Someone Else’s Life(50)

“You’ve had such a rough time.” Annie could commiserate, and she wanted to reach out to Serena, even as a feeling of unease poured through her veins. She was still worried about not remembering things, worried about the storm, and worried about her mental health. But Serena’s life sounded so much worse than her own. “How long ago was this?”

Serena told her the year, and Annie’s stomach clenched. “That’s the year Brody and I were house hunting too.” She tipped her head to the side, trying to tamp down that feeling that was now creeping through her body. A laugh escaped. “You know, it’s just so weird how similar our lives are.”

Serena gave Annie a long, cool look that made her think she shouldn’t have laughed. “I believe there’s such a thing as parallel lives,” Serena said. “And you and I are living it. I believe it’s possible to have two people living similar lives and they don’t know it. And one of them would be a mess, and the other one would be living the better life. That other me is poised, a great mother and wife, and has a great career and knows who she is and what she wants to do in life.”

Annie’s jaw dropped open and she stared at Serena. She couldn’t move. Something was about to happen. She could feel it. Her entire body was tingling.

The words spilled out of Serena, tumbling over each other. “That other me doesn’t screw up like this current me. Everyone loves her and wants to be around her, and no one tells her she is depressed and needs to go to therapy. That other me has a son she loves dearly and would do anything for and who loves her just as much. She has a loving husband who would die for her and never leave her, even if she killed someone. He would stick by her and cover for her, so that she never goes to jail. He would go to jail in her place, that’s how much she is cherished by him. I dream of that life. I see it, and I think that’s who I’m supposed to be.”

Silence settled over them, so that the only sounds came from the storm and the meteorologist saying, “. . . torrential rainfall . . . deep tropical moisture . . . very serious warning . . . never drive a vehicle through flooded roadways . . . we don’t typically get this . . . stay inside . . . Kauai definitely getting pounded.” Annie heard the words, but fascination at what Serena was saying held her motionless. What was Serena talking about? The other me? Killing someone? What?

Serena let out a rumble of laughter, breaking the tension. “Did you like that? I’m trying to write a book. A thriller. My creative writing teacher in high school said I had the best imagination. That was a passage from the book I’m writing.”

Annie was speechless. Her brain hadn’t caught up with what was going on, and when it finally did, she gave a weak chuckle.

“But I do think there’s something to the parallel-lives theory, don’t you?” Serena kept talking, as if Annie weren’t frozen in front of her. “Maybe that’s why we’re so familiar with each other?”

Was that it? Was it possible to have parallel lives with someone without knowing it, so that everything in a seeming stranger’s life was as familiar as her own?

“I’ve never had a friend who understands me like you do.” Serena’s face was open and cheerful again. “All our friends sided with Danny after Johnny died.”

“Yeah.” Annie walked over to her abandoned wineglass and took a sip. She had to get a grip. The evening was starting to take on an out-of-control feeling, as if she were in a movie and had no idea what her next lines were. She struggled for a moment, then grasped for the one topic that wasn’t confusing. “I know I don’t know him or his side of the story, but Danny was obviously not the right person for you.”

“Thanks.” Serena gave her a small smile. “And you and Brody found your lake house the same year Danny and I found our dream house, huh?”

“Yes. Brody kept complaining about how far away from the city it was.” Annie thought back to that warm June day when their real estate agent had taken them to the very top of Westchester County to see the house on the lake, right when they’d found out they were pregnant with Finn. They’d both fallen in love at first sight and put in an offer that night, even though Annie hadn’t put her New York City apartment on the market yet. But they’d been too late. There’d been multiple offers before theirs, and the buyers had gone with another one. After a summer of looking at more than fifty houses, she’d seen that their dream house still hadn’t closed. Their agent had made a call and told them, “Make your best offer now if you want the house. The buyers just got turned down twice for their mortgage and are about to ask for a third extension. The owners are freaking out.”

She and Brody had gone slightly above the asking price and the sellers had gratefully accepted, severing the relationship with the previous buyers.

“You were lucky to find it.” Serena’s dreamy voice brought Annie’s attention back to her. “It sounds so nice.”

“It was. Sometimes I wish everything hadn’t happened and that we were still happy there.” Annie sighed. “But there’s no use trying to go back in time. Brody knew this was the right move for us. And I think he’s right.”

“He’s such a great husband.” Serena’s voice was tinged with longing.

“Yes, but that doesn’t make him the perfect husband.” Although now, compared to Danny, Brody looked like a saint.