“But it sounds like me and Oliver to cheat?”

“You and Oliver are…different. You both command a room when you walk in. You strive for more. People just hand you their attention. And you’re hungry to win. People with that hunger tend to get into compromising positions to get what they want.”

“The only compromising position I’ve been in is the one I’m in now…with you. Because I feel like you’re about to ask me for something...or threaten me with something. And the only thing I want is a solid marriage with Cody, despite what you think of me.”

She huffed. “You’re an actress, Marin. Your body is your instrument, able to adapt to whatever role you need to play. I’ve seen you kiss other men in a play; how much of a step further is it to kiss Oliver in real life?”

“It’s a huge difference! On a set it’s all acting, no emotion. Look, I’m not going to debate this with you. Oliver and I never crossed a line. As for Cody and Felicity, I saw it with my own eyes. Go reprimand them instead.” The sting of his infidelity watered my eyes. A tear dripped down, and Debra reached across and wiped it dry.

“I…I didn’t know. I’m sorry, honey.” She patted my cheek. “I shouldn’t have assumed…as they say, assuming only makes an ass out of you and me. But I’m sure it was just a one-time thing. Felicity is grieving, she’s out of her mind. The whole family is right now. You can forgive them one mistake, can’t you?”

Another tear fell. “Would you forgive Joe if he cheated on you?”

She sighed and touched the wedding band on her ring finger. “I’ve forgiven a lot worse.”

“Like what?” It was hard to imagine anything dark ever touching this pure old woman.

She chuckled. “Let’s just say that I’ve forgiven a host of sins, some of which lesser people would kill over, and I’m a better person for it. Forgiveness isn’t for them, it’s for you.”

“Well, maybe I’m not as good a person as you.”

“Yes you are, dear. In fact, you’re better. Look, can we just keep it between us? For now, at least? Oliver has already been through so much with Vera going missing, and he doesn’t need a cheating wife heaped on top of that. It would break him. Just think about it before you say anything.”

But I had already thought about it. Over and over. My husband cheating on me with my sister-in-law. Part of me felt murderous rage; the other part felt a deep sadness, because it was all probably just their twisted grief trying to find a way out. It didn’t make the adultery hurt any less, though.