Read Online The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan - Free Book Online Page A

relax and play and refill the well of patience from which she constantly had to draw. Now, instead of having weekends to herself, she would have to restore and regroup between loads of laundry while fending off Nicole in the driveway like a suburban ninja.
    *   *   *
    Back in the kitchen, Evie doled out the snacks bought by Lisa: a box of organic raisins to Sophie, and a carob-chip granola bar to Sam. Evie offered them to Nicole too, and she accepted. Laney stared, her mouth open wide enough to catch flies. No, a small aircraft. Evie put her fingers beneath her own chin and pushed upward. Laney closed her mouth and headed for the counter to her stool of choice, next to the coffeepot.
    “I’m ready to go,” Nicole said.
    Evie followed her and Luca to the door.
    “We make a good team,” Nicole said.
    Team? As far as Evie knew, Nicole didn’t do anything except ask for help and receive it. Teamwork implies give-and-take, not just take.
    “We could make this work,” Nicole said.
    “We could make what work?”
    “This…” Gesturing as if to embrace the house. “The kids loved having us here this morning. I’m a neat freak, I wouldn’t interfere with anything. And I saw the pile of bills on your desk. You work at that little gift shop, but without Richard’s support checks, will you be able to even stay in this house? Remember, I was his wife. I knew everything.”
    Evie bristled. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that Nicole did not know everything. That was also part of the deal, just like the monthly checks.
    “Think about it,” Nicole said while strapping Luca into his carrier. “I can help with the twins, pay room and board.”
    Evie poked up her eyebrow so high it hid beneath her morning bangs. “You want to live here?”
    “Don’t worry,” Nicole said. “I can afford it.”
    Evie squirmed to shake off the innuendo. “You’re kidding, right? You have your own house and your own baby and you want to live in my house with my kids. And me.”
    “We’d be a family. And neither of us would have to do it alone.”
    Since when did Nicole care that Evie was doing it alone? She’d been the only adult in the house for over three years, and now Nicole thought that was not ideal? And what made her think Evie needed help with the twins? Why was Nicole contemplating Evie’s bank balance? Even she didn’t want to do that. Not yet.
    “I’m fine,” Evie said. She opened the door and propped it with her back. Don’t want the door to hit the widow on the way out. Evie kissed the baby on his head and patted Nicole’s back as she walked past. “Hey, where’s the Pack ’n Play?”
    Nicole called from halfway down the path, “I left it in the closet for next time.”
    *   *   *
    “What do you mean she left it here for next time?” Laney said, dipping her hand into the cookie jar.
    “She’ll be back. She knows it. I know it. I saw no reason to deny it.”
    “You’re crazy.”
    “So I’ve heard.”
    “Well, at least you’re rockin’ that robe,” Laney said.
    Evie ignored the style dig. So what if it was Week Two of the Clothing and Makeup Strike? There was no need for jeans and sweaters or mascara and blush. No need for shoes when memory-foam slippers would do. Evie wasn’t going anywhere. She would probably never go anywhere again. It had been six days with no call, text, or e-mail from Scott, which was fine, considering she would probably never again have the energy for a night on the town or in his bed. Right now all Evie craved was eight, no, seven—even six—hours of uninterrupted sleep. Just thinking it, she yawned. Maybe Laney would watch the kids while she napped. No, she wanted to hang out, be a good friend. She couldn’t lapse into emotional oblivion, she had to be alert and awake and available. This demanded much more coffee.
    “Kids!” She waved her mugless hand like a magic wand. “Go upstairs or downstairs—if you need me I’ll be right here.” Sam