The Green Ticket (33 page)

Dani stared at me with saucer eyes. “What kind of influence do you think he has on the girls?”

“Think about it. If they can see or sense friction in the house, that will wear on them. If they see their daddy yell at their mom, that will leave a mark with them. If they grow up in a home that isn’t happy, that will influence them. It’s not fair to keep a marriage together just for the children’s sake.”

“So you don’t want to work at Blissful anymore?” Dani sniffled, changing the topic.

“I just can’t. I don’t think anyone would respect me if I came back and pretended like everything was okay. I don’t think I could respect myself.”

“Do you know about Kevin’s affairs?” The way she changed from topic to topic was making my head spin, but this was the one I dreaded most of all.

“Affairs?” I tried to keep my face blank, but she saw right through me.

“I know you know something about the other women. I’ve seen the checks that are written out to you. Kevin’s paying for your silence.”

So she knew. She knew about all of that. I wasn’t sure how I felt. Relieved that she knew and I wouldn’t be dropping a bomb? Disgusted that she knew and didn’t do anything about it?

“I know what you must be thinking. You can’t have much respect for me. Maybe you think I stay with him just for the money. How could I stick by when my husband has all these affairs right under my nose?”
Did that mean she knew about Allie?
“But it’s not because of the money. I simply love my husband. I said those vows eight years ago and meant them. I thought Kevin was my soul mate. I want to watch our daughters grow up together and grow old together and
be
together.” Dani started crying again, weeping really, and I knew what the real issue was. She had a broken heart. She loved Kevin with everything she had, but he didn’t love her back.

I held her in my arms as she cried, not having a clue what to do next. I glanced around the deli, and saw a few strange looks being shot in our direction. “Dani? Did you want to go anywhere else to discuss this more? I’m afraid we might be calling some attention to ourselves,” I ventured, still looking around.

“No, I’m okay. I’m okay, really. I think I just needed that real quick. I’ll be fine.” She straightened her shoulders and brushed the tears from her face with a napkin. “Sorry. I’ll be fine though, really. Why don’t you go put your order in?”

“Did you already order?”

“Yes, mine’s in. You go order quick and I’ll just run to the bathroom and try not to scare myself too much when I look in the mirror.” She gave me a squeeze and a smile, though I could tell both took effort on her part. I let her out of the booth and made my way to the counter, where I ordered a chicken tender salad with ranch dressing and a lemonade. I was going to need some serious fuel to make it through the day. I sat back at our booth and fired another text to Lila:
It’s a broken heart. She’s just devastated. Knows about the affairs.

I clicked my phone off without reading any of the seven texts that came from my friends after I sent the first one to Lila about the lawsuit. I could just imagine my girlfriends sitting around the living room discussing the Dohlmans and what a messed-up situation I was in. I was sure Carmen was supplying everyone with margaritas.

Dani came back to the table a few minutes later looking more put together. “I’m so sorry to be dumping all of this on you, Alex. I’m sure you’ve been through enough with Kevin and myself. I can’t imagine why you would want to stay at Blissful. And I’m sure you can’t image why I would want to stay with Kevin.”

“Are you going to? Stay with Kevin, I mean.”

Dani sat in silence for a few moments, playing with the straw in her lemon water. “I don’t know. I don’t know how I can. I really don’t. He’s–– he’s humiliated me. Time and time again. Everyone around town knows of his ways. So many people at the spa know. I keep trying to put this mask on every day and tell myself that it’s me he comes home to, me he has a family with, me who goes on vacations with him but...I don’t know if I can do it anymore. I can’t pretend anymore.”

“Dani, I want to ask you some questions, and I want you to be really honest with me. Please.”

“It’s the least I can do after the way you’ve been treated.”

“Do you know about all the affairs Kevin has?”

Dani started shredding her napkin. “I think so. I’ve figured out most of them.”

“Do you know–– do you know about anyone from Blissful being included in them?” I had to know if she knew about Allie. I had to.

Dani’s head shot up. “From Blissful? An employee?” I nodded my head. Uh-oh. “Who? I figured Blissful was where he took his women to, but I never thought it was with a staff member. Who? Who is it?”

