After a week or two, Linda calls Zooey so they can have another talk about, the issue. Same place, same time.
"I'm guessing we both had one of the worst fucking days ever." Zooey says while pulling out a cigarette and lighter. Linda has no way to put this into words but, Zooey was dressed as a newly divorced wife. She looked different, she wore big sunglasses hanging from what looked like a black floppy straw hat.
"Is everything alright?" Linda already knows the answer, but she instinctively asks.
"Everything is great, other than our husbands being lovers and me having a miscarriage" Zooey looks unamused as she lights her cigarette, even being sarcastic she didn't even break a smile.
"You had a what?!" Linda almost chokes on her drink.
"A miscarriage" Zooey blows out the smoke.
"I can't believe you had a miscarriage, are you okay?" Linda doesn't know what to say.
"I just said that" Zooey says while signaling to the waiter for the check. Linda doesn't say anything after that, Zooey notices she and created an awkward energy.
"Hey why don't we get out of here for a while" Zooey tries to undo her mess, she has a sweet smile on her face. Linda can't help herself, so she accepts with one of her big contagious smiles.
They both get in Zooey's black Mercedes -Benz, roll down the windows, and take a thirty minute drive to the nearest public park where they take a seat on a bench located right in front of a river. They sit there for a while, in complete silence. Until Linda notices Zooey staring at her, she doesn't say anything but she feels Zooey's stare. Zooey can't stop, she wishes she could look at the river or the sky or anything else but, her eyes are locked on Linda and they won't move away from her.
"So did you talk to Jonathan about the situation?" Linda tries to calm the tension.
"Oh, um, not really, I did confront him but he seemed uninterested" Zooey quickly notices and feels embarrassed.
"So it is true after all, holy fuck why is this happening" Linda sobs, not being able to accept the truth
"I'm not sure myself but, I can tell everything will be alright" Zooey puts her arms around Linda and holds her hand.
"Stop, Zooey don't" Linda quickly pulls away "Why do you keep doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"This, we both have husbands we love dearly, so why do you keep doing this?"
"Love dearly? Jesus Linda they're cheating on both of us! When will you understand that they don't love us anymore, I don't think they ever did. You have to stop pretending everything is okay, we're not living in a fucking fairytale. So why don't you just accept that and move on? I'm right here" Zooey stands up quickly, then Linda follows through
"That's not fair Zooey, that's really not fair. I've been with Drew for as long as I can remember, I'm sorry that it's not easy for me to accept that he's in love with a man rather than his own wife."
"Exactly! He doesn't love you! So why cry over a man who doesn't want anything to do with you? Linda, you deserve more, SO much more. And I can give that to you, just give me a chance" Zooey tried grabbing Linda's hand again.
"No Zooey, stop this. It's gone too far. I'm in love with Drew, I've always been, I always will be. Nothing will change that. He's the love of my life. That's why I'm pregnant with his child." Linda almost screams out of anger and sadness all mixed together.
"Wait what" Zooey looks heartbroken by now, everyone in her life keeps letting her down.
"I didn't want to tell you, because I knew you'd be upset. But I did talk to Drew about him and Jonathan, he admitted to it, he had to — there was too much proof. He ended up crying in my arms, that made me realize how much he loves Jonathan. I know exactly what he feels, because it's how I feel about him. I accepted it, I knew I had to let him go, let him be happy for once. So I divorced him. Later on that week, Jonathan and Drew told me they wanted me to be their surrogate, and I accepted."
Zooey feels her heart drop, she feels this rush of emotions start building up trying to get out. But in the end she kept hidden, like always. She has offered all her love and affection to the two people in her life, and they all denied her. She felt humiliated, ashamed to say the least.
