Page 38 of Good at Being Alive
Bex chokes on her laughter. “It’s okay, darling,” she says. “We can have another baby. Abetterone. I bet my ex-boyfriend can provide me a sturdier child.”
I have no idea why the fuck my smile fades. It’s almost as if the idea bothersme.
“If you were really my wife, I’d take you over my knee for a comment like that.”
She looks up at me from beneath her lashes. “If I was really your wife, you wouldn’t need to look for opportunities to spank me. I’d grant them freely.”
I exhale as if the air was just punched out of me and then walk inside to tell Lars we need a new child.
• • •
When we’re done for the day, Lars motions us to a table while Katrina removes our mics.
“How’s your mom, by the way?” Bex asks him. “Did she go to the doctor?”
He smiles. “She did, and you were absolutely right. B vitamin deficiency. They gave her a shot.”
I stare between them, dumbfounded. I didn’t even know Lars had a mother, much less an ill one. Bex is effortlessly becoming a part of these people’s lives, while it’s never occurred to me they have lives outside of filming.
It’s getting harder and harder to understand how Jessie could have disliked Bex so much, whether she looks like her mom or not. No one can resist her.
“Anyhow, I’ve got some unfortunate news,” Lars continues.
I rub the back of my neck. “You seem to begin a lot of conversations this way.”
Lars laughs as if I was joking, then sobers. “That storm system moving in is worse than we thought. They’re expecting torrential flooding by early tomorrow. Everything we’ve got scheduled for the next few days is outdoors—the biking, the canoeing in Utrecht, the entire trip to Bruges. I think we’ve got to cancel. The silver lining,” he continues, “is that Rebecca can now go with you to London for a day or two.”
My head jerks up. “What?No.”
“Look, you don’t need to be attached at the hip and she’ll stay at a hotel, but it does look strange that you haven’t been to London together since you got married. Go up there, meet your friends out for a quick drink. That’s it.”
“You’re making this sound far easier than it actually is,” Ireply. “Rebecca and I cannot convince anyone who actually knows me that we’re together.”
“One drink,” says Lars. “Stay for a few minutes, imply that you’re desperate to be alone with your wife, and you’re out. You guys are capable of this.”
I’m horrified while Bex appears…gleeful? Intrigued? “I’ll try not to mention the way you decapitated our baby,” she says.
That isn’t even in the top ten things I’d need her not to mention.
But I’m more worried about what my friends will mention toher.
Bex
Theo is tense. We’re barelyin the air before he’s asking the attendant what types of scotch they have.
He’s left his phone face up and open in his lap while holding this conversation, so he’s basicallyaskingme to read the texts he’s been exchanging with his friend group.
No court could convictme.
Theo:Rebecca and I will be in town for the next two nights if you’d like to meet for a drink.
Wendy:Oh, it must be serious. He’s actually introducing us to his child bride.
Peter:It’s interesting that you keep calling her that. Aren’t you twenty years younger than YOUR husband?
Ross:Better do it someplace quiet or one of your exes will turn this into Rebecca’s most interesting London trip yet.
Bryce:Remember the one at uni? The one who scaled the wall? What was her name?
