Sometimes a short robe she left open.
Once, she came into the kitchen while Andrew was cooking dinner wearing an oversized shirt that barely reached her thighs.
She asked him:
“Does this look okay?”
Andrew looked confused.
“Looks fine.”
She smiled.
“Would Claire wear something like this?”
Andrew immediately looked at me.
“No.”
Kayla laughed.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know.”
“She’s too conservative.”
I put down my fork.
“Kayla.”
She smiled innocently.
“What?”
“Enough.”
She shrugged.
“I was joking.”
“No, you’re not.”
Andrew stood.
“I’m going upstairs.”
Kayla watched him leave.
Then looked at me.
“See?”
“What?”
“He’s uncomfortable.”
I stared at her.
“That isn’t the victory you think it is.”
Her smile disappeared.
That night, I finally told Andrew everything.
“She says she’s testing you.”
He looked at me.
“Testing me?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“Whether you’ll be tempted.”
His face went completely still.
Then he laughed once.
Not because it was funny.
Because he couldn’t believe it.
“She thinks walking around in a towel is going to prove something?”
“She called it a test.”
Andrew leaned back.
“That’s insulting.”
“I know.”
“To you.”
I looked at him.
“To both of us.”
He was quiet for a long moment.
Then he said:
“I don’t want to fight with your sister.”
“I know.”
“But I’m not going to play this game.”
“I don’t want you to.”
He nodded.
“I’ll ignore her.”
“You’ve been doing that.”
“I’ll keep doing it.”
I smiled.
“Thank you.”
He squeezed my hand.
“Claire, there isn’t anything she could do that would make me forget who I’m married to.”
I looked at him.
“Really?”
He smiled.
“Really.”
That sentence stayed with me.
Because three days later, I would need it.
Sunday morning came bright and cold.
I woke to sunlight through the curtains.
Andrew was already downstairs.
I could hear him humming.
I smiled.
He always hummed while making coffee.
I went downstairs.
And there she was.
Kayla.
Again.
White towel.
Wet hair.
Bare shoulders.
Standing directly across from Andrew.
This time, she wasn’t even pretending it was accidental.
She was smiling.
Andrew had his coffee in his hand.
He looked at me.
Then at Kayla.
Then back at me.
I could tell something had changed.
I whispered:
“Andrew…”
He touched my arm.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
He leaned toward me.
“It’s my turn.”
I frowned.
“What are you going to do?”
“Teach her a lesson.”
My stomach tightened.
“Andrew, don’t humiliate her.”
He looked at me.
“I won’t.”
Then he set down his coffee.
He turned toward Kayla.
“You’ve been calling this a test all week, right?”
Kayla smiled.
“Exactly.”
Andrew nodded.
“Good.”
Her smile widened.
“Good?”
“Yes.”
He folded his arms.
“Then you shouldn’t have a problem with what I’m about to do.”
Kayla’s smile disappeared.
“What?”
Andrew pointed toward the dining room.
“Sit down.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
“Because if this is a test, then let’s finish it properly.”
She looked at me.
I said nothing.
She sat.
Andrew pulled out a chair.
Then he looked at her.
“I’m going to ask you five questions.”
She laughed nervously.
“Okay.”
“Question one.”
He held up a finger.
“What do you actually want?”
Kayla blinked.
“What?”
“From me.”
“Nothing.”
“Then why have you spent ten days deliberately making my wife uncomfortable?”
“I haven’t.”
“You have.”
She crossed her arms.
“I was testing you.”
“Question two.”
