Rene Gutteridge - Listen

Frank suddenly grinned as he got up and strolled toward the kitchen. “You want something? I got a cold pizza in here.”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks. Kay cooked tonight.”

Frank disappeared for a few moments. Sounds of silverware and plates rattled into the living room.

Damien eased himself to the edge of the couch. This didn’t seem like the kind of conversation one should have sitting casually with feet swung up on the coffee table.

Frank returned with a plate full of pizza. “So what’s so important that you had to come all the way over here to talk to me?” His tone was playful, but there was something in his eyes. Scrutiny.

It made Damien look at the carpet. “It’s just that…”

Frank paused, midchew. “What?”

“Angela came by tonight. At my house. To talk to me.” Damien finally looked up. “About you.”

Frank sighed, slapping the pizza back onto his plate. “Let me guess. She’s enraged about the missing person report.”

“To say the least.”

“She already complained at the station. It was a mistake,” Frank said. “An honest mistake. That’s all.”

“That’s what I told her.”

“Thanks. It’s good to know someone doesn’t think I’m a raging lunatic.”

“I didn’t say that,” Damien said. “I mean, you could push her over the edge. You know? She might do something crazy, like sue you.”

“Whatever. Angela would never sue me.” Frank crammed more pizza into his mouth.

Damien sat there, watching Frank watch him. He wondered if he should tell him that his ex-wife intended very much to sue him. That if Frank made another false move, things could get very nasty for him. Could Frank take it at this point?

Damien folded his hands together, placing his elbows on his knees. “I think she’s really on edge right now. I’m just saying, be careful. She was mad enough to come over to my house, possibly run into Kay. The woman is angry.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it.”

“You’re not, like, spying on her or something, are you?”

Frank’s face lit up. “Did that little zit of a rookie say something to you?”

“Your rookie? No. Why?”

“We’re doing some investigating on this Web site thing,” Frank said, looking irritated. “Seeing whether people’s places are bugged. That Web site has already caused enough trouble. We need to get to the bottom of it.”

“Okay.” Damien smiled and stood.

“What? You’re going already? I thought you came over to hang out.”

“Gotta get back. Busy day tomorrow.”

“All right, fine. I gotta get to bed myself.” Frank rose, put his food on the coffee table, and embraced Damien, giving him a hearty pat on the shoulders. “Thanks for always watching my back.”

“Sure thing. That’s what friends are for. Talk to you tomorrow.”

The cool air hit Damien as he left the house. He walked to his car in the drive, bypassing the sidewalk as he crossed the lawn. He got in his car, not bothering to let it warm up, and drove straight to the QT, where a huge stack of two liter Cokes was visible from the front window.

Kay watched her children gather their things for school, grabbing notebooks, jackets, backpacks. Years and years of hustling them out the door. Yelling at them to hurry up. Now she wanted them to linger.

Jenna stuffed her backpack and wrapped a scarf around her neck. Wasn’t it just yesterday that Kay knelt down and tied the scarf around her, pulled on her favorite fuzzy Strawberry Shortcake hat, and embraced her? At what point, exactly, did she stop hugging her children? It was like it was there one day and gone the next. Should she try now?

Hunter glanced at her and Kay grinned but maybe not fast enough. She didn’t think he saw it. He was struggling to zip his backpack.

“Here, let me help you with that.”

“I got it,” Hunter said, wiggling it until it suddenly zipped freely.

“Hunter, hurry up!” Jenna snapped from the front door. “If you want a ride from me, you have to come now. I can’t always be waiting for you.”

Hunter rushed toward Jenna as she swung open the door.

Kay hurried to follow them out.

Jenna groaned. “Hunter, you stink! What’d you do, use the entire bottle of Axe?”

“Shut up!” Hunter barked.

It was freezing but Kay continued going outside without a coat. “Hey!” she called.

They both stopped and turned. Kay waved. They stared.

“Hey, have a good day. I love-”

But they’d both already hopped into Jenna’s VW. Before Kay could wave again, Jenna had thrown it into reverse, backed out of the driveway, and they were gone.

The wind snapped, blowing her hair against her face and sending a chill through her sweater. She hurried inside. She had a showing in thirty minutes. Just enough time to go through Starbucks. Creamy, sugar-laden coffee never rejected her. She slid on her coat and grabbed her briefcase. She checked the oven and coffeepot and then headed to the front door, opening it so she could put out the trash before she left.

She gasped. “Jill?”

“I’m sorry. I was just about to knock. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Jill stared straight into Kay’s eyes, a stare so intense that Kay took a step backward, which Jill apparently assumed was an invitation in. She walked forward, backing Kay up a few more steps.

Usually very juvenilely coifed and dressed, this morning Jill wore stained sweats and a baggy T-shirt. Her hair was pulled into an unruly ponytail. Her skin, normally as clear as porcelain, looked weathered and flaky. She appeared self-aware, with a hand covering one splotchy cheek and the other combing through the hair at her scalp. “I’m sorry to drop by unexpectedly.”

“I was just on my way out.”

“Yes, I see that. Do you have a few minutes, though? I won’t take up much of your time.”

Kay found herself completely indecisive, unable to even answer. She was shaking her head one instant and nodding the next, giving plenty of mixed signals. She was only going to Starbucks, after all. But did she want this woman in her home?

“I know we don’t know each other well. But I don’t really… It’s just that I don’t have anyone to talk to. Some bad things are happening… and I…” Jill bit her lip and searched Kay’s eyes.

Kay’s fingers drummed against her thigh as she tried to figure out what to do. Did she really want to be in the middle of Jill’s drama? Plus, what would the other moms think?

Yet Jill seemed so desperate. For a woman with as much pride as Jill Toledo, she had to have a good reason for coming here looking like that. Was she drunk? This early?

Kay took a long look at her watch. “I’ve got a few minutes, I guess.”

“Okay.” Tears streamed down Jill’s face. “I know we only know each other from school, our girls knowing each other. This probably seems really odd.”

Kay gave a polite smile. “What’s on your mind?”

She took a tissue from the pocket of her coat. Tears now gushed down her face. She didn’t appear to be trying to get ahold of her emotions.

Kay gestured to one of the entryway chairs that was mostly used to throw coats on. “Maybe you should sit down.”

“That’s kind. Thank you.”

Kind? She was just trying to keep this woman from having a nervous breakdown in her entryway.

“My husband, Mike, is having an affair.”

The words hung in the air. Kay had to glance away. What was she supposed to say? And was it true? She’d observed Jill being the flirtatious one, wearing tight-fitting clothes. “How do you know?”

“I saw him. With her.”

“Aren’t you two getting a divorce?”

“How did you know that?”

Kay couldn’t even begin to backpedal on that one. “It’s just something that’s going around.”