Chapter 4 Change of Plans

Chapter 4: Change of Plans

The call ended just like that and I heard footsteps that were coming toward the door. I quickly ran away and hurried down the hall, my mind confused from the thoughts that I was struggling to process quickly.

All this time I'd thought Jessica was acting alone, but now it seemed my own children were also involved in whatever was going to happen. Was this how it happened last time? The kids had called her and she told them she was coming.

I pretended that everything was alright as I called the boys down for lunch, watching them eat their sandwiches without appetite and frowns on their little faces. Every time I looked at their innocent faces, I heard Jessica's words echoing in my head: "Be good for your mommy while you still have her."

"We need to go out after lunch," I announced suddenly, breaking it to them instead of easing them into it .

Both boys looked up, suspicion clear on their face as they both narrowed their eyes at me suspiciously. "Where?" Liam demanded.

"To Aunt Sarah's," I said, trying to sound calm so they would not notice anything.

"She wants to see you."

"But Jessica's coming over later," Ethan said out, then immediately covered his hand over his mouth, eyes widening in shock as he realized his mistake.

"Is she?" I asked, still sounding neutral despite the fact that my heart felt like it was about to beat out of my heart. Ethan confirming it, was more than enough. I just had to play along and pretend nothing is wrong. "Did your father tell you that?"

They exchanged another secret looks-communicating silently as twins often do-before Liam spoke. "We want to stay home."

"That's not an option today," I said frowning as I clenched my hands into fists.

"Go pack your overnight bags. We're staying at Aunt Sarah's tonight."

"No!" Ethan shouted, slamming his small fist on the table as the cutleries shook from the sudden impact. His face was red with anger as he spoke loudly.

"We want to be here when Jessica comes!"

"Why?" I asked as I finally allowed some of my fear to turn into anger at this..

"So she can stab me in our kitchen while you play video games upstairs? So she can become your new mommy after I'm dead?"

Both boys stared at me, looking confused rather than angry as they seemed not to understand my words.

"What?" Liam whispered.

I took a deep breath, realizing I'd said too much and I might have caused them to get scared for no reason at all.

"Go pack your bags," I repeated. "Now."

They got up from their chairs and made their way upstairs, whispering to each other.

I knew they wouldn't obey willingly, not without trying to put up a fight or make sure that I don't go out with them, especially if they wanted to see Jessica like she promised them.

As soon as I heard their bedroom door close, signifying that they were in their bedroom, I grabbed my phone and dialed Sarah's number.

"Hey, sis," she answered sounding happy as she spoke. "What's up?"

"I need help," I said, my voice cracking as I tried to stop myself from crying.

"David and his girlfriend are planning to kill me. Today. And the boys-" I trailed off unable to finish my sentence as I was holding back tears that were threatening to spill over.

"What?" Sarah yelled, sounding both shocked and confused. "Caroline, what are you talking about?"

"I know how it sounds," I said doing my best to explain it to her.

"But I have proof of everything that is going to happen. I also filed for divorce this morning and got a restraining order from both Jessica and David but they are not aware of it yet. But I need somewhere safe to take the boys."

Sarah seemed to think about this for a moment before she replied:

"Come over. Now. I'll call the police."

"No police," I insisted shaking my head as I tried to look at the clock on the wall noting the time.

"Not yet. I need to get the boys somewhere safe first. Then I'll decide what to do next."

After hanging up the call with about five different promises to Sarah that I would call her every 30 minutes, I went to my bedroom and quickly packed a bag with essentials.

When I returned to the kitchen to pack some snacks for the drive, I found both boys standing there, watching me intensely.

"We called Jessica," Liam said out of nowhere as he added. "She's coming now."

My heart nearly stopped beating as I twirled around quickly to face them, shocked at their betrayal. "You did what?"

"We don't want to go to Aunt Sarah's," Ethan said shaking his head firmly as he crossed his hands across his chest. "We want to stay with Jessica."

"She's going to be our new mommy," Liam added with a smirk on his face that he looked pleased with what he was saying.

"She told us all about it," Ethan continued, speaking nodding his head as he explained further.

"How you're always sad and angry. How you and Dad fight all the time. She said we'd be happier without you. And we don't like the way you and Dad are always shouting at each other. All the other kids in the school laughed at us. So we want a new mommy."

I stared at my children-my babies-as they repeated these poisonous words without caring about how I felt at all.

Has Jessica been secretly grooming them for months? Or was it David?

"Listen to me," I said, kneeling down to their level.

"Jessica isn't who you think she is. She wants to hurt me badly, so that I can't be your mum anymore-so she can take my place. Is that what you want? For your mother to go away forever?"

They looked confused as they exchanged another look as I could see that they were communicating again. "Jessica said you'd just go away," Liam said slowly shaking his head as he didn't believe me. "That you'd live somewhere else and we'd visit sometimes."

"No, sweetheart," I said, my voice breaking as I needed to tell them the truth. "That's not what she's planning at all. She was going to kill me. Right here in our home."

The doorbell rang, startling me as I flinched badly stumbling from my kids as I held onto the counter for support.

It was too late. Jessica was already here, just like before.