When Leonid joined us shortly after, he beamed at the newcomer. “Daphne! Damn, haven’t seen you since we left high school. California is treating you well; you look good.” Leonid nodded to himself, looking her up and down, and added quietly, “Dammed good.”

I was reminded then of all the rumors I heard on campus. About him and other girls. Rumors that continued, even after we became exclusive. Was I a fool for trusting him?

“I think the question is, Leonid, what are you doing up so early?” Machel’s voice brings me back to the present.

“Just need some water. I’m heading straight back to bed.”

If I were any other girl, I would have walked back to bed with him. But I stay where I am.

“Oh, Arlene?” Leonid glances at me. “Georgiais picking us up at eleven.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, all the guys are playing ball today.” He starts to walk out of the kitchen, but throws over his shoulder, “And, sweetheart, wear a bikini or something, will you? The girls normally sunbathe while watching us play.”

“Oh.”

I don’t know if I’m able to keep the lack of enthusiasm out of my voice. When I look up, Machel’s jaw is tight and his eyes are hard. I think, from only two conversations with me, he knows me better than my boyfriend.

* * *

“It’s probably a historical romance where holding hands is considered naughty,” Belinda whispers, but loud enough that I can hear it. I try to ignore the comment and pretend to be engrossed in the book I’m reading—a crime novel that normally would have kept my attention.

Belinda’s dislike of me is grating on my nerves. Davy, the girl she’s whispering to, has been more friendly, but she seems to let Belinda guide her behavior.

We’ve been sunbathing for two hours straight while Leonid and four of his friends have been having fun playing basketball. I’d love to go for a walk, but we’re at their old high school stomping grounds, and apparently there’s no walks around here. I’ve succumbed to reading, as I didn’t have much to contribute to the continuous conversation about how hot the boys looked sweaty and bare-chested.

“Daphne! About time.”

“Sorry I’m late, but now that I’m here, the party can start.” Daphne laughs as she joins us while tossing her thick dark locks over her shoulder. She’s stunning and flamboyant in a red top falling off the shoulder and shorts so tight, I wouldn’t even wear them in bed.

The guys momentarily stop the game and call out greetings.

“Hi, guys!” Daphne beams, then turns to us. “It’s so hot today.” With that she makes a show of taking her top off and then shimmy out of her shorts, sticking her butt out for the boys on the court, who don’t seem interested in the game at all anymore. Leonid’s eyes are glued to Daphne’s voluptuous body. Her bikini is also bright red and very skimpy. “You don’t find it hot, Arlene?”

“I don’t want to get sunburned,” I mumble and pull at the loose, sleeveless top I’ve still got on.

“You’ve got great legs. I guess you flaunt what you’ve got,” she comments with a smirk and pointedly starts adjusting her bikini top.

It didn’t take long before the guys decided they needed a break.

“Hi, Daphne, looking good,” my boyfriend comments as he drops down on the grass in front of us.

“Why, thanks,” she replies coyly. “I would give you a hug, but you’re all sweaty. I only hug sweaty guys if I’m the cause of all that sweat.”

Leonid chuckles knowingly while raising an eyebrow at her. “Who says you’re not?” Then his eyes jump to me and his face falls.

7MachelIt is late afternoon when Leonid and Arlene arrive back home. I can immediately see that Leonid has been drinking. He’s old enough to do so, and I didn’t stop him when he was younger either. As long as he didn’t get into too much trouble and practiced safe sex, I gave him pretty free rein.

I try not to notice how hot Arlene looks in her denim shorts and loose top covering her bikini. Yet her shoulders, that are light pink from having been out in the sun all day, are slumped. It shouldn’t make me happy that her tired eyes light up when she spots me.

“Hey, old man, where’s the party?” my son calls out, something he always does when he hears me play my old jazz records. “Did you have your nap? You need to get used to these afternoon naps; you’re not getting any younger, you know.” He laughs at his own joke and leans his unsteady body against the wall. Arlene looks down at her feet, a scowl between her eyes.

“Did you have a good time?” I ask, taking no notice of his mocking.

“It was great! Really good to see everyone, you know. I really do miss them when I’m at college. People who know me for who I am and not only as the basketball star.” He starts telling me about who was there and what they’re up to. I love having Leonid back home and chatting with him, but I can’t help but notice how Arlene looks defeated.

“Did you have a good time, Arlene?”

She smiles, but it’s not the open, honest smile from this morning.

“Yes, I was…sunbathing…with the other girls.”

“Did you get to know any of them?”

“Yes…a little.”

Guilt flashes across Leonid’s face, and I suspect even he, in his drunken state, knows she’s lying.

“Are you doing anything tonight?” I ask when Arlene doesn’t elaborate.

“Yes, BBQ up at Enzo’s house, just like the good old days,” my son replies with enthusiasm, until he looks at his girlfriend. She is studying her shoes again.

“Well,” I say, taking a deep breath, “I’ll be lighting the fire pit and will grill a few burgers myself, so if you’ve had enough of Leonid’s friends for the day, feel free to hang out here, Arlene.”

I refuse to put anything into the way her big, blue eyes take me in. I also refuse to think that my offer has any ulterior motives. Instead, I walk into the garden, but leave the doors open so I can hear them when they talk. And then, just to be a complete stalker, I move back a little so I can see them through the open patio doors.

“You—you don’t have to come, you know,” my son says. “I mean, I want you to come, but I understand if it’s a bit much being around my old friends all the time.”

“Um. They’re all nice, but you know…I always spend a lot of time on my own. It might be good just to stay here tonight. And that way, you don’t have to worry about me having a good time.”

“Ah, don’t say that,” Leonid says, but he doesn’t try to persuade her to join him. Instead, I see him embrace her. “I’ll miss you. Why don’t you give me a kiss that’ll keep me going all night?”

My body tenses as he tilts her head up to his and their mouths meet. I should rot in hell for the way jealousy is taking over my body as his hands eagerly make their way under her top. After a few moments, Arlene wiggles out of his grip.