MARTHA AND FELIX rent a small bungalow on the (marginally) more affordable east side of the city. It’s past the café, about a half hour drive from my apartment. As I cross town, questions race through my mind. What did Felix see that made him think Theo and Martha were having an affair? Did he spot them meeting covertly? Were they concerned about me? Or planning some sort of surprise? If Felix had explained his suspicions to Theo instead of pummeling him, surely Theo would have mentioned it. I’m completely confounded.
I speak into the silence of the car: “Hey, Siri, text Martha.” After the prompts, I record the message. “Martha, Felix attacked Theo. He’s okay but he’s hurt. And he’s angry. I’m on my way over. We need to figure out what the hell is going on with him.” After a beat, I add, “I don’t believe what Felix said. I know you’d never do that to me. And I hope you’re okay.”
About ten minutes later, I turn off a thoroughfare lined with Vietnamese restaurants, dollar stores, and day spas and drive into my friends’ quaint neighborhood. Parallel-parking the car with minimal care, I get out and jog up the weathered front steps. As I ring the bell, I worry that Felix might be home. I’ve never considered him volatile—attacking Theo was completely out of character—but he’s obviously a loose cannon. But Felix has no reason to be angry with me. In his mind, we are the victims.
The door swings open and I’m relieved to see Martha. Her eyes are red, and her face is puffy from crying, but she’s safe, she’s fine.
“Hey.” I start to move inside, but she stands her ground.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Camryn? This is all your fault.”
I step back, stunned by the accusation. And even more confused than I was before. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Martha.”
“You did this,” she says, crying openly now. “Why?”
“Did what? I have no idea what you mean.”
“You told Felix that you thought Theo and I were sleeping together.”
“I did not!” I cry, outraged at the ridiculousness of the statement. “Why would I say that? I know you’d never do that to me!”
“Don’t deny it, Camryn. I saw the email you sent him.”
The email?
“Can I see it?”
“Why? You know what you said.”
“Just show me.”
Reluctantly, my friend lets me in, and I follow her through her eclectically furnished home—Midcentury Modern meets Oriental design meets IKEA—to the cluttered kitchen. Martha grabs her phone off the counter, taps the screen, and hands it to me. I read.
Hi Felix,
This email will be upsetting for you, but you need to know what’s going on. I strongly suspect that Martha and Theo are sleeping together. I’ve found incriminating texts on Theo’s phone. He tells me he’s going to work, but when I call, he’s not there. I’ve noticed the chemistry between them for a while, but I didn’t want to believe it.
Please don’t tell Martha I sent this message. And please don’t contact me to discuss this in person. I am too upset and too betrayed. You should find your own proof and confront Martha with it. When I’ve confirmed my suspicions, I will end my relationship with both of them.
Sincerely,
Camryn
I feel dizzy and sick. A cold chill prickles my skin. “I didn’t send this email, Martha.”
“It’s from your Gmail address.”
“I haven’t used that address in ages. I must have been hacked.”
“Who would hack your email to send Felix a horrible message like this?”
I put the phone on the counter, press the heel of my palm to my forehead. “There’s this woman online. She’s out to get me.”
“Why would some random stranger want to destroy my marriage?” Martha asks. “That makes no sense.”
“She wants to ruin our friendship,” I say, voice shaky. “She’s been sending me abusive emails, posting cruel reviews. She’s rallied a bunch of trolls to come after me. They think I exploited the kids at school in Burnt Orchid.”
“That’s crazy.”
“I know. She’s bent on destroying me. Your marriage is just collateral damage.”
“Jesus Christ.” Martha moves to an open beer bottle sitting on the counter, takes a drink. “I don’t know, Cam. It’s sounds so weird.”
“It is weird. And horrible. It’s gotten so personal.”
“How does this woman even know we’re friends? Does she live in Vancouver? Does she know us?”
“I don’t know.” My voice breaks. “But I promise I’ll find out.”
She doesn’t respond, just turns away, eyes full of tears. My heart cracks open and a thick ache spreads through my chest like oil. I did this. I hurt my best friend, threatened her relationship, and got my boyfriend beat up. It is all my fault.
I take a tentative step toward her. “Let me to talk to Felix. I can fix this.”
“You can try.” Martha’s voice is both angry and skeptical as she turns back toward me. “He’s in his workshop.”
Felix’s workshop is an area in the unfinished basement furnished with sawhorses, pieces of wood, and an array of tools. There’s a battered love seat against one wall, covered with a ratty blanket. That’s where Felix sits now, elbows on his knees, nursing a beer. He looks up when he hears my feet creaking on the stairs.
“What are you doing here, Camryn?”
I move toward him, notice the cut on the bridge of his nose, his bloodshot eyes. Theo must have hit him back. He looks like he’s been crying, too.
“I didn’t send that email to you,” I say, crossing the concrete floor. “I was hacked. There’s an online troll after me.”
“What?” he snaps. “That doesn’t make any sense.” His anger and confusion are expected. Gently, I explain to him that Ingrid Wandry is trying to hurt me, that she is rallying online haters to destroy my writing career, that I suspect she also hacked into the school portal to send complaints about me that could get me fired. I tell him that Ingrid must have sent the email to him, and that her goal was to ruin my relationship with my best friend.
“Fuck,” he says, swiping at his eyes. “I should have trusted Martha. But once the idea was planted, I let it fester until I didn’t know what to believe anymore.”
“This isn’t your fault, Felix. Martha knows that now.”
“I said horrible things. Ugly things. I broke something between us.”
“She’ll forgive you,” I say, desperation clogging my throat. She has to. I can’t have the demise of my friend’s marriage on my conscience. I sit beside him. “I’m so sorry.”
“Fuck,” he says, jumping to his feet. “I hit Theo. I beat the shit out of him.”
“He’s okay. I’ll explain everything. He’ll understand.”
Felix looms over me, his face a dark cloud. “Who the hell is this person, Camryn? And why do they hate you so much?”
“I don’t know…”
But I’m not going to play by the rules anymore. I’m going to find out, whatever it takes.