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Crap. It was sealed.
Walk away, I told myself again. You shouldn’t be in here anyway.
No, a better way to ask about Wendy existed. Brad’s mother was here. She seemed to like me. I’d ask her.
I found Mazie in the family room. “Where’s my mom?” I asked.
“She said she wanted to read. She’s in her room.”
“Oh.”
“Is there something you need?”
I paused a moment. “Yes, actually.”
“What is it?”
“I want to know,” I said, “all about Brad and Wendy.”
Mazie’s smile dropped. “I’m sure I can’t tell you anything more than Brad can himself.”
“He’s only told me that they were high school sweethearts and were on-again, off-again until he met me.”
“That’s about the extent of it.”
“If they were together that long, surely you’ve met her.”
“Of course I have. Many times.”
“I’m just curious. What’s she like?”
“She’s very intelligent. Very personable.”
I cleared my throat. “I should tell you. She came to my dorm room a few weeks ago and told me Brad would break my heart. Basically told me I should stay away from him.”
“Clearly you gave her warning no credence.”
“No. Not after I talked to Brad. But all he told me was the same old thing—that they were over.”
“My son is trustworthy. You should believe him.”
I want to believe him, but I just found a thick manila envelope with her name on it in his bedroom.
I couldn’t say that though. I couldn’t admit to snooping.
“It just seems like they were together for a long time,” I said. “He and I have only been together for a couple months, and now we’re getting married and having a baby. So naturally, I’m curious about her and the effect she’s had on his life.”
“My son adores you, Daphne.”
“I’m not questioning that.”
“Then why dredge up the past? Wendy’s gone.”
“Is she, though?”
“Didn’t Brad tell you?”
“Yeah, he told me she wouldn’t bother us anymore.”
“She won’t. That facility is the best place for her.”
I widened my eyes. “Facility?”
“Oh, he didn’t tell you, then.”
“What kind of facility?”
“A mental health facility, dear. Wendy pulled a gun on one of Brad’s friends. I think you know him. Sean Murphy.”
“She what?” I gulped. Goosebumps erupted all over me. “Is Sean all right?”
“Yes, he’s fine.”
“Oh my God, that’s why he moved out of Brad’s place.”
“That’s right. Brad didn’t tell you any of this?”
“No. He said Sean had to move because he could no longer pay the rent.”
“Brad didn’t charge him rent. Well, just a nominal amount.”
Why didn’t Brad tell me any of this? Silly question. I knew why. He was afraid it might send me over the edge, now that he knew about my past.
“Where is Wendy?”
“The facility is in Grand Junction.”
“That’s close to here.”
“It is, because her parents live here in town. But you have nothing to be concerned about, Daphne. She’s locked away, and she’s getting the help she needs. She’ll no longer be a threat to anyone.”
“Maybe she should be in a prison cell.”
“I can’t disagree with you,” Mazie said. “I never liked her much. Something about her always seemed a little…off.”
A little off.
How many times had students at my high school said that about me? Oh, they whispered it behind my back, but I heard them. I always knew.
“What seemed off about her?” I asked, not sure if I truly wanted to know.
“In some ways, she tried too hard to please George and me. I was actually gone for a while…”
Right. She’d been in a facility herself for a while. I wouldn’t bring that up, though. I didn’t want to break Brad’s confidence.
“Anyway,” Mazie continued, “she seemed almost obsessed with Brad sometimes. She hung on him all the time. I’m pretty sure they were having sex in high school.”
I knew this, but still, I hated hearing it, since the only person I’d ever had sex with was Brad, and he’d clearly had sex with many.
“Lots of people have sex in high school,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant about the whole thing.
“But you didn’t.”
“No, I didn’t.”
How did she know?
“Brad told me,” she said in answer to my silent question. “I hope that’s okay.”
“I have nothing to hide.”
Wow. What a big damned lie. I had a lot to hide. What would Mazie think if she knew about my junior year?
She’d been through something similar, so she probably wouldn’t judge me. Still, though, was I what a mother wanted for her son? An eighteen-year-old girl who’d been hospitalized and who didn’t remember much of it?
“I think it’s wonderful that you waited, Daphne. I waited as well. George was my first.”
“Oh?”
“He was. Of course back then it was much more common to wait. Now, it seems everyone’s in such a hurry.”
“Brad and I didn’t wait very long,” I said.
“True. But he says you’re special, and he’s right. I knew as soon as I met you.”
My cheeks warmed. “Thank you.”
“I know neither of you planned this baby, but I couldn’t be happier. To have a child around again will be so good for me. For George too.” She sighed. “We always wanted a houseful of kids. But it wasn’t to be.”
