I turned around.
Hannah, Brooke, Lila, Jenna, and Marissa were standing in the doorway, staring at Jack with cold, unblinking focus.
I bumped into something solid.
They must have come up when I didn’t return to the taxi.
On the phone, Brenda’s voice sharpened. “Jack has a friend over?”
“I’ll call you back, Brenda.” I ended the call.
“Nina was adopted,” Jack said. “It’s a long story, lots of family drama, but Mom wouldn’t necessarily know about—”
“Enough! I can’t do this.” Nina stepped away from him. She looked at me directly, and there was something almost like relief in her face. “He’s lying. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone along with that whole cousin thing, but I’ll tell you the truth now.”
“I’ll call you back, Brenda.”
“Keep quiet,” Jack said.
She ignored him. “We met on a dating app. He told me he was separated. We’ve been seeing each other for weeks.”
“Weeks?” I looked at Jack. He said nothing.
There was nothing left to say.
“You both need to leave,” I said.
“This is my house,” he said.
“It’s our house,” I said. “And you don’t get to lie to me in it.”
There was nothing left to say.
He tried one more time. “Michelle, think about the kids—”
“I am thinking about the kids. Liam heard you. He knew enough to warn me not to come home.”
That silenced him.
Nina cleared her throat. “I’ll just get my things?”
“Go ahead. Keep the robe. And you.” I gestured to Jack. “Pack a bag. You’re not sleeping here tonight.”
“Michelle—”
“No. Tomorrow, we’re talking to a lawyer.”
That silenced him.
Moments later, we all stood in the entryway. I opened the front door.
A curtain shifted in the window next door. The taxi was still at the curb, engine running, exactly where we’d left it.
Jack walked out past us, head hanging. Nina followed. She paused when she drew level with me.
“I’m truly sorry. I had no idea.”
She didn’t wait for me to reply. She hurried outside and climbed into the taxi.
Jack walked out past us.
Jack paused on the front step like he had something he needed to say.
I didn’t give him the chance.
I closed the door. The lock clicked.
My friends surrounded me in a group hug. They didn’t say anything; they didn’t need to. I might have lost a husband that night, but I was reminded exactly who had my back.
And I promised myself I would never ignore my instincts again.
