Valerie watches the video of her husband's secretary giving him a blowjob before he reciprocates by sucking on her breasts and finger fucking her. She plans to forgive Steve until she watches the following video of Steve with their neighbour, Mr. Bolton, of all people, bending over Steve's desk with his pants dropped to his ankles. She watches as Steve sticks his dick where the sun doesn't shine. Valerie knows how uncomfortable it is to have anal sex. To watch her husband giving their neighbour anal play makes her sick. Mr. Bolton is one of his clients. "How could he?" Valerie cries.
She misses her mom more than ever. Valerie feels angry at her mother for driving drunk and dying. She desperately needs to talk to her, but dead people can't help. Who is she supposed to call for advice? Valerie's phone rings, pulling her away from the computer monitor and the sex tape starring her husband and the neighbour. She sends the video to her best friend, Betty, and asks for help. Betty calls Valerie. "Hello," Valerie sobs while trying to be polite.
"I'm so sorry, Val. Is there anything I can do besides asking my dad to fire Steve's ass?" Betty asks. She hears Valerie giggling through the tears.
"I know your dad is Steve's boss, but he can't fire Steve for having sex in his office," Valerie replies.
"Val, sleeping with clients is forbidden. It's grounds for immediate termination." Betty reads the employee contracts in her father's home office. She helps him by reviewing the documents for inconsistencies. His paralegals often make careless mistakes, leaving loopholes for employees to use against the practice. Betty finds no such loopholes in Steve's contract: "His contract specifically states that getting caught having intimate relationships with fellow staff and clients will result in his immediate dismissal."
"Betty, we placed the cameras in his office. It's how he got caught," Val argues.
Laughing, Betty reads, "All accusations of misconduct after, including, but not restricted to, prior breaches of formerly mentioned clauses, will require a two-week probation while the senior partners investigate. This may include the partners planting recording devices such as bugs or cameras within the accused person's office to gather evidence. However, a spouse suspecting an office affair may place these devices may be placed. Any intel the spouse gathered by these recording devices can and will be used against the employee."
Valerie tries to understand what it means but can't riddle it. "What does that mean?" she asks.
"That Steve's ass is grass, and you can use the recordings as proof of infidelity," Betty explains. "Steve can't argue that you had no right to place the cameras in his office. His contract protects you and the firm."
"What should I do?" Valerie whispers.
"Leave Steve before he bleeds you dry. Take the money he has in the account and the funds he set up for the girls' education. You have a right to fifty percent of his income and assets. Do you know how much Steve makes?"
"Fifty-five thousand per year," Valerie replies. "It's because he's a corporate lawyer."
Betty snorts. "Val, his starting annual wage was one hundred fifty-five thousand. He's been with the company for three years. He's making closer to two hundred thousand annually." Betty realizes Valerie doesn't know when she gasps. "Val, search his office for another bank book."
"We only have a chequing account," she argues.
Patiently, Betty explains, "He has the accountant electronically deposit two-thirds of his pay into another account. The remaining third goes into the joint account. That's the money Steve allows you to use to pay the rent and other household expenses."
"Steve and I own the house."
"Oh boy," Betty sighs. "You're paying rent, not a mortgage. My dad's partner owns the house. He's renting it until the real estate market improves enough to make a profit."
Valerie slumps in her seat. She can't believe Steve's dishonesty about everything. "I'm going to look for that bank book," Valerie says.
"I'll stay on the line with you." Betty listens as Valerie searches the house for the deed and bank book she knows Steve has hidden in the house. Valerie drops something on the floor in their bedroom. It rolls beneath the bed. She sighs and practically crawls under the bed to reach it. Something snags on her hair as she scoots out. Valerie lays on her back and, using her toes, removes her socks. Her bare feet stuck to the wooden floors enough to push beneath the bed to see what caught in her hair.
Valerie finds a thick envelope between the frame slats and the box spring. She carefully removes it after memorizing how she saw it. Valerie scoots from beneath the bed and listens for the sounds of her children awakening from their naps. She smiles when they remain silent. "What did you find?" Betty nervously asks.
"An envelope. I'm opening it now. Oh," Valerie gasps.
"Take pictures of everything and send it to me. Delete them from your phone, okay?" Betty asks.