I shrank back in my seat, afraid of the anger pouring out of Dani’s tiny body. I’d never seen her so upset. Did I tell her about Kamille and Allie? Should I leave out Kamille since she was no longer there? I made a split second decision. “Um. Allie. It’s Allie.”

“That little bitch!” Dani bellowed and shot to her feet. I quickly got to mine and hurried after Dani as she sprinted towards the door.

“Dani! Dani! Where are you going?” I struggled to keep up with her as she approached her BMW. Kevin’s BMW, technically.

“She’s on the schedule today, right? Alex! Is Allie on the schedule today?” She threw open the car door and I did the same, quickly sliding in. I remembered my chicken tender salad with longing but brushed the thought of food aside. Dani looked like she could seriously turn into one of those women that ran over their husband eight times and got off on account of a “crime of passion.”

“Yes. She should be there.”

Dani started the car and zoomed out of the parking lot, tires squealing and everything. “Dani! Slow down. Think about what you’re doing. What are you going to do? You can’t just storm in your place of business and stab her in front of everyone. Or even just yell at her in front of everyone. That’s going to make you look like the bad guy. Dani!” I screamed as she revved the engine and gunned it through a red light, just narrowly missing a black SUV that was barreling our way. “Seriously, Dani, think about this. Think about your girls and your business and your future. You can’t do anything right now in your state of mind. Please, please, think about what you’re doing.”

We soon rolled into Blissful’s parking lot, and Dani maneuvered the tiny car into the back lot and threw the gear in park. Her enormous chest heaved and her eyes had a panicked look in them. Before I could react, she opened her door and threw up on the pavement. I cringed, but started rubbing small circles on her back. “It’ll be okay, Dani. It’ll be okay. You’ll get through this. I’ll help you. Don’t go in there. Don’t go in there right now. Let’s just think clearly about this, okay? We’ll get you through this.”

We finally drove out of the lot after an hour had passed. I knew that Dani had changed in that amount of time. No longer would she be the woman Kevin could step out on. No longer would she be humiliated by friends who slept with her husband.

I had changed too. I had seen a woman who looked so put together from the outside, who seemingly had this perfect life–– husband, children, wealth, success, power. And I saw how one person’s greed could rip that perfect life to shreds. I may have had to choose between morals and money, but Dani was struggling with morals versus love, and the life she thought at one time was complete. I did not want to trade places with her for a second.

Epilogue

NINE MONTHS LATER

“Thank you for calling Blissful Salon and Spa. This is Alex, how may I help you?”

“Hi, Alex. This is Mrs. Lombardi. I would like to schedule a massage for next week.”

“No problem. How are you, Mrs. Lombardi?”

“Doing well, can’t wait for my massage. I skipped last month’s and my back is making me pay for it.”

“Well, let me see when I can get you in then.”

“Will Allie be available?”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Lombardi. Allie no longer works for Blissful.”

“She doesn’t? Do you know where she went?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have any forwarding information on her. But I can get you in next Thursday at your usual time of 1:30 with Vicki. You’ve had her a few times before. Would that be okay?”

“Sounds good to me. Slot me in. See you next week.”

“Have a good day.”

I hung up the phone with a smile on my face. It was a Saturday night, approaching closing time of six o’clock. Tiffany was mopping the front lobby, and I knew Dani was hovering in the back office pulling the closing reports. I had cut everyone except for Mandy, who was finishing up with her last hair appointment. I was thrilled she had stayed on part-time after she had her baby boy. She continued to be one of Blissful’s top stylists. I stretched my arms above my head and tilted my head from side to side, hearing two satisfying pops that would make Hannah squirm with discomfort.

Speaking of Hannah, I felt my phone buzz in my pants pocket and knew it would be my roommate. Sure enough:
We’re outside. No rush!

I smiled as I thumbed back my reply, then stood and made my way to the back. Dani was in the office pulling the nightly reports off the printer when I entered. “How’d we do?” I asked, sinking in the office chair.

“Another great night. The Halloween ads you came up with are spectacular. They’re really moving the products. Which is good because we’ll have a new shipment come in probably within three weeks. The more we can get off the shelves, the better.”

