The radio crackles. The static white noise fade as a dazed and distraught woman rant wildly through the radio.

"...And there was just this white glob of glowy something, but I swear, I saw a figure of a man! I swear it's Jesus! The end of the world is coming! Repent!"  

Josslyn wraps one hand behind her neck and groans in misery. Nope, just my invisible husband attempting to do something we both thought was impossible. The crazy rants have been nonstop. She glances down at the pile of Lane County newsletters scattered a mess on her half functional, broken Wal-Mart coffee table. She doesn't expect to replace that table anytime soon.

Every front page of each newsletter features the same black and white image of an aura illuminating amongst a crowd of people. The press publicity never surprises her. She'd always known Edwin would be big news should he ever be discovered. The point though, is not to be discovered. 

Josslyn taps her foot with agonizing anxiety. Darn! She's biting her nails again. The last she heard from Edwin was outside the restaurant pavilion, and that's nearly a week ago. Since then, she's been worried sick and hasn't been able to function like a normal human being.

That's another challenge with loving an invisible man. She can't simply call the police to report a missing person. Well, she could but they'd more than likely throw her into a psych ward, mandate her to see a psychiatrist, or fine her to no end.

Been there. Done that.

She's learned to keep her mouth shut, stay out of the limelight, avoid public places – like fancy restaurants with poor services – and draw absolutely no attention to herself.

She stares out toward Eugene through her expansive floor to ceiling window. This million-dollar 1,700 square feet vista point is worth every penny. Heck, if she is going to live alone with a man she can't even see, she might as well live with a view.

Eugene is beautiful tonight; sitting there in autumn colors, rooftops illuminating underneath a big pale moon with not even a streak of cloud in the sky. It's considered a city, yet it feels small and quaint, which is probably because it's located on the foothills of a scenic mountainous backdrop. Oregon is truly beautiful when it wants to be beautiful. Around here, it's usually rain, fog, and more rain. Contrary to this though, Oregon receives the same amount of rainfall as anywhere else but the nonstop, slow drizzle makes it feel as though it rains more than anywhere else.

Josslyn looks toward the thick fog that has collected in the valleys between the mountains.  If Edwin isn't here, he's definitely there. She grips her chest. The thought of him all alone in the wilderness is heart wrenching.

Edwin.

She bangs her head on the window. Should I go find him?  To go would not be smart. Heck, she'd never be able to navigate those mountainous roads. She barely knows her way home yet. She's not the invisible spouse in this marriage; she'd be nothing but a tasty hors d'oeuvre to bears, cougars, and coyotes. The squirrels out here are pretty vicious. Or so she heard. She dreads the eerie darkness of the forest, the ominous pit, surrounded by sounds and roars from creatures of the night. When she's out there, she knows she's out there alone.

Josslyn sighs. But what if he needs me? Heck, what if he's really gone? She blinks back the tears. She'd never forgive him if he dares leave without saying goodbye. She doesn't want him to say goodbye.  When it comes down to it, she doesn't want to lose him - no matter how angry she is.  

If only the damn fog machine idea worked.

The glossy business card beside the sprawl of newsletters catches her eye. Grabbing her cellphone, she dials Wyatt's phone number, hoping more so that he doesn't answer.

"Johnson."

She groans silently. "Hi, it's Josslyn. We met at Excelsior Inn Ristorante last week."

She hears a loud commotion in the background. "Oh right, hi.  How are you?" He seems distracted.

Josslyn glances at the clock on her wall. It's already 10:42pm! She could be interrupting this man's ménage à trois!

"You know what? I'm sorry, it's really late, never mind." She rudely hangs up before he can reply. The phone immediately rings before she sets it down. She answers.

"It's late but I'm up. Is everything okay?" His voice is full of concern.

No. But she tells him otherwise and curses at the realization that she hadn't properly rehearsed how to exploit him. 

"I'm glad you called, Josslyn." She can sense him beaming through the line. "To be honest, you've crossed my mind a few times lately."

Josslyn scrunches her brow. This guy comes on pretty strong. She shouldn't be surprised, he had the gall to approach her at the restaurant. She has to nip this in the bud. "Look, Wyatt, I'm thankful you offered me your shoulder last week but to put it bluntly, I'm uninterested in you."

