Being accused of killing a pregnant woman, I just stood there and fucked up
My coworker, Sarah, said she had cramps and
begged me to take her place on a test drive.
A sale practically gift–wrapped, and me, the
top salesperson, said no.
See, in my past life, that test drive ended with
the car’s steering locking up, sending us.
head–on into a semi–truck.
The pregnant client, a double loss, died on
impact.
While I was still in the ER, rumors spread like
wildfire – I’d sabotaged the car to kill the
woman and steal her husband.
My own husband, Mark, even produced
“evidence” of my pre–meditated murder plot.
The internet exploded, the hate relentless. I
spiraled into a deep depression.
<
Now, given a second chance, I was playing it
safe.
I slowly extended my right foot, swollen like a
1
balloon, and told Sarah, “No can do.
وو
I realized I’d been reborn while Sarah clung to
my arm, whining.
“Lisa, my period’s killing me. Can you please
take this test drive for me?”
Her icy fingers sent a shiver down my spine,
but she just held on tighter. “I’ll even split the
commission. Weren’t you eyeing that new
purse the other day?”
I swallowed hard, nodding instinctively.
Sarah beamed, handing me a bottle of iced
tea. She said she couldn’t drink anything cold,
so I could have it. She’d come get me when
the client arrived.
Watching her skip away, a wave of nausea
washed over me.
Sarah started at the dealership the same time
I did. Three years younger, sweet, always
playing the cute card – I’d treated her like a
little sister. Friends were rare in this business,
and I valued ours.
But in my past life, agreeing to this test drive
had triggered the chain of events that ruined.
- me.
Staring at the iced tea, the morning sun
glinted off something near the top. A tiny
pinprick of a hole.
I remembered the sudden drowsiness that
had come over me while driving, peaking just
as the semi appeared.
By the time I realized the steering was locked,
it was too late…
And that day, I’d drunk the iced tea Sarah
gave me.
Every hair on my body stood on end. I
frantically scrolled through my texts with
Just last month, on the 10th, she’d
complained about having to call out sick.
because of period pain.
Scrolling back further, my blood ran cold.
Multiple texts, all around the 10th of the
month, mentioned debilitating cramps.
Her periods were like clockwork.
Today was the 25th.
Sarah was lying.
2
In the restroom, I poured most of the tea
down the toilet, stashing the rest.
Back in the office, I placed the near–empty
bottle on my desk.
Sarah, playing on her phone, glanced up. “Ugh, I’m so jealous. I can’t touch anything
cold during my period. Just hot water and
heating pads for me.”
I forced a smile. “What time is your client
coming?”
“Nine. Should be any minute now.”
“”
I nodded and headed towards the service bay.
My husband, Mark, also worked at the
dealership. His connections had landed me
this job after three years as a stay–at–home
mom.
