“We’re living together,” Howard said, not yet sure of her angle.
“That’s all you did before, right dear?”
Howard tried not to let Sophie see that he was taking a deep breath as he did so. He turned his smile on as big as he could, and said, “What’s your point, Sophie?”
“Well, it’s just that he’s seemed so happy for such a long time, what with all the other people.”
“Other people?” Howard asked.
“Well, no one specific. There have been so damned many of them. Men, women, couples, triples. I can never tell which ones he was with, and which ones he was just…well, you know, fucking,” Sophie finally spat out.
“You’re telling me that Howard’s been fucking a lot of other people?”
“Well, I was pretty sure you knew. God knows the rest of the town did. These nasty tales travel so quickly in this place. I just thought it would be best to tell you, in case you didn’t know.”