“I was just giving her a hard time,” said Laura, but Meredith interrupted, still thinking about the sticker on her back.
“Is it Teo?”
Laura shook her head as if trying to tell Meredith to scuttle the whole thing. But Meredith was completely consumed with winning the game, or at least not losing it.
“What’s the English version of Teo?” she asked the group.
“You’re meant to ask yes-or-no questions,” said Annie. “Remember?”
Mary Lou couldn’t take it anymore. “It’s Theo,” she said, “with anh.” Then she stalked off.
“Can I talk to you?” I said to Laura while Annie ripped the masking tape off Meredith’s back. She followed me over to the picnic table on the far side of the pool, where we’d stacked all the gifts.
“What was that?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Mary Lou already hates me. I really don’t need her thinking I’m cheating on Paul.”
“Are you cheating on Paul?” Laura asked sharply.
“Why would you even ask that?”
She seemed to hesitate.
“What?” I asked.
“We lost power the other night, and I needed a shower.”
“Okay…”
“I knew Paul was on duty, and I figured you’d be up.”
I didn’t like where this was going.
“So I drove over to your place, but you weren’t home.”
“Laura,” I said, feeling a little self-righteous, “I could have been out to dinner.”
She nodded, like the excuse made all the sense in the world. “That’s what I figured.”
“Well, great.”
“But the thing is, I drove over again in the morning. Early. And you still weren’t there.”
I was quiet for a moment, considering my options. Finally, I asked, “Did you tell Bobby?”
“Obviously,” she said. “I came home without having showered. Twice.”
My hands had started to tremble, and I shoved them into my armpits. “He can’t tell Paul.”
“Jesus, Eileen. So it’s true? You really are cheating on him?”
I couldn’t even look at her, I was so ashamed. “I’m not proud of it,” I said. “But you have to understand—”
“I have to understand what?”
“Not everyone has what you and Bobby have.”
