by Joy Fielding
Jeff was right behind him. “Aw, come on, little brother. You gotta give me more than that.”
“’Fraid that’s all there is.” Will sank down on the sofa. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
“Who says I’m disappointed? I saved a hundred bucks.”
Will shrugged. “Contest isn’t over yet,” he said quietly.
Jeff’s laugh filled the room. “Now that’s more like it. Looks like you might have a little of Daddy’s blood in you after all.”
There was a moment’s silence before Will spoke. “You speak to him lately?”
“Who?”
“You know who. Our father.”
“Our father who art in Buffalo? Why would I?” Jeff asked, wandering back into the kitchen to top up his coffee.
“Just to check in, I guess. Say hello. See how he’s doing.”
“He’s alive, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. Of course he is.”
“So, what’s left to say? I assume someone will notify me when he croaks.” Jeff returned to the living room in time to see his brother wince. “Not that I’m expecting to be named in the will or anything like that.”
“Trust me, there isn’t much of anything to inherit,” Will said.
Jeff nodded understanding. “I guess all those years at Princeton pretty much depleted the family savings.”
“That money came from my grandparents,” Will said defensively. “On my mother’s side,” he added unnecessarily.
“Lucky you.”
“I was really sorry to hear about your mom,” Will said after another moment’s pause.
“Don’t be.”
“Ellie says the cancer’s very aggressive, that she only has a few months left at best.”
“Yeah, well. These things happen. Not much you can do.”
“You could go home,” Will pressed, “see her before she dies.”
“No. I can’t do that.”
“Ellie says she’s been asking for you.”
“My sister’s quite the chatterbox. I didn’t realize you two were so close.”
“She’s my sister, too,” Will said.
“Half sister,” Jeff corrected sharply. “She ask you to say something to me about this? Is that what you’re doing here?”
“She asked me to mention it, yes. But no, that’s not why I’m here.”
“Just why are you here?”
“I missed you,” Will replied simply. “You’re my brother.”
“Half brother,” Jeff corrected a second time. This time his voice was flat, like a dull blade.
“I’d been going through a difficult time,” Will said, deciding to throw caution to the wind. Maybe if he took him into his confidence, Jeff would be more inclined to take him into his. “There was this girl I was tutoring at Princeton. Amy . . .”
“Amy?” Jeff made himself comfortable in the oversize beige leather chair, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his thighs, steam rising from the coffee mug in his hands, only partly obscuring the smile on his lips.
“She was in first year. I was tutoring her in logic. We hit it off. One thing led to another. . . .”
“You fucked her,” Jeff said.
“Jesus, Jeff. Is that all you ever think about?”
“Pretty much.”
“There’s more to a relationship than that.”
“You didn’t fuck her.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Did you or didn’t you?”
“Yes, I . . . I did.”
“Well, thank God for that. So, what was the problem?”
“There wasn’t one. Not that I knew of anyway. We were pretty solid for most of the year, and then suddenly, she broke it off. She wouldn’t give me a reason. I kept calling her, trying to talk to her, you know, to find out what I’d done wrong.”
“What was his name?” Jeff asked.
“What?”
“The guy she dumped you for. What was his name?”
“How’d you know she dumped me for another guy?”
“It’s not exactly rocket science, little brother. When did you finally figure it out?”
“I came out of a tutorial one morning and saw her kissing this guy in the hall, and I just lost it. I threw myself at him, like some deranged superhero. Next thing I knew, there was blood everywhere.”
“Way to go, little brother.”
“Way to get kicked out of Princeton.”
“They kicked you out?”
“The guy’s parents threatened to sue. Apparently I broke his nose and a couple of his teeth. So they suspended me for the rest of the semester. It’s no big deal, really. I’m almost finished with my thesis anyway.”
“Well, well,” Jeff said, laughing. “I had no idea you philosophers were such a feisty bunch.”
“We have our moments.”
“I’m proud of you, little brother.”
Will felt a surge of unexpected pride. His brother was proud of him.
A sudden, loud banging on the door shattered the moment.
“Guess Krissie forgot her key,” Jeff said, not moving from his chair.
Will crossed to the door and opened it. Tom immediately burst through.
“What the hell’s going on here?” he demanded, striding into the center of the room. “You don’t answer your damn phone anymore?”
Jeff began searching through the pockets of his jeans.
“Is this it?” Will asked, retrieving Jeff’s cell phone from the navy ottoman and tossing it at Jeff, who caught it with his left hand.
“Shit. I must have called you fifty times,” Tom said angrily, pacing back and forth in front of Jeff’s chair.
Will noted Tom was still wearing the same clothes from last night and that his breath reeked of beer and lack of sleep.
“Sorry, man,” Jeff said. “I was pretty out of it.”
“Can I get you a cup of coffee?” Will offered.
“Do I look like I want a cup of coffee?” Tom asked angrily.
“You look like you could use one,” Jeff told him. “Double cream, double sugar,” he instructed Will. “Is there a problem?” he asked Tom as Will left the room.
“Lainey’s gone,” Tom said. “She took the kids and left me.”
“She’ll be back.”
“No. Not this time.”
“You talked to her?”
