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“My God.” I felt stunned. “When did this happen?”
“Six months ago.”
“Wait, what? You were just at my father’s birthday.”
“We’re keeping it from your parents. Please don’t tell them. I drove back after your father’s birthday dinner. I don’t live there anymore.”
“My God.” I didn’t know what to say. “I feel terrible.”
“Do you?” Nancy eyed me directly under her hat. “We’re not exactly buds, TJ. You know I didn’t like you drinking around Connor, then you went to prison.”
Ouch. “Okay, but still. You’re family, and Connor is such a great kid, I would really miss…” I felt my throat catch, unable to finish the sentence. I couldn’t get my bearings. I hadn’t seen this coming. I really thought they were happily married.
“I’m sorry.” Nancy’s expression softened, her lower lip puckering. “I didn’t mean to be glib. I’ve lived with this longer than you have.”
“So.” I swallowed hard. “Is this your choice or his? Can I ask?”
“Mine. I left him.”
“When I was in prison?”
“Yes, you were about to get out.” Nancy shook her head, and we resumed walking along. Connor was running ahead of us, leaving little footprints that filled quickly with water.
“So why did you break up? What’s going on?”
“Simply put, I don’t know your brother anymore.” Nancy looked away, toward the water. “We were happy in the beginning. Really happy. We worked hard and we got along great. We married late, so I was ready for a baby. I loved my job but I quit to stay home with Connor.”
I remembered. Nancy had been a corporate event planner and used to organize parties at high-end restaurants and bars. I’d gone to one when she needed to fill a guest list. I drank too much that night, and she never asked me back.
“But after Connor was born, your brother got so selfish and distant. He’s obsessed with work and getting new business. He was always taking clients to dinners and games. I got sick of being ignored. Sick of him ignoring Connor.” Nancy shook her head. “I thought to myself, if I’m going to be a single mother, I might as well be single. He didn’t want to go to marriage counseling. So I left him.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Over the past two years. I think it’s getting worse as we get close to your dad’s retirement. It all went downhill after he renovated the basement for a home office. He’s down there all the time, working.”
“His man cave.”
Nancy scoffed. “Man caves are for men to have friends over. His is a bunker. He never sees his friends. He ditched them to entertain clients, trying to get new business in mergers and acquisitions. He says he has to.”
“Why did you go to the birthday dinner with him? Why doesn’t he want my parents to know you split up? They’re going to find out sooner or later.”
“John thinks if your dad finds out, he’ll never retire.”
“Why areyoufaking it? I mean, why agree?”
“He’s holding Connor over my head. He says he’s going to ask for full custody if I don’t play ball.”
“John’sdoing that? That’s not like him. It doesn’t even make any sense. How would he take care of Connor, if he’s working that hard?”
“He’d hire a nanny on his weeks. He’d be fine with Connor going back and forth every week. Meanwhile I’ve been home all this time and I love it. I would go for the standard custody agreement, but he won’t do that. I know some kids alternate weeks between parents, but Connor needs routine.” Nancy sighed. “So I made the deal. It’s not long until your dad steps down, and I can wait. Besides, a lot ofdivorced parents make a good showing in public, and I’ll probably still go to Christmases at your parents’. Connor loves them and you. He’d hate never seeing you again.”
“I’d hate never seeing him again.” I watched Connor running along the waterline, his little legs chugging, his hair flying off his adorable face and a smile from ear to ear. The sight was so charming that we both fell quiet for a moment and took it in.
“John’s been a bastard in the divorce, too. He drained our accounts. He shut down our credit cards. He used every financial lever he has against me. He won’t even pay for Connor’s support.”
“Wait, what?” I looked over, horrified. “That’s not possible.”
“It’s true.” Nancy met my eye, her resentment plain.
