The Scarlet Letter Society by Mary McCarthy

narrowing her eyes at Maggie, who rolled hers. “It sucks. Of course I can’t think of a single reason why he wouldn’t be fucking someone else. But when you find it on a computer screen, it’s so raw and sexual and powerful, it just feels like all the wind’s been knocked out of you.”
    “Aw, I’m sorry, girl, I didn’t mean to be insensitive,” said Maggie. “Remember, the whole reason I’m in the middle of a divorce is because of cheating. And not just my cheating, but his. Matt wasn’t a bad guy, but he couldn’t keep it in his pants. The only one I ever cheated on him with was Dave, and that doesn’t count.”
    “Wait. WHAT?” said Eva. “You cheated on your second husband with your first husband?”
    “I don’t think it counts if you’re cheating with your first husband,” said Maggie. “It’s not like it was a new guy. I didn’t start seeing Ted until after Matt and I were separated.”
    “How long were you sleeping with your ex?” Lisa dared ask.
    “Oh, I never stopped fucking Dave,” said Maggie. “To this day.”
    “Holy Mary, Mother of God, Margaret,” said Eva. “ Are you completely kidding me? I can’t even understand who you’re cheating on with whom around here. Didn’t you cheat on Dave in the first place during your first marriage, which you then ended with divorce? I am so glad Facebook has an “It’s Complicated” relationship status for people like you.”
    “’ The bonds of wedlock are so heavy that it takes two to carry them—sometimes three ’” read Lisa from the notes in her worn journal. “It’s from Fear of Well, technically it’s an Alexandre Dumas quote, but Jong uses it at the beginning of Chapter 8 in Fear of Flying .”
    “Well ain’t that the truth,” said Maggie. “Dave and I divorced because at the time our marriage couldn’t handle the loss of our child. When Brandon died, and we had been through the eighteen months of leukemia treatments, we just had been in mourning too hard and too long for the marriage to handle and we drifted apart. But we never stopped loving each other.”
    “It does make sense, Maggie. It’s not the traditional path, but it’s your path, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I think it’s sweet that you and Dave still connect that way. And guess what? I read the book,” said Eva.
    “ You read the book ?” asked Lisa and Maggie at the same time.
    “Well don’t seem so surprised about it,” said Eva, smiling. “Although I guess it is technically my first one. Yeah, after I found out Joe was cheating, I just stayed up ‘til 3 am reading it.”
    Zarina set down the plate of warm bread and smiled at Eva.
    “I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but did I overhear you just say you read the book?”
    “She read the book!” said Maggie. “It’s a miracle! And we know Lisa read the book, because she took some motherfucking notes in her little notebook here, for cryin’ out loud. This will be the actual first book discussion of the Scarlet Letter Society! Hooray for us!”
    Zarina looked around at the three women. “I’m glad those book orders are coming in handy. Enjoy your meeting.”
    Maggie looked at Zarina. “You haven’t read Fear of Flying , have you, Z?”
    “I actually have,” said Zarina, adding a small white lie. “For a college women’s literature class.”
    “You should sit down and join us,” said Lisa.
    “You don’t seem like much of a potential club member, but if you’d like to sit in and hang out with us old hags,” said Maggie, “we’d love to have a young hipster like yourself for the first time.”
    Zarina sat down, excited to join the ladies. “I cheated on my college boyfriend with a girl one time,” she said. “I mean, if that is good enough for a one-time guest pass into SLS.”
    “Is it even cheating if it’s with a girl?” said Eva, laughing.
    “It’s close enough,” said Maggie, smiling. “It barely passes as cheating because when the guy finds out, he usually just