Page 44 of The Husband Hour
“No!” Lauren said, jumping up and lunging at the unopened box. “I’ve got it.” She tried to pick up the box but struggled with the weight. Changing tactics, she stood behind the box and pushed it like a cart on wheels until she reached the stairs.
“Lauren, come back,” Beth said. But Lauren was already dragging the box down to her room.
“Unbelievable,” Lauren muttered, shoving the box into her closet. There was plenty of room on the floor considering that her only footwear was a pair of flip-flops and three pairs of running sneakers. Later, when everyone was asleep, she would go up to the attic and move the rest of the boxes into her bedroom.
What did her mother care if she wanted to wear an old necklace? And the whole Florida suggestion? Lunacy.
“Aunt Lauren?”
She turned to find Ethan standing in the doorway. He wore Batman footie pajamas, his dark hair wet from the bath. She smiled.
“Hey there. What’s going on?”
“I’m saying good night.”
“Oh, good night.”
He walked over to her and she put her arms around him. He smelled like baby shampoo, though he was far from a baby. She’d missed so much of his young life, and she felt a pang. She’d try to make up for it this summer.
“So, you’re going back to Philly tomorrow?”
He nodded.
“Are you excited for the end of school?” she asked.
“I want to stay here,” he said. He looked so forlorn, she gave him another hug.
“Oh—well, we’ll be here waiting for you to come back. The house isn’t going anywhere.” Not yet, anyway.
She heard Stephanie calling for him from the hallway.
“In here, Steph,” Lauren yelled.
Stephanie poked her head in. “Hey. Bedtime, mister.”
Ethan gave Lauren a little wave, then dutifully marched off to his room.
“See you later,” Stephanie said to her.
“Wait—come in for a second,” Lauren said.
Stephanie walked into the room. “What’s up?”
“Look, I don’t know who you still hang out with back home,” Lauren said. “But if you hear about anyone talking to Matt, will you let me know?”
“Are you still worried about the stupid film? Just forget about it.”
“I can’t, okay? Not as long as he’s still here trying to dig into my life.”
She instinctively touched her necklace.
“Fine, I’ll keep an ear out. But aside from old coaches or a few guys from high school, who would he talk to? Although, you know Emerson is back in town.”
“What?” She froze.
“Yeah. He’s teaching at Villanova. One of my friends takes his wife’s yoga class.”
Lauren pressed her fingers to her temples. “Ugh. I don’t want to think about Emerson.”
