Nocturnal Obsession

Teresa’s heart pounded furiously in her chest. All she needed was to learn she’d been set up and for the police to come storming in to arrest her on suspicion of murder. Sabrina, cursing to herself at the lousy timing of the visitor, opened the door to find the mailman holding an envelope that had twenty-six cents in postage due on it. It was a letter from her teenage sister, who loved to write so much that she often overstuffed her envelopes. “What is it?” Teresa asked as soon as Sabrina shut the door. “A subpoena to appear in court.” “A subpoena to appear in court? For what?” Sabrina stepped into the adjoining kitchen and placed the envelope in a drawer. “I’ve been called to testify regarding a car accident I witnessed, and believe me, I am not looking forward to it.” “Why not?” “Because I’m not a snitch,” said Sabrina as she sat back down next to Teresa. “I hate snitching on people. It’s wrong, you know?” Teresa nodded. “So just play dumb and say you didn’t see anything.” Sabrina chuckled. “I think I just may take your advice. Now,” she said, turning to face Teresa, “back to us.” Teresa’s eyes lit up with hope. “Can there really be an us?” she asked with newfound excitement. “Absolutely, but you have to be honest with me first, Teresa.” “About what?” “About Carly.” Teresa looked away. “I need to know what happened so that we keep our stories straight. One slip and we both could go to prison for the rest of our lives. You don’t want that, do you?” “Of course not.” “Then you need to tell me how you did it, so that if the police ever question us separately, you don’t say one thing while I say another. Got it?” Teresa nodded. The moment had finally come, though Sabrina wasn’t yet relieved. Not until she was told that they’d successfully gotten the confession on tape and the girl was convicted and behind bars. “Okay,” Teresa began. “Well, it’s pretty simple, Sabrina. It’s true. I did it out of love. I did it for you, for me, for us.” Sabrina nodded when Teresa glanced at her. “I came over in a cab and said I was the new renter across the way. When Carly opened the door, I told her I feared I was having a miscarriage and that there wasn’t any phone service yet in the house. When she let me in to use the phone, I strangled her.” “I see,” said Sabrina, trying to sound unfazed. “How’d you get back home?” “Same way. I told the driver to return in something like twenty minutes and he did. You even called while I was still here. I saw the complex’s number on the caller ID box,” she said with a laugh that made Sabrina want to reach out and strangle her. “How’d you know where to go?” “I looked up the address in the phone book under your name. I called late one night and asked for Carly when a voice answered that I didn’t recognize. When she acknowledged it was her, I knew I had the right address.” Sabrina closed her eyes. Never had she wished more than she did at that moment that she’d gotten an unlisted number. She breathed deeply, opening her eyes and struggling to regain control of the anger and sorrow tearing at her heart. “So you loved me that much, huh, Teresa?” Teresa slowly glanced back at Sabrina. Something about Sabrina’s tone suddenly made her very, very uncomfortable. A surge of alarm raced through her. Something wasn’t right. Sabrina’s whole demeanor seemed to have changed in an instant. Again, there was a knock at the door. This time it wasn’t the mailman. It was a small army of police officers, both uniformed and plainclothes. Teresa rose on shaky knees. “Sabrina, please don’t tell me you set me up?” “That I did, Teresa, that I did,” said Sabrina with a sad smile. She was happy and relieved that Carly’s killer was finally brought to justice, but still, she felt sad, lost, and lonely. There would never be another Carly again. Teresa was placed under arrest, handcuffed, and Mirandized. “You bitch!” she screamed. “You fucking bitch! Sabrina, I hate you! Why couldn’t you have just loved me? That was all I ever wanted, but no, you had to go and throw it all away instead, didn’t you, and now this!” A screaming, cussing, struggling Teresa was led out to one of the squad cars as Sabrina’s father approached her. “You were right, kiddo,” he said, placing his hand firmly, yet lovingly, on his daughter’s shoulder. Sabrina smiled with gratitude, then looked downward. “Yeah, well, I guess Carly can really rest in peace now.” The sound of a key being inserted into the lock jarred Teresa awake. “Anderson,” said the female guard. “Yeah, what?” said Teresa, sitting up on the uncomfortable bed. “You got a visitor.” “My Sabrina’s come to visit?” Teresa asked with hope and excitement, scrambling to run a comb through her hair. “It’s your lawyer.” “Oh,” she said, voice dripping with disappointment. Teresa was led to a small room where her lawyer sat waiting at the heavy brown wooden table in the center. He was a court-appointed attorney. Teresa knew he was