The Contract

It had never entered his head that his son was not his own blood, but when his hair came in black instead of Chester’s legendary gold, he had begun to question everything. When he saw the tail, Chester knew that this was not his child. He had dwelled on the idea all night beside the fireplace, scotch whiskey in hand. When Victoria finally came home, most of the bottle was gone and Chester slumped against his red buttoned sofa chair. Looking for her husband, Victoria called out his name, walking from room to room.

“I’m here,” he grumbled from his position.

“Jesus,” she said stepping into the library. “It smells like a bar in here. Where’s Teddy?”

“Away,” Chester pulled himself from the chair and slid the crystal glass against his side table, nearly knocking it upon the ground. “I sent him far, far away.”

Victoria coked her head and tensed her mouth. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, honey, that the child is GONE. I sent it away from here so I wouldn’t have to look at it anymore.”

Victoria laughed. “Is Bruce here? You’re playing another joke on me.”

Chester stumbled over to Victoria with a half-smile and awkwardly slid the back of his fingers against her cheeks. She pulled away with annoyance.

“Not this time, my love. This time no pranks are being played, besides on me.”

“Chester, this isn’t funny. Where is Teddy?”

“Teddy? Teddy?! That thing is not our son, and I have half a mind to think you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Victoria hesitated, pressing her lips so tightly together that they grew white.

“Well?” Chester pressed.

Victoria scoffed and turned away, holding one arm up to her face.

“I… don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t know what to say?! Dammit Victoria! We’ve been married for nearly a goddamn decade! Tell me the truth! What is that thing?!”

Victoria looked back at Chester with tears in her eyes, her make up beginning to run.

“I knew this day would come.”

“No shit.” Chester turned away in a violent rage, throwing his arms down in a huff. “You knew our child would grow a tail someday and decided to keep it from me.”

“I… didn’t know exactly what would come of it.”

“Come of what?!”

“Chester…” Victoria trailed off. “I’m… barren.”

Chester stopped and looked at her again. He could feel his body wave like the tides as his eyes blinked in mismatched order. He had not expected this.

“Then how…”

“I made a deal… of sorts.” Victoria turned away. “I just didn’t know…” With newfound vigor Victoria turned back to Chester and grabbed him by his collar. “You have to tell me where he is. You have to! He could be dangerous.”

“Dangerous?! Dangerous?” Chester stumbled back; his eyes magnetically attracted to the remaining scotch. He grabbed it as if his life depended on it. After making a loud grumbled from his mouth to settle the liquor, he turned back to his wife, his love, and calmly responded. “Dangerous? How could he be dangerous?”

“I don’t know, they didn’t specify.”

“They? Victoria, what the hell are you trying to tell me.”

Victoria snatched the bottle from Chester’s hand and finished it. She turned the sofa chair and slumped in, leaning forward with his face in her hands.

“We had been trying for months. We both wanted a child so badly, but it wouldn’t come. I went to doctor after doctor, and they couldn’t find anything wrong. It was getting to me. Maybe I wasn’t good enough for God or the universe or even to give life. I was growing desperate, and I was seeing a low point that I hadn’t seen since my early twenties.

“They came to me one night; I was out alone at Pam’s Diner after a late night at work. I might have had one too many, and I was growing worried if I could drive home, when… three men in black suits and hats came to me. I thought they were just businessmen also having a late night, when they spoke.

“’Victoria,’ they said. ‘We know your strife and wish to offer you a way out.’ I didn’t know what to say or how they knew me, but the alcohol guided my motions. Before I knew it, I signed some kind of contract, and they said I would have no more problems. I wish I didn’t do it, Chester, I swear. I was just so desperate.”

Chester stumbled and sat next to Victoria, upon the armrest of the chair, and put his hand on her back.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because… they said…”

“What?”

Victoria looked up into Chester’s eyes. She could barely see him through the blur of tears.

“They said he would kill you.”

“They what?!” Chester jumped back off the chair.

“They said that once Teddy had matured, he would kill you.”

“What the fuck, Vic? You just—”

“You have to understand!” Victoria stood up trying to comfort Chester. “I was so desperate. I wanted a baby so bad—”

“That you decided to make some deal with mysterious men to impregnate you on the one condition that the child would kill your loving husband?!”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“I just don’t know what to say.”

“Say you love me and that everything will be alright.”

Chester looked down at his hands knowing the truth. He wondered what could be done, what the right thing to do was. The answer was obvious, but it gave him more fear than he had every experienced in his entire life. His hand shook until he made a fist, knowing what to do. Chester turned to Victoria slowly, stepped up to her, placing her face in his hands. Looking deep into her platinum eyes, he said:

“I love you, Victoria. Everything will be alright.”