CHAPTER 18
“Why do you keep looking at the china cabinet?” Cora asked. She’d arrived last night with her boys. They were enjoying a big breakfast with French toast, bacon and eggs in the dining room.
The last time Lainey had graced this room with her presence, Robert had her against the wall, making the dishes clatter in the cabinet. Cora’s voice jerked her out of the memory.
“What?” Lainey asked.
“I said...Why do you keep staring at the china cabinet?”
“Oh,” she blinked. “I’m trying to remember the last time I dusted Grandma’s china. It may need it again.”
Cora studied the contents herself. “Seems clean to me. Maybe a little disheveled though.”
Lainey choked on her coffee.
“Are you alright?”
Lainey hacked, “Went down the wrong pipe,” she choked out, coughing some more, “I'm fine.” She began gathering dishes. “We probably want to get a move on if we want to beat the crowd at the pumpkin patch.”
“Boys, Aunt Lainey’s right. We all slept in this morning, and the day’s a wastin’. Go brush your teeth. You too, Miss Vivian,” Cora winked at her, then followed Lainey into the kitchen.
Lainey started rinsing plates.
“What is up with you?” Cora asked, picking up a dish towel to help.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve been closed off since I arrived last night. I feel like you’ve been avoiding me.”
Lainey scoffed, “What are you talking about? I’m not avoiding you?” Cora could read her like a book. She was like a lie detector, accustomed particularly to Lainey, knowing her tells.
“Uh, huh. Sure. Spill it. You know you want to.”
Lainey stepped away and looked down the hall, making sure Vivian was out of earshot.
“They’re all in the bathroom brushing their teeth. They can’t hear us,” Cora assured her.
Lainey kept her voice low. “I found out Geoff was cheating on me.”
“What!” Cora shrieked.
“Shhhh. Keep it down,” Lainey peeked down the hall again.
“Sorry,” Cora regained her composure. “He was?” she asked.
Lainey told her about the encounter with Sam at the restaurant and finding the phone messages.
“You know what the funny thing is? In the back of my mind, I’ve always thought it was strange he picked that restaurant for dinner.
If he was craving Mexican, he could’ve gotten takeout from the one up the street.
” Lainey shrugged, “Now it makes sense. He was meeting up with his girlfriend.”
Cora hugged her. “I’m so sorry, Lain.” She rubbed her palm over Lainey’s back. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t know,” she sighed, leaning into the hug. “I’m trying to make sense of it all. They were texting about packaging something too. I can only imagine what that might have been.”
Lainey shook her head, “He’s not the man I thought he was. It’s like I’m mourning him all over again. But this time I’m hurt by his deceit, his lies, and I’m...I’m pissed!”
Lainey withdrew from the embrace and returned to the dishes. “Why would he have done this to Viv and me? I knew he’d lost interest, telling me to lose weight and stuff like that. But still! You should see this woman. Skinny, blonde, tattooed. Oh! And her boobs! Don’t get me started.”
Cora helped herself to another cup of coffee. She took a sip and shook her head. “I know we’re not supposed to speak ill of the dead, but what a shit! What a shitbag!”
Lainey nodded.
“And why would this slut tell you all these years later? What purpose does that serve?”
Lainey had asked herself the same question. “I don’t know, but I’m glad she did. I’ve had Geoff up on a pedestal. I’ve been stuck on him. I’ve been faithful even after his death, feeling guilty for even looking at another man.”
Cora leaned against the counter, clasping her fingers around her warm mug. “How’d she even know who you were?”
Lainey started wiping the countertops. “She’s been in our house. Seen my picture. My family pictures! That’s probably how she recognized me at the restaurant.”
“Oh, ick,” Cora grimaced.
“I know! I want to sell this place now.” Thinking about this Sam woman being in her house, even in her bed, made her gag.
Before Cora could respond to the idea of selling the house, the sound of stomping feet running towards them extinguished their conversation.
* * *
After the kiddos each picked the most perfect orange pumpkin that their little hearts desired at Smokey Valley Pumpkin Patch, they headed to the Dickinson County Fall Festival in town.
There were carnival rides, games, food vendors and a bluegrass band playing on the main stage. They met up with Geoff’s sister Lillian and her husband Ethan along with their children. They congregated at the large pumpkin bounce house.
“It’s almost noon," Ethan said. "Do you think we should get them something to eat? I know I could eat a hamburger and possibly a funnel cake." They all stood watching the children bounce inside the soft cage. The kids were giggling and screaming like wild monkeys.
“I have a quilt in my tote bag. We could pick a spot in the grass and have a picnic.” Lillian suggested.
