Chapter 5

The paramedics arrived, their uniforms crisp and efficient. They assessed Suzi’s health with clinical precision: blood pressure, glucose levels, oxygen saturation, breathing, and reflexes—all near perfection. But Suzi was adamant, refusing their well-intentioned offer to take her to the hospital.

“I’m fine,” she declared, her voice unwavering. “Let’s go celebrate my birthday.”

Her dog, Ygritte, lounged nearby. The creature seemed utterly disinterested in the commotion. Despite Suzi’s affection, Ygritte embodied the aloofness of a cat. Only when Aiden, Suzi’s husband, entered the room did Ygritte’s demeanor shift. Excitement radiated as she nuzzled Aiden’s hand, her tail thumping against the couch.

“Bitch,” Judy muttered, her disdain evident.

And so, they embarked on an afternoon of celebration. Suzi’s favorite spots in Naperville beckoned, and the city held memories etched in laughter and shared secrets. Aiden’s attention felt familiar as if the past two and a half years had never intervened. Yet, he maintained a respectful distance, avoiding overt physical contact or public displays of affection. Suzi sensed his longing—the accidental brush of their hands at the outlet mall lingered, unspoken but palpable.

His laughter, once a symphony in her life, now echoed as a distant memory. She yearned for the carefree moments they once shared.

Meanwhile, Suzi and Rio adhered to tradition. Clothes, jewelry, and shoes filled their shopping bags, each item meticulously planned for future outings. Aiden dutifully carried the load, content in his wife’s happiness.

As dusk settled, they indulged in Chicago-style hot dogs from a street vendor. The mild evening breeze whispered promises of departure. Suzi faced the inevitable: her husband and daughter had lives to return to.

“Maybe we should head back,” Rio suggested. The drive to Jeff City loomed—a six-hour journey for her, followed by Aiden’s additional three hours.

But Aiden interjected, “Why rush? We could stay another night. Get a hotel room here in Naperville.”

Suzi could hear hope coloring his voice. He wanted another night like last night.

“YES! Please stay!” Annie screamed. “I want to ride you like…”

Suzi could almost see her grinding and licking a stripper pole.

Suzi ignored her lustful instincts. “It’s up to you guys. I’m fine if you need to take off. I want to make sure you are not too tired to drive.”

“It’s up to Rio. You know I can stay awake, and driving at night does not bother me.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t stay. The longer I’m gone, the more difficult the stories become for my alter egos, and we have to make excuses as to why I haven’t been online or able to FaceTime with some of the ACMs we have on the hook.”

Understanding the call of career and duty all too well, Suzi hugged Rio. “Ok, kid.”

Suzi could almost feel Suzanne and Annie in her head, hugging and consoling each other over Aiden and Rio's impending departure.

The pickup truck rumbled to life, carrying them back to Suzi’s modest apartment. Aiden, ever the gentleman, assisted with the bags, their contents a mix of shoes, jewelry, and memories. The girls huddled together, sorting through their newfound treasures. Shoes were swapped, necklaces exchanged, and laughter filled the room. Suzi and Rio had shared clothes and shoe sizes since Rio was fourteen; this ritual was as familiar as an old song.

Meanwhile, Aiden tended to Ygritte, and leashed her for a walk, promising his wife and daughter a swift return. Being a friendly little community, supportive of the arts and pet-friendly people, Aiden lashed Ygritte’s leash to a pole next to a small patch of grass and a water fountain for dogs. She sat and he scratched her ears.

“I’ll be right back,” he told her. She cocked her head; confusion lingered in her eyes as Aiden disappeared into the shop.

Inside, he conversed with the lady behind the desk, his purpose clear. A purchase was made—a secret gift for Suzi. He left the shop and led Ygritte back to his pickup where they sat for a few minutes before heading up to the apartment..

The girls were done with their fashion show and sitting on the bed talking. Aiden took the leash from Ygritte’s collar and hung it on its hook beside the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and stood at the doorway, listening to the girls’ chat.