“Great. Henry is waiting for me outside. Mandy’s just getting finished and Tiffany was almost done with the cleaning. Mind if I take off or do you need any more help here?”

“No, no. You go. I might even just take the reports home with me so I can get a better idea of the week we’ve had.”

I gathered my purse and binder and slipped my light jacket on. It still felt weird to leave Blissful at a normal time, and not have to be afraid I was going to be reprimanded. “Brunch tomorrow?” I asked Dani.

“I’ll be there at eleven. Have a good night, sweetie.”

I waved goodbye and headed out, slipping into Henry’s car once I was outside. “Hey, guys.” Henry leaned over from the driver’s seat to give me a kiss. Hannah and Peter were in the back seat, and we were on our way to Tango to celebrate Emma’s engagement to Corey. I don’t think any of the Wacker girls would have guessed Emma to be the first to walk down the aisle–– including Emma. When Corey popped the question to her over summer at the lake–– with a stunning princess cut sparkler–– Emma said she about fell in the water she was so surprised. I was thrilled for my friend. Corey somehow tamed the wild child in Emma, and Emma had fallen head over heels for her prince charming.

“Did everything go smoothly today with Lila’s flight? Carmen make it on time to pick her up?” I asked, running a comb through my hair. Heading straight to a party from an eight-hour workday wasn’t ideal, but that was a sacrifice I was willing to make now that I actually enjoyed my job at Blissful.

“Yep, everything was fine. They’re both already there,” Hannah said. “Does it weird you out going back to the scene of the crime?” She was of course referring to the incident with Kevin at my birthday party.

“Eh, kind of. It’ll probably just bring back gross memories. But I’m glad to go there on a much happier occasion.”

“How was Dani today?” Henry asked me, merging right to get on the interstate.

“She was good. I know since her mom moved in with her it’s been a lot better. Her stress levels have gone down now that she has help with the girls.”

“What does she hear from Kevin?” Peter asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “Really not much. They mostly speak through their lawyers, which I think is so sad. Dani said he only wants to get the girls one weekend a month. Can you believe that? One weekend a month is all he wants with his children. He’s so disgusting.”

“That’s just sad. I can’t believe you had to put up with him for so long. I can’t believe Dani put up with him for years. I’m glad that you both can put all this behind you. Soon enough the divorce will be final and Dani can finally have some closure.”

“She needs it.” I looked out the window and thought of my boss, my friend. Dani had been in her own personal hell since the day I told her about Kevin and Allie. A lot had happened in the past nine months, and I was so proud of the way Dani handled herself. Her marriage had crumbled, her heart was broken, and her trust in friends was shattered. She had a lot of pieces to pick up, and I knew it couldn’t have been easy for her. But she was surviving. She put on a brave face, she stayed strong in front of her daughters, and she refused to lie down and play dead. The one thing she wanted to make sure she had from the divorce settlement was Blissful. She put her heart and soul into her business, and I was thrilled when Kevin agreed to give her all the rights. Dani begged me to stay on as a manager, giving me a significant raise and more lenient hours. I had to say yes. There was a point in time where I loved Blissful, and I knew I was good at my job. Dani and I were in the talks to open a second salon in the downtown area of Des Moines and build a franchise. Together, as partners.

“I’d say this is rock star parking,” Henry said as he pulled into a spot right outside of Tango. “It’s like they knew we were coming.” The four of us hopped out and headed towards the door. Henry put his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. I snuggled into his embrace. “I love you, Alex,” he whispered in my hair.

“Love you, Henry.” He gave me a quick kiss before we headed inside, and then up the stairs to meet our friends. We were approaching one year of seeing each other, and I couldn’t be happier with my relationship. He had accompanied me on a trip to Seattle in June to meet my family, and I had met his entire clan as well.  I was madly in love with Henry Landon and excited about what our future would look like.

Lila was the first person I spotted once I got to the top of the stairs. “Lila!” I shrieked, running over to my best friend and practically jumping into her arms. She was spray-tanned to perfection, her teeth sparkling white and her white-blonde hair bouncing with curls. She looked like the same gorgeous Lila I had always known, just with a few subtle enhancements. I’m talking about her teeth and tan. She thankfully decided to forgo any plastic surgery.