My god, she was full of admissions today, each one equally stunning. Andrea divorcing? She’d always seemed so stable in her marriage; at least that’s how she always made it seem in those pictures on Facebook, bragging of lavish vacations and fancy dinners. In every image, they were either laughing or kissing. It never meshed with their actual personalities, which were decidedly bland and unfriendly, but I always just assumed he brought out the best in her. Now I wondered if those photos were all a lie, a way for my sister to showcase to the world a false reality.
“Is it a mutual decision?” I asked.
She expelled a bitter laugh. “Depends on which of the three of us you’re asking. Len and his girlfriend are quite in agreement — me, not so much.”
I cringed… for her.
“How ironic, right?” she said, anger wrapped tightly around each word. “History repeats itself.”
She was, of course, referring to the affair that had produced me. I wondered if she even realized how her words reflected on me. Did she not hear the accusation? I fought off the desire to strike back. Andrea was clearly at her lowest. Easy prey. I could either take the high road or the low. Swallowing hard, I went high.
Reaching over the great divide, I laid my hand on her outstretched arm. “I’m sorry. That truly sucks. He’s a giant wanker.”
She laughed. “Yes, he is…among other things. But thank you. I know I don’t deserve your sympathy, but I’m going to take it anyway. What about you, Jesse? How are you doing?”
She looked around my modest apartment. It was nothing special, but I kept it modern and clean, or at least as clean as possible with a young child. Compared to her two-story home with landscaping and a pool, I’m sure I appeared to be on the cusp of poverty.
“I can’t complain.”
She looked back in Noah’s direction. “No, I suppose you can’t. Do you have a man in your life?”
Now it was my turn to stare into my glass. “I…yeah… That’s a tough one.”
“Really? You’re so confident. Pretty. I’m sure you have them banging on your door.”
“You’d be surprised,” I said. “Most guys can’t see past my seventy-pound accessory.”
Andrea again turned her head to look back at Noah. “Do you… uh… do you ever wish you hadn’t, you know, taken on so much so young?”
“If you mean do I ever regret having him, no. It hasn’t been easy, but he gives my life happiness and meaning.”
She nodded, taking a healthy swallow of chardonnay. “I think if I could have given Len a child, I might have been able to make him happy.”
I looked away. Andrea? A mother? Had she forgotten her words the night I’d come banging on her door?
Yes, she’d said.I’ll give you a job, but you can’t stay here, Jesse.
Please,I’d begged.Just until the baby is born, and then I’ll find more permanent housing.
Absolutely not.You know I don’t like kids.
Dragging in a breath, I shoved those memories down. I couldn’t get into it with her here, not with Noah’s ear just a room away.
I pretended I hadn’t just heard her ludicrous comment and turned to another topic near and dear to my heart. “Are you selling Angel Line Tours, Andrea?”
She startled at my question. “Where did you hear that?”
“Rumors amongst the staff.”
“What staff?”
Like I’d tell her. “Everyone’s talking about it.”
“Well, that’s a shitty thing to spread around.”
“So it’s not true?”
She hesitated. “It’s complicated. When I married, I gave Len a stake in the company. He owns fifty percent.”