“No, she’s still not talking to me,” Suzi lamented. The topic: Aiden and Suzi’s oldest daughter, Maeve.

Maeve’s journey had been tumultuous. After coming out as a lesbian during her senior year of high school, she moved out of her parent’s house. Suzi and Aiden supported her, but Maeve’s path took an unexpected turn. She joined an alternative religious group, the “Path to Light,” alongside her girlfriend, Lilly. Their letters spoke of freedom, but Aiden and Suzi sensed something darker—a cult-like grip that demanded more than money.

Despite their love, Maeve and Lilly distanced themselves from Suzi and Aiden, even after the girls moved in with Lilly’s parents.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“She still talks and visits with your mom pretty regularly,” Aiden added.

Suzi shot him an icy stare. He knew better than to place ownership of that woman with her. Aiden threw his hands up in surrender.

Rio, packing her belongings, hugged her mom. “Love you, Mom. I hope you had a good birthday. Follow up with the doctor, okay?”

Suzi’s sarcastic reply masked her concern. She returned the hug, then playfully slapped Rio’s rear. “Great birthday, love you too.”

Aiden handed Rio the keys, hope flickering in his eyes. “I’ll meet you down there, yeah?”

Rolling her eyes, Rio accepted the keys. “Whatever.” She bestowed a kiss on Ygritte’s head and stepped out into the night.

Aiden set his water bottle aside, taking Suzi’s hands. Her smile held back tears—the fear that thirty more months would pass before they met again. But in that fleeting moment, their connection remained unbroken.

“Do. Not. Sleep. With. Him.” Judith protested again.

“Fuck his brains out!” Annie contradicted.

He gazed into her eyes, the weight of years apart etched in the lines around them. “Happy Birthday, Suzi,” his voice trembled, a fragile bridge between longing and hope. “I’ve missed you. I want to keep in touch more often. If you want to stay here, I think I’m willing to leave Missouri and be up here with you, but I don’t want to until you are ready, and only if you want me to. Mom and Dad can manage, and I should have come to this conclusion when we had this discussion so long ago.”

From his pocket, he produced a small box, its edges softened by secrets and promises.

“These are for us,” he whispered, unveiling two iridescent purple polarized rings. Suzi’s breath hitched as she beheld them—their delicate curves and the promise they held.

“These are those fancy relationship rings. When you touch this sensor, it vibrates and turns blue to let the other person know you are thinking about them. Mine is already synced to my phone.” He put his on his left ring finger. “Once you sync yours, you’ll be able to see my heart rate, O2 level, my location, and a bunch of other stuff that it tracks in real-time, and I’ll be able to see yours. They light up red if there is an emergency or one of the readings is too low.”

Suzi’s awe danced with skepticism. Cheesy, perhaps, but she’d secretly yearned for this technology when it first emerged.

“I… I’m not sure,” she faltered, caught between his love's pull and her path's uncertainty.

His heartache mirrored hers. She was unraveling him, thread by thread.

“I know I want you,” she continued, her voice a fragile filament. “But my life—it’s a puzzle missing pieces. I can’t ask you to uproot for me.”

His reply was swift, fervent. “Anywhere you go, I’ll follow. Orlando, New York, the moon—I’ll work from there. But Suzi, if something happened, if you needed me urgently, I couldn’t bear the distance.”

She hesitated, torn between past and present. “You know I don’t do well with ultimatums,” she confessed.

“It’s not one,” he insisted, his gaze unwavering. “Just clarity. Either we’re together or apart. There is no grey area.”

“Let me think,” she murmured, cradling the ring. Then, impulsively, she rose on tiptoe, arms encircling his head, and kissed him—a promise, a plea. “Thank you for last night. I needed that. By New Year, I’ll have an answer. I love you, and I miss you.”

“Okay,” he whispered, lifting her, lips trailing fire along her neck.

