Chapter 7

We went out for lunch once the paperwork was done.

"I never asked," Rachel said. "If you wanted paralegal work, why not go to Edward? He's doing better than me."

My hand tightened around my fork.

"Rachel, I'm getting divorced."

Rachel stared at me. "Why? You were crazy about him. You'd have died for that man. You gave up your career after the wedding to raise Charlie and look after his parents. And now it's over, just like that?"

Then she asked, "Did he do something to you?"

I looked down and told Rachel all of it, Edward and Charlotte and every piece of the last month.

Rachel heard me out, let out a breath, and tried to talk sense into me. "Susie, I'm not attacking you, but at our age love stops being the point.

"As long as he hasn't crossed a real line, ride it out for Charlie. Edward's got a career, he's good looking, and he's your son's father.

"Walk away from that and you won't find better."

Life had put Rachel through plenty in those years.

She'd married, divorced, dated again, and come out the other side convinced men all ran on the same engine.

Nobody ever stood inside anyone else's life. She had no idea what those years had cost me, and I had no idea what hers had cost her.

I looked her in the eye. "After the divorce, I'm not getting married again."

Rachel knew I never turned back once I'd picked a direction, the same way nobody had talked me out of chasing Edward.

She smiled, "Whatever you decide, you've got me."

We talked about college for another hour and I came out of it lighter.

After lunch we went shopping, the way we used to.

A voice I knew carried across the mall floor.

"Dad, are we eating without telling Mom?" It was Charlie.

I turned toward it.

Edward stood a little way off with Charlie's hand in his, and Charlotte on the boy's other side.

Edward's voice was gentle. "Mom's busy job hunting. The three of us will eat."

Charlotte crouched down and pinched Charlie's cheek. "Charlie, your mom dumped you on a nanny and stopped paying attention to you. Why would you want dinner with her?

"I'll buy you a whole pile of toys after. How's that?"

Charlie's eyes filled and he stepped back. "I don't want toys. I want my mom."

Charlotte turned to Edward. "Ed, I'm not trying to be rude, but how is Susan raising that boy? He isn't close to you at all."

Edward opened his mouth to answer.

I crossed the floor toward them and went straight at Charlotte.

"What exactly are you saying? How am I not taking care of my son? Since when is how I raise him any of your business?"

Charlotte's voice went sweet and poisonous. "Am I wrong? You're his mother and you hand him to a nanny. If something happens, can you carry that? Edward works himself to the bone for this family, and what do you do?

"You stir up trouble and turn your nose up at honest work. A receptionist job is beneath you, you say you're job hunting, and here you sit at the mall."

Before I could get another word out, Rachel came past me and pitched her voice to the whole floor.

"Everybody come see the homewrecker. She takes a woman's husband and her son, gets caught by the actual wife, and then mouths off to her!"