And that was it. I drove the twenty minutes to my mother’s, tears blurring my vision the entire way. I’d brought her home earlier that morning and had asked a neighbor to stay with her while I ran out. The medical supply company had set up a hospital bed in the living room, where Mom would sleep, so she didn’t have to try to navigate stairs with her cast and crutches, and so that I could stay close by to wait on her.
The week went by in a blur. The only bright spot each day was when the sitter brought the kids over. They were so sweet to Mom, and she seemed a little cheered by their presence, although I could tell she was happy to have my undivided attention when it came time for them to leave. As they pouted, I explained why I couldn’t go home with them, but Stelli cried for the first few days.
It about killed me. I couldn’t do this much longer. I had to find a nurse or someone to stay the night so I could go back and be with my family. One day, just after the kids had left, I broached the subject with my mother, and she looked at me with fury in her eyes.
“I took care of you for your whole life, and you can’t sacrifice a few weeks of yours for me?”
“Mom, it’s not that,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “The kids need me, too. I asked you to come stay with us, but you insisted on being here. Please try to understand.”
“I understand—you care more about that hotshot lawyer than your mother. The children have sitters and their father. They’ll be fine.”
“I know, Mom. But they’re young. It’s too hard for them to come here and then go home without me.”
“Fine, Joanna. Abandon your mother. Just remember that I gave up my career for you. I stayed home with you when you had mono. Remember? For six months I couldn’t work, and they gave my promotion to someone else. Who knows what direction my life would have taken if I’d been made a manager at my company? Instead, I lost my job. Your father left us for that woman and her daughter. And I took care of you after he was gone, even though you were already eighteen. I could have kicked you out like a lot of parents do when their kids come of age.”
I threw my hands up. What was the use? She always won. “I’ll stay, I’ll stay.”
That was my first mistake.
The next week, we were just finishing breakfast when a van pulled up to the house and a man knocked on the door to ask me where to put all my belongings—boxes, bags, and suitcases full of my stuff. The boxes looked like they’d been packed hurriedly, the clothing barely folded and overflowing out of the tops, my toiletries in a mixed jumble. My journals and books were thrown together in bags along with some framed photographs. I felt shocked and violated.
Thunderstruck, I called Leo. “What’s going on? Did you just have my things sent to my mother’s house?”
He sighed loudly. “Damn! I’m so sorry, Joanna. They weren’t supposed to come until tomorrow. I wanted to talk to you first.” He took a deep breath as my heart hammered in my chest. “Listen, I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. It’s not healthy anymore, living together.”
“How can you do this? How can you end it like this? Leo . . . I—”
“Joanna, I’ve got a client in the waiting room. I am sorry, but I have to go for now.” He hung up.
Was he serious? How dare he use my mother’s accident to get me out of the house? I’d have to go talk to him in person.
I barely made it through the rest of the day, but as soon as the clock hit six, I asked Mom’s next-door neighbor to come over and stay with her again, and she kindly agreed. I got to the house before Leo got home from work and let myself in. Rebecca looked surprised to see me when I walked into the kitchen but said nothing. I spent some time reading to the children, then asked Rebecca to take them out to dinner in town. I didn’t want them to overhear my conversation with Leo.
While I waited for him, I looked around the room and did a double-take when I spotted a new espresso machine. I’d never known Leo to drink espresso.
I braced myself when I heard his car pull up and the garage door open.
He seemed startled to see me when he came into the house. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you.” My heart was beating so fast I thought I would pass out. It was ridiculous that I was feeling this shaky and nervous, given that this was where I belonged.
He gave me a sympathetic look. “Let’s sit down and talk about this calmly.” He put his hand on my back and led me gently to the couch in the living room, then turned to me. “Joanna, I’m sorry. I know this isn’t what you want, but I just can’t give you what you want. I’d like for us to part as friends, especially for the sake of the children.”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “Friends? I don’t understand. I’ve helped you get through this horrible time, and now you want to get rid of me? How can you just . . . dispose of me after all these years? I’ve been the one by your side as you’ve built your practice. I’ve taken care of the house. Devoted myself to the children. I’ve always handled everything so you didn’t have to worry about anything. And now, you want to replace me and go on with your life?” The pain of his betrayal ripped through me as if I were being torn in two.
He put his head in his hands for a moment, then looked at me again. “I do appreciate everything you’ve done over the years, but I can’t help my feelings. Life is short. I’m in love with someone else, and I need to be happy.”
I stood up, my face hot. “Piper Reynard? How long have you known her—three weeks, a month?” My voice rose. “She’s just using you. Why can’t you see that?” I was losing it, and I knew I sounded crazy, but there was too much emotion boiling up inside me. Later I’d wonder if I had stayed calm, if I had told him about my concerns about Piper’s lack of a past and what she might be hiding, would it have gone better? But my heart was shattering, and there was no way to hold it in.