She swooned and leaned into it for a few seconds. She then pushed him away. “Stop that!” she giggled. “Rio is waiting on you.”

“Unnggg! Don’t stop that!” the sexually frustrated Annie pleaded.

And then he stepped back and left without another word but an endearing smile. Suzi’s tears mirrored the rain outside. As the door closed, she crumpled, knees meeting the floor. Ygritte, her loyal dog, nuzzled her, offering solace in wet kisses.

Minutes passed—a storm of grief and longing. She wiped her face, then programmed her ring, slipping it on. A pale blue glow, three vibrations—the promise of connection. Aiden’s heart rate, his journey—they unfolded on her phone. Seventy-five miles per hour. No turning back now.

She responded to the rest of the texts and DMs she had ignored throughout the day and called Nick, informing him she’d be back at work the next day. His silence forced her to leave a voicemail—a hollow echo in the void.

As Suzi reclined, the past days' events swirled—a kaleidoscope of strangeness. Dr. Adamson lingered in her thoughts—missing, yet not dead. Where was he? His absence gnawed at her. Surely, an injured man would seek a hospital. But answers would have to wait.

Her own episode haunted her—a three-day slumber-

“The doctor said a meditative state,” Judith corrected.

But Suzi didn’t know how to meditate. Aiden had found her in that bathroom trance while she was glimpsing her myriad of personas.

“One of us! One of us!” playful Annie chimed, reverting to childlike habits now that sexual targets were absent.

An idea sparked. Suzi accessed the app on the ring Aiden had gifted her. Not only could she monitor her own vitals, but it also had an alarm feature. She set a 15-minute alarm, activated the recording, and faced the mirror. Deep into her eyes, she stared, seeking answers within the spines of her irises and the gold around her pupils.

Tunnel vision descended, darkness coiling. The familiar view emerged—the eleven rooms, each housing a distinct personality. The dark room and the one room that remained empty baffled her. Recognition wavered as her ring vibrated—brief pulses, like a heartbeat.

Fifteen minutes had already passed—felt like seconds. She checked her phone. Heart rate, blood pressure, breathing—all dipped, mimicking a deep sleep. She would have to think about this a bit more.

She changed into her sleep shorts and a shirt she had taken from Aiden, which he had worn the day before. It still smelled like him. She crawled into bed and tried her best to clear her mind, pressing the sensor on her ring one more time before drifting off to sleep.

She had a fitful sleep before finally calming down. She did not know how much time had passed before a splitting headache shot her bolt upright. It felt like claws tearing at both sides of her brain. She tried to grab the sides of her head but her arms felt like anchors – they were so heavy – almost as if they were pinned down, but she could see that they weren’t. Breathing was challenging as well, but this was not an asthma attack.

She could see the outline of someone above her, almost like a smoky ghost. At first, she thought she was hallucinating, but it was real. She could feel them.

“Ab tor gnact set fet arn,” a fiendish growl came from inside her head.

Suzi could feel the power within her build. She had control of her body but she was not controlling it. A rage filled her. She grasped the smoke, which solidified into a creature unlike Suzi had ever imagined—a gray, imp-like creature with scaly skin, yellow teeth, red, bulging eyes, and long, bony, sharp fingers. It was panicked, clawing feverishly at Suzi’s arm that held it aloft.

“Gnur jaha set fet rayet ir?” she heard herself say.

Her body stood up, holding the creature above the bed. Suzi was no longer in control.

The imp creature cried out through gnashing teeth and spittle, “Rayet tir sint fet carhir. Rayet tir Azailkahbil.”

Suzi didn’t know what that meant, but she knew this was the language Dr. Adamson and the other man were arguing.

“Azailkahbil tonta set fik? Aya tonta set adet pey?” her voice asked.

The imp’s frantic struggle peeled gashes into her arm. It paused as if surrendering to an inevitable fate. “Azailkahbil tonta…” The words hung in the air, then it yielded, its form slackening. “…tonta pey.”