Lorelei took a big gulp of wine. “Yes. That’s true, too.”
Serenity didn’t speak for several seconds, but then she asked, “Why didn’t you say anything to us about it online?”
“I only found out three weeks ago. And then... I haven’t wanted to tell anyone, to be honest. I haven’t fully processed it myself.”
Suddenly Lucy scrambled off the chair. “I have to go potty.”
“You know where it is,” Lorelei said. “Or do you need me to show you again?”
She didn’t answer. She just hurried out of the room and was heading in the right direction, so Lorelei let her go on her own.
“I can see why you might not have wanted to say anything about...about your situation,” Serenity said as she refilled Lorelei’s glass. “What you’re going through has to be excruciating. But the fact that Reagan told me isn’t a big deal. If your best friend is really pregnant, the news is going to get out eventually, isn’t it?”
Lorelei stared at the liquid in her glass. “Unfortunately.”
“So...has Mark moved out? Is it over between you?”
She shook her head.
“You’re staying in the marriage?”
“I’m still trying to decide. Sometimes I think I could forgive him—if she wasn’t pregnant. But every time I imagine seeing their son or daughter...” Lorelei winced as she pictured Francine carrying Mark’s baby in her arms. What would the child look like? Would he or she have his brown eyes and sandy-blond hair? Or Francine’s lighter eyes and fairer complexion?
“Holy shit.” Serenity scrubbed a hand over her face, smearing her mascara. She didn’t seem to care that she was wearing makeup.
Lorelei gave her a weak smile. It didn’t make things any easier that she thought Francine was beautiful. That only made the jagged edge of jealousy cut deeper. “Sorry to start the trip off on such a downer.”
Serenity peered more closely at her. “Reagan didn’t say whether the man she’s seeing has—”
“You mean her boss?” Lorelei broke in.
“Yes. Has he told his wife? Does she know what’s going on?”
“Reagan didn’t say. I think we both realized it wouldn’t be smart to continue talking about it.”
“I see.” Serenity tucked her hair behind her ears. “So I guess the question is...are you both going to be okay staying here this week?”
Lorelei hated feeling as though she was the least successful of the three of them but all the talk about Mark and Francine had definitely reminded her of the situation she was in. She’d been a good mom, a great homemaker. Her house was beautifully decorated, and it was spotless. Every day she spent quality time with her daughter—reading to her, teaching her, helping out at the preschool she attended, which required quite a bit of parental interaction. And she provided a warm, wonderful atmosphere for her husband to come home to at night, as well as a delicious meal. She’d once prided herself on those things.
But now her contributions of the past several years felt like nothing, as if no one valued them, including Mark. While Reagan and Serenity both had successful careers and their own money—total control over their lives—she had to worry about Mark ferreting away what he was making so he wouldn’t have to share it with her.
Or so that she wouldn’t have the funds to be able to leave him in the first place.
“I’m not going home early.”
Serenity peered closer at her. “You’re sure?”
She nodded. Besides the fact that she couldn’t really afford to change her travel plans, Lucy couldn’t face spending another day on a plane, not so soon after this one, and Lorelei wasn’t ready to go home to Mark and Francine, couldn’t tolerate more of Mark’s entreaties and inadequate excuses.
“Then I’ll talk to Reagan and...and see if we can’t get beyond this so that we can have a chance to get to know each other and share our childhood memories as we’d planned. One of us has to remember something that might offer a clue as to how we got here—and why things happened the way they did.”
Lorelei watched her daughter hurry back to the table. “Is that all you’re interested in?” she asked Serenity as she helped Lucy into her seat.
Serenity had just gotten up to stir the soup. “Is what all I’m interested in?”
“Figuring out how, why?”
The lid clanked on the pot. “What do you mean?”
“Are you even interested in having another sister? From what you’ve said, you’re hurt and angry to think you’ve been deceived, and you’re curious about the truth. Where you come from. Who knows the real story. Why no one spoke up. But I don’t get the impression you’re excited about adding to your family. You have enough siblings.”
“No,” Serenity cried. “I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. I’m happy to have more sisters. For one thing, the twins are seven years younger than I am, and they’re completely caught up in their husbands and each other. There’s definitely room in my life. I’m just worried about what the past will reveal about my parents. That’s all.”
“Right.” Lorelei forced a smile. “I understand,” she said, but she’d definitely been hoping for more. Now that she’d finally found some blood relatives—not one but two sisters—neither of them seemed very excited to have found her.
* * *
reagan
A soft knock sounded. Curled up in bed, Reagan called, “Come in,” and Serenity walked inside with a tray that held a bowl of soup, a roll and a glass of wine, which she put on the small desk by the wall.
“You’ve had a long day,” she said as she sat at the foot of the bed. “You need to eat something.”
Reagan hesitated before propping herself against the headboard. Food was the last thing on her mind. She wanted to pull the covers over her head and pretend that what she’d done was just a nightmare, that she’d be able to go back to Edison & Curry when she returned to New York and all would be well.
She eyed the tray dubiously. “I don’t think I can.”
Serenity leaned to one side. “Lorelei didn’t mean to offend you. She’s angry with the friend who betrayed her, and she’s taking it out on you. You realize that, right? You’re just a proxy.”
“Of course I realize that. I’m not mad at her. I would loathe me, too, if I were in her shoes. I can’t believe I’m that woman, you know? The one everyone hates for being so stupid and selfish.”