Page 45 of Mean Moms

A Meeting at Sofia’s!

Frost Trevor and Belle Redness were standing outside Sofia’s apartment building in Tribeca, taking in the sun before heading inside.

A woman with a small white dog walked by, pausing just to their right, allowing the dog to pee so close to them that Frost had to step away to let the stream of urine pass by.

“Uh, we’re standing here,” scoffed Frost. The woman, who was wearing earbuds, pretended not to hear them, waltzing off without a word.

“Asshole!” Belle yelled after her. “Fucking dog owners are taking over New York. Letting them off-leash in the park, not picking up their poop. Disgusting.”

‘You’ve changed, Belle,” Frost said, laughing. “You’re punk!”

“I guess I just don’t give a shit anymore,” said Belle, slumping a little.

“I like you better like this,” said Frost. She took Belle’s hand as they entered, Frost announcing to the doorman who they were there to visit, the women nervously wondering if Sofia would want to see them after everything that had happened.

The doorman called up and then, after a short chat, nodded.

Relieved, they rode up to Sofia’s without speaking.

Frost was feeling anxious but determined to make things right.

The door opened, and instead of Sofia stood a good-looking man, with long eyelashes and full lips.

This must be the man Sofia had cheated on her husband with, the trainer.

Frost had been picturing a meathead-y, gym-rat type, not this gentle beauty, and cursed herself for assuming something, yet again, about which she knew nothing.

“I’m Michael,” the man said as he ushered the women into the living area, which, cleared of that horrid surrealist decor, was spacious and spare.

They settled in on a loveseat opposite Sofia, who was sitting on the couch in the center of the room, in sweatpants and a tank top, her hair up in a bun.

Michael gave Sofia a light kiss on the head before going into another room.

Frost was stunned by the interaction, sensing immediately that this wasn’t just an affair—it was love. Good for Sofia, she thought.

“So…” said Sofia, letting herself trail off, not making it any easier for Frost and Belle. Belle was in one of her many floral dresses, but Frost noticed that with her new haircut, the bob hanging neatly near her chin, everything she wore looked cooler.

“We’ve come to say we’re sorry,” said Frost. “We knew that Morgan was going to pull that prank at your party, and we let her. She wanted us to believe that you were out to get us, and she made a pretty convincing case. But we were idiots. She said we were just going to make some people throw up that night, get drunker than usual, and that it would be funny. You’d be embarrassed and maybe leave for Miami.

But what happened wasn’t funny. Especially Dr. Broker.

” Frost looked at Belle encouragingly, willing her to say something.

Belle was silent for a few seconds longer, but just before Frost was about to get out of her seat and shake her shoulders, Belle cleared her throat.

“Yes, that’s right,” said Belle, looking anywhere but at Sofia. “We were wrong to think you were behind anything.”

Sofia nodded but didn’t add anything.

“Belle found out something,” prompted Frost. Belle squirmed a bit.

Michael came into the room and set a steaming cup of tea in front of Sofia, who accepted it with a smile. “Would you ladies like anything? Sparkling water? Coffee?” he asked. They shook their heads and he softly padded out. Of course—the bartender! Frost should have known.

“So, um, Jeff hired this new detective to relook at everything that had happened to us. The Greg guy was pretty useless in the end,” said Belle.

“I wonder why,” said Sofia, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, shit,” said Frost under her breath, inwardly berating herself for her own stupidity.

“Anyway, this new guy went around to all the florists in the city, like every single one. It took him ages, but finally, at a tiny place in the East Village called Sunny’s, he found something.”

“Wait, I’ve heard of that place,” Sofia interrupted. She was leaning in now, having lost some of her iciness, her eyes lighting up. Frost was pleased to see some of the old Sofia returning.

“Yeah, so had I,” said Frost.

“Ask Morgan!” the two women said in unison. Sofia cackled happily.

“Sunny’s is the best florist in the city, even though it’s a hole-in-the-wall and out of the way,” said Sofia, doing a shockingly accurate Morgan impression. “The arrangements are amaaaaazzzzing,” she trilled. Frost giggled. Belle, who didn’t seem to be enjoying the moment at all, went on.

“The owner told the detective that a day before our, er, lanternfly incident, a woman had come in with a strange request—an entire bouquet made from leftover rotting flowers. She’d paid her a thousand dollars cash for it.

The owner said the woman was blond, extremely thin, and was wearing workout clothes and a scarf around her neck,” said Belle. She sighed.

“Even Jeff knew who it was, at that point. Occasionally, he does look up from his phone.” Belle let out a short, bitter laugh. “I still can’t believe it was her. Why would she do that to me? We’re friends! Or we were.”

“She thought Miles was bullying Gertrude,” said Frost, looking down at the floor.

“Miles?!” said Belle. “Miles wouldn’t hurt anyone. He’s just like Jeff—a sweet, dumb puppy,” she said.

“We heard her say something about it at the Friendsgiving party,” said Sofia.

“Morgan is telling everyone that you put chemicals in the dessert, that you wanted them all to get sick. We know that’s a lie, but the moms are eating it up,” said Frost. “What if someone calls the police? Do you want us to tell the everyone the truth?”

“Not yet,” said Sofia. “That’s coming.”

“What about Rodrick?” said Frost. She was hoping to get out of this conversation without an admission about her affair with Art. So far, Belle was so concerned about herself, and why she’d been targeted, she’d neglected to think about Frost at all.

“I’ve taken care of Rodrick, don’t worry. I saw him with Morgan the night of your itchy party,” said Sofia flatly.

“My itchy party? My itchy party?” said Belle.

She then started to laugh, an uproarious laugh, doubling over in her seat, tears streaming from her eyes, until Frost and Sofia were compelled to join in, the three women in utter hysterics, unable to stop, the craziness of the situation having finally set in.

“You guys, you don’t even want to know what Morgan is doing with Dr. Broker,” said Sofia, in between hiccups.

“I’m pretty sure she tried to kill him. Ay, that man did not just ingest a bit of Ambien.

” Belle’s eyes widened. She then took deep breaths to calm herself down, something sinister coming together in her mind.

“Fuck,” Belle said, her face crumpling with the dawning realization that Dr. Broker hadn’t pursued her for her good looks or charm.

“What if… what if she tells… Jeff,” she breathed.

“He can’t find out. I will kill her. She cut my hair.

She cut my hair! And what she did to Hildy… I will fucking murder her skinny ass.”

Sofia glanced at Frost, in disbelief that those words had come out of Belle Redness’s mouth.

“I have a plan,” said Sofia.

“We’re going to help,” said Frost. “What can we do?” Belle nodded, her bob swinging. They’d all gone a little psycho by then.