After dinner, Jerome stormed into the house. "Mom, Natalie causes a scene every time she goes to a party! Can you please stop letting here? It''s humiliating!”


    Wendy frowned. "What did she do that you found so humiliating?"


    "She framed Dad!" Jerome dered, as if it were an obvious fact.


    Wendy let out a coldugh. "You say she framed him? What proof do you have?"


    "Mom..."


    "Don''t call me Mom. I don''t have a son like you. I''m going to divorce your father. You can go with him. I don''t want you anymore." Wendy turned and started up the stairs.


    Jerome was stunned. "Mom, what are you talking about? It wasn''t Dad''s fault! He was set up!"


    Wendy stopped and turned back, her eyes red-rimmed. "Jerome, before you speak, before you act, you need evidence. What makes you so sure it was Natalie? Because someone called you and told you she drugged your father, and you just believed them?"


    Jerome was speechless.


    "It was Dad who called me! He said Natalie framed him."


    "Hah." Wendy didn''t say another word. After a few steps, she turned again. "You have a race in five days. Jerome, you will never be worthy of being Natalie''s brother. You''re only fit to be Joanna''spdog."


    Jerome''s eyes widened. Was this the same mother he''d always known? Had tonight''s events truly broken her?


    "Mom, I..."


    "I said, don''t call me Mom. Thepany is in crisis, and you refuse to help. You''re not worthy of being a son, either."


    Tears streamed down Wendy''s face as she continued up the stairs.


    Jerome felt his world crumble. How had his mother be so unreasonable? Furious, he turned and stormed out of the house.


    Upstairs, Nathan had just finished showering when Wendy came up.


    She stared at him, her eyes shing with anger. "Nathan, Joanna and Lily are also in this house. Are you sick in the head, walking around injust your underwear?"


    Nathan froze. He looked down and saw he was, in fact, only wearing briefs. He was shocked. How was that possible? He was sure he''d put on pants.


    "Wendy... what''s happening to me? I swear I was wearing pants when I came out."


    A flicker of fear crossed his face. Was he losing his memory?


    Wendy shook her head with feigned exasperation. "I think tonight''s


    events have rattled you so much


    you''ve forgotten who you are. Go put Some clothes on before your


    daughter sees you like this."


    Nathan''s face flushed with embarrassment, and he hurried into his room.


    Wendy followed him, a cold smile on her lips.


    When Nathan pulled open his closet, he was greeted by the sight of an intable doll and a collection of adult toys.


    "Ah!" he screamed, stumbling back. How did those things get in his closet?


    Wendy patted his shoulder. "Nathan, what are you screaming about at this hour?"


    Nathan stared at her. Hadn''t she


    seen it? He looked back at the


    closet. It was empty, except for his clothes. He blinked hard, but nothing changed


    Had tonight''s interrupted escapade caused him to hallucinate? He felt a tightness


    in his chest.


    He turned to Wendy. "Wendy, you didn''t see what was in there just now?"