“On second thought, I don’t think I’m going to use Pete for my divorce. Do you ever get the feeling he doesn’t like us? Like tonight. It was so obvious, I wanted to punch him out. Does he think he’s better than us? What is it with him?”

“It’s the guilt, Andy. We all react differently. He does what he has to do to live with it, just the way you and I do. But, to answer your question, no, Pete doesn’t like either one of us.”

“What do you think Jeff’s parents will do when they find out Cady is back in town?”

“There isn’t anything they can do legally. I’m sure they’ll talk it to death. A lot of the people who lived around here back then have died off or moved away. I’m sure they’ll go at it tooth and nail with their own circle of friends. Those of us who graduated together and stayed on in Indigo Valley might be interested.” She sighed. “I think I would sleep a lot better if I knew one way or the other if Cady has regained her memory. How about you, Andy?”

“There’s Arnie. I think I’m going to go to bed. I don’t want to talk about this anymore tonight. All I want to do is sleep. I had a hell of a night. I’ll get my bags. Are you sure Arnie won’t mind me staying here?”

“Of course not. I’ll explain things to Arnie.”

“You never told him, did you?”

“My God, no. Why would I do a thing like that?”

“Because you’re married, and you’re supposed to share things with your spouse. I told Jill.”

“Oh, my God, Andy! Tell me you’re lying. How could you have been so stupid to do a thing like that? I swear, if I don’t map out your days, you’ll screw it up.”

“Yeah,” Andy said, going down the steps to head for his car. “Oh, my God, pretty much sums it up,” he muttered.

When the screen door squeaked shut behind Andy, Arnie Chambers sat down on the swing next to his wife. “Did Andy have another fight with Jill?” he asked, putting his arms around his wife’s shoulder. Amy snuggled closer.

“He walked out. He said tonight was the last straw, and he was getting a divorce. You don’t mind, do you, honey?”

“Not one little bit. Family is family. Was it the same old stuff, or did something new happen?”

She should tell him. How many times she wanted to, but she just couldn’t bring herself to utter the awful words. Arnie loved her with all his heart, more than she loved him. Every day of her life she tried to make up for the uneven love between the two of them. She looked at him in the yellow light from the porch lamp. At thirty-five, he was packing on weight and losing his hair. He wasn’t a hunk like Pete Danson. Arnie was like a big, lovable, squishy teddy bear. She did love him in her own way. It just wasn’t the bells and whistles kind of love she longed for.