Dust Eva Everson (story reading txt) đ
- Author: Eva Everson
Book online «Dust Eva Everson (story reading txt) đ». Author Eva Everson
I broke down then, crying hysterically. Sobbing that I simply could not believe Michelle had left us.
âWhat do you think?â Westley asked me. âThat she loves her more than us?â
I nodded between hunched shoulders.
âCome on, Ali,â he said, reaching for my hand. âShe loves you to bits, you know that. And she loves me, too. Hey now âŠâ His thumb rubbed over the back of my hand. âDo you know why Iâm okay with all this?â
I shook my head, no, my head still down.
âBecause I wouldnât be surprised if Michelle doesnât come home for good after the Christmas holidays.â
I looked up then, tears and snot dripping from my nose. âReally?â
He handed me a napkin. âReally. Now, how often have I been wrong?â
Chapter Forty
But he was wrong. She didnât come home for good. Instead, she returned to Tucker, leaving me with a lovely antique pearl bracelet with a rhinestone fishhook clasp sheâd picked out herself at an antique market, along with entirely too much information on the details of the dissolution of Cindieâs marriage. Of her long and sordid affair with one of her professors. Her tumultuous divorce from Kyle. Of the custody battle she ultimately lost because she never really fought. Michelle had told me in explicit detail about Pattersonâwho, according to Michelle, was a nice enough guy whoâd managed to salvage his marriage but was back in Cindieâs life regardlessâof Karsonâs true paternity, and of how Kyle had threatened to go to the college board with all of this unless he received full custody of the child and a legal obligation never to tell Karson the truthâat least until after his twenty-first birthday. She told me that Karson came every other Wednesday night and alternating weekends. And that she, old soul that she was, couldnât help but feel somehow responsible for this little half-brother.
âShe also feels like the odd man out,â I told Westley a few days after 1994 had dawned, entering southwest Georgia with its chilly temperatures, days after Michelle had returned to Tucker.
âWhat do you mean?â He stood at the kitchen counter where he poured himself a cup of early-morning coffee. He glanced at his watch. Heâd have to leave within the next forty-five minutes to make it to work on time. Iâd have to do the same.
âWhen Karson comes,â I told him, twirling the pearl bracelet around and around my wrist, âPatterson comes. So, even though Karson doesnât know who Patterson really is, itâs real father-mother-child ⊠and Michelle.â
Westley crossed into the breakfast nook, then took a seat by me. âHow do you know all this?â
âDid Michelle not talk to you at all, Wes? When she was here?â
Hurtâor was it disappointmentâslid across his features, then disappeared. âSure, we talked.â He shrugged. âMostly about her new obsession with crooner musicâshe has a small stack of Sinatra CDs, did you know that? I never thought I could know so much about Frank Sinatra or his music.â
âYes, I noticed. At least itâs not hip-hop.â I waited for Westley to continue, but when he didnât, I asked, âAnything else? Did she talk to you about anything else?â
Again, he shrugged. âYeah. We also talked about pre-med and how sheâs learning to drive in Atlanta traffic but will probably live with Cindie one more year before transferring to the dorms.â
One more year. I shook my head in disbelief. âWell, apparently Cindie felt the need to tell her everything. All about the affairâyou know, so âshe wonât make the same mistakes.ââ I air-quoted the words.
âHow long had it been going on? The affair. Did she say?â
âOh yes ⊠started nearly as soon as she got to Dekalb.â
Westley pointed to me in a siege of victory. âDidnât I tell you? Years ago, didnât I tell you? I knew she was sleeping with a married man. I said it, didnât I?â
I grabbed his finger and squeezed. âI donât quite see why youâre so happy about this, Wes. This is not a game or a sporting event where you get to be the winner. Cindie is not a good example for her.â
âYou think I donât know that?â
âBecause, what sheâs telling her by example,â I continued, ignoring him, âis that she can sleep with a married man, fool another into thinking a child is his, get married, get a divorce, get the first man back, and somehow, all will work out in the end.â I took a breath. âI am genuinely concerned about our daughter.â
Westleyâs brows drew together. âIs that what she did? Fool Kyle into thinkingâ?â
I sighed in defeat. Apparently, he was missing the point and to shine light on that fact would only aggravate the wound. âThatâs what she said ⊠Cindie, I mean. She told Michelle the whole gruesome story in full, cinematic details. Iâm surprised she didnât pull out a video diary.â
âAli âŠâ
I grabbed my coffee mug and took it to the sink. âI know. Thatâs low, even for me.â
âEspecially for you ⊠youâre better than that.â
I turned to him. âAm I? Because right now I want to pick up the phone, call Cindie, and scream every vile thing Iâm thinking about her.â
âGet in line.â
âAnd so does DiAnn,â I added, speaking confidently now of a sister-in-law who had, since March, become my friend. My ally. We talked every day as soon as we got to work. Sometimes in the afternoons as well.
Westley laughed. âI can just bet.â
âAnd donât get me started on Ro-Bay and Miss Justine.â
My husband nodded. âI know. Miss Justine offered to pay for any and all legal costsâincluding investigatorsâif Iâd wanted to fight Cindie over this.â
I returned to the table and sat.
Comments (0)