Read Online When It Happens to You by Molly Ringwald - Free Book Online Page A

homosexuals are all going to hell.”
    â€œAnd where exactly did you come from?” Phillip asked.
    â€œOrange County,” she said. “From the virginal loins of Joyce Pennock née Hartcourt. I think my parents did it precisely three times in their lives, and each time she got knocked up.”
    â€œBrothers? Sisters?” Phillip asked.
    â€œOne of each,” Marina said. “And boy-oh-boy do they toe the party line. Ollie and I are the black sheep of the family. Literally.” She laced her fingers above her head and stretched. She noticed his eyes flit across her ribcage and then just as quickly dart away. “Holidays are loads of fun at the Pennocks’.”
    â€œAll families are horrible, aren’t they?” Phillip said. “I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who just straight-out likes their family.”
    â€œThat’s depressing,” Marina said.
    â€œI shouldn’t say that. I mean, mine really wasn’t so bad.”
    She was about to ask for details when he took the vibrating phone out of his pocket and looked at it. She glanced over at the screen and saw the face of Charlotte’s mother.
    â€œGo ahead,” she told him.
    Phillip jumped up and walked a few feet away from their bench. Marina had only met Phillip’s estranged wife once in passing at their children’s school, when they found themselves standing alone in the school parking lot several minutes too early for pickup. Marina introduced herself as the mother of Oliver, Charlotte’s friend. The woman nodded and smiled, but Marina had the strange feeling that she was looking through her, as though Marina were invisible. They exchanged e-mail addresses and the vague promise of setting up a playdate. This was at the beginning of the school year. Marina sent her two e-mails that remained unanswered. A few months later she and Phillip got to know each other, and she was relieved that a friendship with her was never forged.
    Marina watched Phillip pace while he talked on the phone. His back curved suddenly as though a weight had been placed on his shoulders, pitching him forward. With the phone up to his ear and his other hand wrapped around his forehead, he pressed his thumb and index finger into the pressure points of his temples. “He’s a disaster,” Marina thought. “Toxic,” she could hear Una say. “Unavailable,” said Merle. “Damaged,” said Trudie. As her gaggle of married girlfriends listed the litany of his many obvious failings, Marina knew that given the chance, she would surely go to bed with him anyway.
    â€œOkay, okay! I hear what you’re saying. And I’m sorry,” she heard Phillip say. He walked back to the bench and began gathering Charlotte’s things. “I’m just in the park with her now. I can meet you in a half hour.” Phillip’s face was red. “If we hurry, maybe fifteen, okay? I’m sorry. I . . .” He stood for a moment with the phone in his hand. It was clear to Marina that she had hung up.
    â€œEverything okay?” she asked him, knowing it wasn’t.
    He grabbed Charlotte’s tote and his messenger bag.
    â€œI’m sorry. I—”
    â€œHey. You don’t need to say you’re sorry to me.”
    â€œIt’s a habit,” he said.
    She reached out and grabbed his wrist. She could feel his pulse race against her fingers.
    â€œWell, you need to stop it,” she said, still holding on to him.
    Phillip looked at her, clearly surprised by the touch. He snapped his head around—to find his daughter, she figured—and she dropped his hand, embarrassed by her forwardness.
    â€œLet me be the person you don’t apologize to. That’s all I mean.”
    Phillip reached out and turned up the brim of her sunhat. She looked straight into his eyes. She had never seen that color on a man. They reminded her of an old Edwardian ring that