“Jane. That’s not true, and you know it.”
Jane’s face goes a bit pink. “Are you calling me a liar?” she says, jutting her chin out.
How dare she give my parents the impression that I’m the one at fault here? “The definition of being ‘nothing but friends’ is not having sex.”
My mom’s and dad’s eyes dart down to the tablecloth, and they both go completely silent.
Am I going to go there? Yes, I am. “You turned me down a lot.”
She sucks her cheeks in. “We’re not discussing this here.”
My blood bubbles, anger sitting hard and tight under my ribs. “Well, let me know when you’d like to discuss it, because you never wanted to talk about it when we were together, either. Perhaps you were too busy sleeping with Kevin on your trips home?”
My mom draws in a sharp breath.
Jane’s lips tighten into a pout. “How dare you imply that I …”
Kevin appears at her shoulder, and his eyes dart around the table.
“Everything all right?” he says.
My mom smiles up at him. “How was the bathroom?”
My dad snorts and then tries to cover it up by picking up his napkin and flapping it over his knee.
A glass of wine has materialized in front of me, and I wonder in horror if a server was listening to that whole conversation while they poured it out. I pick it up and take a huge gulp as Kevin slides into his chair.
My mom tilts her head. “How long have you and Jane known each other?”
“Oh, ages,” he says. “We dated a long time ago. I live in Philly like you guys.”
I also haven’t told my parents this little gem. Jane and I were childhood sweethearts, but before she joined me in New York, we had six months apart and agreed we could see other people. I wasn’t interested, but Jane had a few dates with Kevin. She used to call it “her big mistake.”
Jane beams. “And he never got over me!”
Got over her?She played the Kevin thing off as a few dates. Was it more than that? Jane picks up her wine and takes a sip as she gazes at Kevin.
“Yeah.” He smiles a small, private smile. “I sent you loads of stuff over the years!”
Wait, what?
What thefuck?
He was sending Jane gifts while she and I were together? When? I’m completely revising my opinion that Kevin being here is a problem; I’m learning all sorts of things I never knew before.
“What did you send her? Maybe I could pick up some tips?” I grin at him, and he gives me an easy smile back.
Simpleton.
“Oh, you know: flowers on her birthday, cards, letters.”
Letters?And Jane always said she hated flowers. That they were an affront to the environment. A bouquet from a friend named Mary used to appear every year … Maybe there was no Mary? My eyes rake over Jane; she’s looking as uncomfortable as all get out now.
“They all sound like good strategies,” I say. Somehow, this whole conversation is nowhere near as gutting as I expected. It feels like a vindication. “They were pretty flowers. We enjoyed them a lot. Though I was told they were from someone called Mary.” I smile tightly at Kevin as my eyes slide toward Jane again, and she doesn’t meet my eyes.Sonofabitch.
Two servers appear behind my dad with steaming plates, and soon we’re all tucking into delicious Italian food.
“Where do you live in Philadelphia, Kevin?” my mom says.