"Sure," Valerie replies. She trusts Betty but wants to ensure someone else has copies of everything just in case Betty is helping Steve. Valerie takes the photographs and sends them to Betty via email. She drafts a second email and sends it to Stephanie with the videos of Steve cheating on her. Valerie texts Stephanie, warning her about the email's contents and begging her to store them safely without viewing the attachments. Stephanie replies that she will store them but must know what the videos contain to protect Valerie and the girls. Tearfully, Valerie lies, "I have to go, Betty. The girls are awake." Valerie can't believe Steve would betray her in that way. "Why me, Mom?" Valerie whispers as she looks at the photograph of her mother in the gold frame on the dresser. "You wanted me to marry a Burg man. Why couldn't Steve be honourable like Daddy?" She snuffles and blows her nose in a tissue.
Valerie wipes a tear from her eyes upon realizing Steve had a vasectomy after Mary Alice's birth. She finds the online banking information for the secondary account. Stephanie messages Valerie, telling her that Hector will take what's rightfully hers and stash it until Valerie leaves Steve, which Stephanie urges Valerie to do immediately. Still crying, Valerie returns the envelope to its hiding spot.
She checks on the girls before deciding to call Stephanie. "Hello," Stephanie happily answers.
"Hey. Have you seen the videos?" Valerie asks.
"I have. I'm sorry you're going through this, Val. What are you planning to do?"
Crying, Valerie replies, "I don't know. Where will I go? I can't live with Grandma and Grandpa Mazur. Grandpa and I don't get along."
"What about Miami? You can live with Daddy. Cal and Amber live in the apartment above the garage. Dad and Faith have two bedrooms available."
"I don't know," Valerie replies. "Would Faith even allow me to live there?"
"Val, you're family. Faith would love to spoil her granddaughters. She hasn't seen Mary Alice since her birth," Stephanie reasons. Valerie is silent longer than Stephanie can stand. "Listen, my friend moved half the money from the joint account and half from the secret account set up by a P. Agazzi. He moved it to a secured account until you settle your divorce from Steve. I have copies of every transaction, depositing money into the account and moving it to a Costa Rican bank. My friend also moved the education funds for the girls and assigned Grandma Edna as the account owner."
"Why are you doing this for me?" Valerie asks. She hears the girls fussing over the baby monitor. They aren't crying, so Valerie continues the conversation, wanting to listen to what Stephanie says.
"You're my sister," Stephanie replies. "I talked to Dad. He says Betty's cousin, Vince Buscemi, will be in LA in a few days. Vince will drive you and the girls to Miami. Do you need a moving truck, or will a U-haul van be adequate?"
"I have a car to transport. How will that work?"
"We can order a U-haul with a towing package. Please don't tell Steve what you're doing. Pack the clothes at the last minute. Vince will have a few friends help pack the truck. When will Steve be home?" Stephanie asks. She patiently waits for Valerie to check the calendar hanging in the kitchen.
"He leaves in the morning for a conference in Sacramento. It's easier for him to drive and stay there," Valerie replies.
"Good. Steve can't stop you from leaving. Remember to leave divorce papers and verification of receipt for your share of the marital income."
"Where did you get all of this information?" Valerie asks.
"From one of my student's fathers. He's a contract lawyer, but he spoke to his colleague, who is willing to represent you from Miami. Daddy said Mr. Anders will represent you in California."
"How?"
"How, what?" Stephanie queries.
"How did you arrange everything in twenty minutes?" Valerie asks.
Giggling, Stephanie lies, "Daddy arranged everything. I'm only the messenger."
"So Faith is okay with me living with them?" Valerie is unsure about her stepmother's compliance. She's afraid Faith only agrees because her dad wants her to.
"Faith is a wonderful woman. She's supportive, means what she says, and encourages you to consider all the options before making a decision. If you don't believe me, ask Dad," Stephanie explains. It isn't how Helen described Faith.
"You mentioned students. Are you a school teacher?"
"No, Val, I opened a dance studio. I have two part-time and three full-time instructors," Stephanie replies. "I teach the Latin dances. Rafael teaches tap and jazz. Gabriela teaches beginner ballet and modern dance. Parker teaches Irish dances. Maureen teaches advanced ballet and fills in on the front desk when needed. Amber teaches intermediate ballet. She's still attending school, so she's only a part-time employee and fills in wherever we need her."
