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“Then I suppose you can start with the one closest to him.” She pointed to where Jackie was sitting. The woman sitting in the window wasn’t the one I knew. Her eyes were downturned and her hair was a mess. “You’re not the only one wallowing today.”
The guilt in my stomach only multiplied, and I made a beeline for her.
“Jackie, I am so sorry,” I said as I approached her table.
She looked up briefly and then down again. “I don’t speak to traitors.”
“And you still speak to Kerry? Did you forget that she’s the one who told everyone?”
Jackie’s shoulders tensed, but she finally looked at me. “I do it for peace, which I suppose I should extend to you. But I’mnothappy.”
“I understand.”
“Neither am I,” Tammy said. I jumped, not realizing she had followed me over. “What thehell,Mollie?”
“I know,” I muttered.
“There’s one rule in this town. If Kerry knows, everyone knows.”
My shoulders slumped. “I’ve figured that out.”
“There’s a reason some things stay private,” Jackie said.
“Is there anyone who wouldn’t believe this at face value?”
“Me,” Tammy said. “Maybe Mike. He can be smart.”
“That’sit?”
“Kerry’s job is to inform everyone of everything,” Tammy explained. “She’s the reigning queen of drama and the others eat it up like fish. She’s a—” Her words were cut off as she stared at the door. “Speak of the devil.”
I followed her gaze and saw Kerry walking in. She was in a good mood.
Probably because she had gotten to tell everyone everything.
For the second time that day, I understood why Mom had left. Was this how it had always been? Had there been some queen bee running things in town while they were in high school?
Kerry didn’t seem to pick up on everyone’s ire. She waltzed over as if nothing was wrong.
“Hello, everyone,” she said with a smile. “Nice day outside, right?”
Jackie looked down at the table and didn’t answer. Tammy’s fists clenched, but she did the same.
Were they serious? They were just going to let it happen?
“The weather might be nice,” I said. “But my day isn’t. What I told you last night wasn’t exactly Facebook material.”
“But everything goes on Facebook.”
“Not everything,” I replied. “Some things are personal. And now the whole town is on a witch hunt.”
“Well, maybe he should have talked to us before he needed something. Did you ever consider that?”
“Maybe you could have tried to make him feel included.”
“I’ve done nothing buttry,”Kerry snapped. Obviously, I’d hit a nerve. “I’m not rude to him every time I see him. I treat him like every other person in this town, despite the fact that he’s done terrible things to us.”
“He has not.”