Faith pulled down her skirt and hurried into the kitchen. As she shut the door, she caught a glimpse of Eve hastily buttoning up her shirt and heard the sound of heavy footsteps in the hall.
“What are you doing here?” Eve’s voice. “You can’t barge in like this.”
“Will you relax?” A man’s voice this time. “I didn’t think you’d be home.”
“How did you get in here, Harrison?”
Harrison. Eve’s ex-husband. Faith pressed her ear to the kitchen door, her curiosity getting the best of her. Eve rarely spoke of Harrison, but when she did, it was with palpable disdain. What had happened between them to make Eve despise him so fiercely?
“I still have a key,” Harrison said.
Eve huffed. “I’m changing the locks.”
“No need. If it’s such a big deal, you can have it back.”
“It is a big deal!” Eve’s voice rose. “You can’t just let yourself into my house.”
“Whose money do you think bought this house?”
“Don’t start with that again.”
“What?” Harrison said. “It’s true.”
“It’s not like you don’t have a dozen other houses. This house is the only thing I took in the divorce. Given all the sacrifices I made for the children, it’s far less than I deserve.”
“Those sacrifices were your choice.”
Eve scoffed. “We both know I didn’t really have a choice. Not with you and Eleanor constantly manipulating me. ”
Eve had mentioned Eleanor’s name at the party that night. She was Harrison’s mother.
“Settle down,” Harrison said. “I’m not having this argument with you again.”
Eve said something too quietly for Faith to make out, but she was certain it wasn’t polite. She was beginning to understand why Eve felt so much contempt toward her ex-husband. He spoke to Eve like she was a child.
“Why did you come here?” Eve asked.
“I need Ethan’s baseball gear,” Harrison replied. “I have him this afternoon, remember? I’m taking him to the park after school.”
“You should have called me.”
“I thought you’d be at work. I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“I do mind,” Eve said.
“Clearly. I said I was sorry.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Fine,” Harrison said. “I’m sorry.”
Faith’s nose began to itch. No. Not now. She covered her face with her hands and screwed up her nose, just in time to muffle the sneeze. But it wasn’t enough.
“What was that?” Harrison asked.
“The nanny,” Eve replied. “She’s doing some chores for me.”
“I still don’t see why you need a nanny.”