“I tried to. She’s over at her parents’ house. I went there this morning, but she wouldn’t see me. She’s really pissed.”
“Give her a few days to cool off. She’ll change her mind.”
“Her parents said I had until next Saturday to clear my things out of the house. Does that sound like she’s going to change her mind?”
“Sounds like you need a good lawyer,” Will said, venturing back into the living room with Tom’s coffee.
“Sounds like you should mind your own damn business,” Tom snapped.
“He might be right,” Jeff said.
“Yeah? Like he knows jack shit about anything.”
“Why don’t I clear out of here for a while?” Will offered, depositing Tom’s coffee on the ottoman in front of the sofa and walking toward the front door. He had no desire to get into an altercation with Tom, who was clearly spoiling for a fight.
“Why don’t you go visit your girlfriend in Coral Gables?” Tom called after him. “She’s married, by the way. Did you know that, Mr. Know-It-All?”
“What?” What was Tom talking about?
“What are you talking about?” Jeff asked in Will’s stead.
“I’m talking about the fact that Suzy Pomegranate is a married woman.”
“You’re crazy,” Will said.
“She forget to mention that during your romantic stroll along the beach?”
“You followed us?”
“To the beach, to the movies, back to her car. A silver BMW, in case you’re wondering,” he said to Jeff before turning his attention back to Will. “Saw you drop a sock in the sand, saw you drop the ball a
t the side of her car.” Tom laughed. “That was some kiss-off, by the way. He tell you he struck out?” he asked Jeff.
“He did.”
“I don’t believe you,” Will said, although the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach told him he did.
“How much do you want to wager? A hundred bucks? How about a thousand?”
“You sound awfully sure of yourself,” Jeff said.
“I should be. I followed the lady all the way to Coral Gables. One twenty-one Tallahassee Drive. Nice house. Two-car garage. Hubby waiting in the doorway. I can show you, if you want proof.”
Jeff was instantly out of his seat and at the door. “Lead the way,” he told Tom, motioning back toward Will. “You coming, little brother?”
What? No way. Absolutely not, Will thought. “After you,” was what he said.
EIGHT
“THIS IS RIDICULOUS,” WILL said twenty minutes later, still trying to find a comfortable position in the cramped backseat of Tom’s rusty Impala. But the car was old and smelled worse than Tom did, even with all the windows open. Plus, Tom was a terrible driver, his foot moving restlessly back and forth between the accelerator and the brake for no obvious reason, so that the car was constantly jerking back and forth, as if it had the hiccups. If they didn’t stop soon, Will was afraid he was going to be sick. “Where the hell is this place?”
“Patience, my man, patience,” Tom said. The laugh in his voice indicated he was enjoying himself immensely.
Bastard, Will thought, realizing in that instant how much he disliked Tom, how much he’d always disliked him. You’re loving this, aren’t you? Loving the feeling of control you have over us, the unfamiliar rush of power.
“You sure you know where you’re going?” Jeff asked from the front passenger seat.
“Relax, man. I was just here last night.”
“Didn’t we pass this corner five minutes ago?” Jeff pressed.
“All these streets look alike. Trust me. I know where I’m going.”
“How you doing back there, little brother?” Jeff called over his shoulder.
“Not quite sure what the hell we’re doing,” Will replied honestly.
“We’re going house hunting,” Tom said, chuckling.
“And when we get there?” Will asked.
“Guess that’ll be up to you, little brother,” Tom said.
Will bristled at Tom’s casual usurpation of the term. “I’m not your brother,” he said, louder than he’d intended.
“You got that right,” Tom agreed, followed by another sly cackle.
“How are they anyway?” Jeff asked.
“Who?”
“Alan and Vic. How are they doing?”
“How the hell should I know?” Tom asked defensively, the cackle dying in his throat.
Will sat up straighter in his seat, his interest suddenly sparked. “Isn’t Alan some big-shot computer genius in California?”
“I don’t know. Is he?”
“I’m pretty sure that’s what my mother told me. She said she heard both your brothers have done extremely well for themselves.”
“Screw you,” Tom sneered.
“Well, somebody should,” Jeff said. “Since it doesn’t look like Suzy Pomegranate’s going to be screwing him any time soon.” He laughed, and Tom laughed with him, his annoying cackle reasserting itself, ripping through the dark green vinyl upholstery like a serrated-edged knife. Jeff swiveled around in his seat to wink at his brother. The wink said, “Relax. We’re all in this together.” Although clearly, Will thought, it was every man for himself.
Tom’s car lurched to a sudden stop. “Ta-dah!” he announced triumphantly, both hands motioning across the street. “Here we are, boys. I give you one twenty-one Tallahassee Drive.”
The three men stared at the modest, tan-colored bungalow with the white slate roof.
“Nice house,” Jeff said. “You’re sure this is where she lives?”
“Absolutely.”
“Why should we believe you?” Will asked.
“Hey, man. I don’t give a flying fuck whether you believe me or not. I’m telling you this is her place. She pulled into that driveway, drove into that garage, walked up that pathway to that door, where some guy was waiting. And not looking too happy either.”
