“Anyway, I’ve been texting you, but you haven’t responded, and when Charlie wasn’t at swim for the whole week, I got worried!”
“We’re fine. I’m surprised Luke didn’t tell you that Charlie is being punished. Taking away swim is about the worst thing I can do to him.” I busied myself with my new extensionhandle loppers, wondering what she would say about Luke.
“Well, that’s the funny thing. Luke hasn’t been responding to me either.”
I was quiet.
“Is something going on?” Annie asked.
I bit my lip. “Not really. I gave him back the phone, so that’s why I haven’t been answering you.” And I would have to give back the Toyota, too, but I hadn’t been able to bring myself to do it yet, and go back down the car search rabbit hole.
“Why did you give it back?” Annie looked astonished. “Did you guys have a fight or something?”
“No big deal. Why don’t you come inside and tell me what’s new with you?”
We walked into the kitchen, and I scrubbed my hands under the faucet while Annie filled me in on the latest Milos story.
“If you can believe it, he’s trying to break the prenup and ask for spousal support! That lazy bastard. But I’m not giving him one thin dime.” She looked at her hands. “And it turns out my dad has been investigating him for a while, so we have a lot of dirt. He had a P.I. following Milos.”
“Your dad was having Milos followed?” I sat down at the table with her. “That seems a little…” Creepy.
“It worked out for me now,” she said defensively. Then she sighed. “Even though the dossier was very hurtful to look through. There was stuff from before we even got married.”
That meant her dad must have known that Milos was a jerk, and according to Luke, he had still finagled their marriage. “I’m sorry that Milos is such an idiot.” We were quiet for a moment.
“So, no problems between you and Luke, right?”
“Would you like anything to drink?” I asked, jumping up from the table. “I really just have water to offer. A glass of water?” I went to pour one for myself.
Annie continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “Because usually Luke only avoids me when he’s upset about something. So I was thinking, if he was avoiding me, and you were too, maybe there was something going on.”
“I’m not avoiding you. I just don’t have the phone anymore,” I clarified.
“Why did you give it back to him?” she asked.
I blew out a breath. “We broke up. Or, we aren’t seeing each other anymore, or however you want to put it. I think.” I kept my back to her, and furtively wiped my eyes.
“WHAT?” Annie screeched. “Are you serious?!?”
“We’re very different,” I explained. “This is for the best.”
“I don’t think so!” she said. “It’s not best for Luke! And I don’t think it’s best for you, either! And if you broke my brother’s heart, we are NOT friends, anymore!”
I couldn’t answer her around the tears. They were all lodged in my throat.
“Oh, Emmy, I’m sorry!” Annie said, standing up and grabbing me into a fierce hug. “What happened? Did he break up with you?”
“No. I don’t know what happened. It’s just all so much. He…I…Cassie…” I couldn’t understand it myself. Annie waited. “I’m sorry. I get it if you hate me too.”
“I don’t hate you. And I know Luke doesn’t either. He loves you! As soon as he bought you that water heater, I knew.”
I stared at her. “Luke bought me the water heater? He didn’t tell me…” That did it. I covered my face with my hands and started to sob.
“Oh, Emily,” Annie said, and patted my head. “I’m sorry. Do you want to talk about it?” Mutely I shook my head no. She let me cry for a while then pulled my hands away from my eyes. “You know what we need? A girls’ night out! Let’s get dressed up and hit the town!”
I wiped my nose with a paper towel. “No, I don’t want to go to Roy’s.”
“Not our town, silly, it’s just an expression! Come on, I’ll get a babysitter and the kids can stay at my house. They can have a sleepover! They’ll have fun and so will we!”
