CHAPTER ELEVEN Honest Too Late
Maya chose Friday night because she had convinced herself timing could make a painful truth kinder.
Andre came home a little after seven carrying Thai food and a bottle of red wine. He kissed her cheek, set everything on the counter, and began unpacking containers while talking about a contractor who had ordered the wrong tile for a lobby restoration.
Maya stood near the kitchen island with both hands wrapped around a glass of water.
"Can we talk before we eat?"Andre stopped.It was the kind of sentence people never used before good news.
"Sure."He closed the takeout bag and looked at her.Maya had rehearsed this drive home from work.
She had decided she would be direct, calm, honest. She would not minimize.
She would not make Andre pull the truth out of her one thread at a time.Still, when his full attention settled on her, she wanted to run.
"I saw somebody a couple weeks ago," she began.Andre waited.
"At The Grove. Somebody I used to know.""Okay.
""My ex from high school. Jalen."Andre's face changed almost imperceptibly.
He knew the name. Maya had mentioned Jalen years ago, once, during a conversation about first relationships.
"The first boyfriend?""Yes.""The one who cheated on you?
"Maya swallowed. "Yes."Andre pulled out one of the counter stools and sat down.
"What happened?""We talked. He asked for my number.
I gave it to him."Andre's eyes did not leave hers.
"And?""We've been texting."Silence."How much?
""On and off.""Maya.""Almost every day."Andre looked toward the floor for a moment.
"Does he know about me?""Yes. I told him at the mall.
""So he knows you're in a relationship and he's texting you every day.
""It's mostly been about the past.""Have you seen him again?
""No.""Have you talked on the phone?"Maya's pause answered before she did.
"Yes."Andre's jaw tightened."How many times?
""A few.""When?""In the car. At work."His gaze sharpened.
"When I wasn't around."Maya looked down.
"Yes."Andre stood and walked away from the counter.
He stopped near the balcony doors, one hand on his hip, the other rubbing the back of his neck.
"Why are you telling me now?""Because I feel guilty.
Because I don't want to lie to you."He turned.
"Have you been lying to me?"Maya's eyes filled.
"Yes."The word seemed to strike him physically.
"About what?""You asked who I was texting at dinner.
I said Tasha. It was him. You asked who I was talking to after the gym.
I said my mom. It was him."Andre stared at her.Maya had seen him angry before.
She had seen him frustrated, disappointed, exhausted.
This was different. His hurt was so still it made the room feel smaller.
"Why?" he asked."I don't know.""That's not an answer.
""I know.""Did you kiss him?""No.""Did you sleep with him?
""No.""Did you send pictures?""No. Nothing like that.
"Andre laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
"So what is it like?"Maya pressed her palms together.
"We started talking about what happened between us.
He apologized. We remembered things. And I realized I still have feelings I thought were gone.
"The room went completely quiet.Andre looked at her for several seconds.
"Feelings.""I don't understand them.""But you have them.
""Yes."He nodded slowly, as if filing away a fact he wished he had never learned.
"And you love me?""Yes. Andre, I do."His eyes lifted to hers.
"Then why did you protect your conversations with him from me instead of protecting us from him?
"Maya had no answer.The Thai food cooled on the counter.The wine stayed unopened.And the life they had built began to change shape around them.