Vivian had opened Sami's body before Brian arrived; Brian had wrapped it with tape and carried it upstairs. That's when he noticed his daughter, Love, playing with her toys. She looked up at him and said something, though it was unintelligible.
"You're right, sweetie. Daddy's done nothing wrong. Everything happens for a reason, right, baby?" Brian said. Love continued her babble. Brian nodded, acknowledging her, then moved to the window, sliding the curtain aside to peek outside. People were out, though it wasn't fully dark. Some parked in front of their houses, others walked by.
"Shit," Brian thought. "What the fuck am I gonna do? What the fuck am I gonna do?" He was trapped. He couldn't carry the body like this—people were watching him, suspicious. He had been accused of murder just last week; being caught now would be disastrous.
As his cigarette neared its end, Brian kept watching Love. She banged her toys around; a dragon figurine's tail got tangled in the threads of the rug. Love tried to pull it free but couldn't; at nine months old, she couldn't understand. Brian quickly helped, freeing the toy and handing it back to her with a kiss and a smile. Suddenly, a plan sparked in his mind.
Brian carried the wrapped carpet outside. People passing by looked on with a mix of fear and hatred. He placed the first carpet in the back seat, went back for the others, deliberately spilling whiskey and juice to mask any suspicion. By the time he returned with the last one, the trunk was full except for the space for Sami's wrapped body. He carefully placed it in the trunk and closed the lid.
"Hey man, what's up?" a familiar voice called from the sidewalk. Brian turned, face tense, and saw Marcus.
"Briaaann! Missed you, man, how you been?" Marcus said, hugging him. Brian was sweating, breathless.
"You good, man?" Marcus asked, placing his hands on Brian's shoulders.
"I'm good, Marcus. What about you?" Brian stepped back, leaning against the trunk. Marcus immediately began asking about the carpets, trying to make sense of it, but also sinking deeper into the lies.
"How the hell did you manage to spill drinks on all those carpets at once, man?" Marcus asked, eyes fixed on Brian.
Brian crossed his arms, back still against the trunk. "If you've got a nine-month-old at home, anything's possible, man. Hahaha." But the laughter sounded hollow.
"Really?" Marcus stared but quickly changed the topic. "Hey…you wouldn't know anything about where Vivian is, would you?"
Brian had just caught his breath, sweat cooling. "Wh-why would I know where she is, huh?"
"You know, you're pretty close with her. Thought you might know."
"No, no, I don't know, really." Brian adjusted his stance, left arm resting on the trunk, right hand holding his left.
"Wasn't she here this morning?" Marcus asked.
"Fuck, fuck, what do I say? What do I say?" Brian thought, panicking internally. Staying silent could draw attention.
"Yeah, sure," he said finally. "She was here."
"She tell you where she was headed?"
"Nah man, but I'm pretty sure she's alright. Don't you worry, man." Brian suddenly put his arm around Marcus's shoulder.
"What've I told you, huh? Didn't I tell you to give her the alone time she wants?" Brian walked with him, talking.
"I know, I know, man. You're upset, you want her back, but if you rush, nothing will get solved. You have to wait, be patient, trust her," Brian said.
"How can I trust her? How do I know she hasn't left me for good?" Marcus asked.
"Why would she leave you for good? Look, man, she told me just two or three days ago that she's crazy about you, but she needs a little more time alone. That's why you shouldn't worry."