"How did it go?" Ingrid asked. They just arrived from the precinct and they were not talking all throughout the trip back.
Alfred was just flushed on the driver's seat. He could not believe the fact that the man in the Restaurant is the chief of police. It also bothered him a lot that the narative is getting complicated. He had not been honest with a lot of people: Ingrid, the police, to his mother and possibly to himself as well for he blacked out sometimes. When would he even start? What is the correct time to atone about it? If ever there is one. How long can he lie? If this weighed so heavy he hoped he could carry it throughout his journey.
But the lie is not his alone. Today he proved Ingrid has a lot to tell as well in terms of truth. And it pains him that she did lie not once but a couple of times already. Are there more she is not telling?
Ingrid can feel the tension building up.
"Whatever it is, just say it," she added.
Alfred held back. He sighed a couple of times and looked at Ingrid. It was the perfect time to talk about opening up and becoming transparent. He pulled out the receipt out of his pocket and showed it to Ingrid.
"You bought this?"
Ingrid looked at the crumpled paper and as she unfolded it she immediately knew what it was.
"Yes, as a matter of fact…"
Alfred, cut her off. "You tampered with the evidence?"
Ingrid was cornered. For a moment she could not speak a word but everything that happened the day before and now can only be linked to her receipt.
"Yes Alfred. I am the one that placed it in the stockroom."
Alfred suddenly burst in anger. "Why do you have to do that?"
Ingrid cried all of a sudden and buried her face in her palm.
"It's for you Alfred. For you!"
Upset. Alfred slapped the stirring wheel a couple of times. Then hugged it with his arms and face, and cried in extreme despair.
"You don't have to do that! This isn't about you ingrid. I did this all by myself and I want you out of it. You are making everything more complicated!"
"Oh stop shouting at me! You make me nervous."
They heard a knock on the window. It was Mama.
Alfred and Ingrid immediately composed themselves and acted as if none of the harsh talk ever happened. Ingrid unrolled the window beside her. Alfred's mother is smiling.
"Why are both of you taking so long to come inside the house? Oh come on, I got great news."
"What is it Mama?" Alfred asked.
"My lump is benign and the doctor said I can just observe it for the meantime."
Ingrid and Alfred went out of the car and hugged Mama.
"I already cooked food for all of us. Come inside and we shall have a nice big lunch to celebrate."
Lunch at the table was warm and sumptuous. Alfred acted like his usual self and forgets all the drama he had with Ingrid. Mama handed back to Alfred the watch from her pocket .
" Thanks for the watch. It gave me the correct time as always. Never got late for my appointment."
"Who is your doctor anyway?"
"Oh he is a local health doctor who is so young and nice to talk with."
"That's good Mama. I am happy everything's okay, " Alfred said. Ingrid looked at him and she just let Alfred be for whoever he thinks he is with Mama.
"Oh you are making me feel important Alfred." His mother was surely not accustomed to Alfred's kindness.
"You are important to me always, Mama."
That word pierced Ingrid's heart.
"That is so touching Alfred, " Mama said with her hand on her chest almost on the verge of tears.
Nigh time. Just when Alfred was about to clean up his things in his workspace at the garage when Ingrid knocked from behind. "The dress I found in the room. Is this for me?" she asked. It was the Naples yellow trench coat, wig and the dress he bought at a department store. He could not remember undressing from it and placing it somewhere around the house.
"For Mama?" she guessed.
Alfred nodded his head. It was the only credible lie he could muster at that moment. Why did he not hide them?
"Okay, I will have this place in her room then."
"Why don't you place it on that chair so I can give it to her personally. She had no idea yet. I want to surprise her."
Ingrid thought it was a good idea.
"Okay. Let me put it here." She placed the dress on a chair and as she was about to leave she noticed a patch of dried blood on one of the sleeves. She dismissed it as factory stain and did not give much thought about it.
Alfred's watch lit up and rotated clockwise and counterclockwise as it wanted to tell him something.
"Why don't you tell me now before they find out I am talking to myself? " The watch stopped circling and it started to blink a red light.
"That is a danger signal everywhere. What are you trying to tell?"
It responded with a tone of approval.
"Am I in danger?"
The watch sounded a double tone.
"No? Then who is?"
It spoke briefly. "Your Mama."
Then went back to its placid state. Alfred tried to shake the watch back to life. But it did not respond.
Alfred went inside the house to give the dress to her mother Miranda who is sitting in the sofa.
"You looked worried Alfred," Miranda said to him.
"No. Just tired. I just want to give you this Mama."
"Is that a dress?"
Alfred nodded. "But I worry about the fit."
Miranda laughed. "You know what…..let me worry about that…. It looks beautiful and I will definitely wear this tomorrow for the church. Thank you son."
"Can I drive you off the church?"
Miranda looked at him. "Stop it Alfred. You know walking is an exercise to help the leg muscles. I need it. Besides, it's so near. That's too much pampering."
That night Alfred can't sleep thinking about the things that were about to come.