My Husband Planned A Romantic Anniversary Trip To The Blue Mountains. Then I Overheard Him At 3:10 Am Planning My “accidental” Death. How Do I Survive This Drive?

On the other end, a brief typing appeared and then,

“Okay, I’ll wait for your call,” she replied.

I took a deep breath, put the phone in my jacket pocket, and went downstairs. Liam had already brought the suitcases down and was waiting for me at the door with a smile.

“Ready Emily? Let’s go,” he said.

I nodded.

“Yes, let’s go,” I said.

In the garage, he opened the car door for me with the same gallantry as on our wedding day. I sat in the passenger seat, fastened my seat belt tightly, and took a quick look at the cup holders, the thermos, and the box of gum. Anything he offered me today I would have to think twice about.

Treacherous Roads and Unmarked Pills

The car left the house and merged onto the highway. The morning sun in Toronto was already starting to get strong. Liam put on soft music, the same playlist he always put on when we went on trips, full of romantic songs.

“What’s wrong? You’re very quiet,” Liam said, glancing at me and smiling.

“Are you nervous? It’s the first time we’re going on a trip just the two of us,” he said.

I turned and forced a smile.

“I’m a little tired. I didn’t sleep well last night,” I said.

“Don’t worry, I’m here with you. You’re going to love this trip. It will make you forget all your sorrows,” he said.

“That I’m here with you,” which for years had been my refuge, today it made me nauseous. I turned my face to the window so he would not see the disgust in my eyes. The highway was clear. Liam drove confidently, occasionally turning to ask,

“Do you want some water?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“No thanks, I don’t want to have to stop on the road,” I said.

He did not insist. A while later, he opened the glove compartment, took out two white pills in a blister pack, and gave them to me along with a small bottle of water.

“They’re for motion sickness. A doctor friend gave them to me. Take them so you don’t feel sick in the mountains,” he said.

The pills were in an unmarked blister pack with no box. My heart was pounding.

“Have you taken any?” I asked, trying to sound natural.

“I don’t need them, I’m used to it,” he smiled.

“You take them. That way you can sleep for a while and you’ll be refreshed when we get there,” he said.

I pretended to hesitate for a moment, then left the blister pack on the armrest.

“I’d better take them when we get closer to the mountain pass. If I take them now, I’ll wake up halfway through,” I said.

Liam looked at me and for an instant I saw something strange in his eyes, something that disappeared as quickly as it came. He smiled again.

“As you wish, but remember to take them before we start climbing,” he said.

I turned away, hiding the hand that was clenching tightly in my lap. I knew I could not take those pills, but I also could not refuse too obviously. The sun was rising, the light was getting brighter, and the road began to ascend. On both sides we could now see hillsides and small, intensely green forests. In the distance, the silhouettes of the mountains were outlined.

That place where I had dreamed of taking peaceful trips with the man I loved. Liam turned down the music and cleared his throat.

“Emily, when we start to climb the pass, if you’re tired, recline your seat and get some sleep. Really, I hope this trip is a new beginning for us,” he said.

A new beginning. He said it with such sincerity that if it were not for the audio file in my pocket, I might have believed him. I did not answer immediately. A while later, I asked in a casual voice,

“Liam, if something ever happened to me, what would you do?” I asked.

Liam seemed to tense for a moment over the steering wheel, then he laughed.

“What a thing to say! If something happened to you, what would I have to live for? Come on, don’t say silly things,” he said.

I looked at his profile, feeling a strange sensation as if I were sitting next to a complete stranger. The face was familiar, but his inside was so dark I could not recognize it. The car started to leave the main highway for a smaller regional road. The sign indicating Blue Mountain 120 km appeared and was left behind.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and saw three words on the screen: “Mom-in-law.” Why was she calling me at this hour? I looked at Liam.

“It’s Mom. Answer it. Put it on speaker if you want,” he said, his eyes fixed on the road.

I pressed the accept button and activated the speaker.

“Yes, Mom?” I said.

On the other side, it was not her usual complaining voice but a muffled sob and background noise that sounded like a hospital.

“Emily, is that you, dear? Where are you? Are you with Liam?” she asked.

I was startled.

“Yes, Mom. We’re on our way to the mountains. We just left the city. What’s wrong?” I asked.

My mother-in-law’s voice broke.

“Oh my god, how could this have happened? The hospital, they just called me from the hospital. They say my son, that Liam has been in a car accident and has died. They told me to come and identify the body. Emily, what’s happening? What?” she asked.

I was frozen. The phone almost slipped from my hands. Beside me, Liam slammed on the brakes. The car screeched, skidded, and came to an abrupt halt on the shoulder. We both lurched forward. He snatched the phone from my hand, his face as pale as wax.

“Mom, what are you saying? I’m right here! Who died? What accident? Mom, don’t be ridiculous!” he said.

Eleanor’s sobs grew louder, mixed with people’s voices and a hospital’s public address system.