Undesirable

LAURIE looked at the blank screen of her phone. The call ended minutes ago, but her heart was still hammering inside her chest. The last words that she heard from the other line were still lurking in her mind. Those words were spoken by a husky voice of a man… The man that Laurie has been dreading to see every day of her life.

“Miss Laurie,” a soft voice of the restaurant’s waitress called her attention.

Laurie heaved a sigh and plastered a smile on her face before she turned around. “Yes, Filipa?”

The French woman smiled. “We got another order of your garlic pasta,” she said in French. ‘It looks like our customers love your recipe.”

She forced a smile on her face. “That’s good news…” she said and started moving into the kitchen. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

Laurie was in the middle of plating the pasta when Felix, the bartender in her husband’s restaurant, approached her. In his late forties, the man still managed to maintain a good lifestyle by frequent visits to the gym.

“I’m really glad that Chef Ken married you, Laurie,” he said, beaming at her. “You gave life in this dark and gloomy restaurant.”

Laurie let out an awkward laughed. “I’m flattered,” she replied as she topped the pasta with a basil leaf. “I’m happy to meet all of you too.”

“We’re happy too, Laurie!” Felix tapped her shoulders. “Wait for a minute…” he paused, then narrowed her eyes at her. “Today is your second anniversary here at KentoBox, right?”

She nodded. “Yes…” She must admit, she has forgotten about it. “I-It’s my second year here…”

“And, it also means that your wedding anniversary is just around the corner!” Filipa butt in and snatched the pasta plate on the table. She swiftly placed it on her tray and strolled gracefully outside the kitchen.

“Do you have plans tonight? This calls for a celebration,” Felix asked hopefully.

Laurie lowered her head and remembered that she got a call from Ken just a few minutes ago. Her husband is reminding her that today is Friday… And Friday means dirty play. Laurie shut her eyes at the horrible events that flashed in her mind. She bit her lower lip and took a deep breath. Before Felix could notice her uneasiness, she opened her eyes and looked at him with a fake smile.

“I’d love to have a few drinks with all of you, but I’m afraid I can’t,” she started with a forced smile on her face. Sometimes, Laurie wondered if the café staff noticed her reluctance in talking about her husband. “Ken just called me earlier. We have plans tonight,” she continued.

Felix grinned and narrowed his eyes at her. “What kind of plans?” he asked, “is that some kinda planning to have a new member of the family?”

Laurie almost flinched from that question. The restaurant staff doesn’t know anything about Ken when he’s out of the restaurant or what he does when he’s not wearing the chef’s uniform. All they know is that Ken is a successful bachelor, and every woman would swoon over him just to get his attention. That was also what she thought he was before… before he asked her to marry him.

“I-I don’t know,” she said and looked away. “Ken is always up for something that surprises the hell out of me.” 

Laurie doesn’t know if she sounded scared instead excited with what she said. And, she doesn’t have the energy to worry about it anymore. Her mind is occupied with what will happen when she gets home. Will she survive? 

Time flies inside the kitchen, and before Laurie knows it, the clock has struck six in the afternoon. She caught her chest as her heart started to hammer wildly. Should I escape? She ditched the question in her mind. She knew for a fact that wherever she goes, Ken can still find her. 

After she informed her co-workers that she’ll out early, Laurie quickly went to the locker to change clothes. As soon as she stepped out of the restaurant, her hands felt cold. The Paris’ afternoon breeze felt cold in her cheeks. It was as if the wind is kissing her worries away. Was it? Laurie doubted it. If the sky really cared for her, why would they let her feet walked towards Ken’s restaurant? Why would they let her gaze reverted to Ken while he’s doing wonders with the use of dough and icing inside the showroom of the restaurant? Why would they let her heart wrongfully beat fast for him?

Laurie wanted to laugh at herself. And, why would she blame the sky for the destiny that she chose to have? She let herself fell for Ken’s trap, and no one is to blame for that but her.

She hailed the first cab that passed by the street. The driver has to ask her twice the destination before she could finally spat the block address of Ken’s house—it was their house, actually. But she can’t stomach to call it her home.

Home is where you feel safe and sound, right? Ken’s house doesn’t offer any of the two but danger. Especially when it’s Friday night, she’ll receive a message or a phone call from Ken before her shift at the café ends.

Laurie dragged her heavy feet out of the vehicle when the driver stopped in front of the vast gate. She knew that Ken is looking at her on the monitors of his CCTV cameras as she walked towards the entrance. She pressed the code on the intercom, and the tall gates automatically opened.

The house was lit in every corner. Laurie finds it unusual because Ken hated bright lights, especially on Friday nights. She looked upstairs, and her gaze stopped at their bedroom door. Laurie felt her chest squeezing her heart, and she doesn’t know why.

She went to the stairs and slowly took steps until he reached their bedroom door. “Ken…?” she called in a whisper.

Laurie heard a shuffling noise inside the room. When it stopped, she held the doorknob and found the door unlocked. Holding her breath, Laurie pushed it open. She gasped at the sight of a naked woman on the bed, her legs were spread wide while her hands were bounded by a rope. Before she fainted, Laurie saw Ken stepping out of the toilet, naked and holding something in his hand… 

She has to escape… She needed to run… But why she felt something inside her is preventing her from doing it?

***