Our Wicked Lies by Gledé Kabongo (books for new readers TXT) 📕

Finally, he spoke. “Alicia, you’re protected by doctor patient confidentiality and HIPPA. There’s no reason to be concerned.”

“You don’t know Eliot,” she said. “He brought up the fact that I never wanted him to accompany me on follow-up visits. I didn’t know it had bothered him all this time. To be frank, I didn’t think he’d noticed. So, what else could he be wondering about?”

“You’re worried he’ll keep asking questions and demand proof?”

“Exactly. Once he gets started, he won’t stop.”

“Alicia, the only way I would give up your file to anyone but you would be by court order,” Jack reassured her. “And Eliot has no grounds for that.”

Was she unraveling, losing her common sense? Jack was right. Eliot had no reason to come poking around. She was the one who needed to remain calm and stop making foolish moves. If she didn’t pull herself together, Eliot would definitely get suspicious, and that was the last thing she needed.

CHAPTER 11

Jack’s reassurance, yesterday, that her secret was safe provided Alicia only a temporary reprieve from panic and anxiety. In their place, new fears sprung up like stubborn weeds. She stood at the kitchen counter and scowled at the typed note after reading it for the third time.

Someone’s husband is lying.

Can you guess whose?

Was this a joke?

She’d gone through the stack of mail she’d picked up from the mailbox before dinnertime. It was the usual: bills, junk mail, and a reminder that she needed to take her car in for servicing. Then the plain envelope with no return address caught her attention. She’d almost missed it, because it was hidden at the bottom of the stack.

A riddle from an anonymous sender that insinuated Eliot was lying. Was she supposed to take this seriously? She shook her head vigorously, as though prying loose the ridiculous idea. Clearly, it was a hoax. Wasn’t it? Someone just trying to wind her up. And, yet, she couldn’t explain the fact that her name and address were on the envelope. The sender obviously knew her, where she lived, and that Eliot was her husband. She turned over the information in her head, wondering what someone would have to gain by sending the note. One thing was certain. This was no accident.

Her hands trembled. Fear swooped down like a murder of crows, eager to ruin her peace. They had returned from Paris two days ago, giddy, more in love and committed than ever. Now this.

No. She wouldn’t allow some anonymous person to get inside her head. She had no interest in playing this game, whatever it was. She ripped up the note and envelope into tiny pieces and dumped them into the trash.

CHAPTER 12

“You pulled a fast one, Alicia,” Kat said, as they sat at the dinner table later that evening. “We found out from Lily that you had snuck off to Paris with your man for a romantic getaway without telling anybody, and now look at you. You’re glowing.” She winked at Alicia. Turning to Eliot, Kat said, “Good job.”

Alicia blushed and partially covered her face with one hand. “It wasn’t like that. Eliot was working most of the time.”

“I bet he was,” Kat said, cheekily.

“Katalina, there are children at the table,” Richard said. “Tone it down.”

“Oh, please. They hear and see much worse on the Internet.”

“Still. This is a family gathering.”

Kat waved away his statement and sipped her drink.

Alicia had invited the DeLucases over to help smooth things over with Maxim. She’d prepared beef wellington and roasted fingerling potatoes with fresh herbs and garlic, which she paired with a five-year-old California pinot noir for the adults.

At least for this evening, the DeLucases would be together as a family. Alicia had warned Kat that if she even thought about working late tonight, she would drive to Kat’s office and drag her to dinner by her hair.

Still concerned about Rina’s gossip, Alicia had asked Lily and Marston earlier if they’d heard anything about Maxim getting into trouble at school. Her daughters had confirmed what Rina said, but they thought that their mother already knew, that Kat had said something.

Maxim was sitting next to Lily at the opposite end of the dining-room table. His honey-brown eyes radiated defiance, aimed at his parents, mostly his mother. Then he twisted his handsome face into a scowl.

Alicia had been observing Richard and Kat since they arrived. Other than Richard’s earlier admonishment to tone down the conversation to G-rated, the two never spoke and barely acknowledged each other.

“Hey, Lily,” Maxim said, elbowing Lily. “Are you still dating that weirdo Jeff?”

An indignant Lily said, “He is not a weirdo. Jeff is unique and quirky. That’s what I like about him.”

“Quirky is just another name for weirdo.” A smirk materialized on Maxim’s face. “Who says ‘over and out’ to end every conversation? Is he in the military?”

Alicia knew that Maxim and Lily often teased each other. It wasn’t in malice, though. Maxim was only ten years old when his family moved into the neighborhood. Marston babysat him frequently. He had grown up around the girls and was comfortable with them.

Lily rolled her eyes. “What’s your beef with Jeff, anyway?”

“No beef. I just think you could do better. Find yourself a real boyfriend.”

“And who would that be?”

“Ahem.” Kat made a show of clearing her throat. All eyes shifted in her direction. She said, “Guess who made the cover of Tigress Magazine?”

“What?” Alicia squealed. “Kat, that’s incredible. Congratulations.”

A round of congratulations from Eliot and the girls circled the table. Kat beamed. Richard’s expression remained neutral. Maxim double downed on shooting daggers at his mother.

“Tell us more. How did this happen?” Alicia asked.

“One of my clients is friendly with the editor-in-chief. They were happy with the work our agency did for them, and she recommended me for a cover story. The issue comes out next week in print and online.”

Alicia was so proud of her friend. What a tremendous