The Wife He Left Behind novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Good Wifi

On Sunday I told my husband I wouldn't send the four thousand dollars until I could see his face.

I typed it plainly, with no emoji.

Happy to wire it. Video call tonight, seven o'clock, and I'll do it while we talk.

He replied in under a minute.

Sure! Wifi's better in the evenings here. Can't wait to see you.

"He's going to cancel," said Joan.

"He's not."

"How do you know?"

"Because it's four thousand dollars."

She was sitting on my couch with her coat still on and her purse in her lap.

She had driven down from Everett that afternoon and announced she was not leaving, and that she had brought her own pillow.

Stellan was in the kitchen making tea nobody had asked for.

They had met at my front door an hour earlier.

My mother had looked him up and down and said, "You're the brother."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You're taller than I expected."

"I'll try to be shorter."

"Don't bother. It's useful in a crowd." She had patted his arm. "Do you eat?"

He did.

She had been feeding him ever since.

At five to seven I sat on the sofa with my laptop open on the coffee table.

My mother and Stellan went to stand in the hallway where the camera couldn't see them.

I could see them anyway, in the dark glass of the window.

Joan had her phone up, ready to record from the side.

Stellan stood behind her with his arms folded.

At seven exactly the call came through.

I pressed accept, and there was my husband.

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