Edge of Midnight Read Online Free Page B

at the marina.
    Not until they were seated at a booth and Cary was staring out at the bay did Arlette ask “What did the doctor say?”
    â€œIt’s not Mitch’s fault.” She turned to look at Arlette.
    â€œWell, what is it? What’s the problem?”
    â€œRetinitis pigmentosa.”
    â€œWhat’s the treatment?”
    â€œThere is none. I’m going blind.”

 
    3
    Nervously waiting for Mitch to leave for work Monday morning, Cary gathered up the breakfast dishes and stacked them in the dishwasher, dampened a sponge, and wiped down the table. She tried not to make too much noise, tried not to exist too noticeably. A mouse, huddled and quivering.
    When he finally left, she took in a deep gulp of air, sat down, and carefully sipped hot coffee through her swollen mouth. When the cup was empty, she put it, too, in the dishwasher. Nothing could be different about today, a cup on the table would be a beacon.
    Kneeling on the bathroom floor, she reached behind the stack of towels for the box of Tampax, upended it, and shook. Twenty dollar bills spilled out along with the paper-wrapped cylinders. She counted the money she’d managed to squirrel away, sticking a twenty in the box whenever she could. Not all that many. Two hundred and eighty dollars that she had to lie and cheat to get. It wouldn’t take her far. Maybe she should wait until she had more money. She ached to stay with a longing that had her bending over until her forehead touched the tile floor. She could save more, and then—
    The garage door rattled open. Mitch! She jammed bills in the box, tossed it on the shelf and ran to the kitchen. Heart pounding so loud she feared he would hear it, she stood at the sink rerinsing breakfast dishes and tried not to flinch when he came up behind her, brushed aside the hair, and gently kissed the back of her neck.
    â€œJust wanted to say I’m sorry.”
    She didn’t say anything.
    â€œYou know I love you.” His voice was gentle, coaxing, and he held her in the protective circle of his arms. Lips touching her temple, he murmured, “Don’t cry, baby. Everything’s going to be all right.”
    She leaned into his hard warm chest and nestled her forehead against his throat. It felt right, like she was where she belonged.
    â€œI’m sorry, baby. Sometimes you just make me so mad and I lose it, you know? And then I feel like shit. I never mean to hurt you. I love you. You’re everything to me.”
    She managed a nod and stiffened as he pulled her tighter against him. She could hear his heartbeat.
    â€œWhat are you doing today?” he said.
    No matter how much she wanted her voice to sound normal, it came out strained and false. Would he notice? “Groceries. We’re out of a lot of things.” He always wanted to know where she would be. If she didn’t get home in the time he felt she needed for whatever errand she was doing, he got furious and pounded on her.
    â€œI’ve been thinking.” He put soft kisses in a semicircle at the top of her spine. Goose pimples broke out on her arms. “We need to get serious about starting a family. A kid or two will keep you busy.” He turned her around to face him and looked straight into her eyes. “What do you think? Wouldn’t that be nice?”
    No. Oh God, no. That would be disaster.
    â€œWhat else you up to today?”
    â€œLibrary,” she said. “I have books to go back.” One of the few places she was allowed to go. Grocery store, library, and maintenance places when necessary, like the cleaners, the hardware store, the post office. She’d stopped going swimming. Too many bruises that couldn’t be explained.
    â€œYou’re spending a lot of time at the library.” He kneaded the muscles in her shoulders.
    â€œI like to read.” He’d probably beat her to death if he knew she’d been reading about why women get locked