The Truth About Ever After (Three Girls)

by Rachel Schurig

“Kiks?” Kara said, then immediately burst into tears.

  “Kara, what’s wrong?”

  “Trevor is cheating on me.”

  My body went cold. “Oh, my God,” I whispered. “Are you sure? What the hell happened?”

  Kara was crying so hard I couldn’t even understand her. “Kar, you need to calm down,” I said firmly. “Take deep breaths.”

  “She’s twenty-two,” she sobbed. “Twenty-two, Kiki!”

  “Who is she?” I asked, my shock slowing turning to rage. I would kill him. “What the hell happened?”

  “He’s been working late every night,” Kara said. “And sometimes he won’t come home at all. He says he sleeps in the office. I’ve been feeling suspicious for weeks, but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything. But we… we… we haven’t made love in two months.” Her voice broke and I closed my eyes. God, poor Kara.

  “He didn’t come home last night so I kept calling the office, over and over again, and there was no answer. He wasn’t there.” She was sobbing again and I waited, letting her get it out. Eventually she went on. “Something just snapped in me and I decided to go over there this morning to confront him.” In spite of my horror, I felt impressed. Good for her. “And he wasn’t there, of course. He strolled in about twenty minutes later with some intern, both looking so smug I just wanted to kill him.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He denied it at first. Said it’d been a late night so they’d gone out for breakfast.”

  “Well, maybe they did.”

  “Kiks, his secretary had already told me he hadn’t been there since last night.”

  “Jesus.”

  “So he finally admitted it. He was crying and begging me to forgive him but… God, what the hell am I gonna do?”

  “Come home,” I said immediately. “Get on the next plane and get your ass back here. Let him see what he’s missing while you spend time with your family.”

  On the other end of the phone Kara laughed bitterly. “I thought that too, but I’m too scared. What if I leave and he realizes he doesn’t care? What if he spends the whole time screwing her in my house?”

  Dear God. “Then you would know for sure he was no good and you would leave his ass for good.”

  “I can’t do that, Kiki. What would I do for money?”

  I couldn’t believe what she was saying. I literally held the phone out in front of my face to stare at it. “Kar, who cares about money?” I asked, flabbergasted. “You can’t stay with someone who would treat you like that.”

  “My parents wouldn’t help me,” she said, her voice flat. “My mom already told me she wouldn’t support my scandal. That’s what she called it—a scandal. She said it was better to work things out than cause a scene.”

  “She said that to you?”

  “Kiki, you know it’s how they all think. Half the women at the club have husbands with mistresses. God, probably way more than half. The men make the money and the women pay them back by letting them get away with anything.” She was crying again. “I have nothing of my own, Kiki. I went straight from my parents’ to my husband’s house. I’ve never earned a living. I’ve never lived alone. I’m twenty-eight years old, and I can’t even take care of myself.”

  “I could help you,” I whispered, sickened by her situation. How hopelessly impotent she must feel.

  Kara sighed. “What’s the point? This is my life, Kiks. It’s what I signed up for.”

  I hung up fifteen minutes later feeling shaken to my core. I couldn’t believe that Kara was going through this. And so far away from home. I felt a fresh swelling of rage at Trevor. He had taken her all the way to New York, away from her home and her friends. She had given up her whole life, been supportive, had followed him for his career, and this was how he repaid her. I couldn’t believe it. And she was seriously going to stay with him!

  I had always known I was different from Kara. She had been born into major wealth, had never known anything except private schools and the most prestigious country club in the state. She would probably never have been friends with me and my new money if it wasn’t for the fact that her father’s business had gone through a serious scandal right before I transferred to her school. Bankruptcy and possible jail time were looming, and the other girls, led by Sarah, were making her life miserable.

  A natural alliance was formed between the two of us; I was an outsider and she was dangerously on the edge of becoming one herself. By the time we got to high school, the business issues had resolved themselves, and some of the other kids had finally started to accept me—or, at least, were impressed enough by my dad’s growing fortune to pretend. Though Kara and I were both more accepted by the popular kids, we stuck by each other.

