Chapter 49 Confessions and a Warning

“You never know what a person will do until they are pushed against the wall,” John said as he watched his mother and May walk away.
“I can pretty much guess,” Anna said as she took John’s hand as they walked out of the building.
“I’m so sorry, it feels like I’m apologizing for them constantly. I don’t know what has come over her and May lately. It’s like they are different people.”
“Or maybe you are just really seeing them for the first time?”
John closed her door and slid behind the wheel. He rubbed his eyes and Anna could tell that he was tired and worn down.
“I guess you might be right.” He said looking out the window “there is a part of me that still hopes that the loving family I thought I had growing up actually exists.”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Anna felt her conscience bother her as she remembered that she hadn’t told John about his mother’s affair. She had withheld the information because she’d wanted to confirm it, now it felt like the information would blow them apart if she told him, “But how could she not?” she asked herself as she looked at John.
“Anna?”
“If I tell you something will you please not hate me?”
“Go ahead.”
“Your mom was saying some really awful things to me and I mentioned something that might have gotten her upset.”
“You mentioned Tom?”
Anna gasped as she looked at John as they drove. He kept his eyes on the road but the tense lines of his face told the whole story. “You knew?” She asked incredulously.
“I have for a while.”
“How did you find out?” Anna said softly as she put her hand on John’s arm.
“I saw them about two months after Dad’s death.” It’s been going on for years, Dad knew about it too but apparently he had his own mistresses too and it was an arrangement they had the last few years.”
“Oh, My God!” Anna said harshly “Does your mother know that you found out?”
“No and I want it to stay that way. I already know too much about it, my question is why you didn’t tell me that you knew?”
“I wanted to confirm it before telling you, your mom’s reaction confirmed it all. I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you right away.”
“After all that has happened to us thanks to my mother I can understand, she hasn’t made it easy on you.”
“No she hasn’t,” Anna admitted as she wrapped her hand around his, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, I accepted a long time ago that my parent’s marriage was not what I thought it was.”
“I’m really sorry, I know you loved them both, can I do anything to make you feel better.”
“You can help me figure out what to do about Isabel and these pictures.”
“I’d love to.”
***
Isabel smiled as she brushed her hair and flipped it back over her shoulder trying to get just the right look. John had called her out of the blue and she did not want to waste her chance. He had been really mad when he’d told her to move out but now she had to take this chance count. The knock at the door sounded and Isabel stepped around boxes as gracefully as possible.
“John it’s so good to see you, come on in.”
John pushed past her and stood in her living room. He didn’t reply and she could tell he was upset. She felt an inkling of fear as she walked toward him.
“John, come sit down.”
“I don’t have time to waste here, I need answers now.”
“What kind of answers?” Isabel asked nervously as she sat down in the plush armchair.
“I want to know where you got those pictures.”
“I… I can’t tell you.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“I really don’t want to involve the person who got them for me.”
“Let’s cut to the chase, I know they were faked and I want to know who did them for you because I know you don’t know how to doctor photos.”
Isabel studied him, angry and pacing, and decided it would be better to throw her conspirator under the bus. “I got them from Seline.”
“Who is in the pictures?”
“I thought they were Anna,” Isabel said softly trying to look confused.
“You did not!” John yelled as he rounded on Isabel and stalked closer. “You knew what you were doing.”
“I didn’t I swear,” Isabel said as she shook in front of him.
“I’m done listening to your lies, who was in the pictures?”
Isabel assessed the situation and knew that she had to change her story or she was definitely going down for this.
“It was Seline and her fiancée Anthony.”
“who did the photoshop?”
“How do you know it is photoshopped?”
“Because I trust my wife.”
“I swear, I thought they were real. Seline approached me and showed the pictures to me. I was concerned and brought them to your mother for help.”
“You thought Anna cheated on me? Why would you think that?”
“Well,” Isabel said lowering her eyes demurely “After what happened with Erin at the anniversary party I thought she might have given in to get even.”
“I didn’t do anything! You set it up, you don’t know Anna at all.”
“I guess maybe I don’t,” Isabel said softly as she rose and approached him. “I can’t believe Seline would do this to us all.”
“I can’t believe you, Isabel, you grew up with everything yet you are the most jealous, selfish person I have ever met.”
“John..” she started but he turned and slammed out the door. She picked up her phone and began to dial.
“Be careful, “She said to the voicemail that answered, “John knows you doctored the photos and I think he and Anna are after you.”