Linda awoke because of the silence. They weren’t moving and something had caught her eye. Jeremy seemed to be standing outside, a few dozen feet away, looking over the railing. She turned to look at the vacant driver seat as if to confirm that it was him. The light at the bottom of the door was on; Jeremy must have left the door slightly ajar so as not to wake her when he got out.
Linda’s fingers pulled on her own door handle. She tried to step out but the seat belt restrained her. Fumbling for the clip, she was finally free, stepping into the cool night air. She glanced back inside to make sure the kids were still asleep in the back, catching a quick reflection of her face in the rear window. For a moment she felt a little deja vu – it felt like all the holiday trips when they stopped over at fill up stations at night; only this time the overhead lights came from the amber glow of a street lamp in the middle of nowhere.
Her skin tingled as she walked toward Jeremy. It was a rarefied feeling, walking on the side of a somewhat deserted highway. When her feet hit the curb of the bridge the sounds around her changed. Roads always had an interesting tone – in the dead of night, they were usually the sound of desolation, or at least that’s what she thought desolation sounded like. She wiped he face and pushed her hair behind her ears and then tucked her hands beneath her arms as she walked toward her husband. She could hear faint sounds of running water now, or perhaps that was just the breeze playing tricks.
She slowed as she neared him. He hadn’t moved at all. He wasn’t looking down but rather straight ahead, presumably at the dark water down river – or was it up river, she couldn’t tell.
“Jay.” Her voice was soft but firm. She wanted to tap him on the shoulder but thought it too startling.
“Jay. What are you doing?”
Linda glanced around as if to make sure they were alone. He must not have heard.
Her mouth opened again, but then his head turned, slowly. He was looking at their car now, and then his eyes wondered again.
Her eyebrows furrowed. She took a step closer and reached toward him. “JAY!”
He swiveled on his heels immediately, his head whipped round, his eyes wide open… he stared at her for a moment, “Can. Can, I help you?”
Linda was lost between confusion and shock.
“Jeremy what’s going on? Are you okay?”
“Jeremy?” He said it like an insult. ...
Part 2
...
Linda’s mouth hung open.
“Jeremy” he said it again, as if tasting the words for the first time. “Oh. Yes. I remember.” His head tilted back as he looked skywards.
“What?” Linda heard herself say. “What does that mean?”
His attentions found her again, but not for long. He glanced around as if in mild panic, slowly rubbing his fingers together. “You were sleeping.”
“Y-yes…”
“I was away.”
“No. You were driving the car. There, look!”
“I was away for a while… saw this, this bridge. There was something I had to get. Something hidden.”
“Jeremy you’re scaring me. Let’s just go to the car. Do you want me to drive?”
“Shh.”
Linda took a step back trying to recover. She was blinking profusely, her hands clutched to her chest as she attempted to formulate some kind of response.
“I came here. I came back here… there’s something I need to do. I just need to,” He glanced toward the car again and then back to Linda. “Can you get something for me?”
“Hm? You mean…”
“Here.” He pulled the keys from his pocket. “Go home. I need something from my lock-box.”
“Wh-what? Are you kidding? NO! We’re going home together, stop this, and get in the car.” She grabbed his arm and pulled him closer but he didn’t move. Linda staggered. He was looking at her in a way he’d never before.
“You said my name is Jeremy.”
She opened her mouth to speak, noticing then that she hadn’t seen him blink.
“It isn’t.” His voice was a whisper. “Not remotely.”
Her breathing was quicker now, “… Jay. You’re scaring me.”
“I know. I was too at first… years ago. Course, I was unaccustomed to it then.”