Free The Color of Joy by Julianne MacLean Page A

focus on, other than herself, has made a huge difference. She likes her classes and her teachers and she’s already talking about applying for a job downtown when she’s finished. Get this…” I leaned closer to the laptop screen and spoke softly. “She’s growing her hair out. She ditched the bleached-blonde look and had it darkened back to her natural color.”
    “I don’t even know what that is,” Jake replied.
    “Brown, like mine.”
    He sat back. “Wow. I can’t picture it.”
    “I know, right? It’s like imagining Pamela Anderson as a brunette.”
    Just then the floorboards creaked in the hall. I raised my forefinger to my lips. “Shhh…”
    Jake sat quietly.
    I heard the bathroom door open and close. Water ran into the tub.
    “It’s okay,” I whispered. “I don’t think she heard anything. She must be taking a bath.”
    Jake leaned forward in his chair to speak close to the computer microphone. “Just be careful around her, okay? She may seem great right now, but remember, she’s the queen of mood swings.”
    Someone tapped Jake on the shoulder. He stood up so I couldn’t see him. Barely audible words were exchanged while I waited uneasily on the bed.
    He sat down and faced me again. “Sorry babe, something’s come up. I gotta go. Will you post more pictures tomorrow?”
    “Of course.”
    “The pictures help,” he added, staring at me uncertainly. “Because I worry about you. And the baby.”
    “I’m fine ,” I assured him, leaning closer to the camera lens. “Please don’t worry, Jake. This is the good stuff. This is what you’re supposed to be happy about. I promise we’ll be fine. Stay safe.”
    “Always. And listen, when I get home, let’s plan a vacation. Maybe we could take the baby to that seaside cottage we rented for our honeymoon. The one by your grandparents’ place in Maine. We’ve always wanted to go back there. I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m so sick of the desert. It’s so dry and dusty here. I’d love to get back on that boat.”
    “That sounds amazing,” I replied. “I’ll look into it.” I blew him a kiss, waited for the screen to go blank, then shut my laptop.
    *
    An hour later, wrapped in nothing but a towel, Sylvie knocked on my open door.
    I closed my book and sat up in bed. “Hey,” I said.
    “Hey,” she replied, walking in. “How’s Jake?”
    “He’s doing all right. He couldn’t tell me where he was the past few days, or where he was going tonight, but he promised they were safe. Those are just words, though. Stuff you’re supposed to say.”
    She moved deeper into my room and sat down on the upholstered chair by the window, crossed one long leg over the other. “That’s always the way, isn’t it? You never know what he might be doing.”
    Not wanting to think too much about that, I nodded and regarded her in the dim, golden lamplight. Her shoulders rose and fell with a heavy sigh, as if she were preparing herself for battle.
    “I heard what you said about me,” she mentioned.
    My stomach suddenly dropped. I was immediately filled with regret. Why had I said those things?
    “Really Jenn?” Sylvie continued. “Pamela Anderson? Is that how you see me?”
    My lips parted. “I’m sorry. And no, it’s not how I see you.”
    She glanced toward the window. “I suppose it’s not that far off the mark. It’s probably how John saw me, and every other guy who came into the bar and hit on me.”
    “You’re a beautiful woman,” I reminded her.
    “Mmm.” Her gaze met mine like a laser beam. “But I’d like to be more than that.”
    “You are,” I assured her. “Look at what you’re doing. You’re turning your whole life around. Starting a new career. That’s not an easy thing.”
    Sylvie twirled her hair around a finger. “Tell me about it.”
    Her gaze dipped to my belly and I saw a look I hadn’t seen since before she moved in with me. There was something darkly envious and seething about it.
    “You feeling okay