Housewife Gone Wild

Chapter 19

My morning dance class left me drenched and pleasantly loose–limbed.

Come noon, I called Sally about whether Yvonne was coming home.

“Yvonne’s at the amusement park with Tracy,” Sally informed me. “You should give Tracy a call.”

Tracy had become like a second mother to Yvonne–genuinely devoted and always making time for her.

Not that I hadn’t been that mother once. There was a time when my world revolved around parent–teacher conferences and bedtime stories too.

I didn’t call Tracy. If my daughter smiled more with her, who was I to interfere?

I was about to eat alone when my phone buzzed with an unknown number.

“Hello. Is that Victoria Murphy?” The male voice on the line was warm and unfamiliar.

“Speaking,” I answered automatically before catching myself. “May I ask who’s calling?”

“I’m the student you sponsored years ago.” The earnestness in his voice prickled my skin. “I was hoping we might have lunch today.”

The pause stretched too long. I’d never wanted gratitude, and now wasn’t the time to revisit the past–not when I had my own reasons to keep my distance.

In my previous life, I’d seen enough online stories about scholarship recipients turning on their benefactors to last a lifetime.

“It’s just lunch,” he said, lowering his voice when he caught my hesitation. “No strings attached.”

“I’m married,” I said quickly. “Meeting men alone… it wouldn’t look right.”

“Bring a friend then,” he offered.

hear the genuine gratitude in his voice, I calmly refused. “Meeting isn’t necessary. The best repayment is you succeeding,” I said, and hung

myself. At three in the afternoon, Jared called. “Yvonne fell. Her leg’s hurt.

“How?” My stomach dropped.

he finished, the hospital location

knew she needed

the hospital, Yvonne was curled against Jared, quietly crying

reached for me, her small voice breaking. “Mom,

the edge of the hospital bed and

1/3

Tracy said, her voice thick with remorse. “I should have been watching her more closely when she

“We all know how Yvonne is, always climbing where she

eyes grew red as silent

exhaustion. She fell

said quickly, “Tracy was just trying to help with Yvonne. Don’t

his protectiveness. Did he really think

Mrs. Holcomb.” Tracy’s voice

life, when Yvonne was my entire world, I would have torn Tracy apart for

hair and then turned to Tracy. “Thank you for

stunned silence was

didn’t give

in my previous life–playing the fragile victim while needling me into outbursts that only made Jared despise me

Tracy said with theatrical remorse, tears streaming as she made a

head up, I saw the frustrated realization in her eyes–her performance

said, looking up calmly, “why don’t you take Tracy home now? I’ll stay with

tone and unexpected kindness toward Tracy clearly caught Jared off guard. He shifted

you should go now,” Jared said. Whether out of guilt or self–reproach, he sent her away

choice but to leave, though not without one last resentful look

bed, I closed my eyes, our daughter secure in my

take her,” Jared