A Good Marriage(69)

Amanda put a hand up to her ear. Drop diamond earrings. What was wrong with her?

“Shoot,” she said. “I shouldn’t have worn them—you’re right. They’re too much. I had a donor meeting. I forgot to take them off.”

“That was a joke! Actually, if I was you, I’d make sure that Sarah does see the earrings.” He winked. “Then the next time she tries to ride you about your marriage, you can be like: Remember the earrings?”

Amanda smiled. Kerry was more perceptive than he let on.

“It’s the birthday boy!” Maude called as she entered the kitchen and kissed Kerry affectionately on both cheeks. He pulled her into a long, warm hug. When they separated, she motioned to his sweatpants. “I see you pulled out all the stops. Has Sarah seen you? I can’t imagine she’s going to approve of that ensemble.”

“It’s my birthday,” he protested.

Sebe appeared in the doorway behind Maude, looking handsome as always in his crisp linen shirt. But the chill between him and Maude was obvious. She was right. The situation with Sophia was causing a strain.

Sebe leaned in to kiss Amanda on both cheeks. “Very good to see you.”

“Ugh,” Sarah said as she emerged back into the kitchen, motioning at Amanda, Sebe, and Maude. “Why do you all have to look so good tonight?” She gestured at her own stained button-down.

“That’s because you’ve been cooking for us!” Maude cried. Then she shot a cool look at her husband. “Sebe, make yourself useful. Pour Sarah a glass of wine.”

Sebe’s face tensed. He didn’t look at Maude as he made his way over, filled a glass, and handed it to Sarah. They clinked glasses.

Sarah waved a hand at Kerry. “At least we’re both pathetic slobs.”

“Hey!” Kerry raised his arms. “It’s my fucking birthday!”

And everyone laughed.

By the time they were all seated at the dinner table, Maude had brightened considerably. The couple glasses of wine she’d quickly kicked back seemed to have done the trick. But she and Sebe were avoiding even looking at each other. Amanda didn’t want to take pleasure in their tension, but it was honestly a relief to see that even they did not have a stress-free marriage. Maybe Sarah was right: no one did. Soon the conversation turned back to Sarah’s favorite subject of scorn: the Brooklyn Country Day PTA.

“Remember when it was the panini press everyone was shouting about?” Sebe laughed good-naturedly.

“An unconscionable risk to their bodily integrity!” Sarah bellowed. She made her voice high-pitched. “But Sawyer loves her burrata and free-range tomato. She deserves the right for self-actualization.”

“I don’t know, Sarah.” Kerry laughed. “I think this hacking thing might finally be your undoing. If you don’t have it sorted out soon, they’ll have you drawn and quartered.”

“Oh, yes, the hacking.” She narrowed her eyes at Kerry, then looked away with a sharp smile. “You know, I actually got a phishing email of my own the other day.”

Kerry’s brow furrowed. “You haven’t given away all our money to some long-lost aunt who’s down on her luck in Dubai?”

“What money, Kerry?” Sarah asked. Kerry laughed as Sarah went on. “Anyway, it looked like a membership renewal from Netflix. But no, I didn’t click on it. Because I am not stupid. But, boy, did it make me glad that I don’t have any deep, dark secrets for the hackers to find.”

“Secrets?” Amanda asked.

“Oh, yes,” Sarah said. “Apparently it’s secrets these people are after. Embarrassing secrets. They find something on your computer and then they threaten to post it on Park Slope Parents if you don’t pay up, though I don’t actually think they’ve done that yet. One person, who shall not be named, had an email pop up in her in-box, forwarded from her husband’s account. It was an exchange between him and an escort about the next time they were going to meet. One who specializes in S & M. The husband is a submissive, apparently.”

“Someone told you that?” Maude gasped. “Who?”

“I am sworn to secrecy. Come on, I love hearing gossip, but I do not perpetuate it,” Sarah said primly. “At this point, I wish people would stop telling me all the lurid details. I already know way more than I ever wanted to.”

“Who emails with an escort?” Kerry laughed. “Did he make her fill out a W-9, too?”

Sarah ignored Kerry and turned to Sebe and Maude. “I know you guys are all free to be you and me, but I’d be careful what you put in writing these days.”

“Oh, I don’t need escorts,” Sebe said with perfect deadpan timing.

Maude was the only one who didn’t laugh. She was staring down at her untouched food.

“Touché!” Kerry cried at Sebe, though a beat too late and a little too loud. “Sebe could probably go and stand in the middle of the sidewalk and women would show up and open their legs.”

Sarah made a disgusted face and swatted at Kerry. “Ew.”

“Oh, come on, that was a joke.” Kerry laughed. “I thought we were all joking here.”

“It was colorful, Kerry,” Sebe said diplomatically. “Disgusting, but colorful.”

“Thank you, Sebe.”