Bright lights shimmered on my face. Two flickers of my lids and my eyes were wide open. Squinting, I turned away from the side window and glanced at the clock. 5:00 AM. Time for jogging. I yawned and sat up, pulling the spread off my body.

     I glanced at my phone screen. It was pitch-black. Stretching a hand, I went for it from the nightstand and pressed the power button. Nothing. Another try. Total blackness. I pulled my hair backward and smacked my head, remembering I had turned it off the previous night. If Tom was going to find me, my phone would be the blazing arrow. I had no idea if he could still trace me here with my phone off. But he was capable of the impossible when he was desperate.

     I’d need a burner. For now, I’d take my chances. I jabbed the power button. It took a while for it to boot. Soon, I stared at the photo of Tom and me skiing the Alps. I would need to change the background. Constant remembrance of our nostalgic moments would conceal the bad side of him. The side I had turned a blind eye to. But not this time.

     I had missed James’ call and had a message from Grace. I scrolled down to her text.

     Hey. Great to hear you made it. Tough day. I hope this time you make the right decision. I’m glad you saw him for who he is—a jerk. Oh, and before I forget, the elk isn’t real. It won’t hurt you. Love.

     I smiled reading the last two sentences. Grace had such a nasty sense of humor. I texted her back.

      I will this time. I hope he doesn’t go mad. And sure. Thanks for the tip. Love.

     I tapped send, then went through my call logs and rang James. I listened to the low monotone beep, fiddling with my nails. When someone picked, it wasn’t James. My face dropped. I had hoped to hear his voice.

     A woman with a terrible cold snapped, “Who’s this?”

     I hesitated. Something told me the woman on the line was James’ wife as I feared. And the tone of her voice indicated she wasn’t in the mood.

     “Hi,” I said breezily, realizing how awkward I sounded listening to my voice. “I’m Elodie—”

     “You bitch!” she yelled, cutting me off. “Stay away from my husband!” Then she hung up on me.

     I took the phone off my ear and stared blankly at the screen. What just happened? I didn’t know which one shocked me—learning James was married, or his belligerent wife calling me a bitch.

     I coiled strands of my hair around my finger and twisted it. I thought James and I could catch up, but it didn’t look possible. If James was having marital problems, I certainly didn’t want to add insult to injury. I’d stick to the usual plan. Contemplating my marriage.

     I dropped my phone on the pillow and slid out of the bed, tying straps around my waist. I stepped into the bathroom, splashed water on my face, brushed my teeth, and used the toilet. Then I took a cold shower. The word bitch echoed in my head as the water cascaded down my body and splattered on the floor. I couldn’t shake it off. What a great way to start my morning, I scoffed.

     A short while later, I stood behind an oval mirror on the vanity, fixing my headband. I bent down and laced my sneakers. Clara hadn’t woken yet, and I made sure she stayed like that as I went downstairs and fetched a long glass of milk in the kitchen.

     I carried it with me to the sink, sipping while opening the blinds. There wasn’t any sign of the Bergers, but their Mazda 6 was in front of the house. As I stood hoping to catch sight of them, I couldn’t resist the thought I was infatuated with the Bergers. I didn’t know why I was suddenly keeping track of them when I came here to think about myself.

     As long as they were here, they were going to be a distraction. I had to discipline myself. I shouldn’t get close to them, but I knew I already had. Tonight I’d be meeting both of them over dinner. Had I made a mistake accepting Amy’s invite?

*  *  *

     The weather wasn’t good for a morning jog, but I still looked forward to the challenge. The passing buildings disappeared in the side window as I slowly neared the cul-de-sac. Somehow the park was deserted. It wasn’t all surprising to me. I didn’t expect anyone to be out here in this weather. All the better for me.

     I parallel parked to the curb. I didn’t see a NO PARKING sign, so I assumed it was safe. And there were two other cars parked there too. Unfastening the seat belt, I picked up the map of the area I’d be covering from the dashboard. I splayed it on my lap and went over it once again. Through the windscreen, I saw several names of trails printed on signposts. I easily fished out my trail and consulted the map again.

     I grabbed my transparent water bottle from the passenger seat and sipped from it. This should be easy. Folding the paper into its initial size, I tossed it back onto the dashboard. I stepped out and stood close to my car, staring at the terrain up ahead of me. I locked my car, tucked the keys into my fanny pack, and then set out.

     * * *

     My trail should have ended two minutes ago according to my watch, but I wasn’t right back at where I had parked my Lexus. I didn’t even make it to my turnaround point. Instead, I was trudging on a long meandering road that didn’t seem to have an end. Worse, the morning sun had been obscured by pines that towered over me, casting odd shadows on the road. Fallen leaves crunched beneath my feet as I cautioned myself to jog on.

