Cheating to Survive (Fix It or Get Out) Read Online Free PDF Page A

had wraps and salads.”
    “Did you bring any home?”
    “There really wasn’t anything left.”
    “Cookies, anything?” Ed scratched his belly. His stained white T-shirt, worn for the past three days, clung to it. The splotch of barbecue sauce had congealed.
    “I have to schedule a meeting with Long Island Perspective Magazine and I’m anxious about it. I also need to work on our print materials, the flyers need our Logo and I was thinking we could display a video on our website to show—”
    “I don’t know what you’re babbling about, but I’m beat. Gonna hit the sack.” Ed crawled to the top of the mattress and managed to square his head in the middle of the pillow but only one leg made it under the covers. Victoria guided his other leg underneath and pulled the covers tight above his shoulders.
    She returned to the kitchen, washed the dish and glass Ed left in the sink and then cleaned the counter tops. With the living room tidied, she retreated to her desk and computer in the basement to scratch out ideas for fundraiser prizes.
    She leaned back in the chair and surveyed her desk for some incentive. Her Word of the Day calendar remained on March 11th, three days ago. Confluence n. The act of merging. A flowing together of two or more streams. “A favorable confluence of factors led to his success.”
    Victoria needed some confluence.
    Her Aspiration & Achievement board that Sara bought for her birthday last year, empty, except for two pictures – one of Andrew and one of Sara. How disappointing. For years her creativity flowed. Unafraid to take on new challenges, she always sought out ways to enhance her knowledge. Her take-charge attitude never ceased.
    She gazed at her framed photo of James Blake and the tennis ball he autographed for her at the US Open in 2005. What a smile. What would it feel like to be young again? Thirty years with the same guy. The same boring tighty-whities.
    The second hand hustled on the wall clock. What had Victoria completed? Nothing. Was reorganizing the desk drawers necessary?
    The front door clicked open, then creaked. She snapped up, flew out of her chair and ran up the stairs. Sara had returned from her date and Victoria loved hearing her stories, although lately she revealed less and less.
    Victoria entered the kitchen just as Sara dumped her pocketbook next to Ed’s tool bag. “Hi honey. How was your dinner, date thingy?” She sounded like Catherine now.
    “It was amazing!” She removed her coat and chucked it on the kitchen chair.
    Victoria’s eyes shot open. “Is that what you wore?”
    Sara had a tight red spandex skirt on. It barely covered her rear-end. Her cropped top showed off at least two inches of stomach. How she strutted around in those heels all night was unbelievable.
    “Yup, just bought it today. How do I look? Do you think it made the right statement?”
    What statement was Sara trying to make? Tramp for hire? I’m desperate and need a date for the prom? All right, maybe Victoria was being too old-fashioned. Was this what they wore nowadays? On first dates? Didn’t she teach her better?
    What had she taught her? Ed and her never cuddled on the couch, said I love you, kissed each other hello or good-bye. What role model did she have to go by? Andrew’s girlfriends didn’t dress much better.
    “Yes, it’s lovely.”
    “Oh my God, he was such a good kisser! I can’t wait to tell everyone.”
    “Everyone? Wait—”
    Sara took off towards her bedroom. The door snapped closed behind her.
    They kissed on the first date? In that outfit? What else had they done? Had she had sex yet? Victoria forgot what sex felt like. The only person that touched her anymore was her OB/GYN, and she was a woman.
    Victoria eyed her white pajamas with the tiny blue flowers. They were as boring and dry as Noreen’s cookie.

     
     

Chapter 4
Heather
    Heather, Victoria and Catherine sat in silence waiting for her to enter. The tyrant. Four-hundred plus pounds of