"That bastard!" Kyle exclaimed over the phone. "I'll kill him!"
It was nice to get support. Being in a family must have had some advantages, she'd always figured, otherwise, why did people do it? And here was her advantage.
"Are you getting a divorce?" he asked. Support was good, yes, but was this overconcern? She didn't know--but then again, frankly, she didn't give a damn. Because she was loved, and she didn't need Max Evans to love her.
"Of course," she told him. Like she'd react any differently. Like she'd forgive him. Liz would have, she was sure, but Liz was mentally unbalanced.
"Listen, Tess, you want to hurt them--get Maria as your lawyer," he advised. Maria. Right. Her step-sister. The divorce lawyer. The Sheriff and Amy had been so proud of them...both lawyers.
Liz's best friend, she realized with a cold jolt.
"Would she do that?" Tess asked him, her voice full of doubt and almost cracking. Michael, from behind, squeezed her shoulders. God, she hated getting so much sympathy. Being looked at as so...helpless.
"Of course she would," Kyle insisted. "She's your sister. And you were cheated on. She loves defending people who were cheated on."
She felt a surge of evil satisfaction. It was wrong, but then--was Max screwing Liz in her bed right? An eye for an eye, right?
"I'm driving up," Kyle informed her. All the way from Delaware? She didn't protest. Why should she--he wouldn't listen and she didn't want her to. "Call Maria. Where are you--Michael's place?"
"Yeah." Nothing more than that. There was nothing more to say. "I'll see you." And just to be selfish, "Hurry."
They hung up, and she turned to Michael. "He's coming. Do you have room for him, or should he stay with Maria?" Who lived across town, in a brownstone in the village. Her husband, Andrew, was a flithy rich brain surgeon.
"We have enough room, if he doesn't mind the couch," Michael replied. Right, because this was a two-bedroom. And Tess was staying there until she could legally kick Max out of their place.
"He said I should get Maria as my lawyer. Do you think she would, Michael?"
He shrugged. "I don't know...you can never tell with Maria." And he, having been her boyfriend all throughout high school, would know. "She'll be conflicted, yeah. But you have a good chance."
Suddenly, it hit her. No, it wasn't such a great, big, surprise thing. But it would hurt them in the worst way possible. Yeah, she would feel bad for using everyone. But she wouldn't be causing anyone harm...anyone who didn't deserve it, anyway.
"Okay. Thanks." She hugged him, then picked up the phone again.
"Maria?"
It was nice to get support. Being in a family must have had some advantages, she'd always figured, otherwise, why did people do it? And here was her advantage.
"Are you getting a divorce?" he asked. Support was good, yes, but was this overconcern? She didn't know--but then again, frankly, she didn't give a damn. Because she was loved, and she didn't need Max Evans to love her.
"Of course," she told him. Like she'd react any differently. Like she'd forgive him. Liz would have, she was sure, but Liz was mentally unbalanced.
"Listen, Tess, you want to hurt them--get Maria as your lawyer," he advised. Maria. Right. Her step-sister. The divorce lawyer. The Sheriff and Amy had been so proud of them...both lawyers.
Liz's best friend, she realized with a cold jolt.
"Would she do that?" Tess asked him, her voice full of doubt and almost cracking. Michael, from behind, squeezed her shoulders. God, she hated getting so much sympathy. Being looked at as so...helpless.
"Of course she would," Kyle insisted. "She's your sister. And you were cheated on. She loves defending people who were cheated on."
She felt a surge of evil satisfaction. It was wrong, but then--was Max screwing Liz in her bed right? An eye for an eye, right?
"I'm driving up," Kyle informed her. All the way from Delaware? She didn't protest. Why should she--he wouldn't listen and she didn't want her to. "Call Maria. Where are you--Michael's place?"
"Yeah." Nothing more than that. There was nothing more to say. "I'll see you." And just to be selfish, "Hurry."
They hung up, and she turned to Michael. "He's coming. Do you have room for him, or should he stay with Maria?" Who lived across town, in a brownstone in the village. Her husband, Andrew, was a flithy rich brain surgeon.
"We have enough room, if he doesn't mind the couch," Michael replied. Right, because this was a two-bedroom. And Tess was staying there until she could legally kick Max out of their place.
"He said I should get Maria as my lawyer. Do you think she would, Michael?"
He shrugged. "I don't know...you can never tell with Maria." And he, having been her boyfriend all throughout high school, would know. "She'll be conflicted, yeah. But you have a good chance."
Suddenly, it hit her. No, it wasn't such a great, big, surprise thing. But it would hurt them in the worst way possible. Yeah, she would feel bad for using everyone. But she wouldn't be causing anyone harm...anyone who didn't deserve it, anyway.
"Okay. Thanks." She hugged him, then picked up the phone again.
"Maria?"