Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Don't All Guys Do That?--"Thank You Ashely Madison" excerpt

Monday, February 11

     I went to Sinead’s for tea. Sinead, a devout Catholic, asked if I was sure I wanted a divorce.
     “Don’t all guys do that?” she asked. “My neighbors got divorced and just remarried each other. Cost them a lot of money.”
     I felt sick, like I’d been gutted. I checked my phone. Gamma Ray had a talent show dress rehearsal after school. JB was there helping.

     “The boys sounded fantastic,” JB texted. “FYI the rehearsal is running late.”

     I felt upset. Like I could cry. I thanked Sinead for tea and drove home. Tom was grabbing Mexican with JB after rehearsal. I cooked myself dinner, unlocked the front door so Tom could walk in, went upstairs, put on pajamas, and started reading a book. I heard the front door open and banging around on the front porch. My phone rang. It was Tom.
     “Are you downstairs?” I asked him.
     “Yeah,” he said. “Why is Blake’s suit on the front porch?”
     “Jody’s son is borrowing it for turn-about,” I said descending the stairs. I clicked off the phone. JB was standing in the living room holding the suit. “Hang that back up on the porch,” I said.
     Tom darted upstairs. JB walked out on the porch and hung up the suit. He turned, started to speak, took a step toward the door, and I shut it on him. I switched off the porch light, and walked back upstairs. If I could make JB evaporate I would. I asked Tom about his weekend. He said he’d spent it watching YouTube or playing Wii.
     “You were plastered to screens the whole time?”
     “We ran errands, too,” Tom said. “We went to Target to buy mousetraps and rat poison. He has a mouse problem. Dad said he’s seen mouse droppings.”
     Tom got ready for bed and hugged me goodnight.
     “I missed you,” I said. “Does it feel nice to be home?”
     “Yeah,” he said warily. “But I have two houses now.”
     “Yes,” I said. “You do. That’s kind of cool.”

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