Gratitude

Bree watched, her heart breaking, as Lynette crumbled into Susan’s arms. She reached up to smooth blonde hair back from her friend’s tear-streaked face. Lynette cried for a long time. The tension that had been building in her had found a release and she sobbed into Susan’s shoulder, gripping Bree’s hand tightly.

When her tears subsided she sat up and rubbed at her wet face, her slightly dirty hands leaving smudges on her cheeks. She looked from Susan to Bree and back again, as if realizing something.

“Uh…where are my children?”

Susan raised her hands to stem the coming panic attack.

“It’s OK, we left them with Danielle.”

“With Danielle? Oh my God, the poor kid! She’ll be traumatized by the time we get home. C’mon, we better get going.”

Lynette stood up while she was talking and dusted herself down before heading towards her car. Bree and Susan caught up with her and Bree took hold of her hand, bringing her to a stop.

“Lynette, don’t worry, it’s fine. Danielle is a sensible girl and she’s only had them a short time. Listen, I’ll drive your car home and Susan can take hers.”

“Whatever, c’mon, let’s get home.”

Lynette handed Bree her keys got into the passenger side of her car. Bree walked Susan to her car.

“Listen, I know this is a lot to ask, but could you relieve Danielle of her babysitting duties for a short while. I want to speak to Lynette a little more about this.”

Susan wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl into bed with a tub of ice-cream and wallow in her misery. But she painted on a smile.

“Sure. They’ll keep me busy for a while at least.”

Bree squeezed Susan’s hand.

“Thank you. We won’t be long, I promise.”

A horn blasted out and both women looked over to see Lynette pointing at her watch. Susan opened her car door and looked at Bree.

“Good luck.”

Bree raised her eyebrows and headed over to Lynette’s car. She got into the driver’s side and started up the engine.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For coming to look for me. For finding me. For being there for me. For being a great friend. Take your pick.”

“Oh Lynette, you’d have done the same thing. Don’t be silly.”

“No, it means a lot to me. You both have your own lives and you did-…uh, you’re going the wrong way.”

Bree turned out into the traffic, heading away from Wisteria Lane.

“We’re not going home right away.”

“Unless you want your daughter to be in therapy for the rest of her natural life, I would turn this car around right now.”

“Susan’s going to get the kids. You need a little break.”

“Where are we going? Bree, I look like shit.”

“No you don’t. And anyway, we’re not going anywhere public.”

“Yeah, and that ‘and anyway’ is polite-speak for ‘Yes, you do look like shit’.”

“You look like a mother who’s having a hard time with her kids. And you’re beautiful.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Lynette rolled her eyes, but hint of pink tinged her cheeks nonetheless.

Bree turned the car off the road and parked in an opening surrounded by trees. She switched off the engine and got out, Lynette did the same.

“OK, I give up, where are we?”

Bree came around and took Lynette’s hand in hers, pulling her along as she set off into the trees.

“Why are you taking me into a jungle?”

“You’ll see.”

They walked through the trees in silence, still holding hands. After a few minutes they emerged into blinding sunlight reflecting off a beautiful lake. Lynette stopped and drank in the scene before her.

“Wow.”

“Isn’t it gorgeous?”

“Wow.”

Bree smiled and looked over at Lynette. After a second’s thought she wrapped her arms tightly around her, her smile growing when she felt the embrace returned. She dipped her head to kiss Lynette’s lips softly.

“Why didn’t you tell me about all of this?”

She felt Lynette tense up slightly in her arms.

“I already told you…I was ashamed of being a failure.”

“But why didn’t you tell me?”

Lynette looked up at Bree in surprise.

“Bree, don’t you realize…you’re what I can’t live up to. You’re so good at everything, or you appear to be. Until today I never knew that you used to cry while your children slept. I thought you probably used the time to bake your own bread or upholster a sofa or two. I couldn’t come to you and say that I couldn’t cope with my life as a wife and mother…not when you were the epitome of both of those roles to me.”

“Oh honey. I’m so sorry.”

Lynette squeezed Bree tighter.

“It’s not your fault. It’s me. I should’ve spoken to someone way before I got in so deep.”

“Please promise me that if you ever feel this way again that you’ll come to me. Or if not me, you’ll talk to Susan…or Tom.”

Lynette flinched. They rarely spoke their husbands’ names when they were together.

“I’m going to talk to Tom about it. I think we need help, I need to get a nanny.”

“Well, that’s a step in the right direction. You need to make sure you get some time to yourself. This is where I come when I need to get away. Sometimes I just come up here and sit by the side of the lake and think. It’s peaceful.”

Lynette turned in Bree’s arms to watch the start of the sunset over the lake. Bree rested her chin on Lynette’s shoulder.

“Thanks for showing me this.”

Bree turned her head so that her mouth was next to Lynette’s ear.

“You’re welcome,” she whispered.

“Maybe the two of us can come up here some other time?”

“I’d like that.”

Lynette smiled and reluctantly stepped out of Bree’s embrace.

“OK, I have to go back some time. I should probably go now, before Susan gets hooked on any form of prescription medication.”

Bree shook her head.

“Are you sure you’re OK to go back? We can stay here a little while longer.”

Lynette put her hands on Bree’s hips. She leaned in, slightly on tip-toe, and pressed her lips to Bree’s. She pulled back and smiled.

“Well…maybe just a little while longer.”