its own side. “Dude. How do you do that?”

“You have to pick a color to start with. I always solve for red because red is my favorite color. Can you mix it up for me? It’s more of a challenge when someone else mixes it up.”

“Sure thing.” I started moving the squares.

“Finished.” Emily rose from the floor. Denise helped her husband stand. Brett looked unstable but was at least able to stay on his feet.

“About time.” Gage was back at his camera. He had scooted it back and angled it for a wider view. “Now, since you all have significantly delayed the proceedings, I’m going to have to change things.”

“You did that,” Brett pointed out.

“Nevertheless, I’m going to have to speed this up.”

I looked at the bomb on the bar. I hoped that wasn’t what Gage was referring to.

“Brett and Denise, your interviews will be done together. Honestly, with the content we need to go over, that probably works out for the best anyway. If you would take the last two seats at the bar, please.”

They did so, with Denise taking the end seat and Brett gingerly taking the one beside her.

“I would prefer that our son not have to hear all this.”

Gage adjusted the camera and shrugged. “He’s smart. He’s probably figured most of it out already.”

I handed the reset Rubik’s cube back to Jason and he immediately got to work.

“Ok.” Gage must have gotten the couple’s folder out of his backpack at some point because he now held it in his hands. “Let’s get started. Brett, does your wife know about the affair or is this sentence the first time she is hearing about it?”

Shocked silence filled the room. I shook my head. I had given up on Gage beginning the interviews respectfully. Or doing any part of them respectfully, for that matter. Jason didn’t even look up.

“She knows,” Brett answered.

“Oh, sorry.” Gage shuffled papers again. “I should have clarified. Which affair does she know about?”

Denise looked at the floor.

Brett looked Gage in the eye. “Both of them.”

“And is it just because she was terrible to you that–” He stopped, looked over at Marcus, and corrected himself. “Was it just because your marriage was troubled that you decided to cheat on your wife?”

Brett spread his hands. “Why does anyone decide to cheat? There’s never a valid reason. We tell ourselves there is. And in the moment, it sure feels like there is. But there will never be a reason for me to voluntarily hurt my wife. Or my family.” He looked at Jason, but Jason was still working the Rubik’s cube.

Brett’s approach to the situation had changed within the last half hour. Rather than puff up and react, he was simply being honest. Maybe it was the chair to the back of the head. Maybe it was just time to tell the truth.

“Denise, I would love to know your thoughts on this,” Gage said.

Denise took a deep breath and pushed a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. “I mean, I don’t know what you want to know. It was devastating. No woman wants to be told by her husband that he cheated. Let alone that he had more than one affair. It shattered us. We’re still picking up pieces. But it’s not like things were perfect before. No one cheats thoughtlessly. There had to be trouble for Brett to even consider looking elsewhere.”

“Surely you’re not taking responsibility for Brett stepping outside the marriage.”

“No. Not at all. Brett made those choices on his own and lives with the consequences. I’m only saying that before those affairs ever happened, we weren’t taking care of things in our marriage like we should have been. Either one of us.”

“And now?”

Denise looked at her husband. “We’re okay. We’re by no means in a great place. It’s almost like a bomb went off and we’re sorting through the rubble.” She closed her eyes and must have realized the misstep of the metaphor, given our current situation. “We’re working on things. And I’m thankful for that. We’re not even a year past it all. Of course there is still fallout.”

Brett took his wife’s hand. “I’ve learned a lot. I really wish I hadn’t been so stubborn that it took this mess for me to learn. Denise is right. Things were fragile even before. But… if anyone took a hammer to the glass, it was me.”

Gage crossed his arms. “Brett, tell us about the other women.”

Denise cringed. Brett looked at her and then returned to Gage. “I don’t think those details are necessary here.”

“They are.”

“No they aren’t,” Marcus stepped in. “Especially not in front of their son.”

Jason looked at me on his right, then at the empty spot on his left. He glanced up at Marcus and motioned to the seat. “Can you come sit here?” He asked.

“Absolutely.” Marcus moved over, patting Jason’s chest as he sat.

Jason again glanced back and forth. Marcus on his left and me on his right. He nodded and went back to the Rubik’s cube.

“Did Brett ever actually take responsibility for the destruction he caused?” Gage continued.

“Yes,” Denise answered. “He apologized and took full responsibility. He answered all the questions I asked.”

“And did he mean the apology?”

“I believe so, yes.”

“You believe so?” Brett asked, still holding Denise’s hand. It wasn’t accusatory. It was almost sad. Colored with lingering regret.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I… I do believe you meant the apology. And you’ve shown me that you did. I just… If I’m telling the truth…” She glanced at Marcus when she said the word. “There is still a part of me that wonders if we’ll go backward.”

Gage nodded as if he understood. “You know, that is a very real fear for couples in your position. What would Brett need to do to show you he can measure up?”

“No. Wait. I want to respond to what she said.” Brett looked his wife in the eye. “I get it. I do. I would get it if you never trusted me again. I’m not even trying for that now. I’m just trying to be trustworthy and let you decide if you want to trust me. I can’t promise we won’t go backward, but I don’t want to. And I don’t think it means we’re going backward just because we have bad days now and then.”

I held my breath and waited.

