Checkmate

41

   

   For the next thirty minutes, I made myself scarce. Sam was enjoying a snow cone with new friends. Excusing myself, I waved him over.

"Are you going back to the pool? They'll be cutting the cake soon," I said.

He pursed his blue lips, considering this for a second before shaking his head.

"Come on then. Let's go change." I took his hand and we made our way to the room.

On our way, I could sense something was off even before I heard it. Clay and Andrea stood nearby, concern written on both their faces.

"Everything alright?" I asked, looking between them.

Before either of them answered I heard Jarred's voice coming from the room. "Of all days you had to pull something like this today. What's wrong with you?"

"See, Jarred, this is exactly why our marriage fell apart. I made an effort. Went out of my way to be present, and all you find to do is complain."

My blood ran cold. Was that Linda? Were they seriously arguing in the middle of an ongoing birthday party?

"What do you expect me to say? Good job! You remembered your daughter's birthday for once.

Now you pop in for not even five minutes and you're ready to leave again. If that's you making an effort, I'd rather you not. I'm serious, Linda. Aliyah doesn't need this."

"You're the one keeping her away from me, Jarred." Linda shouted back.

"Because I got tired of seeing her crying herself to sleep every time one of your meetings ran late, or you were too busy to pick her up even after saying you would."

"I have a job to do. There was a time you understood that part of my life."

"That was before it took up all your time and you forgot about your family."

Silence ensued after that. I looked around to find most of the adults had stopped their activities, all trying to figure out what was happening.

   A few seconds later, the door opened and an angry Linda strode out. Upon finding an audience, she stopped walking. In the doorway behind her, Jarred appeared defeated. Linda turned to Andrea and gave her a tight smile.

"Thank you for having me," she said in a polite but confident voice.

Andrea nodded, "Of course."

"Where's Aliyah? I'd like to see her before I go."

"You're leaving already?" Clay asked, as flabbergasted as I was.

That must've been what they were fighting about.

Linda's jaw tightened and she looked down briefly before glaring at Clay for stating the obvious.

"She's out back in the tree house," Andrea said, breaking the tension.

"Thank you," Linda whispered, and then she turned to go but her gaze fell on me.

She stared for a bit too long than I was comfortable with, but I held my ground.

"You're Kimberly, right?" she asked.

Something told me she already knew the answer to that.

"Right," I simply said.

   Slowly, she nodded and gave me an appraisal. Then, she walked away. Somehow in the few minutes that she was there, she sucked out all the fun from the party.