     If I lost them, I’d be hopelessly trapped, and without my phone, there’d be nobody to call—only if there was a signal down here, and I’d be wandering in the forest around me—a mosaic of bright hues of green that colored the leaves.

     Inhaling the crisp air, I increased my steps. If I continued jogging, the crunching was going to alert them. They would know I had been following them. At this moment, that was my only choice if I wanted to get back safe and sound to the farmhouse. They seemed to know where they were headed in contrast to me.

     When I saw the Bergers on my trail, all tall and immaculate in their matching joggers, I thought it would be fun to follow them, guessing they were headed down my trail. Now it wasn’t fun any more. My feet ached, and I couldn’t stop feeling like a stalker.

     The chirping of birds that I had found melodious when I started this trail was becoming incessant they weren’t any more. To top it all off, the winds wouldn’t stop blowing, so the trees would also cease shedding off their leaves and rustling like the whole forest was about to be bulldozed. But whose fault was that?

     It was easy for me to chide nature for the inevitable rather than enjoy it when it was my fault for winding up on a trail I shouldn’t have. Curiosity surely killed the cat. I pressed on, my breath forming tiny clouds in the air.

     The Bergers definitely worked out every single day. They hadn’t interrupted their run. Not once, while I, on the other hand, had occasionally stopped, placed my hands on my knees, and panted. This was hopeless. If I continued like this, I was going to faint.

     I stopped momentarily and stretched my legs, and hands, then summoning the little energy left, I raced down the road, only slowing a couple of paces from them. I inhaled, then exhaled swiftly—through my nose and mouth and wiped off the beads of sweat on my face. If they saw me all drenched, they would wonder if I was sane.

     I was close now, enough to attract their attention, but I didn’t. I wanted everything to come off as spontaneous. I was on my trail around this area and we bumped into each other. That wouldn’t raise suspicion. It was a perfect ruse.

     Everything came off naturally. I kicked the rock in front of me so hard that I wished I hadn’t. Then I went down to the ground with a yell I was certain would awaken the dead. “Ouch!”
    
     They halted simultaneously in their tracks and turned around. It was Amy who hurried to my side, pulling off the earpiece. She crouched over me and touched my shoulder. “Are you all right?”

     Without lifting my head, I said, massaging my ankle, “Yes. I’m fine.”

     Alec walked up to us. “Elodie?”

     I almost gasped. He recognized me even without seeing my face, and my hair was tied back into a ponytail. He must’ve recognized my voice.

     Act normal. They don’t know. I stood gingerly and widened my eyes. “Hey!” I said, my eyes swinging from Amy to Alec. “It’s you guys.” I feigned a smile.

     They seemed to buy my white lies, so I kept on, “Great spot you picked for your trail. I love the scenery.”

     They were quiet when I ended. They just stared at my face, but I didn’t cower. My heart raced so loud that I heard the beat. The pulse from my wrist wasn’t any better. Maybe these little signs had given me up, and they’d guessed I was tailing them. Unlike me, they were relaxed.

     “Well,” Alec sighed, “you certainly have been on the road for a while. You look exhausted.”

     He glanced at Amy. “Maybe we should head back together.” He leaned forward and retrieved a strand of hair from her undereye.
 
     Cute, I thought.

     She bobbed her head and said, casting me a look, “Yeah. Elodie doesn’t look better than any of us. Do you always jog like that?” Her voice was pleasantly soft when she asked me. She had no idea I was tailing them and was just curious about my running style.

     I giggled, hoping a little humor might neutralize the tension. “Only when I’m hyperactive.”

     They exchanged a look, then laughed.

     “You sure were hyperactive,” Alec said, turning to Amy. “We’re heading to Galaxy Grill for breakfast. Want to join us?”

     They seemed to know the areas better than I did, but then I realized they’d been here before me.

     “Yes. I’d love to,” I said quickly when in reality I wasn’t hungry. The truth was, I wanted to get the hell out of this place and never set foot here. They were my only way out.

     Alec placed an arm on Amy’s nape, and she reciprocated the gesture, walking a distance from me. The scene reminded me of when I was a newlywed. Tom and I used to visit the gym on Fifth Avenue, then we’d drive to the nearest diner before heading back home.

     Sometimes, I wished this was a nightmare and very soon I’d awake. But it wasn’t. This is my life now, I reminded myself. Maybe I’d divorce Tom. If I did, I wasn’t sure I’d remarry. Seeing Amy and Alec... together like that—I couldn’t stop the feeling of not wanting a divorce. Could Tom and I work things out and–

     Alec called out, waving a hand in the air. “Are you coming?”

     I blinked. How did they cover such a wide distance? I shouted, “Yes! Right after you!”