“Why not? She sounded nice on the phone.”
“When?” Page felt a blow to her solar plexus.
Even though she knew about her now, she didn't like hearing about her from Andy.
“She called yesterday, when you were at the hospital. She told me to tell Daddy she called.”
“And did you?”
“I forgot. I hope he won't get mad at me.”
“I'm sure he won't,” Page said, but her face told its own tale, as she parked in the driveway and they walked into the empty house.
“Are you mad at me?” Andy asked worriedly as she helped him undress, and she had to take a deep breath and look at him. There was no point being angry at him for what his father was doing.
“No, sweetheart, I'm not mad at you. I'm just tired.”
“You're always tired, Mommy …ever since Allie's accident.”
“Well, it's been hard for all of us. You too. And I know that.”
“Are you mad at Daddy?”
“Sometimes. Most of the time we're just tired and worried about Allie. We're not mad at you. You have nothing to do with any of this.”
“Are you mad at Stephanie?” He was trying to figure it all out, and he was bright for his age, brighter than he knew, as Page sighed at the question.
“I don't even know her.” It was the truth. It was Brad she had to be angry at, Brad who had cheated on her, who had lied, who had broken her heart. It was all Brad's fault, not the fault of the girl he'd slept with. “I'm not really mad at anyone, sweetheart. Not even Daddy.”
“Good.” He smiled at her then, relieved, and she knew that soon they'd have to say something to him, particularly if Brad was going to move out in the near future. “I like Bjorn.”
“Me too. He's a nice boy.”
“He's the oldest friend I have. He's eighteen, and he's special.”
“He is special,” she smiled, “and so are you. I love you, sweetheart.” She kissed him and put him to bed, and then she lay on the bed in her own room, thinking how life had changed in one brief week, how simple it had all been a week ago, with Allie out for dinner with the Thorensens, and Brad in Cleveland. It had all seemed so simple. And now it no longer was. The teenagers' lies had all but killed them.
Chapter 10
Page spent most of Sunday at the hospital, after leaving Andy at a school friend's. Brad had called that morning to say he didn't have time to see him. But after his initial disappointment, Andy had been happy to go to his friend's house.
Trygve visited Page at the ICU waiting room for a few minutes to bring her some sandwiches and cookies, and then went back to Chloe, who had visitors. She was reveling in seeing young people again, and it seemed to make her feel better.
“Bjorn was ecstatic about yesterday, by the way,” Trygve told Page as he shared a sandwich with her outside the ICU. He seemed happy to see her, but she was convinced now that her illusion had been just that. He was friendly, but not romantic.
“So was Andy. He had a great time. He would have invited Bjorn over today, except that he had to go to a friend's. Brad called to tell him he couldn't see him.”
“Bjorn had to do his homework anyway. How was Andy when Brad canceled?”
“Not great, but he adjusted.”
They chatted for a little while, and then he went back to Chloe, and when Page went home that afternoon, she picked up Andy on the way home, and they stopped for ice cream. In a world where everything had changed overnight, the smallest rituals brought them both comfort.
And they were both surprised when Brad arrived shortly after they got home, and said he was staying for dinner. He asked how Allie was, and Page told him the truth. She was still alive, but there was still no improvement.
They ate dinner quietly in the kitchen, just the three of them, and she was startled afterward when she saw Brad packing a suitcase.
“Are you moving out?” she asked, sounding as though she was expecting it, which saddened both of them. In a mere eight days, this was where they had come to.
“I'm going to Chicago on business.” He didn't tell her Stephanie was going with him. This time, she had insisted.
“When are you going?” she asked quietly, ready for anything.
“Tonight. I'm taking the red-eye.”
“What about Allie?” What if she failed again? Could he live with that? But she already knew the answer to her question.
“I have to. There's an important deal I have to close.” He said it calmly, and she couldn't stop herself.
“For real, or like the one in Cleveland?”
“Don't start that, Page,” he said harshly, “I mean it.”
“So do I.” She no longer trusted him, but it was no longer an issue.
“I still have a job, you know. Accident or no, I still have to work. And my work takes me to other cities.”