“You’re stoned, Jessica. You’re a complete mess. You’re not fit to be around any child.”

“But I . . . I only took the pills you gave me,” she protests.

“Are you blaming me for your addiction?”

“No,” Jessica responds quickly, immediately getting to her feet. “I didn’t mean—”

“If you like I can just stop giving you the pills. See how that goes.”

“No! I mean . . . I . . . I need them . . . You remember the last time I tried to do without them . . . It’s my medicine . . . my prescribed medicine . . . I . . . I’m—”

“A joke,” he finishes for her. “You’re a complete joke.”

Jessica, seemingly unable to form any more words, is reduced to just shaking her head and holding back tears.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep getting you your medication,” he says, adding extra sarcasm to the last word. “Maybe I’ll let you play a game or two with my daughter tomorrow if you’re sober enough to speak clearly. And you are right about one thing: it might be nice if I took them out to dinner tonight.” He turns back to me, his smile animated with cruelty. “Would you like to join us, Bell? I’m sure my children will love you.”

“I . . . I don’t . . .” I fumble, finding myself just as dis-combobulated as his wife.

“They’re very well behaved at restaurants,” he assures me. “Despite their mother’s weak-willed sloppiness they’re surprisingly disciplined in their behavior.”

“I . . . I have plans tonight,” I stammer.

“Why don’t you see if you can cancel them,” he suggests. “I want to show you that not everyone in my family is weak. I’m sure your days with Jessica have lowered your opinion of us. I bet you have to take a shower when you leave just to get the stench of her neediness and addiction off you.”

Jessica has her hands clasped and pressed against her chest, and her knees are bent as she twists her body away from us as if she’s actually being deformed by the humiliation Travis is heaping on top of her.

The whole scene feels surreal to me. Like someone just turned the home office into a stage and now Travis, Jessica, and I are performing a modern version of No Exit. All we’re missing is the valet.