CHAPTER21
This was pure torture,Gillian thought, taking another deep breath.
“Okay, you can hit the shower,” Melanie, her physical therapist, lowered Gillian’s leg to the yoga mat.
“Thank goodness.” She gave the woman a smile.
“You’re doing a great job,” Melanie reassured her.
“Thanks.” Gillian sat up, used the wall to get to her feet, then made her way on crutches to the bathroom for her shower. With Melanie’s help, she should be back on her feet in no time. Then she’d be able to get out of there.
Melanie and Paul were the only two people she’d seen since she woke up in her beautiful home by the sea. There weren’t any neighbors close by. No one ever came to the house that she could get help from. Somehow she had to let her parents and Nick know where she was, but so far, she hadn’t been able to access a phone or computer. She even tried to use Melanie’s phone when she went to the bathroom, but it was passcode protected.
Gillian considered taking the young woman into her confidence and asking her straight out if she could make the call, but one day when she got out of the shower earlier than usual, she saw her and Paul talking. The way Melanie was looking at him reminded her of herself when she was young and impressionable and completely enthralled by Paul.
No, she wouldn’t get any help there.
Gillian finished her shower, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and pulled on yoga pants and a sweatshirt, then made her way to the kitchen. As the weeks went by, Paul was beginning to get more comfortable with her and was dropping his guard, little by little, though he had yet to leave the house. Their food was delivered. He’d spend all day in his office on the phone or his computer—also password protected. This couldn’t last forever. She could be patient.
Using her crutches, she walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see Melanie still there, standing in a bikini on the patio, tossing the ball to Queenie. Paul sat at an outdoor table talking on the phone, watching her. For a moment, Gillian wondered if they were having an affair. Paul never worked outside. As she watched them, she decided they weren’t yet, but Paul was definitely interested.
First, he’d have to do something about her. He couldn’t necessarily canoodle the therapist with his wife around. As the puppy saw Gillian, she started barking excitedly and ran into the house, jumping up and down. In her enthusiasm, she peed on the floor. Paul rushed into the kitchen, ending his call and dropping his phone on the counter, yelling at Queenie.
“It’s okay,” she said softly, hoping he’d calm down. She glanced at Melanie as he scooped up the puppy and hurried outside.
“No, it’s not,” he yelled as he put her in her crate.
Horrified, Melanie ran inside the kitchen. “I’ll get it. No worries.” She started grabbing paper towels and rummaging under the sink for the disinfectant.
Gillian saw Paul’s phone lying on the counter still turned on. She grabbed it, lowered it out of sight, and immediately opened the messages app and sent a quick text to her mother.
Mom. In SB CA. With Paul. Help!
She glanced up at Paul. He turned from Queen and watched Melanie clean up the floor and throw the paper towels in the garbage can.
Gillian slipped the phone behind her, hoping Paul would turn so she could delete the text from his history before the screen saver came on. He started toward her.
“It’s all good.” Melanie hurried out the sliding glass door to check on the puppy.
“Would you mind getting me some strawberries?” Gillian asked as Paul approached. “All that physical therapy has me starving.”
Surprise crossed his face and then a flash of annoyance.
There was the old Paul. She knew he was still in there.
“Melanie’s going to stay and go swimming,” he said as he walked past her.
“I wondered why she was in her suit.” What game was he playing now?
“Someone should use that pool. We pay enough for it.” He opened the fridge, digging inside for the fruit.
Gillian swiped her finger across the text message, deleting it, and then hit the sleep button and watched the phone go dark. She hoped that would be good enough as she slipped the phone back onto the counter. “Thank you,” she said as he turned around with the container of strawberries in his hand.
“I made you that tea you like.” He took a glass out of the fridge and put it on the counter next to the strawberries.
“You did? Thank you.” She gave him a warm smile.
“I’ll take those outside for you,” Melanie said, suddenly appearing next to her.