His eyes were filled with pity. This wasn’t my Leo in front of me. It was as though he’d been replaced by a look-alike, an imposter. He shook his head. “You’re wrong. Piper loves me, and I love her. We’re going to be together, and you need to accept that. You’ll find someone yourself. You just need to let go.”
His words were like a physical blow. I actually staggered backward, trying to catch my breath. “How can you say that?”
“Because it’s true. And I want the best for you. You need to get on with your life. I’ll be more than generous. You won’t have to worry about money.”
“You think you can just buy me off? I don’t want your money. I want you! I want us!”
“There is no us. You need to let go.”
“How can you be so cruel? I love you. We’re a family. Don’t do this.”
“Please, Joanna. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. You need to go.” He rose and stood, looking down at me, waiting. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.”
I followed him to the front door, my mind churning. How could I be losing everything that mattered to me?
15
Piper
As soon as Piper had awakened, Leo had called to confirm their plans for that afternoon. After they said goodbye, she poured a second cup of tea, and almost immediately, her phone pinged with a text message. Counting the hours until I see you. Hated having to leave you last night. Xo. Piper smiled. She couldn’t wait either. They talked every day now, usually first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, bookending their days. They even managed to see each other three nights a week. She’d been afraid at first that it would be hard for him to get away, but now that Joanna was gone, and the nanny, Rebecca, was living there again, it had become easier. The only thing that frustrated her was that Leo had been taking things very slowly, and had told her that he wanted everything to be perfect when they finally became intimate with each other. Piper still hadn’t met the children, and a part of her wondered if that was some sort of a test, if perhaps Leo wanted to make sure that his children approved of her before taking the relationship to the next level. But she was tired of waiting and intended
to speed things up tonight.
Piper lifted the tea bag and placed it on the small porcelain dish, smiling to herself. She and Leo had never spent a weekend day together, but this Saturday was going to be different. Stelli and Evie were spending all day Saturday and Sunday morning with Leo’s parents. That meant that Leo and Piper had the entire day and night to themselves, and she planned to make the most of their time.
She rose and walked to the conservatory, where a wall of glass faced out across the Long Island Sound, sat in an armchair, and closed her eyes. Her mind had been wandering lately when she meditated, and so she tried to keep herself focused on her breath, in and out. When she looked at her watch, she was pleased to see that a half hour had passed. Pulling out her yoga mat, she did some stretches and a short routine. Her body felt supple and limber.
Everything was good. Even the weather was cooperating—it was a gorgeous July morning, with no rain in the forecast, and winds were from the southwest at ten knots. An ideal day for sailing. She had made arrangements with the club to pack a lunch basket and a bottle of wine for them to take on the sailboat. Leo would meet her on the dock at noon.
With one last look at the calm waters, she went upstairs to dress, pulling on a pair of white shorts and a navy T-shirt, and taking a light sweater from the closet shelf in case it got cooler toward evening. On the way out, she grabbed a tube of sunscreen, since she couldn’t remember how much was left in the one on the boat. She’d been so busy at work and her mind occupied with Leo that she hadn’t taken it out since the beginning of June, and she’d missed it. Being on the water, controlling the sails and rigging—that was a time when she was alone with the elements and had to concentrate fully. It cleared her head, stopped her ghosts from haunting her. Out on the water, she could be herself, unencumbered and pure.
She walked along the boards and felt a swell of exhilaration as she neared the forty-one-foot Jeanneau she kept docked at the pier. It was a beauty and often a challenge to skipper alone, but Piper loved a challenge. She stepped on board and went below. A small basket of fruit sat on the table, and she opened the refrigerator door to find a variety of cheeses along with a bottle of white wine inside.
“Permission to come aboard, Captain?” Leo’s deep voice called to her.
“Permission granted,” she said, laughing, as she climbed the stairs to the upper deck.
“What a great boat,” he said, running a hand along the shiny railing. “You handle this all by yourself?”
“I do, but it can be a lot, especially docking and tying up. It’ll be good to have your help. But we’re lucky—the water’s like glass. It’ll be so peaceful out there today.”
They worked the lines together, and Piper maneuvered out of the slip, setting sail. They sailed the Sound in silence, and she noticed Leo’s shoulders relaxing as he leaned reflexively into the gentle motion of the boat. After an hour, she tacked closer to shore, set the anchor, and joined him.
“Enjoying yourself?” she asked him.
“I can’t think of any place I’d rather be than on this little bit of heaven with you.” He reached his hand out to hers and pulled her gently onto his lap. “You make me happy,” he said, and his lips touched hers.
The kiss was long and deep, and Piper felt a stirring inside of her that was almost painful.
“Let’s go below.” His lips were now against her ear, his voice low and husky.
Together, they hurried to the stateroom. Piper turned to him as she reached the bed and paused, waiting for him to undress her. He understood, lifted the T-shirt over her head, and immediately his hands were unfastening her bra, freeing her breasts. He caressed them, first with his hands, then his mouth. Piper let out a moan and lay back on the bed. She had never felt such intense desire. They made love as if starved—urgently and passionately. After a second, more languorous time, they fell asleep to the soft rocking of the boat.
