“You read Rand’s letters to me? And mine to Rand? Oh, Scott.”

“I did. I’m so ashamed of it. But I did. And in the shower, I remembered something. I remembered how he signed the letters. Not Rand, but—”

“Randall,” said Bea, white-faced. “He went by Randall then.”

“It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together.”

“I’ve heard enough,” said Lily, and stood. “And don’t any of you fucking follow me.” She stormed inside with the didgeridoo.

“We should go after her,” said Scott.

“No, you should finish the story, Dad,” said Joey. “You should explain why on earth you’d realize your wife had orchestrated this elaborate affair and then stay?”

“Oh, JoJo.” Her father finally got up from the grass. He walked over to her. She flinched, and he stopped. “It’s complicated.”

“It’s not so complicated, Dad! Leo kept it secret for fifteen years to give you a life with Lily. To give Lily a life with you. And all this time, you knew! Do you know that’s why Leo broke up with me our last summer? Do you know how it tore both our lives apart?”

“I’m sorry. I’m more sorry than you’ll ever know to both you and Leo. But you asked me why I would stay. In the whole affair, I’m the initial culprit, I suppose—”

“You manipulated me to marry you,” said Bea. “You decided who got to be with who.”

“I suppose I did, but I think I paid in spades for it, my love. I stood by as you went to him. As you said you were going to spend the day drawing in a meadow and you went to his sailboat instead. When you announced you were pregnant, and I knew it couldn’t be mine. I’m not an idiot, darling. I’ve always been good at math.”

The only sound was the maniacal tap-tap-tap of Bea’s fingernails on the water pitcher. “I can’t believe this. Do you know how I’ve made my mother suffer for breaking up me and Rand? And it wasn’t even her! Oh…I just…” Her face wrenched with sudden startling emotion. “Oh God, it wasn’t her.”

Scott went to Bea, but Bea thrust out an arm. “No! Don’t come near me.”

Scott went to Joey, but she also put out a hand. “Not now, Dad.”

Her father stood before them like a traveling salesman, closing up his briefcase in defeat. When he turned, Joey saw his chinos damp with grass stains.

“I’m done.” Joey stood and pulled at Grant’s arm. Leo rose too.

“JoJo, please don’t be upset with me.”

“Please don’t be upset with you! Dad, I don’t even know how to respond to that. Lily, Leo, and I didn’t ask to be trapped in all these sick lies.”