“I want to make this right with us. I know I haven’t been honest with you. I told myself I was trying to protect you, but the truth is that I was ashamed.”
“Why? What have you done to be ashamed of?”
He smiles sadly. “Can we wait until tonight? Have a nice dinner with the kids at least? Where is Noa, by the way?”
“Oh, shoot.” Aimee puts her glass down. “She’s at Cathy’s. I’m supposed to grab her. Listen, if the oven beeps while I’m out, take the chicken out, okay?” She goes to the mudroom for her jacket and keys. As she walks through the dining room to the front hall, she sees Scott peering out the window.
“You better come see this,” he says. “You’re not going to believe it.”
Aimee rushes to the window, where it takes her a second to make out Gwen and Lisa tussling on her walkway.
“Aimee!” Gwen yells up at the house. “Aimee!”
Aimee goes to the front door and opens it. The two women stop moving and look up at her. Aimee steps outside. “What is going on? Did something happen?”
Lisa steps forward. “Gwen has had a little too much to drink. I’m trying to get her home. She forgot her shoes.”
Aimee looks down and, sure enough, Gwen is barefoot. Her chest tightens. Poor Gwen. She’s falling apart before everyone’s eyes. Scott comes out on the porch. “How about I grab Noa while you deal with this?”
“Thank you,” Aimee says. “I’ll text you the address. Just head out River Road toward Potomac.”
They all watch Scott get in his car and drive away. Aimee texts him Cathy’s address and then approaches Gwen, who won’t make eye contact.
“Honey, you okay?” She reaches out and touches Gwen’s arm. “Do you want to come inside? Your feet must be freezing.”
“Gwen is very upset,” Lisa says. “I think I should just take her home.”
“Don’t.” Gwen whips her head around to face Lisa. “You don’t get to speak for me.” She turns back to Aimee. “Anton was cheating on me. With Lisa. They were sleeping together.”
Aimee winces, as much from the words as the vitriol in her friend’s voice. “No, that can’t be right.” She peers past Gwen to Lisa. “Lisa, is that true?”
“Of course not.” Lisa shakes her head and sighs. “She’s jumped to some crazy conclusions. Talking about some pen?”
Aimee nods, not quite sure what to believe. “Okay, I’ll get her home. Thanks, Lisa.”
Aimee pulls Gwen closer. “She was fucking my husband,” she says.
Startled, Aimee shushes her. “Let’s try and keep our voicesdown, huh?” She shoots Lisa a look of sympathy. “I better take it from here.”
But Lisa doesn’t walk away. She steps a bit closer. “Maybe I should come with you. So I can explain.”
“Not now, Lisa. Maybe later.”
“When? She’s only going to tell you her side. She’s going to tell you lies.”
“There are no sides. Gwen needs my help right now. We can talk later.”
Aimee takes a shivering Gwen inside and puts her on the couch, wrapping a blanket around her feet and bringing her a box of tissues. Sababa, once unleashed, runs off to explore the house. She knows he’s found the boys’ room when Max and Benji erupt in squeals of laughter.
“I am so sorry.” Gwen wipes at the tears that are coming from her eyes.
“You want to tell me what’s going on? What were you doing in the street?”
“I went to Lisa’s to confront her.”
Aimee nods. “And what makes you think Anton and Lisa were having an affair?”
Aimee shrugs. “A lot of little things. That pen that Noa took from Lisa’s. Anton went to that restaurant in Tampa last year. Le Cannu.”