Chapter Three
It was days before she could look Kate in the eye. She didn’t want to admit that after all this time, after all the conversations they had about Kate’s marriage, Natalie remaining the voice of reason, that she was the one in the failing marriage. She knew she would have to tell her best friend at some point, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. She continued on as though nothing had happened.
She met Kate at the park once again to let the kids run around for an hour or two. She knew that the two of them would go crazy without park days (she dreaded winter every year for that very reason). It was a chance to let the kids have free play time while they could sit on the picnic table and talk, only Junia’s baby ears listening.
As soon as she saw Kate walking towards her, Natalie knew something was wrong. It was a gloomy day, and Kate’s face matched the weather. She looked absolutely distraught, as though maybe she had been crying.
“You okay?” Natalie said as they met at their customary perch. She knew her best friend better than anyone, and she knew Kate was on the verge of an massive fit.
“Nope.”
“You’re mad.”
“Yep.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I found it. I found evidence. I looked at his phone last night when he was in the shower.”
“Kate!” Natalie reprimanded, not saying a word about the fact that she had snooped as well.
“I guess it’s someone he met online, I don’t know. But they’re very clearly seeing each other. Friends don’t talk to each other like…that…”
“What do you mean? Dirty stuff?”
“Yeah.”
Natalie sighed and took a sip from her travel mug full of coffee. She was so tired all the time, she figured she would benefit from an IV of the stuff permanently dripping into her veins.
“Wanna know the real kicker?” Kate asked. Junia babbled happily in her stroller. It was almost comical, the conversation they were having juxtaposed with the delighted shrieks from their children on the swings. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.
“Do I?”
“Probably not, but I’m going to tell you anyway.”
“Great.”
“I think…I think it’s with a guy.” Even as Kate said it her voice dripped with disbelief. Natalie felt her entire stomach drop. What was going on?! Her brain spun in circles, attempting to make everything fall into place. Maybe that was Zac’s laptop on the coffee table. It was too much of a coincidence. Maybe Zac had come over and he had left his computer and Natalie had seen his conversation. But…his name wasn’t Jordan, that was Taylor’s name.
“Nat?”
“Sorry…sorry I’m just…just trying to wrap my mind around that. That’s um…that’s a big bomb to drop.”
“Yeah, obviously.”
“Are you sure it was his phone?”
“On his bedside table? Yeah, I’m pretty sure that was Zac’s phone.”
“Do you know who the person is?”
“No, but he kept calling Zac “Sam” which is weird.”
Natalie’s vision blurred. She felt like she was going to pass out. The entire world tilted. She felt bile in the back of her throat. She tried to focus on Ezra, who was swinging so high he could have launched himself up into the sky if he wanted to.
“…Kate?” she squeaked out, blood pounding in her ears.
“Yeah?”
“I have to tell you something…”