“We could listen to the band there too,” Cora nodded.
“Sounds great,” Lainey said. “Ethan, you and I can get the food. I’m thinking we could split hot dogs and curly fries among the kids.”
“Bring me back a caramel apple,” Cora said.
“Ooh, bring me one too. With nuts, please,” Lillian added.
Ethan chuckled, “You got it, ladies.”
Ethan and Lainey walked half a block to the food vendors. Lines were already growing. “I don’t think we beat the lunch rush. Looks like everyone had the same idea,” Ethan said, joining the back of a line.
Lainey smirked.
“It’s nice to see your sister. I haven’t seen her since last Christmas,” Ethan said.
Lainey thought about it. “I guess that was the last time we had all the kids together.”
Just then, Lainey heard her name. She and Ethan turned around.
“Lainey! I knew that was the back of your head,” Emma giggled, walking up with Jake.
“Emma!” Lainey gave her a quick hug. “Ethan, this is my friend Emma and her husband,” she motioned. “This is my brother-in-law, Ethan.”
“Nice to meet you. Where’s Vivian?” Emma asked, looking around.
“She’s back at the big bounce house with her cousins.” Lainey swung her thumb over her shoulder. “Ethan and I are getting food for the crew. What are you two up to?”
Emma explained she’d dragged her husband to the festival on one of his only days off to visit the arts and crafts vendors. “I wanted to do some early Christmas shopping. You know I like to get unique, one of a kind gifts,” she said.
As Emma went on about handmade wooden coasters, Lainey nodded, but her eyes veered ten yards behind Emma. A carnival worker was handing an overly large, obnoxious neon pink stuffed elephant to a figure she was all too familiar with. Robert.
He’d just claimed a prize from winning a pop-shot game. Lainey watched as Robert handsomely grinned and then passed the oversized pink monstrosity to a twenty-something female beside him. She jumped with glee, latching onto the gift.
Next, the young, overly giddy hussy locked onto Robert’s arm, smiling, and the two walked up behind Emma and Jake.
Time slowed down, noises and voices became muffled as Lainey observed Robert’s wide smile below his devilish green eyes.
It pained her heart to see him with exactly who she’d predicted he could be with. A young, vibrant twenty-something. The girl was pretty too. Long hair, a flowery autumn dress with knee-high boots. She was tall and skinny too. Robert HAD said he liked tall women.
This completely made sense. Lainey had kicked him to the curb. When she didn’t call back right away after he’d checked on her, it took him only two point six seconds in man time to replace her. With a much younger and leaner version to boot.
The girl was into Robert too. She clung to his arm and giggled back at him. She flung her long, dirty-blonde hair over her shoulder as they came up beside Emma and Jake.
What kind of man dates a woman half his age? The respect and high esteem Lainey had had for Robert went right out the window. She almost called him last night too, but Cora had come into town, and Lainey thought it best to wait another day before reaching out. Thank goodness she’d held off.
She turned her attention completely to Emma. His betrayal disgusted her, but she didn’t want to show it in her expression, which she would if she had to witness this spectacle any longer.
It shouldn’t bother her. But after finding out about Geoff’s betrayal, she’d warmed more to the fact that she needed to move on. Since Robert’s tender hearted phone call to check on her, because of her fainting episode at the park, she was actually considering giving him another chance.
But unlike Geoff’s hidden infidelity, Robert’s was even rawer, his treachery flaunted before her very eyes, this very moment. Why on earth was she allowing herself to be hung up on this man, when she’d broken up with him? Good riddance! She thought.
Robert had been so engrossed with his date, Lainey caught the second he recognized her. He stiffened, and the smile broke on his face. Apparently, he wasn’t planning on running into Lainey either. His eyes shifted to Ethan, eyeing him up and down, then back to Lainey.
Emma finally finished by saying, “...my mother loved the embroidered dish towels I gifted her last year. The lady’s booth is on the north side of the street, if you want to check it out.” Noticing Robert had joined them, she said, “Jake dragged Robert along too.” Emma rolled her eyes and giggled.
How could Emma act as if this entire happenstance was completely normal?
Lainey and Robert had been dating, yet she acted entirely oblivious to the fair-haired vixen on Robert’s arm.
How could Emma be so nonchalant? Lainey had considered her more a friend than a colleague, but now she felt a whole new level of backstabbing.
“We’re next,” Ethan said to Lainey as the line moved up. “What are you having? I’ll order for us?”
“I can order my own.” Lainey said, opening up her handbag to find her wallet.
