Should Have Known Better

“No, crazy is spending a billion dollars every year to save a species that clearly wants to commit mass suicide—”

“Yeah, you’re crazy.”

I got out of the truck, keeping my eyes on Reginald.

“Do your research,” A. J. joked. “Do you think the twins would like to go?” he asked. I still hadn’t introduced him to them formally.

“We’ll see,” I said. “That might be a good idea.”

I waited for A. J. to take off and get clear down the street before I walked over to Reginald. I didn’t know if something could happen out there, but I knew I didn’t want it to happen in front of A. J. He had no stake in my private life and getting him involved would only put a cloud over something that had become so bright in life.

“Something happen?” I asked Reginald. We were far from “hello” and “good-bye.”

“Hello,” he said cheerfully. “How are you?” He smiled and nodded to me.

I didn’t recognize anything about him. Not his clothes or his shoes. Not the truck. Even his hair was cut differently.

I saw a light flash from the living room as someone moved the curtains.

“Did my mother call you?” I asked, ignoring his small talk.

“No, I was just around here—Hey, who was that man?”

“What?”

“Are you dating him?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” I folded my arms.

“I wasn’t asking like that. I was just wondering, you know, if you’re seeing anyone.”

“Why would you wonder that? You’re seeing someone. Look, just cut to it. Why are you here? You don’t get R. J. and Cheyenne until Friday. What do you want?”

He pushed his hands deeper into his pockets and a look of seriousness came over him.

“The mediation is tomorrow,” he said.

“I know. What about it?”

“I was just thinking . . .” His voice trailed off and I could tell that he wanted me to try to pick it up and ask what he was thinking about, but I stood with my arms folded and my mouth closed. “Remember when we moved to Augusta?”

“Yes. I was twenty-one and had never been anywhere else outside of Atlanta. Did you and Sasha enjoy Cabo? That is where you two went so she could clear her head and think about what’s next for her career. How’s she handling getting fired?”

“She’s fine. But why did you bring her up? We’re talking about us. About when we moved to Augusta.”

“No, you’re talking about when you and I were married and you took a vow before God to remain faithful to me. And then we went to Augusta. And then you cheated with Sasha. So, I think it’s all very relevant to bring her up.” Months ago, if you told me that I’d ever know how to speak to anyone like this, I would’ve called you a fool. But every discussion I had with Reginald was making me better at the art of argument.

“When we moved into my parents’ house, we lived in Cheyenne’s room. We had to share that one bathroom in the hallway.” He laughed. “Remember that?”

“Yes.”

“You used to wash your underwear in the middle of the night and hang them in our bedroom because you didn’t want my mother to know you wore colored underwear.”

“She said they caused cancer.”

“Right. But you loved the little pink ones,” he said. “And when we had the twins. The house is so small, but we couldn’t keep up with them. Remember when they started walking and Cheyenne discovered how to push the front door open?”

“She almost made it to the sidewalk,” I recalled, laughing with Reginald.