The stroller was crazy enough, but the onesies are whole another level of madness. I told him as much, and he said, “They’re really nice. Why shouldn’t our baby have the best?”
She’ll find it amusing. And outrageous. But it’ll reassure her that I married a generous man, who won’t make me or the baby suffer like Nelson did with her. I’ll pick out flowers myself and bring them to her every morning during my visit, too.
Suddenly I want to see Huxley. I want to share the news and thank him for taking over Mom’s bills. When she wakes up, it’ll be in no small part due to him. Plus, I can’t forget him giving me a ride that rainy night two years ago.
It’s almost like the universe sent him to help me when I was at my lowest. It sounds so whimsical and superstitious, but what else could it be? I used to think that nothing good happens in life without bad, but maybe that isn’t true. Nelson and Karie’s bad mojo drove all the positive energy my way.
When I exit out of the elevator to the garage, a figure steps out of the shadows. I yelp and place a hand over my racing heart. “Karie? What are you doing here?”
She’s impeccably put together, as usual, although her dress is still too tight and revealing for her age. Her forehead and eyebrows don’t move at all—a Botox-induced condition that’sgotten worse over the years. “Why aren’t you answering my calls and texts?”
“Because I blocked your number after the wedding.”
“Youblockedme?”
“Sure did. I figured, why subject myself to your insults and mistreatment now that my husband has set up a trust to pay for my mother’s health care?”
Her expression turns stony. Guess that never occurred to her. She probably thought she would always lord it over me as long as Mom was at Johns Hopkins. After taking a moment to gather herself, she stiffens her spine. “You have to stop with this unjust harassment of Viv.”
“Unjust harassment?” I cock an eyebrow.
“All those videos! How could you put fake stuff like that online? We all know the woman isn’t her.”
“Uh, I walked in on the two of them. In person. It was most definitely Viv.”
“Says you.”
“The videos show her face. Among other things.”
“You faked them! And you’ll apologize to her for what you’ve done!” Karie commands, full of confidence that I’ll do as she asks.
I give her a cold look. “Or what?”
“Or—” She stops. She was going to throw Mom’s bills in my face, except she just remembered Huxley is now paying for them, not Nelson.
“You know what? You’re pathetic, Karie. Simply pathetic. Without money, you’re nothing. Even with it, you’re not much.”
“At least I’m not a whore who slept with another woman’s husband,” she sneers.
Her words don’t even hurt because they aren’t true—and she knows it from the way her chin hardens stubbornly. “The same old, same old, huh? Well, creativity was never your strong suit.”My back straight and chin up, I rest my hands on my hips. “I’ll tell you who the real whores are. One, your disgusting swine of a husband, who seduced my mom, who was over ten years younger than him, without revealing he was married. Think that might makehima whore?”
“Nelson had—”
“Think carefully before you answer because it may reveal your misogyny. There’s something really ugly about women who go after other women because they don’t have the guts to go after the men who are the real culprits. Oh, and also, your precious Viv decided to sleep with Peter, knowing he was my boyfriend at that time. Then she had the audacity to claim that I stole Huxley from her.”
“Because you did!”
“We all know that isn’t true. If she’d ever slept with him, she would’ve revealed something about Huxley only somebody who’d been intimate with him would know.” Viv never said a word about his piercing. “By the way, you know what’s ironic?” I lean forward and smile. “If Viv hadn’t stolen Peter, I would’ve never gone out to that bar that night. Wouldn’t have spent the night with Huxley, which means I wouldn’t have gotten pregnant with his baby, which means he wouldn’t have picked me to be his bride. Guess that’s just proof that karma exists.”
Karie shakes, her knuckles white. If she thought she could get away with it, she might try to slap me. “You think you’ve won, but you haven’t. You pathetic, ignorant child. You’ll be sorry, but no amount of begging will earn you our forgiveness!”
“Ever thought about seeing a therapist? They might be able to prescribe you something to help you see reality more clearly,” I say as I walk to my car.
Karie doesn’t follow or make a scene, probably due to the security cameras. She wouldn’t want me to do to her what I did to Viv.
That woman is delusional to think she has any influence over me now. If she’d shown me kindness when I was alone and without support, I might reconsider. After all, she does love her daughter very much.
Maybe a therapist would also help her understand you have to be good to get rewarded by karma. You always reap what you sow.
