Free The Mirror and the Mask by Ellen Hart Page B

I’m a total slob.”
    â€œEven if you are,” said Curt, finishing his wine.
    â€œBite me.”
    Susan glanced at her watch. It was almost seven thirty. She’d setthe oven to warm an hour ago. The roast had probably turned into a piece of cardboard by now.
    â€œI can’t stick around forever, either,” said Curt.
    â€œLet’s just give him another fifteen minutes.”
    â€œCan’t we, like, have some cheese and crackers?” asked Sunny. “
Something?
”
    Curt pushed back from the table. “I’ve got midterms this week. Tell Jack I’m sorry, but I had to take off.”
    â€œI’m getting out the cheese,” said Sunny, following her brother into the kitchen.
    Susan put her head in her hands and closed her eyes. Just another happy “family night” at the Bowmans’.
    Â 
    It was going on nine when Susan heard the back door open. She was sitting on the couch in the family room reading
TV Guide
, working on her second Manhattan. The ruined roast had been put away in the refrigerator. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to eat any of it. The kids were long gone.
    â€œSuze,” called Jack.
    â€œI’m in the family room.” She stared at the Navaho rug, heard him thump down the stairs.
    His Hawaiian shirt looked rumpled and sweaty. The light from the lamp on the end table next to her made his skin look pockmarked and ghoulish.
    â€œWhere’re Sunny and Curt?”
    â€œThey left.”
    His hands rose to his hips. “You promised you’d make them wait.”
    â€œI tried, but they both had plans.”
    â€œThat’s just great. Just fucking fabulous.”
    â€œI’ll fix you some dinner.”
    â€œI’m not hungry.” He grabbed the
TV Guide
from her hands and threw it across the room.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she said. “What was I supposed to do? Lock the doors? Handcuff them to the dining room chairs?”
    â€œI bust my hump all day for you people and what do I get in return?”
    â€œJack, please.”
    â€œ
Jack, pleeeease
,” he mimicked. “I don’t even know why I try.” He dumped himself in a chair across the room, buried a hand in his hair. “This day has been pure unadulterated shit.”
    â€œYou want to talk about it?”
    He just sat there, glowering.
    â€œI’ll fix you a drink.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œLook, honey—”
    â€œI lost two big clients today. It’s this wretched economy. Why doesn’t somebody do something about the banks in this country? Nobody can get their hands on a dime.” He got up, started to pace.
    â€œHad these clients signed contracts?”
    â€œOne had. The other was pending.”
    â€œHave you talked to your lawyer?”
    â€œI’ve talked to three lawyers. You can’t trust anyone anymore.” Glancing over at her, he added, “Not even your family.”
    â€œCome on, don’t be mad at the kids. They have their own lives. They’re young.”
    â€œThey’re selfish.”
    â€œWe’re all selfish.”
    â€œI should know better. Nobody’s there when you need them.”
    Jack liked to play the victim. He seemed to crave pity. She’d learned to play along, soothe his hurt feelings, but tonight she couldn’t manage it. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
    He pressed the heel of his hand to his eye. “I feel like crap.”
    â€œYou’re sure you don’t want a drink? Might take the edge off.”
    His hulking body prevented her from seeing the TV. “I know what would take the edge off,” he said.
    Struggling to keep her expression neutral, she responded, “What’s that?” He’d probably popped a Viagra earlier in the day and was ready for a little action. Lord, she loathed those pills.
    â€œYou and me,” he said, sitting down next to her.
    She could smell his nervous sweat.