Chapter 2: The Man Who Knew My Name
For three seconds, nobody moved.
The restaurant continued around us as if nothing had happened.
A fork clinked against a plate.
Someone at the bar laughed.
A server walked past carrying a tray of drinks.
But at our table, the air had turned heavy.
I looked at the man.
Then at Vanessa.
Then back at him.
“You know my name?”” I asked.
Derrick swallowed.
Vanessa stood so quickly that her chair scraped against the floor.
“Marcus, please.””
I didn't look at her.
“How does he know my name?””
“Because—”
Vanessa stopped.
I waited.
She had always been good at filling silence.
That night, she had nothing.
The man finally pushed his chair back.
“I'm Derrick.””
I stared at him.
“I didn't ask your name.””
His jaw tightened.
Vanessa reached for her purse.
“We should go somewhere private.””
“No.””
Her hand froze.
I pointed at the chair.
“Sit down.””
She looked around.
People were beginning to notice.
A woman at the next table glanced over, then quickly looked away.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“Don't embarrass me.””
I laughed once.
It wasn't a happy sound.
“You told me you were at the hospital.””
“I was going to explain.””
“Explain what?””
She looked at Derrick.
He looked at her.
That single exchange told me more than either of them could have said.
I pulled out the empty chair opposite them and sat.
Derrick remained standing.
“Sit,” I said.
He slowly lowered himself.
Vanessa sat beside him.
Not across from him.
Beside him.
I noticed that.
I noticed everything now.
“How long?”” I asked.
Vanessa frowned.
“How long what?””
“How long have you known him?””
She looked down.
“A few months.””
Derrick shifted.
I looked at him.
“Is that true?””
He nodded.
“Yeah.””
Vanessa snapped her head toward him.
“Derrick.””
“What?”” he said quietly.
“You asked me to tell the truth.””
I felt something inside me crack.
I turned toward Vanessa.
“You asked him to tell the truth?””
She rubbed her forehead.
“Marcus, this isn't what you think.””
I almost smiled.
“That sentence should be printed on every liar's business card.””
Her eyes filled with anger.
“I am not lying about everything.””
“Everything?””
She reached for her phone.
I watched her fingers tremble.
“Marcus, my mother really is sick.””
“I know.””
“Then stop acting like none of that matters.””
“I never said it didn't.””
“Then why are you doing this?””
I stared at her.
“Because you told me you were taking care of her while you were sitting here with him.””
Derrick leaned forward.
“Marcus, I can explain.””
I turned to him.
“You have thirty seconds.””
He looked at Vanessa.
She whispered, “Don't.””
That was when I understood.
She wasn't afraid of me.
She was afraid of what he might say.
I leaned back.
“Go ahead.””
Derrick rubbed his palms together.
“We met through work.””
“What kind of work?””
“Consulting.””
Vanessa nodded quickly.
“That's right.””
I looked at their plates.
“You work together?””
“Yes,” Vanessa said.
“Then why was she kissing you?””
Silence.
Derrick's face reddened.
Vanessa looked down.
I could hear the faint hum of the restaurant's air conditioning.
Finally, Vanessa whispered, “It happened once.””
I stared at her.
“You kissed him twice while I was sitting twenty feet away.””
Her eyes snapped up.
“You were watching me?””
“Yes.””
“How long?””
“Long enough.””
She covered her mouth.
Derrick looked at me.
“I didn't know you were here.””
“That makes two of us.””
Vanessa's phone vibrated.
She flinched.
All three of us looked at it.
The screen lit up.
A message preview appeared.
*Mom: Marcus just called me. Why is he asking where you are?*
Vanessa grabbed the phone.
I reached across the table.
She pulled it away.
“Give me that.””
“No.””
“Vanessa.””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
I stood.
“Call your mother.””
She stared at me.
“Why?””
“Because apparently she's at the hospital.””
Vanessa said nothing.
“Call her.””
Derrick looked uncomfortable.
“Vanessa, maybe you should.””
She turned toward him.
“Whose side are you on?””
He stared at her.
“I don't think there are sides.””
I looked at him.
For the first time, he looked genuinely afraid.
I sat back down.
“Put her on speaker.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“Marcus, please.””
“Speaker.””
She pressed a number.
The call rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then a woman's sleepy voice answered.
“Vanessa?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Hey, Mom.””
Her mother's voice changed immediately.
“What's wrong?””
“Nothing.””
“Why did Marcus just call me?””
Vanessa's face drained of color.
I didn't say a word.
Her mother continued.
“He said you weren't answering his texts and that he was worried because you told him you were with me.””
Vanessa looked at the table.
“I am with you.””
“No, you're not.””
The words landed like a gunshot.
Vanessa stopped breathing.
Derrick looked at me.
Her mother continued.
“I'm home, honey. I've been home since six.””
Nobody spoke.
I could hear the restaurant around us.
A glass shattered somewhere near the kitchen.
Someone whispered.
Vanessa slowly lowered the phone.
Her mother was still talking.
“Vanessa? Are you there?””
Vanessa ended the call.
I looked at her.
She couldn't meet my eyes.
“Tell me,” I said quietly, “what exactly were you planning to do tonight?””
She finally looked up.
Her eyes were wet.
“I was going to tell you.””
“When?””
“Soon.””
“When?””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Derrick suddenly stood.
“I think I should leave.””
Vanessa grabbed his wrist.
“No.””
I watched her hold him.
Then I looked at her wedding ring.
“You don't want him to leave.””
She whispered, “Marcus…”
“Do you love him?””
Her face crumpled.
Derrick closed his eyes.
I waited.
Vanessa didn't answer.
Instead, her phone vibrated again.
She looked down.
Her expression changed instantly.
“What?”” I asked.
She didn't respond.
I reached for the phone.
This time, she didn't stop me.
The message was from an unknown number.
*You need to ask your husband what happened three years ago.*
I looked at Vanessa.
May you like
She was staring at me.
And judging by the fear in her eyes, she knew exactly what that message meant.