Maya's POV
At precisely six o'clock, the doorbell rang. My white shirt was covered in red pasta sauce after I dropped the wooden spoon I was holding. Excellent. Simply ideal.
"I'll get it!" David's voice was happier than I had heard it in months when he called from the living room.
I felt a knot in my stomach. The person at the door was someone I knew. David's "work friend" Jessica Liu was invited to our family dinner. Ethan kept talking about the same Jessica. That awful text message I saw this morning was from the same Jessica.
Scrubbing at the sauce stain with a dishrag only made it worse. I heard David opening the front door through the doorway in the kitchen.
"Jessica!" "You look fantastic!"
"I'm grateful, David. I brought your wife some flowers and wine."
She had a honey-sweet voice. Too sweet.
Despite my desire to flee upstairs and hide, I made myself smile as I made my way to the front door. Jessica was standing in our doorway with gorgeous pink roses and a bottle of pricey wine. She was young, slender, and exuded confidence—everything I wasn't. Her dress fit her like it was custom-made, and her long black hair was curled to perfection.
She stepped forward to give me a hug as if we were old friends and exclaimed, "You must be Maya!" "I've heard a lot about you."
I gave her a hug in return, but I bet you have. It's good to meet you as well. I appreciate the flowers you sent.
"Jessica!" Ethan's face lit up like Christmas morning as he ran down the stairs. He gave her a firm waist hug.
"Hey, buddy!" Jessica ruffled his hair and laughed. "I brought you something."
She reached into her purse and took out a small, wrapped box. With a gasp, Ethan ripped it open. The newest handheld video game, which cost more than two hundred dollars, was inside. For months, he had been pleading with me and David to buy the same one.
"Not at all! Jessica, thank you!" "This is the most amazing gift ever!"
My heart fell. For weeks, I had been putting money aside for groceries so that I could get him the same game for his birthday the following month. Jessica had suddenly intervened and handed it to him as if it were nothing.
I whispered, "You didn't have to do that."
"It's my pleasure," Jessica said with a smile. "What a unique boy Ethan is. He is deserving of special treatment."
After placing an arm around Jessica's shoulders, David escorted her into the living room. "I'll get you a drink. Maya is preparing her well-known meatballs and spaghetti."
"Oh, how wonderful!" Jessica put her hands together in a clap. "I adore cooking at home. I hardly have time to cook anymore because I'm so busy with work and my fitness classes."
She took fitness classes, of course. She was busy and important, of course, while I was just at home cooking spaghetti.
They were laughing in the living room when I returned to the kitchen to finish dinner. True laughter. David used to share that kind with me.
"Can Jessica join me at dinner, Mom?" Ethan gave a call.
I called back, my voice cracking, "Sure, sweetheart."
We sat down to eat twenty minutes later. I had prepared David's favorite dish, which included Caesar salad, garlic bread, and spaghetti with homemade meatballs. I've been cooking the same thing every Friday night for the last ten years.
Jessica took a tiny bite and remarked, "This is delicious, Maya." "Mmm, excellent."
However, I saw that she ate very little. As if she were worried about gaining weight, she pushed the food around her plate and took small bites.
Ethan said, his mouth full, "Jessica makes the best chocolate chip pancakes." "They resemble superheroes and dinosaurs in shape!"
I tried to sound interested rather than offended when I said, "That sounds amazing."
Jessica pretended to be modest when she said, "Oh, it's nothing special." "I simply enjoy making children happy."
I said, "Perhaps you could teach me how to make them."
Across the table, David and Jessica exchanged glances. I felt sick to my stomach as they exchanged a secret glance.
"Really," David stated cautiously, "Jessica has been assisting me with a significant project at work." She may be visiting more frequently to... work on projects. Get things done.
Correct. I managed to say, "That's nice."
"Jessica could also visit tomorrow night!" With excitement, Ethan said. "We could play games and watch movies!"
Jessica reached over to squeeze Ethan's hand and said, "I'd love that." "We could have a fun night as a family and order pizza."
A fun night for the whole family. She was discussing my family as though she already belonged there.
"Maya, what do you think?" David inquired. "Are you comfortable with that?"
How could I respond? No, I don't want my family to play house with the woman you're having an affair with. No, I don't want my son to think she's better than me.
"Of course," I muttered.
Jessica assisted me in clearing the table after supper. She stood right next to me in the kitchen as we loaded the dishwasher.
"Your house is so lovely," she remarked softly. "And such a wonderful family."
"Thank you."
"David constantly brings you up at work." She stopped, observing my face. "He claims that you are the perfect mother and wife. always looking out for others."
I looked up because of something in her voice. Her eyes had changed, but her smile remained charming. chilly.
"You never complain about anything," he says. Don't ask for more than you already have. Don't ever start a fight."
My hands froze. Did she have a message for me?
"That's so admirable," Jessica added. "Some women are constantly hankering after more—more passion, more excitement, more attention. However, you're content just to be here. being secure."
Like ice water, the words struck me. I was being called dull by her. I couldn't provide David with what he needed.
"Jessica?" From the living room came David's voice. "Want to see those work files I mentioned?"
She called back sweetly, "Coming!"
Then she flashed that phony smile at me. "Maya, thank you for a wonderful dinner. I'm hoping we can do this once more soon."
I was left alone with the dishes and the awful sensation that I had just been warned when she left.
While I washed dishes at the sink, I could hear David, Jessica, and Ethan laughing together in the adjacent room. They sounded like family. A contented family. Not with me.
On the counter, my phone buzzed. An unidentified number sent a text message. I picked it up after drying my hands.
"Her car was in your driveway. She has been boasting at the gym about robbing someone of their husband, so I thought you should be aware of this. She claims that the wife's complete ignorance makes it nearly too simple. I apologize. "A friend"
I collapsed into a kitchen chair as my legs failed me. The affair was known to someone at Jessica's gym. It was a topic of conversation. I was laughing at my own foolishness.
However, who was the sender of this message? Who was trying to help me?
Jessica's voice, now louder, came from the living room before I had a chance to consider it further. Would you be able to walk me to my car, David? I'd like to show you something.
"Of course," David replied hastily. "We'll be right back, Maya!"
Through the kitchen window, I observed them walking together to Jessica's car. I saw David yank her in close and plant a kiss on her in the shadows. In my driveway, exactly. where any neighbor could see it. In a place I could see.
I then came to the most terrible realization of all: they wanted me to see. To them, the entire dinner was a game. Under my nose, a way to see how much they could get away with.
I was losing more than just my husband. Everyone but me could see that I was being gradually and carefully replaced.
Once more, my phone buzzed. The unknown number sent another text.
"Come see me at Main Street Coffee Corner tomorrow. 2:00 PM. I have more to share with you. Come alone.