  It was the basis of our relationship, those years of sticking together in the face of Sarah’s cruelty disguised as friendship. In all honesty, we didn’t have a whole lot in common. Sure, we both loved shopping and fashion and having a good time, but it was hard to get Kara interested in more than that. She wasn’t shallow, not exactly; she just didn’t worry too much about things outside her direct sphere of reference.

  Though I sometimes lamented the fact that we didn’t have quite the relationship Jen had with the girls, Kara was my oldest and closest friend, and I doubted that could ever change. But the unavoidable truth was that we were different. And her acceptance of Trevor’s affair only put that into harsh perspective.

  I was suddenly struck with the urge to talk to Eric. Things had been so strained for us in the weeks since the shower—long before that, really. But I loved him as much as I ever had, and it terrified me to think of losing him the way Kara was losing her husband. I would never let that happen.

  No sooner had I reached for my cell phone than it started to ring. I looked down at the screen and saw Jen’s name. She’d been out of the office all day, first at a doctor’s appointment and then lunch with Matt. I wondered if she was actually going to partake in the very un-Jen-like act of playing hooky for the rest of the day.

  “Hi, Jen.”

  “Kiki?”

  Something about the tone of her voice made me sit up straight, all worries about Kara and Eric wiped from my mind. “What’s the matter?”

  Jen sighed. “I have a problem.”

  “Where are you?” I demanded, standing up and grabbing my purse.

  “I’m at home,” she said. “But you don’t have to—”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Twenty minutes later I was barging through the front door of Jen and Matt’s house. “Jen?” I called out. “You here?”

  “In the bedroom,” a man’s voice called from upstairs. Matt.

  I took the stairs two at a time, arriving in their bedroom out of breath. “What’s the matter?” I panted.

  Jen was lying in bed, propped up on a pile of pillows, Matt hovering at her side. She gave me a sheepish smile. “My appointment didn’t go so well today.”

  “The baby?” I whispered, my stomach dropping. In that moment every bitter, jealous, self-centered thought I’d had about Jen’s pregnancy melted away. This baby was my family—it had to be okay, it just had to.

  “The baby’s okay,” Jen said quickly, holding up her hands. “But my blood pressure is high—like, really high. The doctor said I have pre-eclampsia.” My mind flashed back to chapter three of the baby book: Complications. Premature birth.

  “He said it hasn’t reached the danger stage yet,” Jen said. “He’s not concerned about having to deliver early or anything. But it does mean I’m stuck right here for the foreseeable future.” She waved her hands at the bed. “He put me on bed rest.”

  I collapsed on the side of the bed, putting a shaking hand to my chest. “Oh, thank God,” I whispered.

  “Kiks, are you okay?” The concern was clear in Jen’s voice, and I wondered briefly what my face looked like.

  “I thought you lost the baby,” I said, struggling to control the shaking of my voice. Suddenly, I knew I was going to cry.
Jen must have sensed I was on the verge of losing it because I saw her look up at Matt and gesture to the door.

  “I’ll leave you guys alone,” he said quietly. As he passed me, he ran a hand gently across my shoulder. The kindness of that gesture pushed me over the edge. I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.

  “Kiki, what is it?” Jen cried, reaching for my arm. I just shook my head, the sobs coming even harder. “I’m okay, Kiks,” she said, her voice softer. “And the baby is gonna be okay, too. She’s getting bigger and stronger every day. We just need to keep her safe and warm inside for a few more months.”

  It took a moment for her words to register. “She?” I whispered, raising my face to stare at Jen. “It’s a she?”

  Jen nodded, smiling happily. “We found out today. We weren’t going to, you know, but after all the scariness today we decided we just wanted to know, so we would have something to be excited about. I’m having a girl.”

  “Oh, Jen.”