out for blood and entirely on the state’s side, but she didn’t care. She was going to break out sooner or later, no matter what anyone said or did, so she could finally be with her beloved Sabrina, who she knew must miss her terribly. Teresa took a seat across from her lawyer. He was middle-aged, with a disheveled, sloppy appearance. “Hi, Teresa,” he said cheerfully, taking some papers out of his cheap imitation leather briefcase. “I need your help, Ted,” Teresa said desperately as she sat down. “That’s what I’m here for, Teresa. I just wish I could get you to follow my advice at times.” Ignoring him, Teresa went on. “Ted, I need you to get them to stop interfering with my mail and visitation rights.” Ted stilled. “Who’s interfering with what mail and visitation, Teresa?” “The guards.” Ted looked confused. “They’re keeping Sabrina’s letters and not giving them to me. They also won’t let her visit.” “Teresa,” Ted began with a sigh, “there’s nothing to keep from you. She hasn’t been trying to visit, and she hasn’t been writing you letters. I know she’d appreciate it if you’d stop sending her all the letters you’ve been sending. That’s not going to look good in court. It just proves you’re obsessed.” Teresa folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in the hard metal folding chair. “If truly loving someone means I’m obsessed, then I’m obsessed.” “But she doesn’t love you, and she didn’t want you to kill Carly.” “Yes, she did. Deep down, I know she did, and I know she really does love me. She’s just shy about showing it at times, you know?” “No, I don’t know, Teresa. Now perhaps we should get down to business. I have other clients to see besides you.” “It’s been a month, Ted. When am I getting out of here?” Ted sighed deeply, folded his hands in front of him, and looked Teresa in the eye. “First of all, Teresa, you’re not getting out of here. I’m afraid it’ll be a very, very long time before you do, if you ever do at all. These are serious charges, and they’ve got a mountain of evidence against you. Not just your taped confession, but physical evidence found at the crime scene as well.” Teresa’s confidence faded. “So what’ll happen in the end?” “Can’t say for sure. It’ll be up to the judge.” “Up to the judge.” Ted nodded. “Up to the judge,” Teresa repeated. “You know, I’m getting awfully sick of hearing that. Everything’s up to the judge, this stranger who doesn’t even know me. Do you know how scary it is to have your fate decided by a perfect stranger, Ted? Where do people get off thinking one can simply don a black robe and sit in judgment of others?” “Well, if I could just get you to plead guilty, things would be so much easier for you,” Ted insisted. “Yeah, right,” said an exasperated Teresa as she rolled her eyes. “And just who are you trying to kid?” Ted simply stared at her. “Not me, I hope, because it won’t work.” “But if you plead guilty—” “If I plead guilty, they give me life. If I plead not guilty, they kill me. Personally, Ted, I’d take death over life any day if I can’t be with my Sabrina.” Teresa rose from her seat. “This meeting’s over, Ted. Have a nice day.” “So how do you feel now that it’s over?” Mya asked Sabrina. “Relieved. It’s been a long, exhausting trial.” “Are you sorry she didn’t get the death penalty?” “Yes and no,” said Sabrina. “Sure, she should’ve gotten a taste of her own medicine, but would it bring Carly back?” Mya had no answer. Instead, they both sat silently on Sabrina’s front porch, enjoying the beautiful weather, which had finally cooled enough to enjoy the outdoors. Mya took a sip of her soda. “Beautiful day,” she said. Sabrina looked up at the brilliant blue sky and nodded. “It is.” She took a sip of her own soda just as twenty-five-year-old Amber finished setting up her new home. It was small and only a rental, but it was hers. At least temporarily, until she got herself back on solid ground. It had been a bitter breakup between her and Jade. Their relationship had lasted just over a year but had been stormy. Eventually, Amber decided she’d been rained on enough by Jade’s constant cheating, mounting drug habit, and excessive drinking. “Why do I always get the losers?” Amber asked herself aloud. She felt a little closed in, stood up, and walked to the front window. She lifted the shade that had been blocking the sunshine. Her breath caught in her throat. Sitting in front of the house across from hers were two women. Both looked to be in their mid-to-late twenties. The Mexican-looking one was okay, but the other was absolutely breathtaking. Even from a distance, Amber could see and admire her brilliant white smile and the way her long, lean body moved as the two stood up and strolled around the front of the house, seemingly discussing plans for a landscaping project. The sunlight glinted off the woman’s silky hair. Amber’s heartbeat accelerated. She knew without a doubt that she absolutely had to have this woman.