“Rainy—” Braithe’s voice was so shocking in the silence that for a few seconds Rainy’s tongue stayed glued to the roof of her mouth as she tried to work it free.
“Rainy…” she said again, more desperately.
“Y—es. I’m here.” It had not felt real until now, a fever dream, but with Braithe’s cracked voice filling the room, Rainy started to wake up.
“I’m so sorry. I never imagined…” It sounded like it hurt for her to speak. Rainy saw her look longingly toward the water bottle. She made a noise that sounded like she was trying to clear her throat. She knew it was ridiculous, given the situation they were in, but she needed to know.
“He’ll come back soon. What happened between you and Grant during the baby shower?”
The kitchen retuned to an awkward silence. Rainy could hear Braithe’s labored breaths.
“Nothing,” she said finally. “God, absolutely nothing.”
“But you tried…”
Her answer came slower this time, labored. “Yes, I tried.”
“Why did you pretend to be my friend?” She licked her lips. Everything hurt.
“That was real. I like you.”
Rainy tried to laugh but it was just a crackle. Braithe had used her to have more access to Grant: the couples’ nights, the dinners, had put her in his life more soundly than it had with just her and Stephen. Now, in light of everything, she was seeing Braithe differently. Not as the elegant, kind friend, but as a conniving, manipulative liar. Maybe she had liked Rainy, but it was only to use her.
“But you liked Grant more.”
“Yes, I suppose you could see it like that. At first, I thought I was making the right choice, with Stephen,” she said softly. “He was so good to me, and Grant…well, he was never as into me as I was into him, if I’m being honest. When we were together, I was like an afterthought. I suppose that’s when the addiction really started.”
“The addiction to what, Braithe? To Grant? To wanting what you don’t have?”
“That’s fair… I get it. But he didn’t want me back, Rainy. And I don’t know what’s going to happen here, but you should know that.”
Rainy leaned her head forward and hit it backward against the table leg. It hurt but it felt good, woke her up a little. She wasn’t going to thank Braithe for telling her that Grant wouldn’t cheat on her. This woman was not her friend.
“He’s who you were talking about the night we played that game.” It wasn’t a question, and Braithe didn’t try to answer it. “And you’re the one who asked my question, not Tara. What were you going to do if I didn’t draw that question? Use it as an opening to ask me, anyway?”
Braithe’s silence confirmed that she was correct.
“Did you call Grant that night?”
Even in the dim light, Rainy could see her head bounce in a nod.
“Yeah. I called to tell him again how I felt.”
“And what did he say to you?” Did she really want to know? That night, she’d tried to call Grant herself, and he’d sent her calls to voice mail because he had Braithe on the other line, pouring out her feelings. Why hadn’t he told her? Why hadn’t Viola said something? They’d all just let her be a fool. Anger at all of them burned in her chest, so much it almost made her cry out.
There was a long pause. Rainy wasn’t sure if Braithe was crying. She did not care, she did not. The last year of her life had been a complete lie.
“That he didn’t feel the same way.”
She ground her teeth, wondering if she should believe her. Braithe needed Rainy on her side if they were both going to get out of here. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”
“Okay, why would I lie about that, Rainy? I may have been harboring feelings for Grant since the beginning of time, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t sincere about liking you.”
“You didn’t give a shit about me, Braithe. You were using me to stay close to Grant.”
Braithe’s lack of response pinned the tail on the donkey. Rainy turned her face away. She didn’t want to look at any part of her, not even her lying, shitface profile.
“Why did you come?”
“What?”
“You heard me.” There was an edge to her voice now.
Oh, are we seeing the real Braithe Mattson? Rainy thought.
“Why. Did. You. Come? You made a choice to come here when Paul texted you from my phone. If you hate me so much, explain why you did it.”