  She patted the bed next to her and I scooted up, stretching out next to her and laying my head on the pillow at her side. Jen brushed some hair off my face before handing me a tissue from the night table beside her. I wiped my eyes and nose and she smiled. “Better?”

  I nodded, starting to feel embarrassed. “Sorry, Jen.”

  “Kiki, what’s the matter?” she asked, her voice soft. “You haven’t really been yourself lately. Not since I told you about the baby. I actually was starting to think you were mad at me, or maybe… I don’t know. Jealous, I guess.”

  “Oh, Jen,” I said. “Of course I’m not mad at you! Or jealous. I am so, so excited about this baby.” I rested my hand on her belly, feeling a rush of relief that she was okay. The whole way over from the office I had been so scared.

  “Then what is it?” she asked. “And please don’t tell me ‘nothing.’ You’re my sister. I can tell when something is not okay with you.”

  For the first time since finding out about her pregnancy, I was suddenly struck with the urge to tell Jen. I had been keeping it in for so long, wanting to protect her and keep her from feeling bad, but all that had gotten me was her thinking I was mad at her. A lot of good that did. Jen was right. She was my sister. And I needed her.

  “Jen, I had a miscarriage,” I whispered, closing my eyes. Even after all these months, the words still hurt to say out loud.

  Jen gasped, and I couldn’t bear to open my eyes to look at her. I immediately regretted telling her, wondered if it was even safe for me to do so, what with the high blood pressure. Could I be making things worse? “I’m so sorry to tell you right now, after the day you had,” I continued. “Please, don’t get upset, okay?”

  “Why are you worrying about me?” she asked. “Oh, Kiki. I am so, so sorry. When did this happen?”

  I finally opened my eyes, looking over at her. She looked much paler than she had a moment before, her face the picture of worry.

  “Remember that stomach bug?” I asked. “Back in February?”

  “Kiki,” she breathed. “That was months ago. Why on earth didn’t you tell me? I should have been there for you!”

  I shook my head. “I was going to,” I said. “But then you told me about your pregnancy, and I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

  “Oh my God,” she said. “That was the same time, wasn’t it? I remember because I was worried you wouldn’t be able to make it to dinner…”

  “It was that same week, yeah,” I said. “I was going to tell you that night, but…”

  “But I was going on and on about my pregnancy,” she said. “God, I feel terrible! That was probably the last thing on earth you wanted to hear then. Kiki, I’m so sorry.”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong,” I told her firmly. “Seriously, Jen. None of this is your fault. Of course you were excited about your baby! I was excited, too! And I should have told you about this ages ago; it was just really bad timing.”

  I started to cry again, the guilt hitting me all over again. “I knew I wasn’t acting like myself and I was worried if I told you why you would think that I was jealous or…or resentful or something.” I tried to silence the little voice in my head that admitted I had been resentful. Jen didn’t need to know that.

  Jen was crying too. “I hate that you had to go through this alone. I hate that I wasn’t there for you.”

  “I wasn’t alone,” I told her, trying to get myself together. I was upsetting her, the last thing in the world she needed right now. “My parents knew, and my mom has been great. And Eric, of course.” I tried not to think of how strained things had become with my husband. Another thing Jen didn’t need to know. “Miscarriages are really common that early,” I went on, trying to bring the drama down a notch. “The doctor assured me it that it wouldn’t mean I won’t be able to get pregnant again.”

  “You don’t need to do this,” Jen said. “You don’t need to minimize it for me, Kiki.”

  I smiled at her. “I know,” I said, cuddling a little closer to her on the bed. “But I don’t want to feel sad right now. I want to be excited about your baby. Your little girl baby.”

  Jen looked at me closely for a moment, as if she was deciding whether I was being honest or not. Finally, she smiled. “My little girl baby,” she said. “Who is going to be ridiculously spoiled by her Aunt Kiki.”

  “You got that right,” I said. “Oh my God, I can’t wait! We’ll have to rethink the nursery now. Nothing neutral, and I don’t care what Annie says. We’re going to make the fairy princess bedroom to end all fairy princess bedrooms.” Suddenly I started giggling. “Oh man, Matty is going to hate me so much.”

