I was sitting on the floor holding her, sobbing. I could feel my heart breaking inside my chest as I looked down at her face. I couldn't hear anything, all my senses became clouded and all I could focus on was her. I felt the presence of Austin, my neighbor, and best friend holding my head against his chest as the paramedics put her lifeless body onto a stretcher and wheeled her away forever. I sat there for hours, crying into Austin's shoulder. I couldn’t believe it, my mother, my role model, my best friend, my only parent, my everything, was dead.

I woke up covered in sweat; I couldn't stop having that awful nightmare. It replays my mother's death over and over again in my mind every time I close my eyes. I laid in bed, terrified to close my eyes again. Finally, my alarm clock sounded it's 6:30 am. I reluctantly heaved myself out of bed. I pulled on a nice dress and some flats; grabbed my work bag and my eight-month-old baby and was out the door. I dropped Lauren off at daycare and continued on my way to Santa Fe Middle School where I teach eighth grade English.

“Hello class, how was your weekend?” I questioned.

“Great Mrs, Walker. How was yours?” Chloe, my favorite, replied, smiling brightly.

“Amazing. Attention up here please.” I announced, “This week we are going to start something new. You are going to do a ten-page research project based on a closed unsolved case in New Mexico’s history. You need to find a case and research the person, what happened, and why it was closed unsolved. So everyone begin researching and when you have your case you would like to research come up to my desk so I may approve it. After that, you will need to write a one-paragraph case pitch explaining everything in your case to present to the class tomorrow. Then, on Wednesday we will begin your papers.” I finished sitting down.

It was not long until I had a line of students at my desk waiting for me to look at their cases. I approved a few and told a few to go back and try to find a new case but when Adam came up to my desk my heart dropped. The name of his case in large bold letters, The Murder Case of Lauren Jones 1997, my mother. I sat there in shock, what was I supposed to do. I couldn’t tell my class of thirteen-year-olds that my mother was murdered nine years ago and I didn't have a good reason why he couldn't do the case. All I could do was give him a thumbs up and wave him away, stunned and confused. I carried on with my day and tried to push the thought out of my mind but it kept sneaking its way back in.

“Mmmm, what smells so good?” I state when I walked into the door.

“Just finished my world famous ravioli. How was your day?” Austin, my husband of six years, smiled sweetly.

“Same as always. It was really crazy though, you know Adam?” Austin hummed in response.

“He is doing his paper over my mom's case. He has to write a research project on it. It's just crazy to me that he found her case out of all the cases in the state.” As I said this I could see Austins entire demeanor change. He became so angry.

‘You CANNOT let him do that! No, no way! Tell him he can’t.” Austin practically screamed.

“What? Why not? It has been nine years I think I have grown up a little.”

“No, I said no.” He demanded.

“Why are you being so weird about it? It’s not a big deal.”

“It is to me. Now eat.” Austin said as he slammed my plate down on the table.

“Aaron. It’s dinner time, come on.” I called as I picked up Lauren and put her in her highchair.

We sat there in an awkward silence after our little argument.

“-and then Mrs. Smith said that-” Aaron, my four-year-old son, was droning on about something that happened today. I couldn’t focus on that though. Why did Austin disapprove of the case? After the kids were asleep, Austin and I laid down for bed, without speaking a word.

The next morning when I woke up, Austin was nowhere to be found, along with Aaron. I called Austin on my way to work to see why he disappeared last night and where he was.

“- you have reached the voicemail box of 5 0 5 - 8 9 3 -” Why would he not answer? I wondered to myself as I reached the school.

“Good morning class, did you all finish your case pitch?” I asked as the bell rang. The class nodded. “Alright, well come up to the front to present, first up is Olivia”

Olivia gave a short and sweet presentation about a group of friends disappearing. About eight more kids gave presentations about murders then nine or ten about kidnappings or disappearings. Finally, it was Adam's turn.

“My case is The Murder of Lauren Jones” Adam started. “Jones was a widow whose husband had died in a car crash two weeks after their third child was born. Jones had two boys and one girl all two years apart. On October 17, 1997, Jones was in her home with her youngest child and only daughter, who was nineteen at the time. She walked into the kitchen at approximately 9:26 pm to get a glass of water according to Lily Jones, her daughter. When she entered the kitchen she was struck with a frying pan on the back of her head. After she became unconscious she was stabbed six times in the heart and stomach by her attacker. Jones’ daughter said she did not see anyone enter or leave the house at the time of the death. Their neighbor Austin Anderson reportedly heard the screams and ran over to help. He was the one who called the authorities. Jones’ daughter and Anderson were the only two suspects but they were both deemed innocent and the true killer was never caught. The case was closed after an unsuccessful seven-month investigation.” The entire class clapped as Adam sat down.

