“Tansy, that’s what,” Sunny said. She grabbed a tissue and fell into the chair opposite him. “You have got to talk to your ex.”
He closed his eyes and sighed. “Babe, I’m too sick to deal with Tansy.”
“Well, as soon as you’re well, you need to.”
He coughed, grabbed a tissue and blew his nose. “What’s she done now? Didn’t she let the kids come to the party?”
“Oh, yeah. Maybe she’s figured out it’s the best way to make me miserable. Let me see how much Bella hates me as often as possible.”
“She doesn’t hate you,” Travis said wearily, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Oh, yes, she does. She just told me. And you know why? Because your wicked witch ex has told her that I broke up your marriage.”
He stopped pinching and gawked at her. “What?”
“I overhead Bella telling a friend. Who else could have planted that idea in her mind but Tansy?”
His eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe she would stoop that low.”
“She’s made a lie sound like the truth.”
He groaned and rolled onto his back, covering his face with his arm. “What did I ever see in that woman?”
Good question, but beside the point. “What are we going to do?”
“I’ll talk to Bella.”
“She won’t believe you.”
“I’ll talk to Tansy.”
“She’ll stick to her story with the kids.”
“We’ll figure out something.” He sat up, looked at Sunny earnestly. “I’m sorry you have to put up with this shit. Do you wish you’d never met me?”
“No.” She settled next to him and he wrapped his arm around her waist and leaned his head against hers.
“Don’t give up on us, please. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I don’t want to lose you.”
“Never,” she said. But Bella was another story.
Sunny was still upset later that week when she went to Arianna’s house to do a photo shoot and video. This one was going to deal with helping people work more anti-inflammatory foods into their diet. Arianna was ready to roll, dressed in her nurse’s uniform. She had most of her recommended anti-inflammatory foods already laid out on the counter—organic kale, spinach, bags of walnuts and almonds, oranges and blueberries, as well as canned tuna and sardines.
Arianna hadn’t been excited at first to do videos. She felt self-conscious in front of a camera, but Sunny had argued that people wanted that one-on-one feeling, especially with someone in health care. “You need more than a website,” she’d argued. “You need wide exposure and a channel on YouTube. You’re a health-care expert. People want to feel like you’re in their living room, talking to them.”
Along with each advice post or video, they put up all the usual legal language and reminders that people should consult their health-care provider when making any diet or exercise changes, and Arianna had been scrupulous about citing her sources. But people were beginning to see her as their own personal Dr. Oz and her following was growing, and Sunny was thrilled to be a part of it.
“Want coffee?” Arianna offered and Sunny nodded and plopped down on a stool at the kitchen counter, where Arianna had her show-and-tell ready. “I meant to call you after Saturday,” Arianna said as she got busy with the Keurig. “I’m sorry Bella was such a pill.”
“I found out why. She blames me for breaking up her dad’s marriage.”
Arianna set down the coffee mug she’d just taken from the cupboard, turned and frowned. “Really?”
“That marriage was doomed almost from the beginning,” Sunny said. “But it’s easier to make me the bad guy.”
“Wasn’t Travis divorced when you guys met?” Arianna wanted to know.
“No...”