They awoke hungry, and Piper wrapped a leg over his. “How about some food and a glass of wine?”
“I don’t know. Can’t we just stay in bed forever?” He kissed her, pulling her body closer to his.
“You can come up for air, Mr. Drakos. We have all day.” She ran a hand across his belly, nestling her head against his chest.
“I want to know everything about you,” he said. “What your dreams are, what’s most important to you, all the things you care about.”
“Ah, let’s see . . . I want to make a difference in people’s lives. I know that sounds like a cliché, but I really mean it. I believe in the basic goodness and decency of most people. Sometimes you just have to help them connect to that part of themselves. It’s very gratifying.”
Leo kissed the top of her head as she lay against him. “You’re a wonderful woman, Piper. I feel like I could face anything with you by my side.” After a while they got up and dressed, then devoured the cheese and fruit. Piper poured a glass of wine for each of them and took a long swallow of hers.
“We should probably pull up anchor,” she said. “It’s getting late, and I want to get back while it’s still light.”
“All right. But first . . .” He took her hand and pulled her back toward the bed, lifted her T-shirt over her head once more, and pressed his body against hers. They fell onto the bed together, locked in each other’s arms; his mouth hungrily found hers. She could feel the flush of heat surge through her entire body, as they made wild love.
They sailed back in companionable silence, speaking only when she needed help with the lines. After they had docked the boat and disembarked, they left Piper’s car at the club and took his car to her house.
“I’ll run upstairs and change for dinner. I won’t be long.” She rose onto tiptoes and kissed him as they stood in the entrance hall. “There’s a bottle of red in the kitchen. Go pour yourself a glass while I change.”
“I think I’d rather follow you.”
“Down, boy,” she said with a laugh.
True to her word, she was back downstairs in ten minutes, her shorts replaced with a long, white slip dress. She’d released her hair from its ponytail, and it hung loose and straight to her shoulders.
“Beautiful,” he said appreciatively as she descended the stairs. “You are absolutely glowing.”
She smiled at him. “A certain gentleman is the reason for that.”
They left the house hand in hand, and as she settled back into the passenger’s seat of his car, she replayed their lovemaking in her mind. Things had changed on the boat this afternoon. The relationship was at a completely different level now—intimate and private. They had the whole evening ahead of them, and she knew beyond a doubt that he would stay until morning. It would be perfect . . . and she couldn’t wait to have him all to herself all night.
16
Joanna
The week after the moving van had showed up, I called Leo every day, but he wouldn’t listen to reason. Celeste advised me to give him some space, a chance to see what he was missing. She told me she’d had clients whose husbands had acted the same way when they were in the thrall of an affair, but that after a while they’d come to realize what they had in their wives. But I couldn’t afford to wait any longer, with someone as aggressive as Piper inserting herself, and planned to go to the house to confront him. Before I could, late one afternoon the doorbell rang, and I opened it to see a woman standing there. She asked me my name then handed me an envelope. I realized too late that she was a process server. My hands shook as I read the document that announced the end of my life with Leo. He was severing our relationship with the ruthlessness of a shark. No call to warn me, nothing to let me know that he was making it official.
I wasn’t even aware I was shrieking until my mother yelled to me from her bed.
“Joanna! What’s wrong?”
I stumbled into the living room, my chest heaving with sobs, and thrust the paper toward her. “He’s done with me. And I apparently made it easier on him by being the one to leave.”
She threw th
e paper at me and scowled. “Are you trying to blame me? I can’t help it if I fell. That bastard was through with you before you ever packed up and left. He’s probably shacking up with that blond bimbo right now.”
“Stop, Mom. That’s enough!” I regretted ever saying a word to her about Piper. I ran to my bedroom and called his cell.
“Joanna?”
“How could you do this to me?” I choked out.
“You got the papers, then?” His voice was flat, devoid of emotion.
“You can’t do this. I won’t let you. Please, Leo.”
“I’ve told you, Joanna, you’ve forced my hand. This is the only way that you’ll realize I’m not going to change my mind. It’s best for all parties involved if we all move forward.”
All parties involved? Did he think I was stupid? “I won’t sign the papers. I’ll fight you!”
“If you do, I’ll keep this thing hung up in court until you don’t have a penny left. I’ve been very generous with the settlement, and I was happy to do it. But if you don’t sign, I’ll make sure you end up with nothing.”
“Stelli and Evie will be devastated. How can you do this to them?”
“This is just about you and me. You’ll still see the children. I would never try to keep you from them.” His voice softened as he spoke, but I knew that once he moved Piper in, he’d try to edge me out. If I signed the papers, I’d have nothing to tie him to me anymore, no leverage to keep him from making a life with her.
The Wife Stalker Page 6