Lou lay in bed thinking. The clarity that followed her passionate night with Dax was fading, replaced by a gnawing anxiety. Her husband's latest power play had pushed her to the edge, and she needed to act before things spiraled further.
She'd always been prepared for the worst, a trait inherited from her mother. Lou's "fuck-off fund," as she privately called it, was more than just a safety net--it was her ticket to freedom if shit hit the fan. Cash, jewelry, and a network of discreet properties scattered across the globe, all hidden behind a labyrinth of shell companies. A guaranteed insurance policy against life's curveballs, and right now, it felt like her only lifeline.
Dax's suffocating behavior had become unbearable. His constant demands for attention, the lack of privacy, the emotional manipulation--it was all too much. And now this forced isolation? Lou realized with a sinking feeling that this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. Dax had planned this, meticulously and ruthlessly, long before any supposed threat materialized.
"Fuck," she muttered, running a hand through her braids. She loved Dax, she really did, but this... this was next-level control freak shit.
Lou's mind raced as she formulated a plan. The kids complicated things, but there was no way in hell she'd leave them behind. They were hers, damn it. She'd risked her life to bring them into this world, and she'd be damned if she'd abandon them.
As she packed, trying to maintain an air of calm, Lou felt a pang of guilt. Was she overreacting? Maybe. But Dax needed to understand that his actions had consequences. This wasn't the end--just a much-needed reality check.
Resolved, Lou steeled herself. "Keep it together, Lou," she coached herself as she herded the kids into the car. Eddie, bless her, didn't ask questions. Virgil's unexpected presence threw a wrench in her plans, but she'd deal with that hurdle when it came.
As they drove away, Lou caught Dax's piercing gaze in the rearview mirror. For a moment, she wavered. But then she remembered the feeling of suffocating, and her resolve hardened.
"Time to remind him I'm not just his wife," she thought grimly. "I'm my own damn person."
Marriage was hard work, sure, but it shouldn't feel like a prison sentence. As the house faded from view, she allowed herself a small, defiant smile. Whatever happened next, at least she was taking control of her own story.
--------------------------------
Dax watched them go, the knot in his stomach returned with a vengeance. He felt like he should stop this outing, but he squashed it down. Trust was essential, and he trusted his wife.
---
### The Escape
The trip to the city was tense but uneventful. The children were oblivious to it as they waved at passing boats and played games on their tablets. Those two were so much like their father. Way too much time spent in front of screens.
Lou felt a twinge of guilt. Virgil was a sweet man, but she'd have to ditch him somehow and then he'd have to deal with the fallout. Dax knew exactly what he was doing sending Virgil along with them. I'm not the only smart one in this relationship. She laughed to herself. Hell, I fell in love with the man for more than one reason.
She determinedly focused on the day's plan: meet with the engineer, take the children to Storyland, and then lunch at a certain place with many exits. After an especially messy meal, she and the children would go to the ladies' room, change clothes, slip out and into a limo, and be back in Richmond by bedtime.
Things moved smoothly and according to plan. After a brief, punctual, and successful visit with the engineer and a visit to Storyland Park for quality time with the children, Lou turned to Eddie. "You ready?"
Eddie nodded, her dark eyes sparkling with determination. They made their way to a café tucked away in an alley renowned for its savory meat pies.
They lunched, letting the children really be children, making a mess, while they talked about everything and nothing in particular.
Before too long, Lou looked up. "Look at these faces." She and Eddie made a to-do of attempting to wet wipe the grimy faces and sticky hands at the table.
Lou grimaced and gave a quick nod to Virgil, who was busy checking the surroundings in his unwavering, stoic manner.
Standing, she and Eddie grabbed the children's hands and made their way across the room. "Gonna need actual soap and water for this one, Virg. We'll be in the ladies' room over here." She gestured with her head.
His eyes narrowed a bit, and he paused for a beat before looking at the faces and nodding, his face softening.
Wow, thought Lulu quickly, I really see what John Wayne sees in him. He's truly a kind man.
She sighed as she quickly got her two cleaned up and changed, before changing herself.
Eddie gave her Paco a bird bath as well and waited for Lou to receive word that her ride to the airstrip was waiting in the alley out back.
"You know I'm always on your side. But I hope you're not being too rash and know what you're doing, Lou," Eddie said before giving her a hug.
"Eddie, I talked to the man. I did. He's not sorry at all for any of it. Which I kind of understand in a sick, sad way, but you know I can't live under lock and key like this. We'll be fine," Lou asserted. "Now. Do me a favor, don't let Dax kill Virg."
Eddie grunted and shook her head.
They ducked out the back and were into the car and off to the airstrip.
----------------------------
Dax began to pace, a sense of unease creeping up his spine. He knew Lulu; he knew her scent, all her mannerisms and tics, the sound of her laughter. But there was something about her today that felt off. And the longer she was gone, the more it gnawed at him.
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Virgil was very good at his job, and something was off. He'd been observing from a distance all day, and the talk between the two women seemed coded somehow. He'd been in the field and heard similar conversations. Without a cipher, it was anyone's guess what was said. Ironically, it had been Dax, excellent at code-breaking and game theory, who taught him what to listen for to determine when one was hearing such conversations.
Things were quiet now. Too quiet. When the ladies entered the restroom, his listening microphone had gone silent, unable to pick up anything they might be saying. Most likely, the interference had to do with the marble walls he'd spotted as the thick door opened and closed as they entered.
At any rate, he was determined not to lose sight of his charges. He'd roll with it whatever it was. It didn't make sense, but if he didn't know better, he'd think the woman was leaving her husband.
He'd been shocked when Dax called him in to replace Mitch. He didn't give reasons, but based on earlier, Virgil knew it had to do with Lou. Mitch, too handsome for his own good, had shrugged it off in that unconcerned way he had and moved on to a new assignment. He'd question him at length later.
Virgil checked his watch. They'd been in there over 30 minutes now. Pushing the door open, all he spotted was Eddie and her little one. No sign of Lou and her two. With a heavy exhale, his head dropped.
"So, she pulled a runner, eh?" he questioned.
"Nah. More like she went home," said Ed.
He frowned.
"Have a seat, Virg. I'll fill you in."
---
### Dax's Realization
