Wellesley Wives (New England Trilogy) (50 page)

“Jack, I think we have to talk.”

“Yes, I agree,” he said.

“Look, I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much grief about the baby thing. I didn’t know how strongly you felt about it.”

“Yes.” He sounded angry.

“Well, the thing is, you can forget it. I’ll let it go. I won’t have children if it really means this much to you.”

“It does. I don’t want any more kids. I’m too old and too poor.”

It broke her heart to hear it, but that was that. Her future was mapped out. Maybe she could focus on her job. It sure needed some attention. She’d received a written warning for non-performance and was on shaky ground. It appeared the same went for her relationship.

“The thing is, I might be too old to have kids, but you’re not, so . . .” He looked uncomfortable. “I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I think we need to break up.”

“What?”

“You and me.” He looked at her with a concerned expression “You’re a great girl, but we’re wrong together. I see that now. You need a man your own age. You need to live your life and have a few kids.”

“I don’t believe I’m hearing this. We’ve done so much damage already.”

He put his hands up. “Don’t remind me. I know it’s all a mess, but maybe we can stop it from being an even bigger disaster. Go and find yourself a younger man, like that Matt guy who’s always hanging around. He obviously likes you.”

“But what about you?”

“I’m done here. I’m going down to Boca Raton. If I’m going to be broke, I may as well be broke where the weather is nice.”

Lily didn’t know what to say. She felt numb, but a tiny part of her was relieved, too. He’d taken the decision out of her hands. She was no longer honor-bound to him.

“I do have some good news for you,” he said.

“What?”

“This place is in your name. There’s no mortgage on it, so your dad really did right by you. The deeds are in the lawyer’s office. He’s going to have them delivered to you on Monday, so keep them somewhere secure, like your own attorney’s safe.”

She nodded, but she wasn’t really taking in what he was saying. She couldn’t get over that he was leaving for Boca Raton.

“Aunt Lily . . .” Natasha was standing in the door of the guestroom.

“Did we wake you, sweetie? Do you have your Moo?” Lily rushed over. Natasha looked nervously at Jack.

He smiled. “Hi, there.” It was the first time he’d been nice to her. Then he came over and kissed them each on the forehead the same way a father might kiss his two beloved daughters. “Goodbye, Lily. You’re a wonderful lady, and you’ll make somebody a terrific wife and mother,” he whispered. “It just won’t be with me.”

Then he walked out.

Chapter 38 

Coming Home

“We’re home,” Popsy called when she opened the door.

    On the plane, Popsy had convinced Sandra to move in with her permanently. She’d already stayed there almost every night since Peter’s passing and she admitted that she wasn’t keen to return to the penthouse with all its bad memories.

The first out to greet them was little Natasha. “Mommy’s home, too,” she said. “But Daddy isn’t.”

Popsy wrapped her granddaughter in a big hug. “Did he have to go back to work already? How unfortunate. Don’t worry, pet. I’m sure he’ll be back in a few days.”

Then Lily and Rosie came out.

“How was your vacation?” Rosie asked.

“Oh my, where do we start?” Popsy looked to Sandra for support.

They all settled around the kitchen table where Matilda joined them. Popsy was all too aware that Sandra had her own issues going on and would find it difficult to be with Lily. There was so much treachery there. Sandra did have Sven in her life now, and she hoped that would make it a bit easier. She’d always said the best way to get over a man was to be with a different one. Popsy nudged Sandra and winked. Sandra smiled back.

Then she turned her attention to her daughter. “Lily, I’m so sorry we got held up with the volcano. Did you get by okay with Natasha?”

“Natasha and I had a ball, didn’t we, kiddo?” she said.

Natasha clapped her hands and said, “We went on a boat with Matt and we went to the aquarium and the restaurant at the top of the Prudential, and Matt got me fries and a Shriley Temple.”

“That’s a lot of Matt.” Rosie gave Lily a sideways glance.

“Jack is gone,” Natasha said.

Everybody listened.

“What?”

“He wants her to have babies with somebody else, like Matt.”

Even Lily looked stunned. “What makes you say that? You weren’t even there when he was talking about Matt.”

Natasha shook her head. “I heard him.”

“Lily?” Popsy reached out and touched Lily’s cheek. Sandra said nothing.

