Fractured Lives by Charlotte Roddy

Author:Charlotte Roddy [Roddy, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2023-10-23T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-One

Guilt deepens the fine lines on Ray’s face as he looks at me, waiting for my recrimination. When I say nothing, he feels compelled to speak.

“It just kind of happened. It wasn’t like we planned it or anything.”

I can’t help imagining Ray, my first love, sleeping with Oriana. Oriana, who looked so much like Annabella. Ray and Annabella. He’d said he hadn’t loved my best friend. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to convince myself that he didn’t.

Ray stares at me. Waiting. I run my hand through my hair, hoping it will stop my head from spinning out. I’m the one who left Ray. Oriana was a complete stranger. The fact that they had an affair shouldn’t bother me. Yet, somehow, it does.

There’s only one thing I can do to change course. Put distance. Follow the story.

“Did Liam know about the two of you?” I ask.

“Not that I know of.”

“How long did the affair last?”

“A few months. Not that long.”

I fight to keep my voice steady. “You know that she was pregnant. Was the baby yours?”

His broad, muscular shoulders lift, then drop as the corners of his mouth turn up ruefully. “Honestly, I don’t think being a father is in the cards for me.”

The dig hits its mark. My breath catches in my throat. It takes a minute before I feel confident enough to speak again.

“So why tell the police now? I mean, you didn’t say anything to them before.”

“Because it didn’t seem important. It was over, you know? But I started realizing how bad it would look if they found out and I hadn’t told them.”

I look down at my coffee cup. “And me? Why did you want to tell me first?”

He reaches his hand across the table and rests it on top of mine. “I think you already know the answer to that.”

The waiter stops at the table to ask us if we need anything. I take the opportunity to slip my hand out from under Ray’s.

“Can I ask you something?” I ask Ray as soon as the waiter has departed.

“Sure.”

“Was Oriana also having an affair with Keith Stafford?”

“Keith?” He practically chokes on his coffee. “What the hell, Mara?”

“I’m not trying to take away from what you two had. I’m just asking, do you think it might have been possible?”

“What makes you ask that?”

“Do you remember Drew?” I ask. Ray’s face looks blank as he searches for the association. “The intern who came to Salindra to ask you questions.”

“Okay, yeah. I vaguely remember the kid. Why?”

“Because he told me he saw Keith kissing Oriana on the night she died,” I blurt out the rest of what I know before I can stop myself. “Evidently, Liam was there and saw them too.’

Ray thinks things over for a bit. “Wait a minute. Is this the kid who thinks Keith is his father?”

So Lorelai has been doing damage control. “Well, yeah...”

“Jeez, Mara!” Ray interrupts. “You actually want me to take this seriously?”

“It’s more than that, Ray. Lorelai pretty much admitted Keith was sleeping with Oriana.

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