The Liar Next Door by Nicola Marsh
Fifty-Two
Frankie
NOW
I can’t dislodge the image of Andre comforting Celeste out of my mind for the next few days. Celeste explained it away and I felt foolish for assuming anything more, but I can’t forget it.
She’s invited me over for coffee so the girls can play twice since then and our conversation has been easy. But since she mentioned her ex again, my concern for Luna’s safety has flared, a deep-seated niggle I can’t ignore. It makes me wonder if I should start keeping them apart a little more.
The girls have ballet class today and I’m tempted to drop and run, but Celeste spies me trying to make a subtle escape and she waves me over. She’s sitting close to the glass separating the studio from the parents’ waiting area, like she can’t take her eyes off Violette for a second. I’ve witnessed a few helicopter parent moments: she never lets Violette out of her sight at the park, even when the girls want to ride around the perimeter sidewalk, and she hovers when Violette eats, like she’s afraid she’ll choke and require the Heimlich maneuver.
I used to be like that a tad when Luna was younger, probably borne of having only one child. But I’ve learned to relax over the last few years as she grows more confident in her own skin.
Perhaps I can say a quick hi and make polite chit-chat for a few minutes before escaping. But Celeste has dragged a chair next to hers and I know I’m stuck.
“Hi,” she says, staring at my bag still clutched under my arm even when I sit. “Do you have errands to run?”
“A few, but they can wait.”
Stupid. Why did I say that? She’d given me the perfect opportunity to leave. Andre says I’m a people pleaser—probably par for the course with my job—but today it’s not doing me any favors.
“Good, because I want to ask you something. How do you feel about helping me throw Saylor a baby shower?”
If I want to distance Luna from Celeste and Violette, I should say no. But I’m hopeless at thinking on the spot and can’t come up with an excuse fast enough. There’s an awkward pause and when she raises an eyebrow, questioning my hesitation, I say, “Sure, I can help. But I’m a little surprised. I didn’t know you two were close?”
“We’re not, but I feel sorry for her.” She sounds genuine but I’m unsure of her motivation. “If I tell you something, will you keep it confidential?”
“Of course.” I don’t add, “Who am I going to tell?” It says a lot about me that one of my closest friends these days is a neighbor I don’t fully trust.
“Remember that day we heard her arguing with Ruston, while the girls were in the park, then you took them inside and I waited for her?”
“Yeah?” It slipped my mind and I hadn’t asked Celeste about it.
“I didn’t expect her to open up to me at all, and technically she didn’t, but I think she’s involved with Ruston somehow and it’s stressing her out.”
“What do you mean?”
“She knew him before and hasn’t told Lloyd.”
She’s staring at me, waiting for me to make the connection I’d rather not. “You’re not saying… is he the father of her child?”
Celeste shrugs. “She didn’t spell it out but she didn’t need to. It was pretty obvious.”
“Hell.” I wrap my arms around my middle, an instinctive protective reaction against the shock of learning a woman I’m growing to like is caught up in something so nefarious.
“I’ll never understand how a woman can dupe a man she loves like that, passing off some other guy’s kid as his.” Her mouth twists in disgust. “It’s appalling.”
My arms tighten so she can’t see my hands shake. It’s easy for women to pass judgment when they have no idea how they’d react in the same situation.
“Is she keeping it from Lloyd?” I ask.
“I don’t know. But I hope she’s going to tell him. He seems like a nice guy and he deserves to know the truth.”
A thought pops into my head. “Do you think she moved to Hambridge Heights to be near Ruston?”
Celeste nods, somber. “Looks like it. Pretty damn convenient otherwise. And living opposite means she can keep an eye on him.”
“I wonder if they’re even over,” I mumble.
“That could be what they were arguing about.” Celeste gives a little shake, like she’s trying to clear her mind. “Anyway, if our supposition is right and Ruston is the father of her baby, she’s holding up remarkably well under the stress of keeping it a secret. But it may be taking its toll from what I saw that day in the park and I think a baby shower will help take her mind off it.”
“A lovely idea, and I’m happy to help any way I can.”
“Great. I’ll make a list of tasks. Do you think you could get a guest list from her?”
“Sure, no problem.”
I end up staying for the rest of the class and I’m glad. Celeste is chatty without being overbearing and we soon slip back into the friendship we’ve established. I really need to get a grip on my jealousy when it comes to Andre because I’m pretty sure I’m seeing things that aren’t there and I don’t want to be one of those women.
Celeste is doing a nice thing for Saylor and I’m glad they seem to have bonded if Saylor opened up to her about Ruston. It takes the pressure off my friendship with Celeste and gives me the perfect opportunity to back away a little, so Luna and Violette don’t have to see each other so much; a way of keeping my daughter safe if there is some vague threat from Celeste’s ex, yet preserving our friendship.
In a way I’m glad Saylor didn’t choose me to confide in. The last thing I need is for Andre to think I’m sticking my nose in Ruston’s business. I’ve seen him a few times since the dinner party, mostly to wave at across the park, and once when Luna had been riding past his place and he’d been coming home. We’d exchanged pleasantries, nothing more, and he seemed perfectly nice; especially when he didn’t mention my embarrassing behavior at the dinner party.
It’s disappointing to learn he may be involved with Saylor beyond being neighbors. So many secrets in this little neighborhood of ours.
So many lies.