“It’s true. He moved out a week ago, but he came home today and said we were over. He’s moving to Boca,” she said, and then started to cry.

“I think I need some wine,” Sandra said and walked over to the fridge.

“I’m sorry, Sandra. I broke up your marriage and for what? He’s moved on again. He doesn’t want to be with me, either.”

Sandra sloshed the wine into five glasses and handed them out. Then she came over to Lily.

“Can I have a word with you outside, please?” she asked politely and put her wine glass down on the table. Lily jumped to her feet like an obedient child.

Popsy protested. “Sandra, what are you—”

“Alone,” she said with authority. “We’d like to be left alone.” Then she turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen with Lily following meekly behind. Lily cast a nervous glance back at the women at the table, and Matilda pushed her chair out like she was going to follow, but Popsy put her hand out to stop her. “Let them go. They need to sort this out—just the two of them.”

Matilda settled back down, blessed herself, and then reached for her wine.

Lily was terrified but a huge part of her needed to do this. Whatever it was Sandra was going to say, she wanted to hear it so they could put it behind them. She followed Sandra out to the front driveway.

Finally, Sandra stopped walking and turned to face Lily.

“This is where you were standing, that first day I saw you with my husband.”

Lily said nothing. “Do you remember?”

Lily didn’t move.

“Answer me, do you remember?” Sandra shouted.

This time she jumped and nodded. “Yes. It’s the day Daddy died.”

“That’s right. Emotionally, I parked everything that day because of Peter’s death, but I would like to deal with it right now. Okay?”

Lily studied the ground and nodded meekly.

“Answer me!” Sandra shouted again.

Lily’s head snapped up and she said, “Yes.”

That’s when it came—a smack so hard and fast, it knocked Lily clean off her feet. “That’s for screwing my husband. I’ve been waiting to give you that since the day Jack walked out on me. You little manipulative, calculating bitch! Just because I love your mom doesn’t mean I have to like you. You screwed my husband and now you say you’re sorry to me?” She sounded incredulous. “Across the kitchen table?” Even more incredulous. “Are you for real? Do you have any idea what you did?”

Lily got to her feet again, but she wouldn’t let herself cry. If there was another slap coming, she would take it. She deserved it. “I don’t think I did.”

“Huh?”

“I said, I don’t think I actually did realize what I was doing. I’m not excusing it. I’m just saying I think I was stupid beyond words. I fell for him and didn’t think it through. Unbelievably stupid—I know. But, Sandra, I really am so sorry. Can I do anything to make it up to you? Anything?” She risked looking at her attacker.

“I can see the outline of my hand on your face,” Sandra said, looking uneasy. “I’m sorry, Lily, but that slap has been brewing up in me.”

Lily shook her head vehemently. “Don’t apologize. I deserve that, and more.” She took a deep breath. “I have to tell you something else, because I don’t want any more secrets. Jack lived in your penthouse when he moved out of my place. I don’t know where he is now, but I’m telling you so you know.” She looked at Sandra, half expecting another smack.

“Relax, I’m not going to hit you again. You’re not worth it. But him? Just wait till I’m through with him. That bastard.”

Lily’s shoulders dropped in relief.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m still angry about what you did. It will take a long time for me to get over that betrayal, but just so you know, I’m not sorry about losing Jack Boy. We weren’t good together. But if you ever touch a man of mine again, I swear I won’t be held responsible.”

“I swear,” Lily said. “I was such a stupid, selfish idiot. I swear I’ll never go near another man again, and I’ll be indebted to you forever if you forgive me.”

“I’m not saying to not ever go near a man again, just not one that’s already spoken for.”

Lily put her hand on her heart. “On my mother’s life. I swear.”

“Okay, less swearing on your mother’s life. She’s my best friend you know, and that has a lot to do with why I’m going easy on you. That and the fact that Jack is an ass.” She started back into the house. “Wait till my lawyer gets through with him.”

Lily fell back into silence and followed a step behind. It looked like Jack was now the focus of Sandra’s anger, so it was better to stay quiet.

“So tell us more about this man of yours, Sandra,” Rosie said when they walked back into the kitchen. If anybody other than Rosie noticed Lily’s face looking a little red or her hands shaking as she quietly opened another bottle of wine, they didn’t say anything.

