Elias sneered at the sound of door bell. Rhea had called, and as always Elmira had speaker on so he could hear the phone call. Her and Drew wanted to stop by. He had nodded his approval. If Elmira said no, Rhea always started asking why. Besides, he still had a plan to get those two together.
"Let them in," he said.
Elmira went to the front door and opened. Drew looked at her concerned and nodded as a way of telling her he found the note. He pulled her in for a hug.
"I got this," he whispered in her ear.
They broke the hug and he gave her a little smile. She managed to give him one in return but it didn't reach her eyes. He missed seeing the happy woman that he used to know. Instead he stepped into the house and grinned at Elias.
"Elias! My man!" Drew said cheerfully. "Let's go for a ride."
"Where are we going?" Elias asked.
"A little man to man conversation without those chatty girls. We're getting some decent coffee, and you're gonna tell me how to get laid in the bloody town," Drew said.
Elias looked over at Elmira and Rhea. He was caught in between two hard choices. On one hand he wanted to leave with Drew to try and sweet talk him into getting it on with Rhea, but on the other hand he wanted to stay to keep an eye on Elmira.
"Come on," Drew said. "It'll be 30 minutes max. I crave coffee so bad."
"20 minutes," Elias said. "We'll be back in 20 minutes."
"We'll be here," Rhea said.
"I'll bake a cake," Elmira said.
"Make your peppermint cupcakes," Elias said.
"Okay," Elmira said.
"Let's go," Drew said.
Elias nodded and disappeared with Drew. Rhea opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself by the look Elmira gave her.
"Cupcakes," Elmira said.
Elmira nodded her head towards the kitchen before turning to walk out there. Rhea followed right after. Elmira closed the door and sighed.
"There's no cameras here," Elmira said.
"Wait, what? Cameras? He's filming you?" Rhea said.
"He has cameras in the bedroom and living room. They record sound too so we can't talk safely in there. That's why I said I would bake," Elmira said.
Elmira started finding ingredients. They only had 20 minutes to talk but she also needed to make the promised cupcakes or all hell would break loose.
"Let's just leave while they're gone. Grab whatever shit you can carry in two hands and run," Rhea said.
"He'll see it on his phone, and he'll know I'll be with you," Elmira said.
"He'll know anyway. Where else are you gonna go? You got no one but me left because of him," Rhea said.
"I don't know!" Elmira hissed.
The two women stared at each other. Tears started running down Elmira's cheeks.
"I'm pregnant," Elmira said.
"Oh, hell no!" Rhea said loudly.
"I don't know what the fuck to do, Rhea. I always told myself that one day I would get out, but I was lying to myself. And now I'm gonna be even more stuck. He forced this on me. I didn't get a choice. One day it was just, no more birth control and I'll beat the shit out of you if I catch you doing it behind my back," Elmira said. "I don't want this fucking baby. I don't want this life. I don't want to be here, but I don't know what the fuck to do."
Rhea pulled Elmira into her arms and hugged her.
"How far along are you?" Rhea asked.
"Only a month," Elmira answered.
"I swear I'll figure this out. You will not have this baby. I promise you won't be pregnant for long. You gotta have faith in me and Drew. We will get you out of here. I can't tell you when, but once it happens, you better be ready to leave. No excuses, no arguments," Rhea said.
"As long as he doesn't know," Elmira said.
"He won't fucking know," Rhea said. "Okay, dry your eyes. We need to make cupcakes. We were two silly girls in a kitchen baking cupcakes for the big, bad men in our lives."
Elmira nodded and dried her eyes. She turned to the bowl and started cracking some eggs.
"Drew looks good," Elmira said.
"You still like him," Rhea smirked.
"I never stopped," Elmira sighed. "He was the one that got away."
"And now he's back," Rhea said.
"I'm afraid it might be too late," Elmira said.
"He doesn't agree with that," Rhea said. "Don't worry your head about that. Right now you only gotta focus on baking cupcakes. Leave the rest to me and Drew."