‘Yes.’ Noah didn’t want to relive it, or make Maggie relive it, but there it was.
‘Your wife is not testifying on your behalf in this trial, is she?’
‘No.’
‘Nor has she come to court to stand by you, has she?’
‘No, she’s not here.’ Noah didn’t hesitate. Maggie was still in the courtroom.
‘So.’ Linda crossed her arms. ‘Isn’t it true that after Anna filed her Petition for a PFA against you, you were angry at her?’
‘No.’
‘Are you seriously asking this jury to believe that despite the fact that Anna cost you so much, you had no negative feelings toward her?’
‘Yes.’ Noah didn’t know what else to say. He was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. He couldn’t see Thomas at counsel table. Linda was blocking him again.
Linda bore down, narrowing her eyes. ‘But you said Anna was a liar, correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you saying that you were fine with that?’
Noah could see the gallery looking at each other. Maggie would know he was lying. ‘Well, uh, no, not fine with it.’
‘So you had some negative feelings toward Anna, didn’t you?’
Noah hesitated. ‘Some. Yes.’
‘You were angry at her, weren’t you?’
‘Some.’ Noah knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as Linda’s eyes lit up.
‘You had more than some anger, didn’t you?’
‘No.’
‘Dr Alderman, weren’t you furious with Anna for filing that Petition and lying about you?’
‘No.’
‘And weren’t you furious with Anna for rejecting your sexual advances?’
‘No.’
Linda stepped closer to the stand. ‘Didn’t you lure Anna to your home by text?’
‘No.’
‘Didn’t you make yet another sexual advance on her on the porch of your house?’
‘No.’
‘And when she spurned your advance yet again, didn’t all that anger come to the fore and you strangled her with your bare hands?’
‘That’s not true!’ Noah raised his voice, but even he could hear the anger in his voice.
‘Let’s move on from your 911 audiotape.’ Linda walked back to counsel table, and Noah saw the faces staring back at him, their expressions angry, disapproving, judgmental. Maggie was among them but he couldn’t see her.
Suddenly Noah thought he saw someone in the back of the gallery pushing back her hair, a gesture that seemed so much like Maggie’s, moving a curl from her eyes. It took him back to that first night, the night that should’ve told him everything. They had been to the furniture store, then Bed Bath & Beyond, and Maggie had come upstairs after saying good night to Anna.
You okay? he had asked, because of her worried expression.
Fine.
Great. Noah had kissed her good night, but she had returned his kiss in a perfunctory way, which wasn’t like her. She called herself the Makeout Queen.
Did you guys have fun at the store?
You mean Bloodbath & Beyond?
What’s that mean? Maggie had frowned.
It’s a joke. Noah had been slipping off his shirt, which normally would’ve drawn a compliment from Maggie about his arms or chest.
Would you take Anna out driving?
She knows how to drive.
I’m talking about just to practice. To make sure she feels comfy behind the wheel. And safe.
What about this car business? She wants to buy a Range Rover? What she needs to do is get a valid Pennsylvania license. She shouldn’t drive without one. I don’t think a Maine license is valid here at her age.
I’m not talking about the car or the license, I’m talking about practicing driving. Would you take her? It might be a nice way for you guys to spend time. Get to know each other, like you said.
Okay.
I’ll keep an eye on Caleb.
Or he could come with.
No, I think it would be good if you went alone. Just you and Anna. Is that okay with you?
Noah had said yes, and it had turned out to be his second big mistake.
The first mistake was allowing Anna to move in.
Chapter Twenty-four
Maggie, Before
‘Hi!’ Maggie answered Kathy’s call on her way downstairs to get snacks for Noah, Anna, and Caleb, who were setting up Anna’s bedroom, since the furniture had been delivered. It was already Sunday afternoon, but she hadn’t had a spare moment to call her best friend and fill her in.
‘Hey, girl, I’m dying to hear what happened with Anna.’
‘You’re not going to believe it.’ Maggie hurried down to the kitchen. ‘I brought her home. She’s here.’
‘Who is? Anna?’
‘Yes! She’s living with us now.’
‘Wait, what?’ Kathy gasped in delight. ‘Are you serious?’
‘I am, and you know what, Florian told her that I abused her and that’s how I lost custody. Can you believe that?’
‘Oh my God! But wait, is she really there? Right now?’
‘Yes!’ Maggie launched into the whole story as she fetched sodas, a bag of popcorn from the cabinet, and the gleaming copper tray that she reserved for special occasions. If this wasn’t a special occasion, she didn’t know what was.
‘Oh my God, this is amazing! I’m so happy for you!’
‘I know, isn’t it incredible! I have her back again! My baby girl!’
‘This is so exciting! So you’ve got to get her in school and everything.’
‘I know, I’m going to take her tomorrow and get her registered. She’ll start classes Tuesday.’ Maggie opened the freezer door and filled the glasses with ice.
‘I can’t wait to meet her! What does she look like?’
‘She’s pretty and smart, but she doesn’t have much confidence.’
‘You mean she’s insecure?’
‘Kind of, yes.’
‘Guess where she gets that from.’
Maggie laughed at herself. ‘She’s getting along great with Caleb.’
‘Of course she is! How can you not?’
‘It makes me really happy.’ Maggie lowered her voice. ‘She’s worried Noah doesn’t like her, but of course he does.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘She told me. She thinks he favors Caleb.’ Maggie arranged the glasses on the tray, then went for some napkins.
‘That would be natural, wouldn’t it? Caleb’s his son. He doesn’t even know her.’
‘I know, but I don’t think he does anyway. We’re a family of four now, can you believe it?’
‘Good luck.’ Kathy snorted. ‘I’m at a lacrosse game, and Josh is at travel basketball. You each take a kid. Divide and conquer.’
‘There you go.’
‘You want to walk tomorrow?’
‘No, if you don’t mind, let me get her situated.’ Maggie wondered if Anna might prefer some healthier snacks, so she went to the refrigerator, rummaged around the produce drawer, and found some oranges and an apple. She put them in a separate bowl on the tray, making a note to herself to ask Anna what kind of fruit she liked.
‘I get it. Stay in touch. Congratulations! Love you!’
‘Love you, too. Bye.’ Maggie hung up as she heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, the tread too heavy to be anybody but Noah, who entered the kitchen and crossed to the base cabinet, where they kept a few tools, a tape measure, and steel wool.
‘Of course I need an Allen wrench. My days of Allen wrenches will never end.’
‘How’s the bed?’
‘Great.’
‘Does Anna like it?’
‘Loves it.’ Noah found the Allen wrench and stood up, eyeing the fancy copper tray. ‘Look at you. The hostess with the mostest.’
‘I know, right?’
Noah glanced over his shoulder, then lowered his voice. ‘Anna is telling Caleb that she’s buying a Range Rover. Are you just going to let her go buy a car? Doesn’t she have to ask our permission?’
‘I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it.’ Maggie liked to be more spontaneous than Noah, who did everything step-by-step. Their difference in temperaments was by now a well-established fact, in the way of marriages. He was The Scientist, and she was The Italian, though she suspected that sometimes it sold her short.
‘Don’t we have to figure that out? She’s under our roof, so she has to follow our rules, doesn’t she?’
Maggie smiled. ‘It’s not like we have any rules about cars.’
‘We don’t let Caleb buy anything he wants with his money.’
‘He has $37.’