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“What’s best forthem…” she said, shaking her head. “You’re actually sitting here, pretending to care about what’s best for your children? Where has this been the first eighteen years of their lives, Arch? You literally had women parading in and out of the house with them sitting right there, eating breakfast across from their mother, and you didn’t seem to care about what damage that would do to them when they were still trying to get over the–”
“You’re trying to talk to me about this? Really, Elisa? Youleftme. You asked for the separation. Hell, before that,you basicallytoldme to cheat on you because you didn’t want to have sex with your own husband. Of course, I know whynow, but somehow, it’s my fault that I wanted to dateafteryou divorced me?”
“I don’t care that you were dating, but–”
“But nothing. It doesn’t matter. I didn’t come here to rehash this. I can date whomever I want and sleep with anyone I want now. You’re no longer my wife, so you can stop playing the victim any day now and just focus on the kids.”
“God, how did I stay with you for almost twenty years?” she said. “I hear you talk now – and you’ve always been this way – but Ihearit now, and I hate myself a little bit because I never should’ve put up with your bullshit. Not even for a second. I should’ve moved back to Illinois and raised the kids on my own.”
“Whatever, Elisa. I just came here to tell you that they wanted me to talk to you about this because they didn’t want to hurt your feelings. They’ll probably be by to pick up some stuff, and they’ll come back right before they leave, so you can drop both of them off, if you want. I don’t really have the time to do that. I don’t have the time to be here right now.” He looked at his watch. “I have to start driving home, or I’ll get stuck in traffic. Anyway, I suspect that they’ll want to stay with me during their breaks, too, probably at least for the first couple of years since that’s when everyone still comes home. Then, they’ll all make new friends wherever they are and stick around campus for the summers. Since I know all that will be hard on you, though, I’m extending an olive branch.” He stood up. “If you want to move back into the guest house, you can. That way, you can spend the rest of the summer with them. I’ll even let you come back for their breaks as long as you don’tbringanyone with you.”
“Bring anyone?” she asked, knowing the answer again.
“No dates or girlfriends.”
“I’m sorry;what?” Elisa laughed because she couldn’t think of anything else to do.
“They don’t need to see that, Elisa.”
“But they need to seeyoubring random women home?”
“That’s different.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m bringingwomenhome, and you should be bringingmen, but you lied to me for almost two decades. Now, you’re just acting like my aimless little sister, and I don’t want the kids to see it.”
“They’remychildren, Archie. They’re going to see it. They know I’m gay.”
“It would’ve been easier if you hadn’t told them.”
“Easier for you, yes,” she replied. “But not me and not them. They’ve supported me.”
“They haven’t seen you bring a woman home yet. And I don’t plan on them seeing that at my house, either.”
“Well, that doesn’t matter because I’m not going to be at your house. I live here now, and so do the kids.”
“They’re eighteen, Elisa. It’s their choice now. The custody agreement we made when they were seventeen doesn’t apply anymore. So, technically, they can come and go as they please. They’re just trying to be nice to you because they know you’re alone here.”
“If my kids have an issue with living here or with me dating women, they can tell me themselves, Archibald.”
“You can call them, then. They’re at the house. They’ll tell you the same thing I just told you, Elisa. Let them have the rest of their summer and think about what I said. I don’t care if you’re in the guest house. Don’t bring anyone around, and you can stay there for every break.”
“I’m not–”
“I’ve got to go. I’m starving and need to pick up food on the way home. Is there anything good around here?”
“In New Orleans? You’re asking me if there’s any good food inNew Orleans?”
“Fuck it,” he said as he walked toward the door. “I’ll just have Mary make me something when I get home.” He turned back to her. “And that’s not a random woman. I hired a housekeeper, and she cooks for me most nights.”
“Sleep with whomever you want, Arch. I really don’t care. Just don’t–”
“I’ll see you around, Elisa,” he interrupted her as he opened the front door. “If you’re going to stay in the guest house, though, can you park in the back? I don’t want your car taking up space in the driveway.”
He left, closing the door behind him, and she rushed to lock it because she didn’t want to risk him walking back in to say anything else hurtful. She had thought he had gotten his anger out already, that he had gotten his revenge by walking women in and out of the house, showing her that he could get whomever and whatever he wanted, but this wasn’t something she had been prepared for. She hated herself for it, but she fell back against the door, crouched onto the floor, and sobbed.
CHAPTER 15
