Page 30 of Married to Lies

“Your poker face needs some work,” Simon muttered. “I know I look like shit. Sit down.”

My neck warmed as I did what he asked. “Sorry. I’d ask how you’re doing, but...”

“I’m doing well, considering,” he replied. Then he passed me a folded-up newspaper. “I can’t seem to finish this crossword. Will you give it a look?”

Despite being a numbers guy, I loved a good crossword. And it was something to occupy myself so I wouldn’t stare at his sores. “Got a pen?”

He handed one to me, and I studied the puzzle to see what I could fill in. We sat in amicable silence punctuated by the beeps of his machine and the scratches of pen over thin paper as I filled in words. “You got this one wrong”—I showed him the page—“Deceive is spelled with the I after the E.”

He narrowed his gaze, annoyed at himself. “Damn it, I know that.”

I scratched out the incorrect letters. “Try now. The rest should fall into place.”

Taking it back, he studied the puzzle, letting out exasperated sighs and small interjections as he pieced the rest of it together. “Done.” He set it down on the table, then reached for his drink. After a small sip, he coughed a sharp, rattling cough.

I held back a wince.

Setting his drink back down, he said, “I heard you have a date today. I didn’t assume it was with me.”

I shook my head at him. “You’re awful pretty, but you’re not my date.”

He chuckled softly.

“Just wanted to see how you’re doing,” I told him. “I’ve heard a lot in the news lately.”

“It’s all media bullshit. Anything to get people’s attention.”

I hesitated. “Should we have told your kids?”

“Iris called them,” he replied. Nothing more.

It was only sick curiosity that had me asking, “Have they been to see you?”

He barked out a laugh. “You know the answer to that.”

I arched my eyebrows.

He sighed. “Aleyna came to get a picture for her Instagram. ‘Poor sick dad.’ ‘Poor me with the sick dad.’ ‘Tune in next Saturday for a new episode.’”

Even though Simon said it lightly, I felt sad for him. “Simon, why are you so determined to give them everything you’ve worked so hard for when they clearly wouldn’t do the same for you?”

A sad look filled his face. The man who used to have such a big presence in front of a lecture hall seemed so small in that bed. “I made mistakes with them when they were younger. I suppose I don’t blame them.”

Pity made me shift in my seat. “Simon, they’re adults now. I know you care for them.”

He shrugged. “You don’t get to choose your family, and for better or worse, they’re the ones I have.”

But I disagreed with that. “The guys are my brothers just as much as my brother is.” If I ever adopted a child, I’d love them as much as one with my own DNA. Blood couldn’t be the only decider.

Simon side-eyed me. “I’m sure Bryce thought that Jude was his family before Jude tried to vote him out. Chosen family is all well and good, but you need something more to tie you together. Blood, a marriage, a contract... it keeps people coming back even after you have reasons to stay apart.”

The words were so sad, so jaded.

Were they true too?

14 Rei

I walked up the front steps to Jada and Bryce’s house, wondering what it was that Jada had wanted to tell me in person and needing to tell her about Conrad. Was it somehow related? The more I thought of the possibilities, the more I thought it must have been bad if she couldn’t just text me.