“He needs to spend some time with his mother. He hasn’t seen her in a while.”
“If you’re going to keep checking the mirror every three seconds, he may as well have come with us.”
I glanced over at her. Like Mary and, I just realized, Mindy, she was wearing large round sunglasses that made her face look especially pale.
“Did you guys all buy your sunglasses together?”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I drove another mile.
“So, any word from Roger?”
“No.”
“Do you think it’s over with him. Permanently?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think you’ll ever talk to him again?”
“No.”
“You were with him for a long time.”
“So. You were with Mom a long time.”
I paused. “I’m not sure what your point is.”
“I’m trying to read. That’s my point.”
“Sure. Read.”
I switched lanes. While I certainly could understand her mood, I had hoped to put our time alone together, a rare thing, to good use. By nature, as I had mentioned, Karen was reserved, but I knew she needed to talk, and I was willing to walk the philandering line to help bring her out.
“So, how you feeling about everything?”
“Super.”
“You know, talking about things helps.”
“I want to read. If you want to ride with Mindy so you two can laugh and play with teddy bears together, be my guest.”
“I don’t want to ride with Mindy. I just want you to know that I’m here for you. We can sort things out together.”
“There’s nothing to sort.”
“Okay, well, then fine.” I checked the rearview mirror again. From what I could tell, everything seemed to be going okay in the other van, though Mindy was following me pretty close. I sped up. Just my luck she would rear-end me.
I tried a different tack. “Have you ever been to Myrtle Beach?”
“Yes.”
“Really? When?”
“What?”
“When were you at Myrtle Beach?”
“I don’t remember. A golf outing. Goldman flew us all down here.”
“Golfing? When did you take that up?”
“I’ve been golfing since college.”
“I didn’t know you were still playing.”
She closed her book. “How can you just leave Ethan at this place?”
I slowed down. “What?”
“This place in the middle of nowhere. How can you just do this?” She was looking at me now, her face blank. Then she hit below the belt. “An institution,” she said.
I took my time before answering. “It’s not an institution. It’s a home.”
“How can you?”
“I’ve given this a lot of thought, and it’s for the best.”
“You didn’t even tell Mom.”
“That was wrong, and I apologized. She obviously agrees with me now, though, or she wouldn’t be coming with.”
“I don’t think she agrees with you at all. None of us do.”
“Then why are you all coming on this trip?”
“Because you’re making us. Forcing us.”
“I’m not forcing anyone to come.”
“He could stay with you for another twenty years.”
Again I took my time before responding. “It’s for the best. It’s best for him, and it’s best for everyone,” I said evenly.
“You mean best for you.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Yes. And not telling Mom, that was unbelievable.”
“I said I was wrong and I said I was sorry.”
“You’re sorry? Just like when you cheated on her. You said that was wrong too, and you wanted everyone to forgive you. Some things aren’t forgivable, Dad. Sorry doesn’t work on everything.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say then.”
“You’re selfish.”
“I’m selfish.”
“Yes, you are.”
“Is that what you think?”
“Yes. You’re dumping Ethan, aren’t you?”
I swallowed, felt blood rush to my head. “Dumping him.”
“Yes. So you can be a free man. You dumped Mom, now you’re dumping him. You’re dumping him so you can do what you want, fuck other women.”
With that, I put my turn signal on and pulled to the shoulder. I checked to make sure Mindy saw me.
“What are you doing?”
I came to a full stop. “Please get out.” I didn’t look at her.
“What?”
“Please get in the other van. Please just leave. I know you’re going through a bad time right now, but so am I, so it’s best that we’re apart. I don’t need to hear about all of my faults right now. I need to be alone for a while. Alone.”
I thought she might apologize, hoped she might apologize, but saying sorry wasn’t my queen bee’s thing. Instead she said, “Fine,” unbuckled her seat belt, and got out.