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“Oh yeah? Then let me give you some information. He beat Jackie’s husband here in the town square. In front ofeveryone.”
“Keep it down,” Jackie hissed.
“No, I won’t keep it down.” Kerry shook her head. “You’ve defended him until your face is blue, and for what? He went after your husband and then sold your house!”
“You don’t know him.”
“You know what? I’d love to!” She threw her hands in the air. “But he won’t talk toanyof us.”
“He was trying to,” I defended.
“Not without a reason. And, in case you didn’t notice, I’m not included in that.”
“I wonder why he didn’t want to talk to you,” I said. “Maybe it’s the stuff you said behind his back?”
“What stuff?”
“Mollie,” Jackie began, “you don’t have to?—”
“No,” I said. “I’m not backing down this time. I heard about what you and Nicole said on Facebook. That was public, Kerry. And I also know you said Donny would roll over in his grave if he knew Cain sold his house.”
“Am I wrong?” she asked with a scoff. “I don’t understand why Jackie defends Cain after everything. Donny was herhusband!”
I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t. I knew why. Jackie knew why.
But she didn’t want anyone else to know.
“Even I don’t know, but that’s her business.” Tammy’s voice was quiet, but I was glad she spoke at all. “Come on, Kerry.”
“You could tell me,” Kerry asked. “Ever thought of that?”
“Kerry,please.”Jackie’s face was red, and I wondered if this was how she looked when she’d begged Cain to not tell anyone why he went after Donny. “I don’t wanna talk about this.”
“If you don’t talk about it, how am I supposed to get what the hell you’re thinking!” Kerry snapped.
I looked at Jackie.
Tell them,I urged with my expression.
She shook her head.
“Whatever,” Kerry said. “The only reason he’s nice is because he’s been using us. If I don’t know all the information, then I only know what I see. And what I’ve seen is that he’s a selfish asshole. Maybe Eric is better off with someone else.”
“Absolutely not!”
I was about to say the same thing, but the words didn’t come from me.
Jackie looked different. Hearing Kerry’s thoughts on Cain had morphed her shame into anger. She was standing now, breathing heavily as she regarded the other woman.
“Then tell me how you know that,” Kerry said. “Tell me what happened! I’ve been your friend for years. Can’t you trust me?”
“After you just told the whole town that Cain was about to lose his child? Andencouragedit? No, honestly, I can’t.”
“This town is a family,” she said. “The Facebook group is how we communicate!”
“Then this is one fucking dysfunctional family,” Tammy said. “Not all of us signed up to have our shit plastered online.”
“It’s not to be mean!Mystuff is everywhere. Look at what the group said when my husband was deployed!”