“Maybe it was her father,” Will said, thinking it was possible Suzy still lived at home. Maybe she’d moved back in with her parents after her marriage fell apart. Although she hadn’t actually said her marriage had fallen apart, he thought, straining to remember.
“Have you ever been married, Will?” she’d asked.
“No. You?”
“Yes. But let’s not talk about that, okay?”
So, she’d never actually said her marriage was over. Which meant that technically, at least, she hadn’t lied.
“Her father?” Tom scoffed. “Are you shitting me?”
“What did this guy look like?” Jeff asked.
“About six feet tall, one eighty, one ninety. Late thirties, maybe forty. Not bad looking. Well dressed. Wearing a jacket and tie at two in the morning, if you can believe it.”
“Sounds more like a visitor than a husband,” Will said, trying to make himself believe it.
“Sure, buddy. Dream on.”
“What difference does it make who the guy is?” Jeff asked after a pause. “Does anybody here really care if she’s married? I mean, as far as I’m concerned, it just makes things that much simpler. No worries about her getting too attached, no promises to break, nobody getting hurt. The girl’s just out for a little fun. Same as we are. Sounds like the perfect fit to me.”
“But if that’s all she was after, why didn’t . . . ?”
“Why didn’t you score?” Tom interrupted, happily finishing Will’s sentence for him.
“Maybe you just didn’t turn her on, little brother.”
“Maybe she realized she’d picked the wrong guy,” Tom added.
“I say we confront her,” Jeff said.
“What?”
“A hundred dollars to whoever knocks on her door and asks her husband whether little Suzy can come out and play.”
“You’re on,” Tom said, pushing open his car door.
“Wait. No.” Will reached over the front seat and grabbed Tom’s shoulder, holding him back. “This is ridiculous. Please, can we just get out of here?”
“Let go of me, man.”
“I won’t let you do this.”
“You think you can stop me?”
“Now, now, boys,” Jeff said. “Behave yourselves.” He laughed. “We’re just playing with you, little brother. Tom’s not going anywhere, are you, Tom?”
Tom was chortling as he closed the car door. “Really had you going there, didn’t we? Shit, you sounded just like a little girl. ‘Please, can we just get out of here?’” he mimicked.
“Hey,” Jeff said, catching sight of curtains moving in the front window of 121 Tallahassee Drive. “Did you see that?”
“See what?”
“Somebody’s watching us.”
“What?” Tom immediately ducked down in his seat. “Get down. They’ll see you.”
“Shit,” Will swore, doing as he was told.
Only Jeff remained upright. “The front door’s opening,” he announced as Will closed his eyes and said a silent prayer.
Please let this be all a dream, he wished. Please let me be asleep on the sofa in Jeff’s living room, lost in sweet dreams about romantic walks along the ocean and soft kisses on the street. Please let none of this be happening. “Who is it?” he heard himself ask.
“It’s Suzy.”
“What’s she doing?”
“Just standing there, looking around,” Jeff said. “Wait. Now she’s coming this way.”
“What? Shit.”
Will peeked out the open side window as Suzy ran down her front walk, crossing the road without looking in either direction and making a beeline for Tom’s car. She was wearing long pants and
a long-sleeved blue shirt, despite the oppressive heat. Large, dark glasses hid most of her face. But even with the glasses, Will could tell she was frightened.
“What are you doing here?” she asked without preamble, her head moving back and forth between Jeff and Tom in the front seat and Will in the back.
“We might ask you the same thing,” Tom replied, sitting up tall.
“You have to leave,” Suzy said, staring imploringly at Will. “Now.” She glanced back at Jeff. “Please.”
“Is there a problem?” Jeff asked.
“Please, before he sees you . . .”
“You’re married,” Will stated more than asked.
Suzy lowered her head, said nothing.
“Told you,” Tom said.
“Please, just go,” Suzy said, ignoring him.
“Suzy?” A man’s voice floated effortlessly across the street from the doorway of 121 Tallahassee Drive. “What’s going on out there?”
Suzy’s chin dropped toward her chest and her shoulders slumped.
“He’s coming over,” Tom said.
“Quick,” Suzy said. “Do you have a map?”
“What?”
“A street map. Please tell me you have one in your glove compartment.”
Jeff opened the glove compartment, began rifling through the mess inside. His fingers made contact with a torn package of chewing gum, a crumpled ball of old tissues, and something sticky he didn’t even want to think about.
“Is there a problem?” the man asked, approaching the car. He was casually dressed in khaki slacks and a blue and gold striped golf shirt, but otherwise he was much as Tom had described, Will thought, taking note of the man’s broad shoulders and large hands.
“They’re lost,” Suzy said, a touch too brightly.
“Just asking the lady for directions.” Jeff made a great show of unfolding the large and unwieldy map he’d miraculously managed to locate scrunched at the back of the glove compartment. “Trying to figure out where the hell we are.”
The man crouched down, his tanned face filling the driver’s-side window as he nudged Suzy aside. She took several steps back, closer to where Will was sitting. It took all Will’s resolve not to reach for her hand.
“I’m afraid my wife isn’t very good with directions. Are you, sweetheart?”
“I’m afraid not.”
You’re afraid of something, Will thought.