Delia opened the door wearing a crop top and leggings, hair perfectly done like she was about to film a Pilates tutorial. Bonnie nudged me.
Then Gary stepped inside. No words. Just smooth, practiced motion. The door closed.
“We need ears in there,” Bonnie said.
I jogged back into the guest room and dug through my suitcase.
“Ben gave me this last spring for my birthday. Said it was ‘cool tech.’ I thought it was a mug.”
Bonnie unwrapped the box like it was Christmas morning.
“Oh, honey! It’s a mini pet camera. With live audio.”
“I never even opened it. Didn’t know what to do with it.”
We strapped it around Mr. Pickles’ neck, Bonnie’s grumpy, overweight tuxedo cat, and opened the side gate.
“Be subtle,” I whispered.
Bonnie rolled her eyes. “He’s a cat, Fern. He invented subtle.”
We carefully opened the window and let the cat slide in. From Bonnie’s laptop, we watched the feed: hallway… kitchen… voices. Delia’s voice.
“Oh, Gary… Tom’s still in Oregon. And I finally got rid of Nana. So glad we could meet more often now.”
Followed by giggles. Then moaning. Loud. Repetitive. Committed. Bonnie choked on her tea.
We saved the footage. Then, settled on a projector, a white sheet, and a strategically timed showtime.
Friday night. Thomas’s flight landed at 6:10. Delia was outside “watering” her fake hydrangeas. The kids were still at the chess club.
At 7:01 PM, Tom’s car pulled into the driveway. I met him at the edge of the lawn.
“Mom?” he said, surprised. “I thought…”
He followed me to the backyard. Bonnie hit play. There she was. Delia, on a 100-inch screen, in my kitchen. Arms around Gary. Voice loud and breathy:
“Let’s make it quick. Tom’s not back till tomorrow.”
Thomas flinched like someone had punched him in the gut. He took a shaky step back, eyes locked on the screen. His voice came out hollow.
Delia stepped out seconds later, hose in hand. Then she saw it. The color drained from her face. Tom turned to me.
“Why would you do this? In the yard?”
“Because your wife threw me out, Tom. Told me to stay gone. Told you it was my idea.”
“No. She showed me a note. Said you needed space. Said you were tired.”
I pulled the original sticky note from my pocket. The one Delia taped to my suitcase. Thomas read it. Twice. His hands started to shake. Tom looked from me to Delia. Then his jaw clenched.
No yelling. No theatrics. Just the truth. Heavy and final. She stood there a moment longer, then turned and walked back inside.
Thomas let out a deep, guttural breath and sat down on the edge of the flowerbed like his knees couldn’t hold him anymore. He dropped his head into his hands.
I waited a beat. Then walked over and sat beside him.
“No, Mom. I knew something was off. For a long time. But I just kept… not seeing it. Because I didn’t want to.”
He looked down at the grass, then let out a breath. “She isolated you. And I let her. That’s on me.”
I reached over and touched his arm.
He looked up at me, and in that moment, I saw my little boy again. The one who used to bring me dandelions in his tiny fists.
“I’m glad you didn’t disappear quietly, Mom.”
Bonnie winked. “Alright. We’re going to pick up the grandkids from the chess club. They’re sleeping over with us tonight. I’ll bake a pie.”
“Bonnie, are you sure?”
“Pie calms the nerves. And Thomas has got things to sort out here anyway.”
She started toward the car, humming something. I stood up, stretched, and looked back at the house. It was mine again.
Because Nana may be retired… But she sure as hell wasn’t done.
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