Brett began to cry. “But I will tell you this. Denise, you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Anything I have of worth on this earth is because of you. And I would trade it all if you asked me to. I know I’m gruff. I know I can’t keep my mouth shut when I should. I know I would have a lot more black eyes or broken ribs or… chairs to the back of the head without you.”

Denise smiled, her eyes starting to fill with tears.

“If you were not here with me, I would be half the man I am now. And I wouldn’t even recognize myself. You make me better. And I love you more now than I did when things were easy.”

Quiet closed in on us and no one disturbed it. It was as if any sound might ruin the beauty of the moment.

“Wow.” Emily eventually whispered.

Marcus pulled napkins out of the container on the table. He handed some to Emily and then to Denise.

After wiping her face, Denise reached and grabbed Brett’s other hand. She held both of his in her lap. “I love you too, Brett. And I know I have my own things to work on. I know I’m quiet and you wish I’d speak up more. So since I’m doing that now, please know this. I love that you’re outspoken. Well, most of the time.”

We all laughed, the sound half-strangled from the emotion in the room.

Denise took a breath and continued. “I love that you’re protective. I know that Jason and I get on your nerves sometimes, but I love that you would do whatever was necessary to keep us safe.” She glanced at Gage, who did not seem amused in the slightest. “Thank you for leading us so well. You’re doing the best you can. And I see it. I know it.”

The couple kissed and I looked down, feeling like I was eavesdropping.

“This is great, Gage. Thank you.” Marcus said.

“Shut up,” Gage snarled. He turned back to the couple. “I suppose I don’t even have to ask if–”

“Hold on,” Brett interrupted. “I have something I want to say to Jason.”

Gage sighed. “Go ahead.”

“Jason.” Jason lifted his head when Brett said his name. “I am really sorry. This is my first time being a dad and I feel like I’m really bad at it. But I want to do a good job because you are so amazing.” Tears started to fall again. “You are the smartest person I have ever met. And it’s true — you definitely did not get that from me. Most sons say their dad is their hero. But I feel like it’s the other way around for us. I don’t say that to pressure you. You just… amaze me. I love you.”

I looked at the boy.

Jason’s hands were still now, his own eyes watery. “I love you too. I love you both.”

A gunshot cracked the silence and I jumped. Emily screamed.

Gage stood by his camera, gun pointed in the air. Pieces of ceiling fell around him. “This is the only warning I’m giving. In case all of you have forgotten, you are being held hostage. There is both a gun and a bomb. I will use either without hesitation. I am in control here.”

While the sweetness of the moment didn’t fracture, it was certainly put in check. Gage returned to his interview. “Was your life better before the affairs?”

“That’s hard to answer,” Brett responded.

“I agree,” said Denise.

“And would either of you care to return to life before the affairs?” Gage seemed to be going through the motions now. As if he knew the answers and just wanted to get the interview finished.

“No,” Brett answered. “I’ll keep where I am now. Who I am now.”

“I wouldn’t go back either.” Denise was still wiping her eyes.

“Take your seats.” Gage had that edge in his tone again. He was getting frustrated. He surveyed the table. Glared at us.

I wished I had a silent way to convey to the others that we needed to stay passive. There was healing in the interviews. Healing I’m sure Gage had never intended. And that was a good thing. But the unstable man with the gun feeling like he wasn’t in control was not good. I feared he might do something extreme to get our attention back.

Which is exactly what he did.

“You know,” he cleared his throat. “I wasn’t going to do this, but Jason, let’s get you up there.”

Brett and Marcus both stood at the same time. Jason looked up, fear on his face.

“No.” Brett shook his head. “I let you do the interview with Denise and me. Please do not put my son through that.”

Gage leveled the gun. “Sit.”

Brett reluctantly sat.

Marcus did not. “No, Gage. You don’t get to interview Jason.”

“You have interfered with everything tonight! You do not get to interfere with this!”

“I won’t allow it. You are not going to do that to him. He’s been through enough.”

Jason returned to working on the Rubik’s cube. His hands were shaking.

Gage looked up at the ceiling and yelled. The sound echoed off the walls of the diner. He looked back at us, face contorted with rage. “I am done playing these games! You all are ruining everything!”

A soft beeping had started behind me. I turned in my seat. The bomb.

Gage’s pulse.

Everyone froze.

“Gage.” I thought I would at least try to reason with him. “Listen to me. For everyone’s sake, I need you to calm down. I know that –”

“I will not calm down! I will not have this night taken away from me! I will — STOP PLAYING WITH THAT STUPID BLOCK!”

The beeping escalated.

Gage reached across the table and snatched the Rubik’s cube out of Jason’s hand. Jason yelled and pushed his chair back with his feet. Gage hurled the cube across the diner. It bounced off the front door and landed, rolling to a stop.

The diner was silent aside from the warning beeps.

Marcus walked by Gage and headed to the door. “You are a child,” he whispered as he passed.

Marcus reached down to pick up the Rubik’s cube.

Gunfire.

Gage’s first shot hit Marcus in the left shoulder, turning him to face us. A red spot bloomed on his shirt. The second shot was to the stomach, causing Marcus to bend over and cry out in pain. He swayed but straightened, eventually almost standing again. The third shot was center chest. It hit with enough force to knock Marcus into the glass front door. And right through it.

I watched in horror as our only hope of escape fell through the door in a waterfall of blood and glass.

© 2020 Andy Brodrick