Page 28 of Just Like the Brontë Sisters

“What I know is that you’re screwing my boyfriend.”

“Jo!” Mitch yelled. She turned toward him.

“Never mind,” she said. “She can have you.”

Jo Beth crossed over to their one closet and with shaking hands, pulled down her duffel. “I’m done,” she said. “I can’t stand living here, dying of boredom, while you two are fucking each other.”

“You’ve got it all wrong,” Magda said. Jo Beth had to ignore Magda; otherwise she would be lunging forward and strangling her.

Mitch got up, took two large steps to get to Jo Beth, and tried to take the duffel bag from her hands. She yanked it back and resisted the urge to whip it across his face, to mark his beautiful complexion with canvas burns and zipper scrapes. “If you try to stop me, I’ll scream.”

He spoke to Magda. “Do you mind giving us some privacy?”

Magda instantly jolted up, put on her boots, and grabbed her coat. “Sure thing.”

“Sorry,” Mitch said to her.

“If you apologize to her again, I’ll kill you both.”

They shrank back at the severity of Jo Beth’s words, or maybe it was the utter seriousness with which she spoke them. Whatever. She had made her point and Magda silently left their apartment without a second glance.

“What is wrong with you?” Mitch demanded.

“I think I made myself pretty clear.”

“There’s nothing going on between Magda and me!”

“I’m not an idiot, Mitch!” She turned back towards the closet, grabbing shirts, sweaters, and jeans to stuff into her bag.

“You’re imagining things, Jo. I’d never cheat on you. Please believe me.”

“Why should I?”

“Because I love you! And because….” He sighed. “Look, don’t freak out, but around this time of the month, don’t you get a little paranoid?”

She froze at his suggestion. Normally the very implication would make her livid but her brain was racing too fast to register any more anger.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had her period.