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“My mother’s leftover meatloaf from Sunday, leftover chicken salad from Monday, leftover gumbo from your father’s cook on Wednesday, pasta I made last night, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
“What’s going to die first?”
“The meatloaf.”
“Meatloaf it is. Thank you so much. I’ll uncrate this thing and get it ready. The countdown to alcoholism begins at midnight.”
Maggie giggled as she moved around the kitchen, heating Justin’s dinner. They had reached that optimum atmosphere they longed for, near isolation. The only people allowed entrance were Annie, Katrina, Dave, and Gus. Bubba and Gloria came three times a week to pick up horse manure, and they never came empty-handed, even bringing a thermos of coffee and paper cups until Maggie told them it wasn’t necessary. “Making a pot of coffee will not kill me,” she told them.
“I have something to tell you,” Justin said, sitting down. Maggie put his plate of warmed-up leftovers and a glass of ice water in front of him.
“Aren’t you eating?”
“I had peanut butter and jelly for lunch. If I eat later than that, I’ll have acid indigestion.”
“Oh, poor Maggie. Can you eat anything?”
“Cookies. Ice cream and chips don’t bother me either.” And then she barked out a laugh. “Okay, spill.”
“Dave told me today he can’t stand it anymore. He’s going to tell Amber he’s through. This week he’s been moving his stuff out of the apartment into Katrina’s house when Amber isn’t there.”
“She didn’t tell me.”
“She’s afraid of upsetting you and worrying you. I told Dave I’d fill you in tonight. He wants to be done with it by the weekend.”
“I’m afraid she’s going to murder him.”
“Yeah, that’s the concern, so he’s going to do it over the phone.” He couldn’t help himself, laughing out loud, but he quickly reeled it in.
“There’s no other way. And when she finds out that he’s living with Katrina, then we have to worry about her.”
“Maggie, he really tried to stay with her and be with Katrina on the side, but he just couldn’t. He’s in love with Katrina and wants to be with her all the time.”
“And of course, she’s letting him move right in instead of torturing him for months.”
“It wasn’t months. Come here.” He pulled her over to his lap.
“I might crush you.”
He rubbed her back, looking up at her face. “The only time I look up at you is when you’re on top or you’re sitting on my lap.”
“I’m still reeling about Katrina and Dave. Remember that Sunday that you were digging the footings for the barn? I said something to her about hooking up with Dave. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. They’d seen each other before, too, but something about that Sunday—”
“It was the timing. She would never have left Alphé. She’d cheat on him but that was it. And the next morning after she’d had a night of glory with your brother, Alphé told her he wanted to try it with Calista.”
Justin snickered, picturing his lady’s man brother sweeping Katrina off her feet. “How’s that working out?”
“Katrina said it’s great. Calista and her two kids blended right in. Katrina still sees Alphé’s kids. She still cares about both Alphé and Calista. But she’s in love with Dave. Evidently, it’s a different animal.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Justin said thoughtfully. “I can honestly say I’ve never been in love with anyone but you.”
In town, Alphé lay on the couch, his feet in Calista’s lap, telling her about an audiobook he’d just finished listening to that day. Spending time together as a family had developed over the last two months that they’d lived together. He no longer worked the weekends unless the children and Calista specifically wanted to go out on the boat. The extra Social Security money from Rodney’s four children made it possible for Alphé to finally get a life. Pierre was fine with it, saying that he’d freelance if he was that hard up, but so far, he’d been fine, and his wife was thrilled.
The kids were lying around, on the floor and in chairs, listening to music with earbuds, doing homework on school iPads, reading real books. Angela got up and left the room. Five minutes later, she came back, pale and shaking.
“Calista?”
She looked up, and Angela nodded toward the back of the house. “Move your feet, please,” she asked Alphé, laughing while trying to stand up.