“Amazing job, Adam. That was our final presentation so you may use these last fifteen minutes to work on the next step of your project.” I instructed.

When I got home that night, I told Austin about my day. He was still fuming that I was letting my students research my mother's death. He just kept repeating ‘The case is closed, its over. You shouldn't still be talking about it.’ We argued about it all night until eventually he packed a bag and said he would stay somewhere else till we could both cool off, then he slammed the door and left.

The next morning after I dropped off both children and called Austin about 1000 times with no answer, I went to work to find Adam absent. Adam had never missed a day of school once in his life. I can’t imagine what would make him stay home.

“Does anyone know anything about Adam?” I questioned to the class, everyone looked around looking for information but no one seemed to have any. I shrugged it off and continued on with my lesson about commas and run on sentences. When I was finished, I gave directions for the rest of the hour and then started grading case pitch presentations.

When I got home Austin and Aaron were already there. Austin smiled at me as I walked in the door with Lauren in her car seat. He seemed to have really cooled off from before.

“Hey” He whispered.

“Hi” I replied shyly.

“I'm sorry about before. I shouldn't have reacted like that. How was your day today, hun.” He smiled brightly.

“It was good. How was yours?” I grinned.

“Amazing”

The week went on and soon it was Friday. We had given our presentations Tuesday and Adam has now been absent three days. Austin and I had been getting better. He did not seem as upset anymore. It was confusingly amazing. Sitting around the dinner table that night there was a loud pound at the door.

DUN DUN DUN

“POLICE OPEN UP” I ran to the door faster than ever before.

“Hi, yes. Can I help you? What is wro-” I stuttered
“I’m Officer White, Is Austin Anderson here?” The officer cut me off.

“AUSTIN, AUSTIN. COME HERE.” I screamed. Soon Austin was at my side.

“Hello, Officer. How may I help you?” Austin calmly replied.

“We need to talk to you.” Officer White demanded. “Now. Please come with me.”

“Let me just grab my stu-” Austin began.

“No, you don't need anything. Let's go.” Officer White cut him off. “We will escort you back to your home when we are finished.”

I sat home by myself, waiting for what felt like hours for Austin to come home. I made dinner, put the kids to bed and was about to lay down when I got a phone call. It was a police officer, he did not mention his name, all he said was that Austin needed to stay the night at the station and that I would know why at a later time. Then, he hung up not giving me a chance to respond. I went to bed worried and overthinking everything. I didn’t even know what it was about. What if something bad happened to him?

I woke up to my phone ringing at 5:37 am.

“Hello?”
“Is this Lily Anderson?”

“Yes, who is this?”
“This is Officer White. I escorted your husband to the police station yesterday. I need you to come down to the station.”

“Okay, I'm on my way.”

I called my dad and asked if I could drop the kids off and have him take them to school. I woke them up and drove to my dad's house, dropped them off and then was on my way to the police station. I was so stressed pulling up. What if something bad happened? Am I in trouble? Is Austin in trouble? I pushed the thoughts aside and briskly walked up the steps. As I opened the door I am greeted by an older man with gray hair.
“Lilly Anderson?”

“Ye-”
“Come with me”

I followed the man into a back room labeled Interrogation Room Four.Inside was Officer White. I sat down across from him and looked around. The table we are at was cold metal and the chairs were small and plastic. The walls were concrete along with the floor and there was a large mirror on the wall. Next, I looked up, the lights were a dim yellow and gave the room an eerie glow. Finally, I looked at the people in the room with me, the man who walked me in here was against the door and sat across from me Officer White looked stone cold.

“Why did you need me, Officer?” I started

“What do you remember from the night of your mother's death?” He stated showing no emotion.

“I was sitting on the couch with my mom and she got up and went into the kitchen, I heard a loud bang and ran in where I saw my mom lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Austin ran in from the door to garage and helped to comfort me.” I responded.

“Was the garage door open?”

“It was cracked, yes”

“Was the front door unlocked?”