"Wow. I'm jealous. Steve told me to get a job when the girls attend school full-time. I never thought about what I wanted to do," Valerie confesses.
"Why don't we figure that out when you get to Miami? I'm living with Carlos' grandmother, Rosa, while Carlos is deployed with his Army squadron," Stephanie offers.
"I didn't know Carlos enlisted." Valerie's conversation with Stephanie gets cut short when Mary Alice cries. "I'll see you in a few days, Steph. I have to feed the girls." Valerie returns the cordless handset to its cradle before checking on the girls. She went to the baby first. Mary Alice needs a diaper change and food. Angie wet the bed. Valerie changes Mary Alice while instructing Angie to remove her clothes. She uses wipes to clean Angie, promising to bathe the girls before bedtime. Valerie closes the bedroom door as she strips Angie's toddler bed, sighing in relief that the protective cover prevented the mattress from getting wet.
She quickly wipes down the cover with soapy water and dries it before making the bed. Angie watches Mary Alice crawling on the floor and stops her sister from bumping her head. "It's time for dinner, Angie," Valerie says as she picks up Mary Alice, settling her on her right hip and balancing the hamper on her left. "Stay close and hold the railing," Valerie tells Angie. The girl holds the railing, steps with her right foot and moves her left foot to join the right. Angie continues until she's down the steps on the landing.
"Mama," she gleefully says.
"Great job, Angie," Valerie said. Angie grins at her mom and follows her to the kitchen. Valerie puts Mary Alice in the playpen, smiling when Angie climbs in. "Angie, be a good girl while mommy puts the sheets in the washer, okay?"
Angie nods and sits beside Mary Alice. Valerie rushes to start the laundry, wanting to clean them before Steve notices and spanks Angie. She hears Angie and Mary Alice talking. It sounds like babbling, but Valerie knows the girls have their own language. She wonders if her relationship with Stephanie can improve when she moves to Miami. Valerie has a thought. Perhaps she can ask Stephanie for a job, just a few hours daily, to get her out of the house. It will only work if her dad and stepmother will watch the girls.
Steve arrives as Valerie places the food on the table. He kisses her cheek. She chokes back the bile rising in her throat, unable to shake the image of her husband having sex with a man. Steve smells fresh from a shower, making her wonder where he went to clean up the stench of sex. "I went to the gym after work and showered after my workout," Steve explains.
"I'm washing some towels and bedding. If you leave your gym clothes in the laundry room, I'll have them ready for you in the morning," Valerie replies, twisting her fingers. She needs to wash Angie's clothes before Steve notices. Fortunately, Steve dismisses her. His lie will be blatant when she sees his gym clothes are clean. He wore the spare clothes he kept in his office closet after cleaning up in the washroom.
"It's fine, Val. I can handle them," Steve promises. Valerie knows Steve is lying, though she doesn't call him out. Her priority is getting away from Steve with the girls and every piece of jewelry she owns.
"Thank you, Steve. Sit and eat," Valerie says, smiling at her husband. She sets a plate where he sits. Valerie helps Angie sit on the booster seat and pushes her closer to the table to eat. She protects Angie's shirt with a bib. Angie grins when Valerie gives her the homemade macaroni and cheese she loves. Valerie removes Mary Alice from the playpen and secures her in the high chair. She heats the baby food for a few seconds in the microwave and feeds her youngest daughter, alternating between giving Mary Alice a spoonful of food and eating her own dinner.
After supper, Steve reluctantly watches the girls while Valerie cleans the dishes and kitchen. She rolls her eyes as she goes to the basement to put the sheets in the dryer. Valerie knows Steve is a liar. She doesn't believe he has a conference in Sacramento. One phone call to Betty will prove her theory. It's unimportant to Valerie. She wants out of the toxic marriage before Steve leaves her penniless, and Valerie knows that's Steve's intention.
Valerie bathes the girls, reads them a story and puts them to bed. She smiles at the girls she loves more than life. Valerie will have a good life if she has Angie and Mary Alice.
She joins Steve in bed, pretending everything is perfect. Valerie feels a sense of relief when Steve doesn't make moves to have sex. Steve could be carrying any number of diseases. The thought frightens Valerie. She'll need to get tested for STDs and anything else Steve could have given her. The last thought in Valerie's mind is a wish for Steve to die a most painful death.