Page 35 of Chasing the Horizon

“I just can’t believe it, Stacy,” Joy whispered.

Stacy, Catherine’s mother, went pale. “We don’t know anything for sure, now, do we?”

“I mean, when was the last time he came home?” a girl named Brittany asked.

“When did you last see him, Stacy?” another asked.

Stacy perched at the edge of the chair near the cake table and bent her head. “Marge was saying he went on a spontaneous business trip. That’s why he’s not here.”

They were clearly talking about Max, Catherine’s husband.

Obviously, some of the friends didn’t think he’d be coming home any time soon.

“That’s not what I heard,” Joy continued.

Stacy snapped her eyes to Joy. She looked annoyed but curious. “What did you hear?”

“You remember Mandy?” Brittany asked.

“Of course. They just went to Italy together last summer,” Stacy said, her face filled with surprise. “Mandy’s husband and Max were as thick as thieves, and Mandy and Catherine posted all those beautiful pictures of each other. They went sailing, and—”

Joy interrupted. “Max and Mandy are a thing.”

Stacy looked doubtful. “I don’t think Max would do that.”

“People have seen them out,” Joy said. “They’re shameless. They go to all the restaurants, all the bars, all the clubs.”

“But Mandy has a husband.” Stacy waved her hand.

“That doesn’t stop people,” Brittany said.

“But they’re best friends!” Stacy cried.

“I doubt that,” Joy said. “I would never do that to my best friend.”

Valerie suddenly remembered the guest list for the baby shower. There had been a Mandy on the list. When had Catherine found out about Mandy and her husband?

Was that why Catherine had been acting so strangely?

Of course it was.

Valerie felt brokenhearted and helpless. All she wanted was to go upstairs and throw her arms around Catherine and tell her it would be all right. But when your life partner cheated on you, embarrassed you, and destroyed your trust in the world, how could you think anything would be all right again?

On the wall next to the fireplace was a framed photograph of Max and Catherine on their wedding day. Their smiles were electric. Max was handsome and dark-eyed and dark-haired and so in love with Catherine. Where had that love gone?

Valerie knew she had to end this baby shower immediately. She had to find a way to help Catherine. But she was inexperienced.

Suddenly, it occurred to her that she needed to call her father.

Victor Sutton was maybe the only person in the world who could help.

Chapter Fourteen

Victor Sutton was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, standing in front of a painting he didn’t fully understand. Beside him stood Esme, who looked at the same painting quizzically. What did that weird red squiggle mean? What did the artist want to say with that big black dot? Was Esme thinking the same thing he was thinking? Or was she thinking her own set of thoughts, her own feelings that had nothing to do with his? Victor took a moment to look at the other couples in the room, most of whom looked like him and Esme, quietly walking, observing, and moving through the galleries. It felt suddenly surreal. It was impossible to know anyone’s mind. Why had he, as a psychiatrist, ever thought he could try? And why couldn’t he—a renowned psychiatrist—really understand his family, his wives, or his own mind?

Suddenly, Esme turned to look at him and say, “I can really feel how depressed he was during this era of his work.”

Victor was rattled. Depressed? He hadn’t thought that at all. He’d thought “anger” or “aggression,” but not depression.

---