Ethan patted her forearm. “Put your money away. My treat today. If you want to pay me back, bake me some of your famous chocolate chip cookies,” he winked at her and grinned.
“Are you sure?” she asked Ethan, giving a quick smile to Emma, who, along with the rest of her group, including Robert, was witnessing this brief exchange.
“Yes,” Ethan insisted.
“I’ll have a caramel apple then,” Lainey smiled in Emma’s direction again, thanking her for her patience.
She glanced at Robert, whose face was sullen. Smile gone and eyes locked on Lainey. Miss Young Thing’s arm was still latched around his elbow, but his gaze was completely on Lainey.
“I need a word.” Robert’s stern tone got everyone’s attention, but it was clear he was only speaking to Lainey. He cocked his head, pointing off to the side.
In an instant, the light-hearted energy became heavy. Emma, Jake and Miss Young Thing remained silent.
Lainey looked at Ethan. He was in his own world at the food truck window, asking if they had root beer. Everyone else held their breath until Lainey answered. “Sure.” She gave the group a nervous grin, trying to sell the falsity that this wasn’t uncomfortable at all.
She stepped to the side, and Robert patted his date’s arm, unlocking her grip. Lainey endured the awkward situation as best she could but felt the group’s eyes all on her.
The second they were out of earshot, “Who’s the guy?” Robert’s jaw clenched with impatience.
“That’s Ethan...”
“I thought you weren’t ready to date. Or was it only me?”
“What? No, if you’d let me finish! That’s Ethan, my brother-in-law.
Our kids and HIS WIFE are back at the bounce house.
” She motioned behind her. Lainey felt flattered by his jealousy for a solid second before she remembered she had her own bone to pick.
“Who are you to talk? Who’s Miss Young Thing hangin’ all over you? ”
Sorrow and the look of I’ve stuck my foot in my mouth came over his face. He looked as if hot coals on his head had just been doused with water. “That’s my daughter,” he answered.
Gulp. “Oh.” Lainey tasted a hint of her own toe jam.
They stood there for a moment, both feeling the proverbial egg on their faces.
“Would you like to meet her?” he asked affectionately, ending the tension.
“Sure.” She looked over at the four people they’d left behind. She stepped back to the group swiftly, wanting to regain some decency. Robert followed.
“Hi, I’m Lainey.” She smiled, introducing herself to his daughter. “Your dad has told me so much about you.” She lied. Robert had told her barely anything. She didn’t even know the sweet girl’s name.
She beamed back at Lainey. “I’m Macy. My dad’s told me about you too.”
He had?
Robert reclaimed his space next to her. “Macy is a junior at K-State this year,” he said with pride.
Lainey’s heart softened, she took in this new side of Robert she hadn’t seen before. Proud and loving father.
“Dad told me you have a daughter too?” Macy was actually genuine and quite lovely. Lainey, now felt remorseful for having had her claws out before.
“I do. Vivian’s down at the bounce house with her cousins.”
“Lainey. Here,” Ethan started passing foil-wrapped hot dogs to her as he took them from the window.
“Here, I’ll help,” Robert stepped in, taking the food Ethan was passing back.
“Hey! I made it!” Cora said, out of breath, jogging up to the group. “Lillian and I got the kids settled on the blanket. I ran up here to help transport the food.”
“Here, you can take what Robert has,” Lainey motioned. “Ethan and I have the rest.”
Cora looked up at Robert, and Lainey watched her breath catch.
“Emma, this is my sister Cora. Cora, Emma and her husband Jake.” Lainey made introductions, pointing with a caramel apple like it was a magic wand.
She tried, but failed, to pry Cora’s eyes off of Robert.
“And this is their friend Robert and his lovely daughter Macy.”
Cora took half a second to nod at Emma and Jake, then locked her gaze back on Robert, taking the hot dogs from him. “Robert?” She glanced at Lainey as a light bulb went on in her head. “THAT Robert?” she asked out loud.
Lainey felt her face turn blister red. If looks could kill, Cora would be lying on the ground without a pulse this very second.
Cora registered her mistake. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed her tongue.
Robert grinned at Lainey. “THAT Robert?” He chuckled, “I hope that’s a good thing.”
“Um...” Cora nervously smiled. “I’ll start back. Nice meeting you all!” She said, turning away, exiting stage left as quickly as possible.
“Yep, see you all later,” Lainey smirked with a wave of the gooey caramel apple. Cora led the way, and she followed, escaping Robert’s handsome grin and Emma’s giggling.
She walked ten feet before taking a quick peek over her shoulder. Robert was standing where she’d left him. Still smiling as his eyes watched her disappear into the crowd.