After Anna(78)

‘Yes.’

‘Thank you, I have no further questions.’ Thomas strolled back to counsel table and sat down with a satisfied smile, and Noah contained his happiness, because Thomas had warned him not to react. It was one of the best moments the defense had had, and Noah felt a surge of new hope. The jury was nodding, and VFW Guy lifted his grayish eyebrows in surprise.

‘Your Honor, I’d like to call my next witness,’ Linda said quickly.





Chapter Fifty-four


Maggie, Before

Maggie felt excited that the barbecue was finally here, especially after the week she’d had. She’d been on her own with Caleb, who’d gotten a bad cold, then Anna, who got the same cold but had tons of homework. Maggie had been busy at the office, then at night had gone shopping, driving herself crazy to find paper plates that were nice enough and heavy plastic forks, not the flimsy white ones. She realized she was worrying more than usual because of what had happened with Noah before he’d left for the conference.

He’d stayed in only light touch with her through the week, texting at night and calling only once, toward the end. He’d said he’d been too busy to call, but there was a rift between them. They were tacitly agreeing to table the conversation, the way married people do after more serious fights, but that left her only with an uneasy feeling that there was a disturbance in her field. Noah had remained remote even after he’d gotten home late Thursday night, and she had spent Friday and Saturday setting up the tables, chairs, tablecloths, and box lanterns to string from the trees, which looked artsy instead of cheesy.

The party started with the sun dipping behind the treeline and the garden looking perfect. Everybody arrived on time, and Kathy helped Maggie refill platters and pour drinks throughout the evening. Noah had manned the grill as if it were his fiefdom, but kept a distance from Maggie and Anna. There was plenty of wine and beer, and Maggie made sure everybody had champagne to toast Anna, overjoyed that the welcome was unalloyed happiness, despite the past.

Maggie would have felt like everything was falling into place, if only Noah had been in sync, but he wasn’t. She noticed him drinking, which typically made him frisky later, though she doubted they’d be having sex tonight, or if they did, it would be one of those big-talk-then-sex sessions, which she liked more than he did. Either way, Noah didn’t have much to say to Anna and only once did Maggie see him hand her a drink, so he was making an effort.

Darkness fell as the meal was served, everybody ate their fill, and the approved playlist went into its umpteenth loop while the guests went home, leaving Maggie, Noah, Caleb, and Anna. Noah had wanted to scour the grill, so Maggie had taken Caleb up to bed, and Anna had said she would clean up the kitchen. Maggie had been coming downstairs when she heard Anna shouting in unmistakable distress.

‘Mom, help!’

‘Anna!’ Maggie almost tripped as she ran down the stairs, reaching the bottom just as a disheveled Anna came running toward her, the front of her sundress revealing her bra strap.

‘Mom, this has to stop, I can’t take it anymore, I just can’t!’ Anna burst into tears, running into Maggie’s arms.

‘What?’ Maggie hugged her tight, dumbfounded. ‘Honey? What happened?’

‘Babe?’ Noah came out of the powder room, stricken, and Maggie realized that he had been in there with Anna.

‘Mom, you have to stop him! He tried to kiss me! He keeps coming on to me –’

‘What?’ Maggie asked, astonished. Her mouth went dry. Her heart hammered. She looked at Noah in shock. ‘What is going on?’

‘Maggie, listen –’

‘Mom, you have to know the truth!’ Anna let her go, tears spilling from her eyes. ‘You have to get him to stop! I can’t take it anymore, I can’t!’

‘What did you say?’ Maggie said, still unable to believe her ears. Noah stepped back against the open door of the powder room, and Anna headed for the stairwell, grabbing the banister.

‘You ask him, Mom! Ask him about the driving lesson, what he tried to do! I can’t live with him!’

‘Anna, wait!’ Maggie felt her mouth hanging open. She couldn’t close it, she was so thunderstruck. She whirled around to face Noah in disbelief. ‘Is this true?’

‘Maggie, she’s crazy. I don’t even know what she’s talking about.’

‘Noah, what’s going on here?’ Maggie tried to get a grip. ‘What’s she talking about with the driving lesson? What happened?’

‘You can’t believe any of this –’

‘I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t know what to believe! She’s saying you came on to her? Did you come on to her? To Anna?’

‘Of course not!’

‘Then what happened? Did you try to kiss her?’

‘No!’

‘What happened during the driving lesson?’ Maggie found herself backing toward the stairway. She couldn’t believe it was true, but he’d been behaving so strangely. ‘Is it possible? Are you lying?’

‘No, of course not, it’s not!’ Noah raked his hands through his hair. ‘This is insane!’

‘Is that why she doesn’t want you to take her anymore?’ Maggie didn’t believe it, but what if she was in denial? She had made the same mistake with Florian, before. He’d been cheating on her, but she hadn’t believed that either.