Sandra lifted the mood considerably when she talked about karaoke and Sven. She told them about Jeff, Simon, and her initiation into an early house. Popsy showed them a photo of Sandra sporting a frothy white Guinness mustache. Sandra regaled them with stories about Gerald, their wonderful chauffeur from The Four Seasons, and how he’d brought them to the house where their mom had grown up. She got animated when she told them about the wonderful Boathouse and the amazing Mrs. Miller who kept everything and everyone running. They all laughed with disbelief when they heard that both Sandra and Popsy ended up with jobs, and there was even a brief reference to her mom’s friend, Shane.

It was getting late and Popsy yawned and said she had to go to bed. “I’m still on European time. My body thinks it’s four in the morning.” She stood to go.

“Mom, I was wondering if Natasha and I could stay here tonight in my old room. It’s just that, well, Marcus and I had a big fight, and I don’t want to go home.”

“Everything okay, love?” Popsy asked.

Rosie shrugged and didn’t say anymore but went to her mother’s arms like she used to when she was small. Popsy wrapped her up and squeezed her maternally.

“I’ve got you, love,” she whispered. “Stay here tonight.” The two women stayed locked in each other’s arms for a few moments until Rosie broke away. She sat down on one of the kitchen chairs and Popsy sat next to her. “Marcus and I . . .” she faltered seeming to look for the right words. “Well, he and I, we seem to want different things out of our marriage.”

Popsy stroked her daughter’s hair. “Is there a middle ground? Some way you can reach a compromise?”

“That’s what I thought we’d done, but it appears Marcus wasn’t happy with that.”

Rosie folded her arms on the table and collapsed her head onto them to let herself cry. These were the tears she’d been holding back for months. These were the tears she’d wanted to cry when Marcus suggested the stupid swinging thing in the first place.

This is exactly what she’d feared could happen. Once the intimacy was gone, so was the trust and the sacred bond they’d shared. Surely their marriage was going to unravel now. She should have said no when he first came up with the idea. She should’ve shot him down right away. That’s what any sane woman would have done. Then he would have had to put up or shut up. But no, she had let herself believe his rantings. When they were surfing the net to find out about swingers, she had chosen to think that she could do this crazy vacation and then put it away in a little box like it was one of the suitcases. She really had convinced herself that everything could go back to normal but now she knew that was crazy. Now she was just as morally bankrupt as he was. She couldn’t tell her mom about any of this. It was enough just to be with her and let her emotions out.

“I knew something was up. I sensed it before you went away. Even back at my birthday when you came to visit, I thought there was something on your mind, but Rosie, you weren’t ready to let me help. Tell me now. What can I do?”

Rosie looked up. “Oh, don’t beat yourself up, Mom. I don’t think there’s anything anybody can do. He’s just a little wild, and I’ve become a fuddy-duddy.”

“You? A fuddy-duddy? Are you crazy? You’re an amazing mom, wife, and daughter. You keep yourself in remarkable shape. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so fit and toned, and with your new tan, you look like a million dollars. And as for being a fuddy-duddy, tell me, what car do you drive again? Ah yes, you’re the daughter with the fire-engine-red BMW. You’re also the girl with the passionate personality. You’re the diva, the firecracker, the party girl. Where did you get the idea that you were a fuddy-duddy?”

Rosie laughed. “I used to be all those things, but not anymore.”

“You should have seen yourself when you spilt the red cabbage here the day of my birthday lunch. It was like a national disaster. All hell broke loose. Trust me, Rosie, once a diva, always a diva.” A strand of Rosie’s bangs had fallen down onto her cheek and the tears made it stick there. Her mom lifted it away. “You’re just like your father, you know? You’re a powerhouse of energy, you’re intoxicating. You’re so loving and you’re the only part of him I have left,” she said. “I love you and please don’t change—ever.” They hugged for a long time.

When they pulled back, Rosie asked, “How are you, Mom? How are you holding up?”

She shrugged. “Some days are better than others.” But then she smiled. “It was great to get away. Funny how things work out. I didn’t actually want to go, but it was the best medicine. It just reminded me there’s a whole world out there, so I shouldn’t get too caught up in mine.”