Brielle’s marriage is a flimsy façade that is destroyed in a single instant when she is reunited with her closest friend for a carefree day out. Brielle is forced to confront the reality that has been concealed beneath smiles, quiet, and years of trust all because long-buried truths are beginning to make their way to the surface. The things that she investigates cause everything to shift, and she is not falling peacefully.

Since I last saw Nancy, it had been five years.

A handful of Zoom conversations, birthday messages, and late-night memes were the ways in which we kept in touch with one another when life seemed particularly lonely. We had done what old friends do.

We used to be really close, however.

When Nancy sent me a message informing me that she would be in town for a training session and that she would want to meet up, I had the type of warm and fuzzy feeling that can only be triggered by long-standing friendships.

I quickly suggested that we go on an excursion on Saturday, so that our children could get together and we could finally catch up with each other after a long time.

Without any doubt, Nancy gave her assent.

Olive was giddy with joy over the fact that we were heading to the amusement park in the neighborhood.

It was only a few minutes after we arrived that Nancy showed in, appearing a bit out of breath but glowing in that easy manner that she always had. In order to assist Connor in passing past the turnstile, she gently grasped his hand.

He was five years old, with large brown eyes, and a dimple that only appeared when he was really happy. His eyes were very huge.

Without any hesitation, Olive stretched out and grabbed his hand. They did not really communicate with one another; rather, they just gazed at one another as if they were taking up where things had left off.

During the course of the day, we went from ride to ride, took ridiculous pictures, and purchased food that were priced too high.

“Brielle, I am so happy that we decided to do this,” Nancy added.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had the desire to bring the children together!

Everything seemed secure and recognizable to me.

Subsequently, we made a pit break at a corner café that I adored. While Nancy and I were sipping lavender lattes and marveling, in a somber and sorrowful manner, at how quickly childhood seems to pass, the children were enjoying a banana split.

When it happens, that is the moment.

I took out my phone to show her the photographs that I had taken on our most recent hiking excursion. There were just three of us, Spencer, Olive, and I, and we were going through woodlands that were covered in moss and pathways that were shaded by the sun.

While I was swiping to the next snap, Connor moved closer to me, his lips still coated with chocolate sauce.

Then he said, “That’s Daddy!”

In addition, Nancy laughs. However, it was too loud and forceful.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” she hastily said.

“That is not your father,” the speaker said.

Looked at it with awe.

The expression on Connor’s face was one of bewilderment, and he scowled.

It’s Daddy, Mom! It’s his! The previous week, he came to see me and gave me a teddy bear.

Nancy laughed once again, but this time it was interrupted by a pause.

I never made a sound. I scrolled back through the camera roll till I discovered a picture of my husband taken by himself. My fingers worked slowly and almost unconsciously as I turned the page. A crooked grin was rolling over his face as he attended the event that was taking place at the highest point of a route. He had wind blowing through his black hair.

I recalled that particular time. It was at the time when Olive was tossing stones at his boots that I took the photograph.

I aimed the phone in the direction of Connor.

“Honey, is this this person?” I inquired carefully.

“Is this person your father?”

“Brielle,” and

Indeed! Yes, it is my father!

The phone was carefully put back into my handbag as I smiled in a gentle and cautious manner. The tone of my speech was even, perhaps too even.

Should we go back to our house, people?

As if on cue, Olive murmured something to me and took a step back.

In response, Nancy said, “Yeah, it’s been a long day.”

On that particular evening, after Olive had fallen asleep with her plush dolphin tucked under one arm, I went into our walk-in closet and shut the door behind me.

Despite the fact that I was sitting on the carpet with my legs crossed, the scent of fabric softener was still clinging to the sleeves of Spencer’s sweaters that were placed neatly above me.

After bringing the laptop that belonged to my family inside the house, I opened it and started digging.

Spencer’s digital footprint had always been a source of concern for him, since he had never been sufficiently diligent about deleting his data or erasing passwords.

On our laptop, the Gmail account had been there the whole time, and it had been stored automatically. Spencer may have forgotten, or perhaps he had become so self-assured that he had ceased caring about the situation.

It was a chaotic mix of labels and archives in the inbox… On the other hand, the evidence was not even buried. There was nothing more to it than that.

After some time had passed, I discovered a whole archive of mails, some of which had been erased, while others were simply concealed behind benign subject lines. There were a great number of photographs.

Among the photographs were those of my husband, Spencer, and my closest friend, Nancy.

And then there was Connor, who was a cute young boy.

More photographs were taken of him than was anticipated, including him sleeping on Spencer’s chest, riding on Spencer’s shoulders, and clutching his hand. Moments that seemed to be so typical and made me feel so worried caused my stomach to churn.

For a period of eight months, Connor was born after Olive.

