Mask of Flies by Eric Leitten Read Free Book Online

better. She does lie
for a living.”
    Allie had felt so
stupid. She knew something was wrong with Kevin, but she did nothing,
waiting for the obvious to smack her in the face; here it was in
black and white photographs.
    “I’m not trying to
be cruel. I just thought that you deserve to know about the affair.”
Greg said, getting up from the table. He glanced at Lulu who peered
at him from around the archway off the kitchen. He tried to smile,
but it looked more like a painful wince. “I should be on my way.
Keep those pictures for Kevin; I have plenty more.”
    When Greg left, all
Allie had thought about was how the girls would handle the divorce.
    * * *
    The treadmill lowered
and slowed for the two minute cool down. Allie continued to walk
briskly, covered in sweat. The run, penance for letting herself fall
apart back then. History had proved to repeat its cruel jokes. Allie
wondered how she managed to remain so naive after all she endured.
She thought she could start fresh with Rick: a man with a past that
seemed to be bleeding into the present.
    Allie got ready as she
did every morning, but without her usual quick stepped assuredness.
Showering, finding clothes to wear, and putting on makeup all took
much longer than usual. She was withdrawn from reality, and by the
time she was presentable there was little time to eat her usual
breakfast: scrambled egg whites and half of a grapefruit sprinkled
with a teaspoon of turbinado. She had no choice but to grab something
less healthy from the vending machine at work. She snatched her keys
and briefcase and headed out the door.
    When settling in at the
office, Allie noticed Payton, one of the interns, kept looking at her
and looking away when noticed. Allie decided to approach her.
    “Good morning Payton,
how are you today?” Allie asked.
    “Oh h-hi Allie,”
Payton said as she looked up from her phone. Allie caught glimpse of
two words of the text message on the girl’s phone: “Tell her.”
    “I hate to take away
time from your work,” Allie nodded at Payton’s cell. “But I
kept noticing you noticing me. Is something on your mind?” She
would not show her weakness to the intern.
    “I really don’t
want to make things awkward here at work, but it’s your boyfriend
Rick, I saw him out last night, at the Milk Bar.”
    “And?”
    “I saw him talking
with another woman,” Payton shifted in her chair uneasily and
looked away for a moment. “He left with her.”
    Allie’s insides
twisted. She abandoned the conversation and b-lined it for the
nearest bathroom. Once inside, she hurried into the stall. She fell
to her knees, wept and wretched. Marooned on a planet of blue tile
and porcelain, the mixing tang of sickness and bleach choked out her
air. The taste of bile lingered in her mouth and her head hurt, but,
at least the dizzy, nauseous feeling subsided. It took another minute
for Allie to collect herself off the floor and clean up at the sink.
As she exited the stall, the young intern poked her head in the door.
    “Are you ok?”
Payton asked.
    Allie dabbed water on
her face. “I’m fighting a bug is all, and your little bombshell
caught me off guard.”
    Payton walked into the
bathroom and leaned on the sink next to Allie.” I didn’t mean you
any harm; I just thought it was something you should know.”
    Allie thought of Greg
Reich, how his words didn’t mean any harm, but tore her apart with
their implications, like a live grenade left at her doorstep. “You
are one hundred percent sure it was Rick you saw? At the Milk Bar—I’m
pretty sure he’s a bit old for that place.”
    “I’m positive it
was him. You introduced me to him at this year’s Christmas party.”
Payton twisted a lock of her chestnut hair. “I’m not the person
that goes around making up wild stories.”
    “I know you’re not.
It’s just a difficult thing to hear.”
    “I was going to say
hi to him, but he looked drunk, mumbling to himself by the bar. He
started chatting up