This Can't Be Love

Chapter 23: Mind Games

A white sports car pulls up in front of Aaron's house in the early afternoon. Aaron steps out of the driver's side and closes the door. He clicks the car's alarm on his keychain as he carries a pizza box through the walkway leading to his front door.

Down in his basement, the pajama top that Samantha was previously wearing is on the floor next to the bed. Following the trail of the chain coming out from under that bed, the pajama bottoms are also on the floor a few feet over. Just a couple of steps from the bottoms, lies a black bra, not too far from them, black panties. The chain continues its trail up into a bubbling hot tub. Samantha isn't visible, the chain goes into the water and she is submerged.

Aaron enters the room through the spiral staircase. He slows down as he carefully looks at the trail of clothes following the chain into the jacuzzi. He puts the box of pizza down on the coffee table and curiously follows the chain. He picks up the chain and softly tries to pull it, however, he drops it when he is startled by the sight of Samantha's head beginning to emerge from the bubbling water.

Samantha brings her head and neck out of the warm water, leaving her body in it from her collar down. Her hair is straight as can be due to its heavily soaked condition, and strands of it even drape over her emotionless face. She slowly opens her eyes and leaves them open only halfway to look at Aaron.

"What."

Her simple word implies a question but does not seem to be spoken in the form of one. Water is dripping down over her face, with drops trickling from her nose and lips, which she in no way acknowledges. Aaron's eyes shift to many directions as he takes a step back.

"Sa-- Sam, I... I didn't think you were-- Or you would... I mean... What are you doing in there?"

"I'm bathing."

"I know, but--"

"Can you please leave?"

"Sh-Sure, I... I'm sorry, I... Look, I brought you some pizza. I'll just leave it on the table. Don't let it get cold, it's your favorite... Mushroom & black olives with extra cheese..."

Samantha glances at the pizza box on the coffee table and then shakes her head while letting out a frustrated breath through her nose.

"Please just let me be alone, Aaron. The less I have to look at you, the leas painful this whole experience is."

A look of concern and regret washes over Aaron's face as he looks down while shaking his head and biting his lower lip. He turns around and walks away. Samantha's angry eyes are fixed upon his every step as he gets to the spiral staircase. He walks upstairs with a very worried look on his face. Samantha hears the sound of door closing, lock engaging, second door closing and second lock engaging. She then sinks herself back into the bubbling water.

Later that afternoon as the sun is setting. Bethany is in her house speaking to a heavy set, mustachioed man.

"Alright, Stack, so he should be here shortly. Are you sure this microphone works?"

"Yes ma'am. I'll be standing by listening from your basement. If I hear any funny business I'm coming out right away. Also, remember, I can only hear what's going on, I can't see you. So if you observe anything strange and need me to come up, use the code word."

"Yes the code word is my husband's name an I'm sure I can work that into any conversation if I need to."

"Alright, I'll be downsta--"

The door bell rings. Bethany and Stack nervously whisper to each other unintelligibly and he hurries away into the door by the upward staircase. Bethany takes a deep breath and goes to the front door. She opens the door and is greeted by Aaron.