Chapter 15 - Natalie, the wife

[Link to Chapter 1 (Beginning of Book)]

[Link to Chapter 14 (Previous Chapter)]

I have no idea how schools justify keeping minor children past 9 p.m., but I don’t mind too much. These days, our brief car rides together are the only times Liz and I talk.

“How was rehearsal?” I ask.

Liz grunts without looking up, fiddling with her phone. Last time, it was two group chats and her boyfriend at once. Tonight, her fingers are only moving at single-group-chat speed. Probably because a few of her school friends keep normal hours.

She cranks up the A/C. “Hot,” she says.

“You landed a major part this time,” I say. “Your character actually has a name. Think maybe you could elaborate?”

“We worked the same scene all night,” she says. “It was boring. The blocking’s really hard. I have my lines and choreo down, but nobody else does. Mr. Steinman was pissed. Said my solo sounded good, though.”

“That’s great! Is that what you’re texting about with your friends right now?”

“No, just texting Roman,” she says.

“How’s that going? You two are a thing now?”

“I don’t know. I guess?” she says. This is the most information she’s ever told me about a boy. Maybe the most information she’s told me about anything all week. I should keep Roman on payroll.

“You hungry?” I ask. Better pivot quickly. “Should we stop somewhere on the way home?”

“We had pizza at rehearsal. It was in the emails you never read,” she says flatly.

“I skim them,” I say. “I get twenty emails a day from your school. It’s insane.”

“Do I have to go back to Mom’s?” she asks.

“Yes. Everything okay over there?”

“She’s being annoying again,” Liz says, still fidgeting with her phone.

“She’s still your mother. And an adult,” I say. “Don’t be disrespectful.”

“Why do you stick up for her so much?” she asks. “You guys are divorced. She says all kinds of mean stuff about you. And you’re so… blah. So… mild!”

Kids aren’t supposed to notice this stuff. But she’s becoming less of a kid each day. Too soon.