her. Trevor has always been the real parent.” Anne shifted to pull her knees to her chest. “Anyway, tell me more about you.”
Sophie tilted her head, staring into her wineglass. “As I said in the car today, my husband, Zack, is in love with a younger woman. He’s not sure what he wants to do and as each day goes by and he doesn’t phone his children, I’m becoming more and more sure that a divorce is in our future.”
“You don’t seem messed up and heartbroken about it,” observed Anne.
“I guess I hide it well,” Sophie said with a smile. “No, that’s not quite right. I
was
messed up and heartbroken and I still am for the children—they don’t deserve a shattered family. But this summer on Nantucket has made me think that possibly what I’ve thought was a charming, cozy, well-furnished home is in fact a kind of cage.” She shook her head impatiently. “That sounds too dramatic and is not quite what I mean. I’m just seeing things differently here, realizing I have options in life.”
“You certainly do. This is your time to play around a bit, girl, while you’re still young.”
“Play around? Do you mean sleep around? I don’t know if I could. I’ve never been with any man except Zack.” She paused, then added, “And it’s been a long time since I’ve gone to bed with him.”
“Well, that’s just sad. Sex is one of man’s greatest pleasures in life and you shouldn’t miss out. Why not have some fun with Trevor? He’s adorable, and he blushes when he looks at you.”
“I think
you
have a crush on Trevor,” said Sophie, trying to turn the conversation away from herself.
“Of course I have a crush on Trevor! I also have a crush on Johnny Depp and Ryan Gosling and the UPS man, but I’m not going to do anything about it. I intend to be faithful to Kyle for the rest of my life, but I can do that because I had a lot of fun before I met him. So did he. But as they say, I’m married, not dead. I like to look, and I like to feel. When Kyle and I watch the Red Sox games, I talk to my girlfriend on the phone about which new player is the cutest. We have a saying:
PILF,
Player I’d Like to—and Kyle sits right there ignoring me. He talks to the television. ‘That was a strike, you dumb-ass umpire!’ And I’m saying to my friend, ‘That new Holt boy has one fine ass!’ ”
Sophie laughed. “I feel like a Puritan, listening to you.”
“You can always change. I’m not saying go to a bar and pick up any guy. But Trevor is a good man. He’s devoted to his son, he’s a great friend, and he deserves happiness in his life.”
“You think if I go to bed with him that will bring him some happiness?” Sophie asked skeptically.
“I think it will bring you both some pleasure, and probably happiness, as well.”
Sophie reached to the coffee table, picked up the bottle of wine, and poured them each another glass. “Tell me how you got so wise.”
For the rest of the evening, Anne talked about her difficult childhood and young adulthood, finding yoga, committing herself to the yoga life, studying at Kripalu, becoming a certified yoga instructor. Sophie listened carefully. The Manchesters were a happy family and she wanted to learn how they managed that.
—
Monday morning, the Manchesters left. Trevor and Leo went into town grocery shopping. Sophie surrendered to Jonah’s insistent pleas, and she took him and Lacey to Young’s Bicycle Shop to buy Jonah a bike. It was a relatively inexpensive used ten-speed, not cool, but in good working condition. They drove back to the house with the bike loaded into the back of the minivan. The day was turning out hot and muggy, and Sophie and her family weren’t in the mood to go to the beach again.
High-pitched screams assailed them the moment they stepped out of the car. Jonah and Lacey turned to their mother, dismayed and confused.
“Perhaps Leo has an ear infection,” Sophie said, rushing to the house.
Inside, they found chaos.
Sophie tilted her head, staring into her wineglass. “As I said in the car today, my husband, Zack, is in love with a younger woman. He’s not sure what he wants to do and as each day goes by and he doesn’t phone his children, I’m becoming more and more sure that a divorce is in our future.”
“You don’t seem messed up and heartbroken about it,” observed Anne.
“I guess I hide it well,” Sophie said with a smile. “No, that’s not quite right. I
was
messed up and heartbroken and I still am for the children—they don’t deserve a shattered family. But this summer on Nantucket has made me think that possibly what I’ve thought was a charming, cozy, well-furnished home is in fact a kind of cage.” She shook her head impatiently. “That sounds too dramatic and is not quite what I mean. I’m just seeing things differently here, realizing I have options in life.”
“You certainly do. This is your time to play around a bit, girl, while you’re still young.”
“Play around? Do you mean sleep around? I don’t know if I could. I’ve never been with any man except Zack.” She paused, then added, “And it’s been a long time since I’ve gone to bed with him.”
“Well, that’s just sad. Sex is one of man’s greatest pleasures in life and you shouldn’t miss out. Why not have some fun with Trevor? He’s adorable, and he blushes when he looks at you.”
“I think
you
have a crush on Trevor,” said Sophie, trying to turn the conversation away from herself.
“Of course I have a crush on Trevor! I also have a crush on Johnny Depp and Ryan Gosling and the UPS man, but I’m not going to do anything about it. I intend to be faithful to Kyle for the rest of my life, but I can do that because I had a lot of fun before I met him. So did he. But as they say, I’m married, not dead. I like to look, and I like to feel. When Kyle and I watch the Red Sox games, I talk to my girlfriend on the phone about which new player is the cutest. We have a saying:
PILF,
Player I’d Like to—and Kyle sits right there ignoring me. He talks to the television. ‘That was a strike, you dumb-ass umpire!’ And I’m saying to my friend, ‘That new Holt boy has one fine ass!’ ”
Sophie laughed. “I feel like a Puritan, listening to you.”
“You can always change. I’m not saying go to a bar and pick up any guy. But Trevor is a good man. He’s devoted to his son, he’s a great friend, and he deserves happiness in his life.”
“You think if I go to bed with him that will bring him some happiness?” Sophie asked skeptically.
“I think it will bring you both some pleasure, and probably happiness, as well.”
Sophie reached to the coffee table, picked up the bottle of wine, and poured them each another glass. “Tell me how you got so wise.”
For the rest of the evening, Anne talked about her difficult childhood and young adulthood, finding yoga, committing herself to the yoga life, studying at Kripalu, becoming a certified yoga instructor. Sophie listened carefully. The Manchesters were a happy family and she wanted to learn how they managed that.
—
Monday morning, the Manchesters left. Trevor and Leo went into town grocery shopping. Sophie surrendered to Jonah’s insistent pleas, and she took him and Lacey to Young’s Bicycle Shop to buy Jonah a bike. It was a relatively inexpensive used ten-speed, not cool, but in good working condition. They drove back to the house with the bike loaded into the back of the minivan. The day was turning out hot and muggy, and Sophie and her family weren’t in the mood to go to the beach again.
High-pitched screams assailed them the moment they stepped out of the car. Jonah and Lacey turned to their mother, dismayed and confused.
“Perhaps Leo has an ear infection,” Sophie said, rushing to the house.
Inside, they found chaos.
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