The Husband's Secret(81)

            Maybe she should homeschool him until all this was sorted out. She could handle most of it. English, geography. It could be fun! But math. That was her downfall. Tess’s math was terrible. Felicity had helped Tess pass math when they were at school, and now she was in charge of helping Liam with his math. Felicity had said just the other day that she was quite looking forward to rediscovering the quadratic equation when Liam was in high school, and Tess and Will had looked at each other, shuddered and laughed. Felicity and Will had behaved so normally! All that time. Hugging their nasty little secret to themselves.

            She was walking along the street outside the school back toward her mother’s house when she heard a voice behind her.

            “Good morning, Tess.”

            It was Cecilia Fitzpatrick suddenly walking alongside her in the same direction, chunky car keys jangling from one hand. There was something odd about the way she was walking, as if she had a limp.

            Tess took a deep, bracing breath. “Morning!” she said.

            “Just dropped Liam off for his first day, did you?” said Cecilia. She was wearing sunglasses, so Tess was spared the scary eye contact. She sounded as if she was coming down with a cold. “Was he okay? Always a bit tricky.”

            “Oh, well, not really, but Trudy . . .” Tess stopped, distracted, because she’d just noticed Cecilia’s shoes. It seemed like they weren’t matching. One was a black ballet shoe. The other was a gold sandal with a heel. No wonder she was walking funny. Tess looked away and remembered to keep talking. “But that school principal, Trudy. She was wonderful with him.”

            “Oh, yes, Trudy is one in a million, that’s for sure,” said Cecilia. “Anyway, this is my car here.” She indicated a very shiny white four-wheel drive with the Tupperware logo along the side. “We forgot Polly had gym today. I never . . . Anyway, we forgot, so I’ve got to drive home and get her shoes. Polly is in love with the PE teacher, so I’ll be in terrible trouble if I’m late.”

            “Connor,” said Tess. “Connor Whitby. He’s her PE teacher.” She thought of him last night at the service station, his helmet under one arm.

            “Yes, that’s right. All the little girls are in love with him. Actually, half the mothers are too.”

            “Really.” Slosh, slosh went that water bed.

            “Good morning, Tess. Hi there, Cecilia.” It was Rachel Crowley, the school secretary, walking from the other direction, wearing a pair of white running shoes with her businesslike skirt and silk shirt. Tess wondered if anyone ever looked at Rachel without thinking about Janie Crowley and what happened to her in that park. It was impossible to think that Rachel had once been an ordinary woman, that no one could have sensed the tragedy that was waiting for her.

            Rachel stopped in front of them. More conversation. It was endless. She looked tired and pale, her white hair not quite as beautifully blow-dried as it had been when Tess met her the day before. “Thanks again for the lift home last night,” she said to Cecilia. She smiled at Tess. “I was at one of Cecilia’s Tupperware parties last night and had too much to drink. That’s why I’m on foot today.” She gestured at her shoes. “Shameful, isn’t it?”

            There was an awkward silence. Tess had confidently expected Cecilia to speak next, but she seemed distracted by something off in the distance and was strangely, almost bizarrely silent.

            “Sounds like you had a fun night,” said Tess finally. Her voice sounded too loud and hearty. Why couldn’t she just speak like a normal person?

            “It was, actually.” Rachel frowned slightly at Cecilia, who still hadn’t said a word. She turned her attention back to Tess. “Did Liam go off to his classroom okay?”

            “Mrs. McDuff took him under her wing,” said Tess.