Chapter 5 - JESSICAJessica Price was thirty-six.
Recently divorced.
No children.
Senior interior architect at Derek’s firm.
They had worked together for seven years.
I had known her almost as long as I had known Derek.
She had been to our house.
Our Christmas parties.
My thirty-third birthday.
She brought soup after my first miscarriage.
Flowers after the second.
That history made it harder to understand what came next.
Two days after Derek left, Jessica called me.
“Sarah, I’m so sorry.”
I almost thanked her.
Then:
“I think you should give Derek space.”
My entire body went cold.
“Why are you involved?”
“I’m his friend.”
“He has other friends.”
“He’s staying near me.”
Near.
Not with.
“Where?”
“A furnished place downtown.”
“How do you know?”
“I helped him find it.”
Of course.
She continued:
“He’s devastated.”
I laughed.
“I’m pregnant and being accused of adultery.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Silence.
Then Jessica said:
“If there’s something complicated about the timing, it’s better to be honest now.”
That was when I understood she believed him.
Or wanted me to think she did.
“There is nothing complicated.”
“I’m not accusing you.”
“You just did with nicer words.”
She exhaled.
“Sarah, he had a vasectomy.”
“And?”
No answer.
I said:
“Did you tell him he couldn’t possibly be the father?”
Another silence.
Then:
May you like
“I told him to talk to his doctor.”
That would prove incomplete.
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