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“It’s fine, Peter. I’m sure Jack didn’t expect you to call me.”
“I think he did, and I need to do better. Anyway, I wanted you to know Ryan came in today. He’s here now. He told me you two have separated.”
“Yes. He leaves and goes back to work. What would a psychiatrist say about that?” Lisa pondered.
“I don’t know, but I’m not happy about it,” Peter grumbled. “He never mentioned you were separated when he called on Monday. He said you were fine with him returning to work and living in the city.”
“Yes, my mother said he asked for Jack’s apartment, and she said no. Finally, no one is enabling him.”
“God, I hope I’m not.”
“You’re not, Peter. You’re doing me a huge favor giving him work again. What’s he going to be doing, anyway?”
“The TV show,” Peter answered. “We got picked up for another season.”
“Wow, that’s intense,” Lisa said. “His ego will get built back up. He really needs that.”
“You don’t sound angry,” Peter said.
“There’s no point. He was miserable here with all the kids. It was a place to hang around until he got his strength back, and it sounds like he got it back with a vengeance.” She could just imagine his coworkers. “Who’s cohosting with him?”
“Oh, God, I just thought of that. Tiffany. I might have made a huge mistake,” Peter groaned. “I didn’t know he was single.”
“Tiffany.” Lisa said the name out loud and it reverberated in the enclosed space.
“I just thought of something,” Peter said. “I’ll make sure he signs a contract with the no fraternization clause.”
“Thanks, Peter, but the sooner he moves on, the better.”
They chatted a while longer, Peter seeming genuinely interested in Lisa’s life, reminiscing a little about Jack, and finally said goodbye.
Lisa sat in the car, looking straight ahead for at least another minute before her phone beeped again. This time it was Zach.
“Sorry for bugging you, but I thought you might have forgotten to call me.”
“No, Zach, I didn’t forget. I was ambushed by my sister outside the drugstore, and then my father’s old business partner called to tell me Ryan was there. Ryan’s my ex.”
Then, inexplicably, she laughed, telling him the story about Ryan getting his old TV show back, like he hadn’t dumped them before, and that his costar was a girl named Tiffany.
“Tiffany, for God’s sake,” she said. “Is that the perfect name? I bet she’s gorgeous, too. That company is pretty much based on physical appearance.”
“Are you jealous?”
“Oh, hell no! I hope he falls madly in love with her and never wants to see me or his kids again. My sister confessed that she’s going to ask him to relinquish his parental rights to his kid with her, Morgan. I’m going to tell him that I’m not paying her child support any longer and that will be enough for him to drop it like a hot potato.”
“Wait. Your sister has a kid with your ex?” Zach sneered.
“Oops, me and my big mouth. Zach, don’t be surprised with anything I tell you, okay? There’s a lot more. I have to be careful, though, because I want to protect our daughters. I don’t want any problems for them.”
“Okay. I’m sorry. How’d you even speak to him again?” he asked, unable to keep the judgment out of his voice and Lisa heard it loud and clear.
“It was during a breakup and one of those things where they were drunk and the flesh just overtook them.” She roared with laughter. “Look, I’d better get home. I’m still sitting in my car.”
“Okay. Good luck and all that. I’ll be waiting.”
“Thanks, Zach. You’re the only one who knows my secret.”
“I’m honored, and I promise, you can trust me.”
