The Guest Cottage

by Nancy Thayer

  By the time they had washed their hands, Trevor was ready for a beer and Leo was eager to return to his Great Wall of China. It was almost six o’clock in the evening and he assumed his housemates would be home any time. He settled in the living room with a book, rather proud of himself as the welcoming aroma of warm cheddar filled the house. He had acquitted himself like an adult. Go, Trevor.

  Suddenly, the front door flew open. Jonah stormed into the house, followed by an angry-looking Sophie, who was trailed by an anxious Lacey.

  “Don’t walk away from me, Jonah,” Sophie yelled at her son. “What you did was just plain wrong.”

  Jonah turned and aimed a death stare at his mother. “Yeah, and kissing a strange man isn’t wrong?”

  “Oh, Jonah, it wasn’t like that.”

  “I know what I saw. How do you think Dad would feel if I told him? You’re just lucky I didn’t call him instead of Grandma.”

  Trevor’s nerves stood on end like a startled cat’s fur. “Excuse me, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m here. I mean maybe you don’t want me listening in on this conversation.”

  To his surprise, Sophie sagged against the wall. “What am I supposed to do? I mean, really, what am I supposed to do?”

  With another deadly eye blaze at his mother, Jonah ran from the room, up the stairs, and into his own room.

  Sophie leaned down to hug Lacey, who stood watching with a trembling lower lip. “Honey, don’t look so frightened. Everything is going to be okay.”

  “But Daddy will be mad if Jonah tells him you were kissing another man,” Lacey said.

  “No, I promise you it will be okay. It was just a European kiss. Really. Now please go upstairs and take a shower—no, take a nice warm bubble bath. That will make you feel better. We’re all so tired from so much fresh air and swimming.”

  Lacey didn’t look convinced as she trudged away up the stairs.

  Sophie rose and smiled grimly at Trevor. “I’ll bet you’re curious.”

  Trevor could only dumbly nod.

  “While Hristo was driving us home, Jonah got on his cell phone and called his father’s mother and invited her to come stay with us here. He said he hoped she would come soon because I was cohabiting with one strange man and I had been kissing another strange man.”

  “You kissed Hristo?” As the image popped into his mind, a bolt of nausea hit Trevor’s guts. “In front of your children?”

  “I need a drink.” Sophie turned her back on him and went into the kitchen.

  Trevor followed. “What exactly happened?”

  “What exactly business is it of yours?” Sophie snapped. Then she sank into a chair and buried her head in her hands. After a moment, she mumbled, “We haven’t told the children. I mean Zack and I haven’t told them that he’s in love with Lila. This time apart is to give him a chance to consider whether or not he really wants a divorce. Zack isn’t the most attentive father, but a divorce will upset and confuse Jonah and Lacey. So we agreed not to tell them, not yet, not until we returned from Nantucket.”

  “Okay.” Trevor crossed the room and took a glass from the cupboard. “Let me get you some pinot noir.”

  Sophie reached gratefully for the wine. After she had taken a sip, she continued, “Plus, I didn’t kiss Hristo. He kissed me. He just—kissed me. Then Jonah came up on deck.” She flushed a deep scarlet. “Poor Jonah. I was going to explain when we got home, but while I was sitting in the front seat of the car talking with Hristo, Jonah was in the backseat with Lacey, and he called Zack’s mother. By the time I realized what he was doing, he had already invited her to come visit, and before I could stop him, he told her he hoped she would come as soon as possible because of—oh, I could just gag.”

  Pulling out a kitchen chair, Trevor dropped into it and studied Sophie’s face. After a moment, he asked, “So tell me about your relationship with Zack’s mother. What’s her name?”