This indicated that Spencer had been having sexual relations with Nancy while I was carrying his child.
Additionally, she had been leaving comments on each and every one of my postings, giving baby clothing that were wrapped in pastel tissue paper, and behaving as if she was the recipient of my happiness.

Before my chest became numb, I stared at the screen for a long time. The sensation was not tense or frantic; rather, it was numb, as if my body was aware that it needed to prevent itself from falling under.

I was constantly informed by Spencer that his profession forced him to travel. At the airport, I good-byed my husband with a kiss and assured him that he would be able to enjoy his favorite foods once he returned home. I always sent him a goodnight text message. Every night, I made it a point to ensure that Olive wished him a good night over FaceTime.

But it wasn’t for work that he was flying. Immediately, he was going to arrive at Nancy.

Then, I made a plan.
The next morning, I sent Nancy a text message in which I proposed that we get together once more for one more excursion to have ice cream before she left town.

“Nancy, it seemed that the children were getting along really well! Another set of moments that we will be able to remember for a very long time is something that I would want to have.

Her response came very quickly, and she expressed her joy at the fact that we were able to move on from the tragic event that occurred the day before our conversation.

“Bri, don’t you think that children have the most peculiar opinions? But without a doubt! Wherever you and Olive choose to go, we will join you there.

I said that I would be the one to make the reservation. I went to a restaurant that is well-known for its large sundaes and booths that are good for families.

The time of our arrival was just before noon. Arriving with a toy truck in his hand was Connor. It seemed as if nothing had harmed Nancy’s flawless appearance; she was dazzling.

But I decided to leave the meeting in the middle of it.

“Please give me a moment,” I pleaded. The only thing I need to do is go to the restroom. Please, Olive, remain with Aunt Nancy, all right?

“Spencer, I am now standing at the ice cream shop with Olive. When he took up the phone, I immediately told him, “Honey, I’m not feeling very well.”

I beg you to come and rescue us. Not sure what’s going on… I’m afraid I’m going to pass out right now.”

Sweetheart, I’m coming,” he said. “I’m coming.”

Within 10 minutes, he arrived at the location.

Olive and Connor both were excited as soon as he entered the room.

Both of them exclaimed, “Daddy!”

Oh, Daddy! “Have you brought me a teddy bear once more?” Asking was Connor.

“That is not your father, Connor,” Olive said to him. “He belongs to me!”

Although my husband opened his lips, he did not produce any sound. His gaze shifted from me to Nancy for a moment. Her face was expressionless as she slowly stood there.

“Oh, Brielle, I—”

“For how much longer?” I inquired about it. What is the answer, Spencer?

“There was only one mistake,” he said. We make the decision not to inform you. Because of a mistake, Nancy and I did not want to cause any disruption in Olive’s life.

Almost laughed out loud.

My response was, “Spencer, I have seen the photographs.”

I’ve seen how you’ve spent your ‘working weekends,’ and I’m impressed. And my gosh, the way you looked at Nancy in those photographs made it seem as if I had never had the opportunity to appear.

Stunned, he blinked briefly.

As he spoke to Brielle, he said, “It wasn’t like that.”

I spoke to Spencer in a manner that was both kind and stern. “I beg you. “Don’t let this moment be ruined by lying once more.”

Does Connor’s father also happen to be my father? Asked by her.

In response, I answered, “Yes, and no, sweetheart.”

You are the father of your own child. And he gives you a great deal of affection. However, he committed a number of significant errors. We are going to be OK, by the way. It’s going to be all right for both you and me, I promise.

She yelled slowly, as if she believed what I was saying. Possibly, she did as well. Children have a greater capacity for knowledge than we ever give them credit for. They see things that we omit. In stillness, they are able to hear the fissures.

I was able to move with a sort of quiet accuracy that even astounded me over the course of the subsequent three weeks.

I decided to get the services of a divorce attorney who specialized in locating concealed accounts and assets. Even there, Spencer had acted in a reckless manner.

I put a freeze on the accounts. For the purpose of constructing a picture that could not be disputed, I gathered all of the information that I would need, including screenshots, emails, messages, and timestamps.

It had already been too late by the time he became aware of what was taking place.

Standing there, he seemed to be someone who had just been defeated in a game that he had no idea he was playing.

After a few days, Nancy eventually sent me a text message.

“Bri, I never intended to cause you any harm.”

Instead of that, I penned a letter to her. As opposed to her, but for me…

I explained to her that the betrayal was not limited to the affair; rather, it included every birthday greeting, every text message asking, “How is motherhood treating you?”, and every “miss you” that suddenly sounded desolate and empty.

Following that, I wrote:

I want for you to become the mother and woman that you see yourself to be. However, I do not want to have you in my life any more. Forever”

I affixed my signature. After securing the envelope, I sent it without including a return address on the envelope.