  Jen laughed too. “He can deal with it. I have a feeling I’m going to get bit by the pink bug just as much as you are.”

  Impulsively, I leaned over and wrapped my arms around her. “I’m so happy for you, Jen,” I whispered into her shoulder. “And I’m so excited for this baby.”

  “Thank you, Kiki,” she said, her voice sounding thick. I got the sense she wanted to say something more, maybe about my situation, but she didn’t, and I was grateful.

  “You know what this means, don’t you?” she asked once I had released her and moved back to the other pillow. “You’re going to be in charge a whole lot sooner than we had planned. I might be able to do a few things from here, but I have a feeling Matt won’t let me do much.”

  I shook my head. “No way. You’re not doing anything. I’ll be fine.”

  “We have Sarah’s wedding next month,” she said, sounding worried. “It’s a huge deal, Kiki. It’s way too much work for one person.”

  “Not your problem,” I said firmly. “Seriously, Jen, I’ll hire whatever help I need. I’ve got this.”

  She looked skeptical, but I changed the subject before she could argue anymore. “So, have you given any thought to baby names? Because I think Kiki is an awesome name for a little girl.”

  Jen laughed. “Will you please let me be there when you suggest it to Matt?”

  I laughed with her. Telling Jen had been the right decision, I knew it. Lying there with her, thinking about her little baby girl, I felt better, more free, than I had in months.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  The office was lonely without Jen. We finally hired an intern, Marcus, to help with some of the workload. He was a cool guy with a wicked fashion sense, but it just wasn’t the same. Even worse, I could no longer count on Jen as a buffer between Sarah and myself. The wedding was fast approaching, only a month away, which meant I was spending a good portion of every day in contact with Sarah.

  “You can do this,” I whispered to myself, sitting in my car and staring out at the country club façade. “It’s just one afternoon. You’re a pro.”

  I groaned and opened the door, not much bolstered by my own pep talk. Yes, it might just be one afternoon, but it was still going to be hell. I grabbed a box from the backseat of my car and headed up to the imposing front entrance.

  As I walked into the main foyer, I was
struck by how little had changed. I hadn’t been inside the club for years, probably not since college. My parents were still members here, but even they visited much less frequently. I sighed as the heavy smell of lilies and gardenia settled over me. May as well get this started.

  I found the dining room where we were holding the shower with no problem. The staff had already been busy carrying out my instruction. A huge urn of summer roses was stationed outside the dining room door. Next to that I would put the poster-sized, black-and-white photograph I had of Sarah and her fiancé. I had suggested we add a bouquet of balloons, but Mrs. Vandermark had looked at me like I had three heads. “We’re not really balloon people, dear.”

  There was no sign of Sarah or her mother in the room, and I sighed in relief. I would have a few moments, at least, to get set up without them hovering.

  “Hello, Mrs. Thompson,” a soft voice said from the doorway. I turned and saw Michael, the club manager, standing in the doorway. I smiled at him warmly; I had always liked Michael. Over the years I had watched him put up with a constant string of ill-mannered, demanding members, and he always did so with grace and politeness.

  “Michael,” I said, rushing over to give him a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “We miss you around here,” he said after I had released him. “It’s been far too long.”

  “I know,” I told him. “I’m just so busy these days.”

  “Yes, your father tells me. He’s so proud of you and your business venture, Kiki. It’s all he ever talks about when he’s here.”

  I blushed, feeling a rush of affection for my father. I needed to get over to the house to see him, and my mom. It had been way too long.

  “Well, your staff has done a great job here,” I said, gesturing around the room. “It looks great. Sure makes my job easier.”

  “You were very clear with your instructions,” he said, deflecting praise as he normally did. “Anyhow, I just stopped by to let you know that you’ll have the full service of five waiters and two bartenders. Marie will be your club hostess for the afternoon, available to assist you in anything you need. How does that sound?”