  Sophie closed her eyes a moment before she spoke. “Jeanette. Her name is Jeanette. She’s head of human resources at Hubcorp. Her husband’s an orthodontist. They have two daughters who are older than Zack, Gayle and Sherrie. They all adore Zack. They’re wonderful with Jonah and Lacey. Gayle owns a medical supply company and hasn’t married, and showers the kids with presents. Sherrie’s married to a geologist who teaches in Arizona, so we don’t get to see her and her family often, but when we do, everyone has a great time.” Sophie put her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand as she reflected. “To be honest, I’ve always felt closer to Jeanette than to my own mother. My mother is demanding and critical. Jeanette is nurturing and consoling. When my babies were born, my mother sent me books on how to raise good children. Jeanette brought us casseroles and fresh vegetables for weeks. The few times Zack and I have gone off to a conference, we’ve left the kids with Jeanette and Don. She takes them to movies and lets them eat too much ice cream. They adore her.”

  Trevor tried to think his way through all this. Finally, he concluded, “So you have a good relationship with your mother-in-law. She likes you.”

  “Yes, and I like her. I’d even go so far as to say we love each other. But Zack is her son. He is their golden child.” Again, Sophie closed her eyes, this time frowning as if to block out a vision of the future. “Of course Zack and I didn’t tell Jeanette and Don about our separation. We didn’t want to upset them. And I guess it is possible we won’t get a divorce.” Sophie opened her eyes and shook her head, smiling gently at herself. “Listen to me. My husband hasn’t called once in all the days I’ve been here and I still think we might get back together. I’m pathetic.”

  “Hey, give yourself a break. You’re in a tough situation.” Trevor wanted to be—what was it Sophie had said?—nurturing and consoling, but more than that he wanted to know exactly what had gone on with Hristo. “So what happened with Hristo on the boat? Did Jonah catch you in the bedroom?”

  “Heavens, no! Trevor, don’t be ridiculous! It was all very innocent and sort of, well, continental. We were coming into the harbor and we were standing at the stern and Hristo kissed my hand in that European way and then we kissed—but lightly, not in any passionate way.”

  Trevor wasn’t certain he believed Sophie. She didn’t meet his eyes as she spoke, plus a blush rose up her cheeks. “That’s all Jonah saw?” To hide his intense curiosity, he bent to open the oven. He brought out his casserole and set it on the counter.

  “Yes.” Sophie wasn’t paying attention to Trevor but caught up in her own thoughts. She stood up, and carrying her wineglass with her, walked around the kitchen. “Jeanette is coming here tomorrow. I’ve got to talk to Zack. I don’t want to be the one to call him, but I need to know what he’s told his mother. I certainly don’t want her to think I’m the villain here.” She stopped, tossed back a slug of wine, and murmured, “I suppose there is a chance Zack won’t want a divorce. But since he hasn’t phoned, I’ll bet that chance is slim.” She set her glass on the table. Speaking as much to herself as to Trevor, she said, “I’m going to do it. I’m going to call him now.” She left the room.

  Trevor wanted to slam out of the house and run. When Leo was in preschool, Trevor took the opportunity to run or bike nearly every day for at least thirty minutes, fast and hard, pushing himself and letting the back of his mind deal with any problems while the front of his mind kept a lookout for cars, bikers, and other runners on the path. He wanted to run now, but it was time for dinner. Too bad about this problem of Sophie’s, he thought selfishly, grinning at his own egocentrism. Here he had fixed his marvelous Big Mixed-Up Rice and she hadn’t even noticed.

  He walked upstairs. Standing in the middle of the long hall, he checked the doors on Sophie’s side of the house. Sophie’s bedroom door was closed and he could hear her murmuring. So she had probably gotten through to Zack. Jonah’s door was closed—he was probably playing a video game. Just then, Lacey opened the bathroom door and walked out, wearing her pink plaid pajamas, a cloud of steam surrounding her.


  “Hey, Lacey,” said Trevor, “I’ve got a good casserole for you kids waiting in the kitchen. Would you get Jonah and I’ll get Leo and we can eat?”

  Lacey glanced at her mother’s door and back at Trevor.

  “I think your mother’s going to be on the phone for a while,” Trevor told her.

