Free Schooled In Lies by Angela Henry Page B

him.
    “Vanessa just needs a friend right now. She’s going through a hard time.”
    “Is she the one you were with when you hung up on me Friday?” He just stared down into his coffee cup and I had my answer.
    I sucked my teeth in disgust, which must have pissed him off because he slammed his cup down on the table and leaned forward angrily.
    “She called me Friday. She was really upset and asked if I could meet her to talk. All we did was talk. She just needed a shoulder to cry on,” he said loudly causing one of the other women in the café to turn and stare at us.
    “Hmm, a shoulder to cry on. Well that sounds to me like a job for her current husband, not her ex -husband. You’re not married to her anymore, remember?”
    He sighed heavily. “Her husband is the problem. He doesn’t want this baby and it’s tearing her apart. She just needs someone to talk to.”
    She sure as hell didn’t look too broken up the last couple of times I’d seen her. And why in the world couldn’t she talk to her best bud, Audrey Grant, if she was in so much distress?
    “No. She and her husband need to be talking or going to counseling or something. You’re a lawyer not a therapist. And if you ask me, it’s poetic justice,” I said, not so subtly referring to the fact that Vanessa had had an abortion not long after she split with Carl, a baby that could have been his, even though she’d been sleeping with two other men at the time. A child Carl would have welcomed. How ironic it was that she was now pregnant, again, by a man who didn’t want a baby.
    “Well, I didn’t ask you and I’m seeing a side of you that I’m not liking much,” he said in disgust. “You shouldn’t take so much pleasure in Vanessa’s problems. I didn’t know you were like this,” he spat out at me before I had a chance to respond. I stared at him in shocked silence, willing the tears not to come. How dare he say that to me?
    “And I didn’t know what a big fool you were.” I was so angry I could barely get the words out. “Vanessa must have spent all that money her daddy left her and is just lining up another sucker to take care of her and her baby in case her husband bounces. I cannot believe you’re stupid enough to fall for her shit. And if you don’t like this side of me.” I stood up and turned around, “then you can kiss this side of me.” I smacked my ass and stormed out of the café.
    I was still furious with Carl when I arrived back at class an hour later. Even a lunch consisting of a double portion of hot fudge cake hadn’t lifted my foul mood. I was on the first floor, getting ready to head up the steps to my classroom, when I spotted Audrey Grant about to head into the room where the summer day camp program was held. She must be there to pick up her kids. I called out to her and she turned and gave me a tight smile when she saw it was me. She still looked a little tired and her black sundress emphasized her paleness but she still looked better than she had in the hospital.
    “Are you feeling better?” I asked, walking over to her.
    “A lot better, thanks,” she acknowledged with a genuine smile this time.
    “I didn’t realize you had kids old enough to attend summer day camp.”
    “My oldest daughter, Cassidy, turned five this summer. She starts kindergarten this fall and I thought it would be a good idea to get her used to being around other kids besides her brothers and sisters. Plus, I really needed the break.”
    “It’s a great program. She’ll have lots of fun.”
    Just then a slightly chubby little girl with long curly blonde hair and big blue eyes dressed in denim shorts and a pink Barney tank top ran up and grabbed Audrey’s hand tugging her towards the day camp room.
    “Come see my picture, Mommy,” she said, lisping excitedly. Her two front teeth were missing and she sounded precious, though I wondered how cute I’d think it was if I had to listen to her all day long.
    “You’re being rude,