That’s all. I fucked up.”“Yes, you did girl. You should maybe have asked him first. Or even lied to him. But now it’s over isn’t it?”“Ka...thy, we’re best friends, why aren’t you being more supportive?”“I was your best friend Janice. You were never mine.”“I helped you through your divorce. You cried on my shoulder….”“Yea, I dumped that loser for one reason: to win your trust. Now that I have, and you did what you did, I’m going to become someone else’s best friend.”I heard her and a man. I handed Sally her glass and sat down in my chair being careful not to expose too much of my nakedness under my robe, She thanked me and took a big sip of her wine, I could see on her face as she grimaced that she really hadn’t drank wine before. “You OK?” I asked. “Yes” she said her voice now her voice now husky because of the wine, “it’s nice” she said taking another sip, this time with less of a grimace.“So, tell me about yourself Sally” I suggested to get the conversation going. As she. "Cynthia looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean?" He's actually your second". Cynthia sat there dazed. Blinking. Notquite sure if she heard her mother accurately. She didn't say a word."A while after your father died... I met a man. I think I was justlonely. He was there. We became quite fond of each other. And well, wequietly married. I didn't tell you because I thought you would be upset."Cynthia sat and stared at her."We kept it quiet. He was a wonderful man. Wonderfully talented with. .. unfortunate. However, the misfortune will not be mine alone. I have great interest in the welfare of the wife and child of Jack Heyward. I have none in that of the wife and child of Jackson Carstairs, and fear they may meet with ... misadventure. Does this alter your response?"The voice was dead cold; I couldn't keep on being coy."All right," I said, "let's say I am Jack Heyward—" Yes, let us say that," came that frigid voice. "You see how easily two men of intelligence may resolve such.