  “I’m not stupid,” Lacey said defensively.

  “Honey, that’s the last thing I’d say about you.”

  “Jonah’s not stupid, either. We know something’s going on,” Lacey insisted.

  Trevor looked stern. “Lacey, believe me, nothing is going on between your mother and me.”

  Almost before the words were out of his mouth, Lacey grinned. “Well, duh, I know that. I mean something’s not right with Mom and Dad. It’s not just Mom kissing Hristo. It’s why we’re on this vacation. It’s why Dad hasn’t even called us to see if we’re having fun. I just wish they would tell us the truth.”

  “I know, it sucks to be a kid. Parents think they’re protecting you but they’re really driving you crazy,” said Trevor.

  Lacey looked surprised at his understanding. “That’s right.”

  “Get Jonah and come on downstairs. Things will look better after you’ve eaten.”

  Her satisfaction with his depth of comprehension faded. “That’s what parents always say.”

  —

  In the privacy of her bedroom, Sophie picked up her cell phone and tapped Zack’s mobile number. Then she pressed “End.” She didn’t want to be all emotional and pathetic about the situation. She wanted to comport herself with some dignity. She had a pretty good sense, anyway, of what was going on with Zack. If he hadn’t called in all these weeks, he probably wasn’t desperately missing her.

  She performed a few calming actions: used the bathroom, washed her hands, and combed her hair. Her reflection in the bathroom mirror showed a young woman with a glowing tan, and tousled, sexy blond hair. Those pale pink lips? They had just been kissed by a wealthy European. She smooched her reflection in the mirror, and feeling more confident, returned to the bedroom.

  When she heard her husband’s voice, she lifted her chin bravely and announced, “Zack? It’s Sophie.”

  “I gathered as much from my caller ID,” Zack responded dryly. “What’s up?”

  “Your mother is coming to visit,” Sophie said. “I need to know whether or not you’ve discussed our situation with her. In fact, I’d like to know a lot of things. Why haven’t you called? You could at least have phoned the children. This complete lack of communication makes me assume you’re going to be with Lila. Are you still leaning toward a divorce? What shall I tell the children? What shall I tell your mother?” She knew she sounded manic, but she was bracing herself, trying to be strong, invulnerable.

  “Whoa,” said Zack. “If we’re going to have this conversation, I need reinforcements.” He put his hand over the phone and yelled, “Lila, would you please fix me a vodka tonic? Strong. Just say tonic.” His voice returned full strength. “Why are you calling like this right now? I thought we were going to have the entire summer before we announced the decision.”

  “I thought so, too. But I’ve got to know the situation and what you’ve told your mother since she’s coming to stay with us.”

  “Okay, but why such urgency?”

  Sophie could hear the tinkling of ice and a high soprano voice murmuring in the background. She hesitated, then said, “Jeanette might come as early as tomorrow. What should I tell her? I have to tell her something. Does she know you’ve moved in with Lila?”

  “Not exactly.” His voice was cool.

  Sophie sat on the bed, arranging all the pillows to support her back. “Zack, I’m sorry to interrupt your evening, really I am. But I don’t understand why you’re being so secretive and remote.”

  “Ha! I’m being remote? That’s a good one. Well, I have to say it’s nice to be the remote one for once.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Okay, all right, if you want to get into this now, we’ll get into it now, although it seems kind of unofficial to agree on divorce over the telephone. But then again, that’s probably the way you prefer it. Remote, as you said.”

  Sophie had been expecting this outcome eventually, but to hear the words said so bluntly took her breath away. “You absolutely want a divorce?”

  “I absolutely want a divorce.” Her husband’s voice was firm.

  There it was. As cold and definite as a slam of a bat to the solar plexus. Sophie gripped a pillow and pushed it into her stomach as if it could absorb the blow. “Who will tell the children?”

