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“Was there anything new there?” Hope asked.
“No. Same shit. But they’re down to talking about it for only two minutes, so that’s good news. They have nothing new to offer.”
“Jordan told Luke that, if no credible, major network or source picks it up, then they’ll drop it soon. That’s their MO. And that Rush is considering suing them for slander.”
The last sentence sent a fist of jealousy into Hope’s chest. He was in touch with Rush. Then the rational train followed. Of course he would be. They were in this together, both being hunted down by those jackals. Besides, what he did now was none of her business.
She then told them about their conversation but didn’t delve into the details of what he had revealed to her, feeling the need to protect him even from the people who wouldn’t use it against him.
“Oh, hon, I can see your rationale—I do—but … why can’t things be simple?” Libby said over a sigh.
“Simple? I had to tell Eric today about the marble. He demanded the girls not be allowed to watch YouTube, though I explained that it was YouTube Kids and not the regular version, and that they don’t get that much screen time. I know kids and parents. I know some are getting way more screen time and apps than I allow.”
“Did it help?” Libby asked.
“No. He continued to push until I snapped.”
Roni’s eyes lit up. “What did you say?”
“That I’ll forbid it if he stopped buying them Barbies that look like his fantasy, and I added that neither of his wives looked anything like it.”
“Oh, my God, I love this!” Roni called.
“Nah, it was stupid and just led to an argument. And today, he sent me a list of holiday splits because I also reminded him of how he dropped the Florida vacation on me. I sent it to my lawyer.”
“I’m sorry, honey.” Libby intertwined her fingers with Hope’s.
“Can you imagine how he’d react if he knew about Jordan on top of that?” Hope sighed.
“So, I take it Eric heard the gossip?” Roni asked.
“You bet.”
“What did he have to say? He used to like Luke when we were in high school, though can’t say that the feeling was mutual,” Libby said.
“He tried to squeeze information on ‘the scandal your friend’s fiancé’s brother is involved with,’” Hope sputtered. “He reveled in knowing someone who made the headlines, though he only knew Jordan vaguely, as Luke’s big brother, and he hasn’t seen either in ages.”
Like too many others, Eric enjoyed chewing on the gossip as long as it didn’t touch his own life, not realizing that his ex-wife was closer to it than just as Libby’s friend.
“He’d freak out if he knew that his daughters know Jordan, that he was in this house. I’d be hearing from his lawyer if he knew. Or worse, from Lucile.”
Neither replied. They were quiet for a long moment, wrapped in the silence and scents of the backyard and its soft lights.
“Well, if you change your mind, we can chase Jordan to the airport. You know, like they do in every good movie,” Roni said, trying to lighten things up, as usual.
“Sorry to ruin this for you, but we could just call Luke and tell him to wait,” Libby said with a little chuckle.
“Party pooper.”
“Don’t think that I’m not tempted, but it wouldn’t be right.” Hope leaned her head back and stared at the night sky.
“Maybe you just need time,” Libby said. “You just now started coming out of two years’ worth of stupor, and then you had this whirlwind of a start, and this mass of emotions. It’s confusing. And now he dumped all this info on you, and you need to make sense of it. I know you,” Libby said. “You can’t assess how you feel when you’re like that.”
But it wasn’t how she felt that she needed to assess. It was everything else. In that, Libby was right. It had taken her a long time to assess, analyze, and figure out things when her marriage had dissolved. Though, in hindsight, it had been as clear as day. And maybe it was in this case, too, but she had to sift through it herself.
“Libby, I’m sorry if you’re stuck in the middle of this with him being Luke’s brother and all. I should never have—”
“What? No!” Libby cut into her words. “Don’t be silly. I’m not taking sides, and there are no sides to take, so I’m not stuck in any middle. The funny thing is that he said the same to Luke.”
“Damn, I feel guilty,” Roni said all of a sudden. “I shouldn’t have said you should let him send you off with a bang. I didn’t realize how deep he got into your system.”
“Yeah, it’s all your fault, Roni,” Hope said with a little smile when the other two just sat there and looked at her like she was delicate.
The laughter that followed reminded her that, whatever happened, these two would help her piece her heart together.
