Adam, Meet Alison

Adam’s shoulder rests on the large window on which ‘Kathy’s 24/7 Diner’ is displayed. It’s the middle of the afternoon. Not counting himself, Adam has looked around the room and realized there’s only seven other people in the diner.

His phone beeps. A Tinder notification.

He swipes right on the notification and reads a message: One Minute Away.

Adam locks his iPhone and drums his finger on the wooden table. It’s his first official date since Madeleine. His mind runs wild: I should have gone with the Tom Ford perfume. Why did I put that 2016 picture from Ibiza, I was so toned then, she’ll for sure realize the difference now. I’m a liar. Should have told her my real name isn’t Zachary.

Outside, a 2017 Nissan Rouge pulls into the parking lot. Adam tugs on the sleeve of his shirt, rubs his palms across his thighs and sits up straighter. He sees a slender white woman with long wavy brunette hair step out of the car wearing a sundress and shades. Alison is a lot hotter than he’d expected, a feat he didn’t think was possible after two days of obsessively scrolling through her Instagram feed.

Alison walks into the diner and takes off her shades. She scans the room and immediately spots Adam standing with a tight blue tee and khaki trousers. With slow steady steps, she saunters towards him.

“Hi,” Adam says as Alison comes within seven feet of him. Instinctively, his hand shoots out for a handshake. He notices Alison’s brown eyes examine his outstretched palm before trailing up his arm, shoulder, neck, eyes. He’s not a 100% sure but he can swear her eyes sparkle when they meet his.

Brushing past his arm, Alison closes the gap and presses her cheek against Adam’s. Her lips sit right in front of his ear. She whispers, “Let’s go to the back.”

She pulls away, smiles wickedly, and proceeds to walk past him.

Adam quickly picks his phone up from the table and follows behind Alison into a long booth pressed against the far-left of the diner, the place you sit when you absolutely do not want to be disturbed. Adam watches Alison sit across from him. Delicately, she puts her sunglasses into her purse and drops the purse next to her.

“So Zachary,” Alison says, “You’re a lot hotter than your Tinder profile.”

Adam blushes. “Really? I was going to say the same thing about you. Your Instagram does you no justice.”

“Oh, you saw my Instagram?”

“Yes,” Adam says before letting out a sheepish laugh.

“Why didn’t you like any of my pictures?” Alison eases back into the chair.

Adam nervously chuckles. “I didn’t?”

“No you didn’t,” Alison says. “So. What’s your story Zachary? Nice looking guy like you, thirty-four and single? Why?”

“Uhhh. Unlucky in love I guess.”

“So you’ve been in love then?”

“Mmm, here and there. You?”

“I have. In the past. I was married for four months in 2018.”

“Seriously?” Adam says, “What happened? What kind of man would let you go?”

“We wanted different things, you know how it goes.”

“Yeah. Well, not really, I’ve never been married. But I can imagine.”

“Really?”

“What?” Adam says.

“You’ve never been married?”

Adam adjusts his collar and sits up straighter. “Well, not really.”

Alison giggles. “Not really? How could you have not really been married?”

“Okay yes, I was married. But things ended really badly, I don’t like to talk about it.”

“I understand,” Alison says. “Is she still in the picture?”

“No, she moved to Bali. Says she’s on a new path towards finding herself, whatever that means.”

“And you don’t miss her? The kids?”

“We didn’t have kids,” Adam replies.

“Why? You didn’t want kids?”

Adam flexes his shoulders and drums his fingers on the table. “I…I couldn’t.”

“Oh my god,” Alison says. She puts a palm over her mouth and leans forward. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

Adam hangs his head, “It’s fine.” He raises his head and looks into Alison’s eyes, “Enough about me, let’s change the subject. So depressing. You’re a model. How’s that life? Is it as sleazy and messed up as the media makes it seem?”

“Mmm,” Alison says. “It depends on who you ask. I--”

A waitress interrupts Alison. “Good afternoon. My name is Mariam. What can I get you beautiful people today?”

“God,” Adam says, a smile big on his face, “I got so caught up I never got around to reading the menu.” He looks at Mariam, “What’s good?”

“We have the –”

Immediately Alison interrupts her. “What takes the longest amount of time to prepare?” She shoots Adam a sly smile. He bends his face over to hide his blush.

“That is the –” Mariam starts to say before she is immediately interrupted again by Alison.

“I don’t care what it is,” Alison says. “Just go make that.”

“Ok ma’am.” Mariam takes both menus from the table and leaves to go back to the kitchen.

“Uhmmm,” Adam says smiling. “What do you plan on doing with all that time?”

Immediately, Adam feels Alison’s bare feet sliding up against his khaki trousers. “What do you think I have in my mind?” Alison says with a smile.

Adam laughs. “Yeah?”

“Mmhmm,” Alison says, her eyes fixed on Adam’s. His breath quickens as her leg trails further up his khakis. “I brought us something.”

Adam’s breath is short and quick. “Anything. I’m happy with anything you brought.”

“Yeah?” Alison says.

“Yes,” Adam responds. His eyes are fixed on Alison’s. She wears a devilish smile on her face. Then she breaks eye contact as she turns to look into her bag. Suddenly, her eyes are back on him. His breath quickens again. Her foot rubs against his inner thigh.

“Look at it,” Alison says.

“Where?” Adam responds.

“Under the table. Look what’s under the table, baby.” Alison’s smile is all teeth, her eyes glistening.

Adam takes both palms off the table and tilts his body over so that he can see what’s hiding beneath the table. He sees it and his body jumps up.

“Sit – Down – Adam.”

Adam sinks back into the chair. “How do you know my name?” he says, a panicked expression on his face.

“I know all about you Adam Weiser. I know that you’re a very rich man with houses in California, New York, and Florida. I know that in your Florida house, you have your wife Taylor locked up in the basement with nothing but food and water.”

“Wh-who sent you?” Adam asks, his breathing quickened. “Who are you?”

“That’s not important. This is what you’re going to do. You’re going to tell Jeffrey to open the door and let Taylor go.”

“I can’t...I can’t. You don’t understand.”

“Shut up Adam. Listen. You’re going to do that right now. After that, you’re going to grant her a proper divorce and give her half of everything that you own, you will not contest a thing. You will give her everything that she wants. If she asks for the shirt on your back, you’re going to give it to her, do you understand me?”

Adam sits silently. He feels the mouth of the gun dig into his knee. He nods quickly.

“In return,” Alison continues, “Taylor is going to keep silent about what you did to her. You will not go to prison. None of your friends, her friends, or family will know about the monster that you are. That’s a whole lot more than you deserve.”

Adam swallows, his eyes wet with tears, “How did you know?”

Heavy footsteps make their way to the booth. Alison returns the gun into her purse and relaxes into the chair.

Mariam approaches the table with a red tray. On the tray sits a huge red bowl filled to the brim with French fries. She sets it on the table along with a plate on each side. From her apron pocket, she pulls out a bunch of ketchup packets. She puts some on Adam’s plate and the rest on Alison’s. “This should get you going until your food’s ready. Enjoy!”

Mariam leaves and Alison giddily claps her hands together, smiles and takes a handful of fries into her plate.

She looks up at Adam with a smile still on her face. His face is soaked in tears. “Awww, did you lose your appetite baby?” she says in a soft baby-like voice. Her voice hardens, “Well, eat up! You’re going to need your strength for what comes next.”