Page 83 of Homewrecker

“A little over six months.”

“Six—” She stopped. “Six fucking months?”

“Yes.”

“And when did you find out he was married?”

I didn’t answer. “Blair.”

“You called me with this shit and now you want me to pat your back?”

“I didn’t ask you to pat my back.”

“Then what did you call for?”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came. I wanted one person who knew me before Caleb to tell me I wasn’t terrible. I wanted Klair to hear everything and somehow find the loophole I’d been living inside, but she didn’t.

“Is she sick?” Klair asked.

“She’s struggling mentally.”

“Have you seen medical records?”

“What the fuck?”

“Have you talked to her?”

“No.”

Klair laughed. “Exactly.”

“He moved out.”

“Okay.”

“He has his own apartment.”

“Wonderful. Lots of married people have apartments.”

“He told his family.”

“Did they tell you that?”

“Caleb—”

“Caleb told you.”

My eyes burned harder. “Yes.”

I sucked my teeth and she heard it. “Don’t get an attitude with me because you don’t like the answers.”

“I’m not asking you for answers.”

“Then what are you asking me for?”

I wanted my sister to know about the man I loved. That was it. I was tired of Caleb existing in a separate part of my life. I was tired of censoring stories and saying someone when I meant him. I was tired of having something that felt big and beautiful to me while pretending it didn’t exist around the people who knew me best.

“I love him.”