  To her shock, Zack laughed, sounding a bit demented. He called out, “Lila, babe, could you please fix me another drink?” To Sophie, he said, “And there we are. I say I want to divorce and the first thing you think of is the children.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Of course you don’t. I’ll explain it to you. Most women, when told their husband wants a divorce, burst into tears and cry, I love you! How can you leave me? I’ll be lost without you! But not you, Sophie—you move immediately, unswervingly, to the children.”

  Sophie was speechless as her thoughts collided in her brain. She started to protest by saying that she loved Zack, but deep in her heart she wasn’t sure that was true and she was sure that she didn’t want to lie. “But a divorce affects the children,” she insisted weakly. She wished Lila would bring her a vodka tonic, too.

  “There are four people in this family, Sophie,” Zack said, and his voice was sad. “But you really only loved the children. It’s not enough for me. It hasn’t been enough for a long time.”

  Guilt twisted Sophie’s heart. “Zack, I have always been a good wife to you.”

  “Oh, Sophie, since you want to do this now, let’s be absolutely clear, okay? Sure, you’ve cooked wonderful food and taken good care of the house and given me two great kids. But love, passionate love? That left a long time ago.”

  Sophie bit her lip. After a moment, she said, “Doesn’t that happen in all marriages?”

  “Not like it has in ours, and if it has, it’s replaced by something else—warmth, intimacy, devotion.”

  “I—” Sophie began to argue.

  Zack cut in. “Anyone can see how warm you are with the children. But with me it’s become an act. Wait—I don’t mean an act, exactly. An attempt, which is worse. You’ve tried. I know you always tried your best. But come on, honey, that’s just sad for both of us.”

  After a beat of silence, Sophie choked out, “This is kind of a heavy discussion for the telephone.”

  “Well, Sophie, you called me.”

  “That’s true. Still—give me a minute, okay?” Sophie put the phone down on the bed and took a moment to rub her forehead with her fingertips, as if she could calm her thoughts. When she picked up the phone, she said, “Zack, I’m sorry. I’m all confused.”

  Zack was impatient. “You phoned me to discuss what we should tell my mother about our situation. My mother has always liked you. I think you can tell her the truth.”

  “You mean tell her about you and Lila? Tell her that we’re getting a divorce? I haven’t even told the children yet.”

  “My mother. The children. Your mother. Hey, Angie and Bess! Let’s think about them before we think about ourselves. You go right for the peripheral damage, Sophie, because if you’re honest, this divorce business is not going to break your own heart.” Zack’s voice had taken on a hardness.

  “You’re angry with me,” said Sophie in amazement as the truth dawned on her. “You’re having an affair and you’re blaming me. You get to be good and I have to be bad. You always were a spin doctor, Zack.”

  Zack’s voice became even harder. “Are we going to start calling names? Because I’ve got some ready and waiting.”

  “No,” Sophie said hurriedly. “I don’t want to do that.” She rubbed her forehead again. “So I’ll tell the kids tonight. Can I tell them to call you if they want to?”

&
nbsp; “Sure. I’ll be here. You know, Sophie, they won’t be as surprised as you are.”

  “I know you’ve been too busy to spend much time with them recently. Actually, you’ve never spent much time with them. But I would think you would want to let them know you intend to be connected to them, that you care for them, that you will not disappear from their lives.”

  Now Zack was the one to remain quiet for a few moments. “The truth is, to be painfully blunt, I don’t particularly miss the kids. They’re hard work. They don’t care about me, really. They don’t even know me. I’ve never been happier than I have during this summer with Lila. When I’m with her I am my true self. It’s like being in a kind of heaven, Sophie, and you know what? I’ll bet if you’re honest with yourself, you’re in a kind of heaven, too, on that island with your kids.”

  Was he trying to hurt her? Sophie thought so. She wanted to hit back. If nothing else, she wanted to save face. “Yes, heaven, absolutely, and you might be surprised to find that my heaven is a bit more like yours than you think.” She hoped this would get some kind of rise from her husband, that he would be jealous or at the least curious.