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Jack thought it was pretty awesome that hisabuelaeven knewhowto order groceries online, but he stopped himself. Thirty seconds into their first conversation in almost two days, and they were on the verge of an argument. Jack wondered if this was how it felt when “it’s not working anymore.”
“I won’t be here long,” he said. “I’ll see you at home.”
“See you at home,” she said, and the call ended.
Jack put his phone away, cleared his head, and opened the confidential file fromNichols v. Nichols.
At the top of the file were the sixteen “apologies” that Imani had texted to Shaky when they were married. Judge Stevens had reviewed each one and found they had nothing to do with Shaky’s allegations of “forced penetration” or other sexual misconduct. They were generic apologies for unspecified actions.
Jack dug deeper into the file, but the messages he wanted weren’t there. Predictably, he had to call Bonnie at home after hours. As always, she picked up, no complaints. She even helped him describe what he was looking for.
“You found the sixteen messages Judge Stevens reviewed, right?”
“Yes,” said Jack.
“You want the text messages that Shaky’s lawyer couriered to theoffice on the Saturday before you left for London. The ones she only threatened to show the judge. The X-rated ones.”
“Well, I wouldn’t call them X-rated.”
“No? Did you not read them when I told you to read them?”
“Bonnie, it was five o’clock in the morning. Theo had just called from London to tell me he was in jail. The case was on hold, so I skimmed the messages and told you to file them away.”
“And to get a shot of penicillin. They’re X-rated. Case closed.”
“Okay, they’re X-rated. Where are they now?”
“In the red file with three Xs on it. Duh.”
Jack checked the box. “Got it. I’m surprised I missed it.”
“I’m not.”
“You’re the best, Bonnie.”
“Good night, Jack.”
He smiled, thinking how lucky he was to have Bonnie, and then the smile faded. The relationship “worked” for him, but it suddenly had him wondering. Was that the measure of a healthy relationship? Whether it workedfor him?
He pondered the question a moment longer, but the red file beckoned. He opened it and renewed his search, bearing in mind that Bonnie’s sensibilities were more closely aligned with the Hays Production Code than the modern ratings system. Even so, his focus wasn’t really on content. He was looking for the use of one little abbreviation in any of the message threads. And he found it. Multiple times.
irl
The context in which it was used wasn’t clear at first, but by the fourth thread, Jack had the idea. A married couple is interested in sexual experimentation with someone outside the marriage. Naturally, they start slowly. Slowly wasn’t the right word. “Virtually” was more like it. The couple goes to bed, does the things they normally do, but spices it up this time. The difference is the flat-screen television on the bedroom wall. They’re not watching some pornographic film about the lonely housewife who needs the help of the shirtless stud next door to hang a picture in her bedroom. A live sex chat is in progress. The wonder of the internet has brought a sexy redhead from Bulgaria into their room whocan talk and masturbate at the same time, speaking just enough English to tell Shaky how much she wants his cock.
I was OK with it on the internet, Imani had texted, to which Shaky had responded:
more than OK with it! was YOUR idea!
Some ambiguous version of the “smiley face” emoji followed, and then Imani’s reply:
Should never have done thisirl.
Jack stared at the printed message.In real life.
He continued through page after page of printed text messages. He found it again. And again. She used it so many times that the conclusion was inescapable.
irlwas part of Imani’s texting vocabulary.
