Chapter 24 Grocery Run
CAITLYN'S POV
I pulled into the grocery store parking lot and turned off the car. For the first time in weeks, I was completely alone with no one watching me. Collin had a meeting that ran late and I had managed to convince him that I could go to the store by myself. It had taken twenty minutes of arguing but finally he agreed.
The feeling of being alone was almost overwhelming. I sat in the car for a minute just enjoying the silence and the fact that nobody was monitoring me or asking me questions or controlling what I did. It felt like I could finally breathe.
I grabbed my purse and got out of the car. The sun was setting and the parking lot was half empty. Most people were probably home making dinner already. I walked toward the store entrance and felt lighter than I had in months. This was such a small thing but it felt like freedom.
Inside the store, I took my time walking through the aisles. I did not have a list because I was not really here to shop. I was here to be away from the house and away from Collin and his constant presence. I picked up random items and put them in my cart without really thinking about what I was getting.
An older woman smiled at me and nodded toward my belly. "When are you due dear?"
"December," I said, and touched my stomach automatically.
"How exciting," she said. "Your first?"
"Yes," I said.
"Enjoy every minute," she said. "They grow up so fast."
I nodded and moved on to the next aisle. I wondered what it would be like when the baby was actually here. Would Collin be a good father or would he be controlling with the baby too? Would I ever feel like I had any say in how we raised our child?
I pushed those thoughts away and focused on the present moment. Right now, I was alone and free, and I was going to enjoy it for as long as it lasted.
I spent almost an hour in the store just wandering around. I picked up some fruit and vegetables, bread, and other basics that we probably did not even need, but it did not matter because this was not really about the groceries.
Finally, I could not put it off any longer. I paid for everything and headed back out to the parking lot. The sun had set completely now and the parking lot lights were on. My car was parked near the back because the lot had been fuller when I arrived.
I loaded the bags into the trunk and was about to get in the car when I heard the sound of a motorcycle engine. I looked up and saw a bike coming down the row toward me. The rider was wearing a helmet, so I could not see their face, but something about the way they moved made me nervous.
The bike slowed down as it passed me and the rider turned their head to look at me. I could not see their eyes behind the dark visor but I felt like they were staring right at me. Then the bike sped up and disappeared around the corner of the building.
I got in my car quickly and locked the doors. My heart was racing and I told myself I was being paranoid. It was just someone on a motorcycle. That did not mean anything but I could not shake the feeling that something was wrong.
I started the car and pulled out of the parking spot. As I drove toward the exit I checked my rearview mirror constantly. I did not see the motorcycle again but I could not get rid of the anxious feeling in my chest.
Maybe it was nothing. Maybe my nerves were just shot from everything that had been happening. Or maybe someone really was following me. Either way, I needed to get home where it was safe.
I drove faster than I normally would and kept checking my mirrors. Every car behind me looked suspicious. Every motorcycle I saw made my heart jump. By the time I pulled into the gates of the Hayes estate, I was shaking.
I grabbed the grocery bags and hurried inside. Mrs Chen was in the kitchen and looked surprised to see me.
"Are you alright Mrs Hayes?" she asked. "You look pale."
"I am fine," I said but my voice came out shaky. "Just tired."
I put the groceries away and went upstairs to my room. I sat on the bed and tried to calm down. Nothing had actually happened. Someone on a motorcycle had driven past me in a parking lot. That was it. There was no reason to be so freaked out about it.
But I could not stop thinking about the way the rider had looked at me. Like they knew who I was. Like they were looking for me specifically.
My phone buzzed with a text from Collin. "On my way home. How was the store?"
"Fine," I texted back. "Got everything we needed."
I did not mention the motorcycle or the way I had felt like I was being watched. Collin would just use it as another reason why I should not be allowed to go anywhere alone and I could not give up that tiny bit of freedom I had just gotten.
I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes. The feeling of being alone in the store had been so good. For that one hour, I had felt like a normal person doing normal things. Not someone trapped in a cage or someone living a lie.
But now I was back in the house and back to reality. And reality was that I was married to a man I did not love who controlled everything about my life. Reality was that I was carrying another man's baby and pretending it was my husband's. Reality was that I felt scared, alone, and trapped with no way out.
I heard Collin come home and his footsteps on the stairs. He knocked on my door and came in without waiting for me to answer.
"Hey," he said. "You okay? Mrs Chen said you seemed upset when you got home."
"I am fine," I said. "Just had a headache."
He came over and sat on the edge of the bed. "You need to tell me when you are not feeling well. I worry about you."
The concern in his voice sounded fake to me now. Everything about him sounded fake, like he was always performing instead of being real.
"It was just a small headache," I said. "Nothing to worry about."
"Did anything happen at the store?" he asked. "Did you see anyone or talk to anyone?"
The question felt loaded. Like he already knew something and was testing me to see if I would tell the truth.
"No," I said. "Just got groceries and came home."
He left and I rolled over to face the wall. I did not know if he believed me or not but I did not care. I just wanted to be alone.
I thought about the motorcycle again and wondered who it was. Was it someone working for Collin checking up on me? Or was it someone
e else? Maybe it was Jason. Maybe he was the one watching me in the parking lot.