“Beats me,” Joan said, clicking off the site. “This is a whole new world for me. Were you able to find anything out with the bank?”
“The good news is that the money’s still in the account,” Chloe said, plopping down next to Joan. “The bad news is that it’s only a few hundred dollars. I asked them if Matt had any other accounts, but they said they couldn’t give out that kind of information.” She glanced aimlessly around the room. “What am I going to do now?”
“You’re going to sit here beside me,” Joan told her, “and we’re going to wait until Matt brings the children home.”
“Really?” Chloe asked, her eyes once again flooding with tears. “You’re not going to leave me?”
Joan took the younger woman in her arms and held her tight. “I’m not going to leave you.”
—
It was closing in on six o’clock when Matt brought the children home.
“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” Chloe cried, racing to the front door and pulling Josh and Sasha into her arms, smothering the surprised looks on their faces with kisses.
Thank heavens,Joan thought, watching from the living room.
“You’re squeezing too tight,” Josh protested, wriggling free of his mother’s embrace as Matt stepped inside the foyer and closed the door behind him.
“Daddy took us to the movies and then McDonald’s,” Sasha said. “I had French friesandChicken McNuggets.”
“She didn’t finish all her fries,” Josh said.
“Did, too,” Sasha protested.
“No, you didn’t,” her brother insisted.
“Okay, okay, you guys,” Matt interrupted. “No fighting. Remember what I told you. Mommy’s going through a bit of a hard time, and she needs you to be extra good.”
“Excuse me—what?” Chloe said.
“Is your tummy hurting?” Sasha asked her mother.
“No, sweetheart. I’m fine. I was just worried, that’s all.”
“Why were you worried?” Josh asked, looking at her with his father’s eyes, a hint of accusation in his voice. “We were with Daddy.”
“I didn’t know that. Daddy forgot to tell me.”
“Sorry about that. Guess Daddy has a lot on his mind these days,” Matt said, catching sight of Joan for the first time. “Who the hell are you?”
Sasha gasped. “Daddy said a bad word.”
“I know you,” Josh said to Joan. “You were here last week.”
“Yes, I was,” Joan said. “And I had such a good time that I had to come back and see you again.”
“Would you mind taking the kids upstairs while I talk to my husband?” Chloe asked her. “Just for a few minutes.”
“It’s too early to go to bed,” Josh said.
“Well, maybe we could watch some TV,” Joan said.
“SpongeBob?” Sasha asked, slipping her hand through Joan’s as Josh raced ahead up the stairs.
Chloe nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered to Joan.
“Nice meeting you, whoever you are,” Matt called after them.