“Yes”

“How loud was the noise”

“I heard it loud and clear but my neighbors said they did not hear anything”

“Then how did Austin hear? Did anyone scream?”
“I honestly don't remember, I blocked everything out. Why are you asking me all this?”

“Do you know Adam Smith?”

“Yes he is in my class, I am an English teacher.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”
“Umm, Tuesday.”

“So he was absent three days?”

“Yes”

“You tell your husband everything, correct? What have you recently told him about Adam”
“That he was doing his research paper over my mother's death”
“Was he upset?”
“Yes, but only because he was very close to her and saw how heartbroken I was at her death. He does everything to protect me. Especially from reliving that pain.”

“Okay, that was all you may return to your home.”
“What about Austin?”

“He must remain here. You may leave now.”

I left, confused. It was now 8:04, my class starts at 8:30. I called my boss and told her quite briefly that I would be slightly late. I left out most details as I explained. I raced home, changed into something nicer and put on some makeup. I hastily got in my car and sped to school. I rushed into my room and thanked the lady for watching my class. Then I began a lesson on word choice and repetition in writing acting as if nothing had happened.

At the end of the day, I drove home to find my father at my house with both children. He had taken them to school and picked them up. I told him everything, how concerned I was about Austin and how confused I was about the situation.

My dad was my best friend. We have always had a very close relationship but after my mother died when I was nineteen and in college, we got even closer. I dropped out of college to be at home with him so we could both grieve the loss of our mother and wife. I have no idea where I would be without him. He was the most important person in my life.

Despite all that, he had never approved of Austin. Ever. He hated him. He thought he was suspicious and creepy. He hated that I was friends with him as a child and when he asked for his blessing he blew a gasket. He was furious but none-the-less, I talked to him and explained how much I cared for him and how in love with him I was. Being the amazing best friend and father that he is, he reluctantly allowed the wedding because of how deep my feelings were for him, but he still did not approve. I finished my story about the past few days as my dad disapprovingly nodded his head.

“Hun, you know how I feel about him. I really doubt you want my opinion, it will just anger you.”

“I'm just worried.”
“You are welcome to come to stay at my house until he comes home” He smiled as he collected his things. I nodded.

“I love you, be careful. You'll worry yourself sick.” He warned.

“I know, I love you too. Drive safe.” and with that, he was gone and I was alone.
Twelve days passed and I heard nothing. My life has been continuing on as normal besides the fact that my husband is in police custody. I still do not know anything about Adam expect that the police are involved so that can not be good. I looked down at my phone at 4:33 pm.

RING RING

“Hello?”
“Lily Anderson?”
“Yes?”
“Your husband is going to trial in court tomorrow at 11 am.”

“For what?”
“You will know tomorrow. He will be in front of Judge Nicholas. We cannot tell you why yet because you are too closely related to the crime.” Then, he hung up. No other context, not even a name. Just a time and a place to be tomorrow.

It was no 10 pm. My hands have not stopped shaking since I heard about Austin. What was he there for? What did he do? He's so sweet, I can't imagine him doing anything.

The next morning, while driving to the courthouse I felt more nervous than ever before. My heart was beating out of my chest and my breathing was short and rough. When I arrived, I put my car in park and started to cry. What if he went to jail. That man was my everything. I needed him. I couldn't do this without him. After drying my tears, I got up and went inside right as the trail started. Austin came out in a nice suit, one I had never seen before, with him was a blonde short and plump woman.

“Austin Anderson, up for trial for 2 murders. The murder of Lauren Jones and Adam Smith.” Announced the Judge.

My heart dropped. My mother. They think my husband murdered my mother. There’s no way, it’s impossible. Everything around me blurred.

“We have discussed with him the plea. It's a life sentence without the plea or a 10-year sentence if you decide to take the plea. Please tell us your decision.”

“I am taking the plea because I did it. I was in love with Lily Jones my entire life. She was my best friend from childhood and I loved her from the moment I met her. I knew I would never be more than a friend to her but that's not what I needed. I needed her to be sad. Heart-wrenchingly sad. So that I could prove to her that she needed me…”

My vision clouded and my hearing stopped working. I couldn’t focus on anything. I felt my heart breaking in my chest. I took a few deep breaths as my hearing and vision came back to me.

“So why did you kill Lauren Jones?”
“To win over the love of my life, and I'm so glad I did it. If I had the chance to go back and change it, I wouldn't.”

As he said this, I became light headed and the last thing I knew my head hit the floor. I was betrayed. I was betrayed by the love of my life.