"Only for brunch. We met my grandmother there. She had the most darling dress on. Even in her seventies, she still has great fashion sense."
"Did you see Chad there? At brunch?"
"No. I didn't think he brunched there. I thought they went to that place across town."
They do, but I was trying to bring up Chad in a way that didn't seem to be out of nowhere.
"He must be busy," I say. "I haven't heard from him all day."
"At the party last night he was talking about going sailing today. Maybe that's why you haven't heard from him."
"Sailing? With who?"
"Tamara. Her father has a sailboat. She invited several of us to go but I think only Chad took her up on the offer. He didn't tell you?"
"No." I take a deep breath, trying to remain calm despite the anger building inside me.
"Anyway, I went to the salon earlier to get—"
"That's not good, is it?"
"What isn't good?"
"That Chad didn't tell me about going sailing. It means he didn't want me to know."
"He just forgot, that's all. Or maybe he didn't go. It's a nice day out. Maybe he went golfing."
He didn't go golfing. He went sailing. With Tamara.
"Jane, is Chad cheating on me?"
"No! Brook, you know he loves you. He took you to look at engagement rings."
"That was last spring. And it doesn't mean he wouldn't cheat."
She laughs. "You're being overdramatic. Just because Chad doesn't call you for a few hours doesn't mean he's cheating."
"It does if he's out with another girl."
"Chad has plenty of friends who are girls, including me, and believe me, we haven't even come close to taking things beyond a friendship. I don't even think of him that way."
"But Tamara does. She was trying to steal him from me before she moved away. And now she’s back and—”
"Okay, let's just stop talking about this before you convince yourself it's true. Do you have any champagne? I always find a few sips of the bubbly make me feel better. Or if that doesn't work, take out your most luxurious bath oils and have a good long soak in the tub, preferably with the champagne."
Is she delusional? Did she forget I'm poor? I don't have bath oils and champagne. I have a crappy tub that's surrounded by cracked tile that has mold growing in the grout. I wouldn't dare take a bath in there. And for drinks, I have water. That's it.
She doesn't understand, and probably never will.
"Brook, I need to go. Daddy's taking us to dinner and I need to get ready."
"Okay. Thanks for the talk."
"Anytime!" she says, using that upbeat tone.
Talking to her made me feel worse. I was hoping a talk with my best friend would make me feel better but it didn't. Does that mean Jane and I can't be friends anymore? Do I evenwantto be friends with her?
If Chad was cheating I don't think she'd tell me. I think she'd lie, and if I found out, she'd tell me she did it to protect me. I don't need her to protect me. I need her to tell me the truth. But in my heart, I know she wouldn't.