There. Edwin would be proud of her.

Wyatt chuckles. "That is very blunt. Are you this honest to all your suitors?"

"Especially to those who call at night." She blushes.

"Maybe it's the ones who redial at night that deserves the chance."

She scoffs. "Why? So I can substitute their girlfriends or wife?" It's a low blow, one she's willing to go down with. Wyatt fell into a long silence and she felt a tinge of remorse. She opens her mouth to apologize.

"No wonder you're a red head. You're as feisty as they come." Wyatt jabs back at her.

Josslyn grunts, no remorse! "That's offensive and mean."

She hangs up on Wyatt, hurling her phone at the sofa bed. Bastard! Now he's got her number to call her for fun. Edwin would be furious with her. Josslyn glances toward the valley and grimace. Edwin. She sighs a long drawn defeat and glances at her phone. Plopping down on the sofa, she radials the last number, feeling slightly ambivalent about this act of exploitation. 

"What do you want now?" Wyatt answers curtly.

"Wyatt, I'm sorry I hung up on you - twice. I lied, everything's not alright.  I-I need your help." 

Silence.

"What can I do for you?"

Josslyn's taken back. She expected karma to hang up on her. She gulps as common sense and doubt creeps in. She doesn't even know this man. Heck, he could be more dangerous than any bear she'd encounter in the wild! "Can I trust you?" She asks.

"Depends on the reason."

She rolls her eyes, "I mean, can I trust that you won't force yourself on me and dump my body off a cliff somewhere or...am I just arousing your interest?" 

Wyatt chuckles. "You've aroused my interest a long time ago, Josslyn."

She suppresses a smile.

"Besides," he continues. "You've got quite an imagination there. Can I trust you?"

Josslyn grunts. This man masters at twisting words. Pursing her lips with uncertainty, she decides to tell the truth. "No. You can't trust me."

Wyatt's taken back. "Why not?"

"Because..." Josslyn gulps, unsure how to complete the sentence.

"Because..." Wyatt encourages her. 

"Because...I am in love with an invisible man."

Wyatt bellows a thunderous laugh. He snorts, "What are you talking about? Damn, feisty and crazy!" 

"I'm not crazy!" She snaps at him. "I need to find him."

"Really?" Wyatt doesn't know whether to be amused or deeply disturbed. "How did you lose him?" He's amused. 

"Well, it's complicated."Josslyn scratches her head.

"Yeah, I bet." Wyatt snorts.

Jerk. She doesn't appreciate his sarcasm. "I lost him because I can only see him when he's...uh" Should I tell him?

"Yes?" It's his question and her answer.

"I can only see him in the fog."

Wyatt bellows an even louder laughter. Josslyn pulls the phone away to prevent a bursting eardrum. "You know what? Forget it. Forget it. You're right, big imagination here." She waves him off.

"No, no." Wyatt insists and she can literally sense him wiping tears from his eyes. "Do tell, so you're in love with an invisible man whom you can only see in the fog and you've lost him so...why do you need my help again?"

Another awkward silence passes.

"I-I need you to drive me into the mountain where the fog reside so I can find him!" There, I said it!

Wyatt laughs, "and why can't you just drive yourself?"

"Because I just moved here a week ago. I-I don't know these roads and I don't have anyone else to help me."

Wyatt sighs. "Those mountains are dangerous in the fog. I've travelled up and down them since I was a boy and even I don't dare venture up there when the fog is this dense. You'll have better luck tomorrow morning."

Wyatt hears her whimper through the line. Flashbacks of their last encounter flip through his mind. It nearly broke his heart to see such a sad beautiful woman sitting all alone in the alcove; dressed so nicely and waiting in silence for a no-show buster. 

"Don't – don't cry." He pleads.

"I'm not crying." She snaps at him.

Sure. He rolls his eyes. "Where do you live? I'll come get you but we won't go too deep though okay? I like you a lot but I'm not sure I'm ready to die for you."

Josslyn smiles and wipes her tears, "that's okay. I already have someone who will."

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