Chapter 2

“Justin?”

He'd been a year ahead of me in school.

I was afraid my daughter would catch a chill, so without thinking twice I climbed straight into the car, and only then asked, “How did you know I was here?”

“I just happened to pass by.”

Justin smiled and opened the console compartment.

Inside were fresh towels and blankets, warm water, diapers.

“Thank you.”

I picked up a blanket as I said it.

“No need to be so formal with me.”

Then he asked, “I heard Janice came back to get Austin to take her back. What are you going to do?”

“Respect their choice.”

There wasn't a trace of hesitation in me.

“If you ever need anything, call me. Any time.”

Justin nodded and handed me a business card.

……

By the time I got home.

Austin was sitting on the sofa. He looked up, saw me dripping wet from head to toe, and frowned.

“Why are you only getting back now? Looking like a drowned dog, filthy. You know I like things clean, that I can't stand a mess.”

“Don't tell me you did it on purpose. Trying to destroy the divorce papers while you were at it.”

I shook my head and pulled the papers out from inside my jacket.

Apart from a few creases.

They were perfectly clean.

Something startled flickered through Austin's eyes.

I turned and carried my daughter toward the bedroom, and there behind the door was a single high heel, dirtied.

Janice had been here. There was no doubt.

The reason I was so sure was that I'd given Janice those heels for her birthday.

Once, Janice, Austin, Justin, and I had all grown up together.

Janice and I were closer than that. We shared everything.

She helped me chase Austin.

I helped her chase Justin.

Later, when Austin accepted my confession, Janice said she was happy for me, that she envied me for getting to be with the one I loved.

I always believed she meant it from the heart.

Until my wedding day, when Janice, blind drunk, said that she and Austin were the ones who'd wanted each other.

She even produced a love letter Austin had written.

Austin didn't deny it. He only said it was all in the past.

But after that, the rumor spread everywhere that I was a gold digger, that I'd only been with Austin for the money.

Austin said it didn't matter.

But the truth was, he'd never let go of the past, and he'd believed long before then that I was a gold digger.

I finished feeding my daughter, took a quick shower, and went to bed.

I don't know how long I slept.

I woke groggy, my head throbbing, no strength left in my body.

Then the bedroom light came on. Austin walked in and looked at me coldly.

“You still haven't answered my question.”

“Why did you come back so late? Is it like Janie said? Do you already have someone else out there?”

But my throat felt like it was full of razor blades. I couldn't get a word out.

I could only shake my head.

“Well? What's with the head-shaking? Say something! I want you to talk!”

Austin, angry now, grabbed me by the arms, then went rigid and reached out to touch my forehead.

“Why is your body so hot?”