“Oh, honey . . . I hate that I’m the one bringing this up. I called because I wanted to make sure you were okay. I’m sure it’s only the way they take those photos. Those stupid paparazzi—”
“Oliver. Tell me.”
I heard him take a deep breath.
“There were some photos put online . . . an hour ago maybe? I was at work and this dingbat from human resources was gossiping about it when she walked by my desk. I went to go see what the fuss was and . . .”
I dropped the phone. I ran upstairs to my computer and pulled up the first news website I could think of. And there it was. At the very top.
MARLOW FIN SPOTTED COZY WITH BROTHER-IN-LAW
I scrolled down and saw the images. Marlow, in a tight maroon dress, as Sawyer walked next to her, his hand on the small of her back. They walked close, their heads down together as they ducked into the entrance of a hotel lobby.
This is your doing. You imagined it, remember?
I kept clicking, image after image, a frame-by-frame take on what couldn’t have been more than ten seconds of them walking. I zoomed in, panicky. The two of them, going into a hotel together. It couldn’t have looked worse. I had done this to myself. All the imaginings and one-sided suspicion. I had manifested my own worst nightmare.
You did this.
He walked in and called my name like I was a lost pet. He never did that when he came home. This time it was as if he didn’t know whether I would be there.
“Isla,” he said when he came upstairs.
I looked up at him from our bed, my face shiny and red.
“What the fuck, Sawyer?”
He pleaded with me immediately. Explained that they met for dinner since he was in town. That it was nothing more than them going inside for that dinner.
“I don’t believe you,” I said, a knee-jerk reaction. Isn’t that what the wife was supposed to say when something like this happened? But who the hell would this happen to?
You, this happens to you.
“What?” He was incredulous.
“Have you seen the pictures?” My voice raised.
“Yes. Yes, Isla! And I’m telling you, they make it look bad for no reason. The scum who call themselves photographers look for angles like that. All I did was walk into a restaurant with her.”
But I knew there had to be more. With Marlow, there was more.
I stood up. “Did she try to kiss you?”
His hands, which had been so animated in front of him as he spoke, dropped down.
“Answer me. Did she try to kiss you?”
He couldn’t lie to me. I knew whatever he answered would be the truth.
“Yes.” His jaw set and he began to shake his head.
I could only see Marlow right then. Marlow’s face. Marlow’s lips.
Marlow, you did this.
He went on to insist he pulled back before anything happened. That it was nonsensical; he had always thought of her as a baby sister.
I let him go on. I let him hold me and then tell me he was sorry I had to go through this. That Marlow was lonely. She’d always been a bit troubled, and she felt terrible immediately. Begged him not to say anything to me.
I felt numb when I should have stayed furious.
He fell asleep before I did. I went back to the computer and looked at each photo again. Analyzing them as if I had an exam in the morning. I peered at one and put my nose up to the screen. His hand was in his pocket. The side he always kept the knight figurine in. I pressed even harder trying to see.
Was he holding on to it? Did he think of me when he held on to it as he touched her?
CHAPTER 41
THE INTERVIEW
2021
[Studio]
MARLOW FIN: My relationship with him? [Scoffs]
JODI LEE: Your brother-in-law, Sawyer Ford. You knew him since you were a little girl, correct?
MARLOW FIN: [Nods] Hmmm.
