Maybe they should stop shopping at Whole Foods, Karen was tempted to cut in, but she refrained, instead opting for “Yikes, that’s terrible.”
But was it? Susan had made a convincing argument. Yet the idea that the middle-class children were actually the disadvantaged ones because the government showered all its resources on the poor didn’t sit quite right with Karen. In her experience, the government wasn’t all that generous. Besides, Karen could think of far worse things than middle-class kids whose families could afford after-school enrichment having to go without art or music class during the day. Then again, how would Karen have felt if it was her child who was denied the opportunity to make tissue-paper collages?
“It is terrible,” said Susan. “But I understand it. Mather really is an amazing place. I mean, the kids are basically getting a private-school-quality education for free. Which is why I never feel bad about asking the parent body to contribute their fair due—”
Just then, a square-jawed girl with a light brown pageboy appeared at the top of the steps and yelled, “Ruby doesn’t want to leave.”
“Charlotte—it’s not open to discussion,” Susan said sternly. “Her mother is downstairs waiting.”
Seconds later, Ruby appeared behind her new friend, sporting a full face of sloppily applied makeup, including a giant red pout that spilled out over her lips, lending her the appearance of a clown who’d joined a punk band. Karen was so relieved that the playdate had apparently gone well that she decided to ignore the makeover. “Hi, sweetie!” she said. “Can you get your shoes on?”
“Do I have to leave?” said Ruby.
“I’m afraid so,” said Karen. “But Susan”—she turned back to her hostess—“thank you again for having Ruby over. And I hope we can return the favor soon!” Karen realized as soon as she’d made the offer that she’d have to rescind it. If she invited Charlotte over to their house, then when Susan came to pick her up, she’d learn that Ruby and Karen didn’t actually live in zone. Like other mothers in the neighborhood, Susan likely knew the rough parameters of her school district—or at least that it didn’t extend as far west as Karen and Ruby lived.
“I’m sure Char would love that,” said Susan.
“Just give us a few weeks,” said Karen, thinking fast. “We’re actually having some work done on our place right now.”
“Oh! What are you doing?”
“Kitchen,” said Karen.
“We’re doing the kitchen over?” said Ruby, wrinkling her nose.
“Yes!” said Karen.
“Exciting!” said Susan. “We had ours redone two years ago. I never want to live through the dust again, but we’re happy we did it now.”
“I hear you. Anyway, we should really be leaving you people to get on with your evening,” said Karen. She was suddenly desperate to escape before Susan started asking whether they’d considered Caesarstone as an alternative to honed Carrara, which stained so badly. And forget about red wine…Lifting her chin in the direction of the stairs, Karen called out, “Ruby, get down here right now!”
Five minutes after that, they were outside. “Did you have fun, sweetie?” asked Karen, trying to block out the image of Clay pulling her onto the bed that had popped into her head. It happened at random points during the day. The sex drive was so incompatible with daily life, Karen had found—especially family life…
“So much fun,” said Ruby. “Charlotte is my best friend.”
“That’s great,” said Karen. Though, of course, it wasn’t great at all. “But I’m sure you have other friends at school too.”
“No,” said Ruby, shaking her head. “Just Charlotte.”
Lies were also complications, Karen was learning. At work, Joy wanted to know if Clay Phipps might consider joining HK’s board of directors and would Karen please find out. Karen promised to inquire. But that meant getting back in touch with him, and she’d promised herself that she’d keep her distance. Meanwhile, the desire to come clean about both her affair and her address had become a drumbeat in Karen’s head. Scrolling through her contacts in search of a confidante, she was struck by the number of old friends she’d fallen out of touch with. Karen suspected that location was partly to blame. After marriage and children, Karen’s friends, in search of family-size apartments and houses, had spread out—some to other neighborhoods, a few to the suburbs, others to different cities and states and even countries. Money was surely another culprit. In middle age, one’s status on the socioeconomic ladder became both more apparent and more fixed. It followed that those who had substantially more or less than you did became harder to relate to—though not impossible, if Karen’s friendship with Allison was any indication.
In fact, it was Allison whom Karen ended up texting that afternoon to see if she was free to meet up for an emergency drink after work. For once, Allison’s ignorance about the public-school system played in her favor in Karen’s mind. Karen figured that, in failing to fully grasp the stark divide that separated neighboring public schools, Allison might be more forgiving of Karen’s first transgression. Allison was far more likely to raise her eyebrows at Karen’s fling with Clay Phipps—not only because Allison had always been fond of Matt, but because Clay managed a hedge fund. And Karen had always made a show of being the one friend in Allison’s privileged world who was true to her ideals.
Whether on account of being a good friend or a voracious gossip, Allison wrote back immediately to say she was free and willing. The two made plans to meet up at a wine bar halfway between their two offices. Karen arrived first and, pretending to have a special fondness for pinot blanc, ordered a ten-dollar glass of it—only because it was the cheapest thing on the menu. Allison showed up ten minutes after that and ordered a fifteen-dollar glass of Sancerre. “You know I love an emergency,” she began. “Tell all.” She pulled up her chair.
At least she’s honest, Karen thought. She closed her eyes and said, “I’ve made a complete mess out of my life.”
“What kind of mess?” asked Allison.
Karen began with Jayyden, then moved on to the stolen utility bill and Ruby’s school switch, followed by her daughter’s coincidental friendship with Charlotte Bordwell, whose mother now wanted her to help fund-raise. Along the way, she mentioned Matt’s undying fury at her. Only at the end did she take a deep breath and say, “Also, I cheated on my husband and can’t stop thinking about the other guy even though he’s a ridiculous kajillionaire, and I’m even more ridiculous for liking him. That’s basically the situation.”
Allison’s eyes grew large, then larger. Finally, she spoke: “Holy Pan-Seared Mackerel in a Shallot Butter Sauce.”
“So, what do I do?” asked Karen. “About the school stuff—first.”