Free Leaving Haven by Kathleen McCleary Page A

other side. She dozed off, but when the music stopped the silence would wake her, and she’d flip the record again. She wondered what would happen if Rita never came home. Would her father take her to Canada? Or would she have to live in an orphanage like Annie?
    She must have fallen asleep at last, because the next thing she knew she heard the sharp tap of her mother’s heels across the wood floor in the living room.
    â€œAlly?” Her mother came into the bedroom. “What are you doing in here?”
    Alice sat up. She was stiff and cold from lying on the floor, and her cheek felt funny where the nubby beige rug had pressed into it. Pale morning light streamed in through the window. “You didn’t come home,” Alice said.
    â€œI lost track of time, honey. I thought you’d be asleep and would never notice, and I’d be home before you woke up. I knew you were fine locked in here.”
    Alice’s eyes filled with tears. All the worry and fear of the long, long night—combined with the utter relief that her mother was alive and here—rose up and washed over her. She hated to cry, but she couldn’t help it. She was too tired to be brave.
    â€œOh, Alice.” Her mother knelt down. “It’s not a big deal,” she said, “nothing to be so upset about. You were safe locked in the apartment. Okay now?”
    Alice nodded. But she never forgot the night her mother didn’t come home. That was the thing about Duncan. He always came home—on time.
    F RIDAY NIGHT, THEIR anniversary, marked the start of a true new year in their marriage for Alice. From the moment she had ended her affair, with that text message on Monday, the weight of her guilt began to recede. Now she could reach out and put her hand on Duncan’s arm across the dinner table again, without feeling that her fingers would sear him with their dishonesty. Now she could leave her phone on the kitchen counter without panicking when she realized it wasn’t in her briefcase, hidden from Duncan and Wren. It was a terrible thing she had done, but she understood herself in a different way now. It would never happen again.
    But her fresh start on Friday did not go as planned. Duncan acted odd from the moment he got home from work, staring at her as though she had some spinach stuck in her teeth, asking the strangest questions.
    â€œI have a great date planned,” she said, as he walked in the door, his briefcase in hand. “You remembered we’re going out tonight, right?”
    She smiled at him. She was wearing jeans, a new pair of ankle boots, a pink top, and the gold hoop earrings with tiny ruby drops he had given her on their ninth anniversary.
    He looked her up and down. “You look nice,” he said.
    â€œThanks.” She was so happy to be with him without the weight of her terrible secret that she felt happy and playful in a way she hadn’t felt for a long time, even before her affair. She spun around in front of him. “It’s a new shirt. I don’t usually wear bright colors, but I loved this pink.”
    â€œIsn’t pink Georgia’s favorite color?” he said.
    Alice stopped spinning. She heard his emphasis on the word Georgia. “I guess,” she said. “Why?”
    Duncan put his briefcase down on the floor and tossed his coat across one of the chairs. “How is Georgia? When was the last time you saw her?”
    â€œGeorgia?” Alice felt a clench of fear. “She’s fine. I haven’t seen her in a few weeks because my schedule’s been crazy and she’s been spending a lot of time with Chessy, but—”
    â€œI see,” Duncan said. He stared at her for a moment. “You haven’t seen her in a few weeks.”
    â€œNo. I’ve talked to her. She’s okay.”
    He nodded. “I’m going to change,” he said.
    Alice poured two glasses of wine while Duncan was upstairs, and sliced