The Note

Her hair fell to the floor. Not her real hair, but the hair she was going to wear today. It would transform her from the meek and mild Angela into someone else.

She picked the blond wig up off the floor, shook it out and pulled it over her mousey brown hair. Carefully tucking an errant strand in place, she became the bold and sassy, Andrea. Looking in the mirror she could hardly recognize herself beneath the makeup. This was too important. Things had to be perfect.

Hannah was at the babysitter so that was the one unknown that could have been a problem, and was not. But she could not keep her child off her mind. She shook her blond locks in attempt to free herself from the worry. Cliff was out of town so everything was aligning well. Her house of cards was so precarious. She was afraid to breathe too deeply lest it all fall down around her.

The apartment was spotless as he demanded. She placed her letter on the dining room table. She found the knife he liked to torture her with and stabbed it through the letter into his precious table. She read the words again.

"I'm leaving. You'll never hurt us again. Stay away, or I will find a way to kill you."

She put on her jacket, coat and gloves. Angela walked out the door for the last time.

Standing in line, she looked at the paper in her hands. It was truthful. That truth could be dangerous. It was important that she was honest, well, mostly honest, so it was a risk she was willing to take.

When it was her turn, Andrea stepped up to the counter. "Good morning," she uttered. "I'd like to make a withdrawal."

She pushed the paper to the teller along with a small bank bag.

The note read: "He hit my baby and puts a knife to my throat. I need what's in your drawer to escape. I have a bomb. I'm desperate."

The teller looked up and made eye contact. She opened the drawer and filled the bag without a word.

The apartment was shabby but cheap so it would have do. Hannah was cranky and Andrea was tired from the cross country bus ride.

"Yes, this will do," said Andrea, pulling the blond hair over her ear. "Do you know of anyone hiring?"