Page 58 of All Good People Here

Krissy took a sip of wine, nodded. She had expected reliving that night to cripple her with grief and anger like it always did,but something about the act of actually sharing it with Jodie had been cleansing. It felt as if a band had been wrapped tightly around her chest since 1994, and now, for the first time, it was beginning to loosen.

“Does Billy know?” Jodie asked.

“He found spray paint on the sleeve of my robe that morning, but I told him I brushed up against the wall. I’m not sure if he totally believed me, but if he’s suspected anything since, of me or of Jace, he’s never said. You’re the first person I’ve ever told the truth.” She shook her head, thinking. “And now, with this letter from Jace, I…I think I may have been wrong about everything. He said he didn’t kill her and—I don’t know—I think I believe him. He has no reason to lie to me. Not after everything I did to protect him.”

“That’s true.”

“Jesus. What if I fucked everything up? What if I’m the reason the police never found her killer? What if instead of protecting Jace, I was actually letting some…psychoget away with murder?” She slammed a hand against the couch’s armrest. “God! Fuck!” Her chest heaved with frustrated breath. Then, after a moment, she said, “And that’s not all.”

Jodie looked up.

Telling her the truth suddenly felt like a compulsion to Krissy, like some religious rite with the power to cleanse and make her whole again. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Billy isn’t the twins’ father.”

Jodie blinked.“What?”

“Do you remember that summer after high school, when everyone was having all those parties?”

She shook her head. “I moved here right after graduation.”

“Oh, that’s right. Well, that summer, me and Billy and Dave got really close. The three of us would hang out a lot together, but every once in a while, when Billy wasn’t around, Dave and Iwould sometimes end up sleeping together. I honestly didn’t think anything of it. I mean, I knew Billy was into me, but I didn’t think we were serious or anything, and it only happened a handful of times. But then I got pregnant. I went to Billy to ask for money for an abortion, because I didn’t think Dave would have any, and that’s when Billy proposed.”

“Wow…And you’re sure it was Dave and not Billy who got you pregnant?”

Krissy nodded. “I got my period after Billy, before Dave. He was the only one it could’ve been. And even if I hadn’t been sure before the twins were born, I would’ve known after. There’s always been something about them that’s…not like Billy.”

“They look like him too. Dave, I mean.” Jodie’s eyes were fixed but unfocused as if she were conjuring up images of all three of them in her mind. “I don’t think I would’ve ever put it together if you hadn’t told me, but they do.”

“That’s exactly why I was so scared. It’s why we’re not friends with Dave anymore. I pushed him away because I was scared of people finding out the truth.” Krissy dropped her head into her hand. She could still remember the look on Dave’s face as she did it, the hurt expression as understanding dawned.

—

It was late one Sunday morning, five months after the twins had been born, and their little family of four had just returned home from church. Krissy had been up the whole previous night rocking a wailing Jace while Billy had slept, and she had not wanted to go that morning, but Billy had convinced her.

“Do you think people didn’t notice the twins were born eight months after we got married?” he’d said. “We can’t afford any more mistakes.”

With those words, Krissy had felt something inside her shift.He was right, she’d realized. The town may have already guessed that the twins had been conceived out of wedlock, but no one seemed to suspect that Billy was not their biological father. Not yet. And she needed to keep it that way, needed to make sure she didn’t give people any reason to talk. She’d slid out of bed, showered, and dressed the twins in their Sunday best.

When they stepped onto their gravel drive after the service two hours later, Dave was sitting on their front porch stairs. Although it was only eleven in the morning, a bottle of beer dangled from his fingers, the rest of the six-pack between his feet.

“Kris!” he called when he saw them, a grin spreading on his face. “Jacobs!” He clapped a hand onto a knee and stood as they approached. “Been awhile.” At the sight of him, panic flared in Krissy’s chest. It felt dangerous just to have him near her babies. Their faces were starting to change and clarify, and every time she looked at them these days, she saw Dave—in the wave of their hair, in their tiny cleft chins, neither of which she or Billy had. She wasn’t sure other people would see the similarity, but if Dave was right there, constantly by their side, the chances were that much higher that they would.

Beside Krissy, Billy brightened. “Dave!” he called, walking fast down the drive. He left Krissy, who was pushing the twins in a double stroller, behind.

“Jesus, man,” Billy said when he reached the porch, pulling their friend into a hug. “Where the hell have you been?”

Dave shrugged. “Around. It’s you guys who’ve been MIA.” His gaze flicked to Krissy’s face. He’d called a few times over the past few months, asking to come over and visit the twins, but each time he did, she told him they were busy. Billy was swamped at the farm; she was swamped with the kids. It wasn’t a lie, just not the full truth, and from the look in Dave’s eyes, Krissy guessed he already knew that. She just hoped he thought it was because ofguilt, for sleeping with him. “Don’t worry, though,” he said with a wink as he glanced down into the stroller. “Can’t stay mad when there’s these two little Jay-cubs around.”

He bent to place his half-drunk beer on the porch then strode the few steps over, lighting up at the sight of the twins lying side by side. January was asleep, her little pink dress bunched at the waist, her face cherubic and peaceful. Beside her, Jace was glaring.

“Hey, buddy.” Dave offered Jace one hooked index finger, which he ignored. “They’re just the two best things in the world, aren’t they?”

Krissy smiled, but her throat felt tight with nerves. Her eyes darted between Billy and Dave, so sure her husband would finally see the truth, but he merely chuckled. “You might not say that if you had to live with them.”

Dave grinned, glanced at Krissy. “Can I hold him? I thought I could come in, stay awhile. I brought enough beer for all of us.”

Billy opened his mouth, but Krissy got there first. “It’s time for their nap. Sorry. And I’m crazy behind on everything. I need to clean up and then get going on dinner.” She turned to Billy, put a hand on his shoulder. “And I was gonna ask if you could finally fix the sink? Our water bill must be through the roof as is.”

Billy blinked. She saw a flicker of confusion beneath his frustration, but she was counting on his sense of propriety to keep him from arguing, or at least from arguing in front of someone else. Sure enough, he pasted on a smile and said, “Okay.” He turned to Dave. “Sorry, man. Maybe another time.”

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