Read Faith and Fidelity for Free Online

rapidly going south.
    He'd committed to the game with Matt on Sunday because Elena was taking the kids for the day. But she called Saturday night, asking if it would be all right if she switched the outing to next week. A friend needed help moving... something or another. The kids were disappointed, and Evan wasn't sure what to do with the day. The Weather Channel mentioned snow so he lamely suggested a fun day of board games and dinner out at their favorite restaurant (an Italian place around the corner, casual and with the genius idea of having video games in a separate room). After some skeptical looks— because Daddy wasn't usually into having fun these days— they agreed it sounded good.
    Then he realized he'd have to call Matt and let him know about the change of plans. He got the kids settled for the night and grabbed the phone. Let it ring and ring and ring. No answer. No machine. The cell went straight to voice mail, which declared itself full.
    “Shit.” Evan put the phone down and paced around the room. He had no idea how to get in touch with Matt. He didn't want the guy to get all the way out to Queens for nothing.
    By midnight Evan gave up and lay down on the couch, where he regularly pretended to sleep. He'd try again in the morning.

    * * * *

    Once Matt got started he found it hard to stop. Painting. And cleaning. And throwing shit out.
    Thankfully, his only real neighbor— the guy downstairs— was stone deaf so Matt kept going well past eight o'clock. At first he was going to cover his furniture but it looked like shit so why bother. He left the mattress on the floor. Everything else he marched down to the dumpster behind the apartment. The paint he'd bought was called “eggshell” and looked like beige on the walls. Or maybe what he thought was beige actually turned out to be eggshell. He pondered this mystery of life as he painted his apartment.
    At one a.m. he finished cleaning his bathroom. The apartment was freezing cold. He left the windows opened to help the paint dry, clear the fumes out. He was looking forward to putting nice furniture in, making the place a little homey. After five years it seemed about time.
    An hour later he was curled up on his mattress, under every blanket he owned and two overcoats. Thankfully, exhaustion kept his more erotic of dreams at bay and he finally had a decent night's sleep.
    By nine a.m. he was on the road and heading to Queens.

    * * * *

    Evan made pancakes. Miranda discreetly pointed out the ones that weren't cooked all the way through and put them back on the stove. He made sausage patties, which seemed to pass muster. They had a nice breakfast, chatting and planning the day. Kathleen wanted Scrabble. Elizabeth and Danny voted for a video store run. Miranda shrugged— she didn't care as long as they did it together.
    “Let's do it all,” Evan said, trying to get into the spirit of the day. Movies, board games, dinner. Talk had turned to Thanksgiving break when the doorbell rang.
    “Oh no.” Evan knew exactly who would be standing at his front door. He'd completely forgotten to try calling Matt again.
    “Hey.”
    Matt stood on his steps, smiling. “Hey. You about— ” And then, glancing a bit father into the house, he caught sight of the breakfast table full of junior sized Cerellis over Evan's shoulder.
    “Sorry— I tried to call you. The plans fell through.” Evan felt terrible. “I'm sorry you had to drive all the way out here.”
    “No problem.”
    “The tickets... ”
    “They were free. Don't worry about it.”
    “Hi!” a voice called out from behind the two men. Elizabeth, ever the social director. “Want some pancakes?”
    “Uh, sure.”
    Evan laughed. “My kids have better manners than I do. Come in.”
    Matt walked into the neat little house, taking in the homey touches. Pictures of the kids everywhere. Piano. The cozy couch and frilly curtains. It looked like the set of a television sitcom.
    And Evan's kids sat around the