Jill Sorenson - Backwoods

Nathan hadn’t heard this news. He glanced at Abby, who appeared as shocked as he was. She sat down on a log in front of the fire pit and cupped a hand over her forehead. Nathan hated the way Lydia had left him, but he didn’t wish another divorce on her. Abby didn’t seem happy about it, either.

“Why?” Brooke asked.

“Ray’s cheating on her with one of his nurses.”

“Wow,” she said, after a long pause. “Karma is a bitch.”

“Brooke,” Abby warned.

“What are you talking about?” Leo asked.

“Your mom cheated with him, too.”

He shook his head in disbelief.

“My mom walked in on them in his office,” Brooke said. “He had her bent over the couch with her skirt up.”

Abby’s eyes widened with horror. “How did you know that?”

“I heard you crying to Aunt Ella over the phone. I listened through the door.”

“Oh my God,” Abby groaned.

“My dad moved out the next day,” Brooke said.

Leo looked to Nathan for a confirmation he couldn’t give. He’d never mentioned Lydia’s infidelity to Leo, and he hadn’t been aware of the specific details of the affair. Lydia had told Nathan that she wanted a divorce because she was seeing someone else. When Nathan asked if she was sleeping with him, she’d said yes. It was probably the worst moment of his life, next to the YouTube debacle and his career implosion.

Brooke’s bombshell brought back a rush of bad feelings. The image of Lydia in Ray’s office stung, even after all these years.

“You’re a fucking liar,” Leo said.

“No, Leo. I’m not. And neither is my mom, so you better watch your mouth.”

Abby rose to her feet and grabbed Brooke by the arm. “Apologize to Leo. You had no right to hurt him like that.”

Brooke pulled her arm from Abby’s grasp. She stared at Leo, seeming conflicted.

“She doesn’t have to apologize,” Nathan said. “Leo started it.”

Leo turned to Nathan, his dark eyes gleaming. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Nathan wasn’t sure what to say. Lydia hadn’t wanted Leo to know she’d been unfaithful. She’d said he was too young to understand the complexity. After mulling it over, Nathan had agreed with her. They’d settled on a “mutual story,” which was that they just weren’t happy together. It was true, well before Ray came into the picture. Nathan had cursed Lydia to hell and tossed out scathing insults on multiple occasions—in Leo’s earshot—but he’d managed to stay quiet about the cheating.

Since Nathan had moved out, his relationship with Leo had been difficult. They hadn’t talked about Lydia or the divorce. Nathan had been bitter and angry, but not interested in dragging her name through the mud. Lydia, in turn, hadn’t taken him to the cleaners. Leo had probably assumed that she’d gotten fed up with Nathan’s drinking. And that was the bottom line. It was the reason she’d strayed.

“I’m sorry,” he said, shifting his gaze from Brooke to Leo. He was sorry they had to go through this again. “You were only thirteen.”

“I was old enough to hear the truth,” Leo said.

“It was a mutual decision, Leo. We split up because I was drunk all the time. I don’t care what happened between your mother and Ray. I care about what you do. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did.”

Leo looked away, his mouth set in an angry line. Instead of talking things out, he picked up the water bag and strode away from camp with Brooke.

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