Wife 22

Kelly is silent for a moment. “Alice, it wasn’t Band-Aids. It was Cialis.”

“Cialis. Erectile dysfunction Cialis?”

Kelly coughed softly. “That’s the one.”

“Well, what happened?”

“You need to ask him.”

“I’m asking you. Please, Kelly.”

“I really shouldn’t.”

“Please.”

“I don’t feel okay about—”

“Kelly. Don’t make me ask again.”

She gives a big sigh. “He lost it.”

“Lost it?”

“During the focus group. Alice, I’ve been wondering if there’s something going on at home because honestly, he just hasn’t been himself lately. Well, you saw it yourself. How strangely he acted at the FiG launch. For the past couple of months he’s been off. Anxious. Short-tempered. Distracted. Like work is the last place on earth he wants to be. Everybody has noticed, not just me. He’d been talked to. He’d been warned. And then this thing with the focus group. It was on video, Alice. The entire team saw it. Frank Potter saw it.”

“But he’s on the creative side, not strategic. Why was he even running a focus group?”

“Because he insisted. He wanted to be in on the research.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s probably better if you don’t.”

“Send me the video,” I say.

“That’s not a good idea.”

“Kelly, I’m begging you.”

“Oh, Christ. Hold on a sec. Let me think.”

Kelly is silent.

I count to twenty and say, “Still thinking?”

“Fine, Alice,” says Kelly. “But you have to swear not to tell anybody I sent it to you. Look, I’m really sorry. I respect William. He’s been a mentor to me. I wasn’t campaigning for his job. I feel horrible about this. Do you believe me? Please believe me.”

“I believe you, Kelly, but now that you’re creative director you should probably stop pleading with people to believe you.”

“You’re right. I’ve got to work on that. I’ll email you the video.”

“Thank you.”

“And Alice?”

“Uh-huh?”

“Please don’t hate me.”

“Kelly.”

“What?”

“You’re doing it again.”

“Right, right! I’m sorry. I wasn’t prepared for this promotion. It’s what I always dreamed about but I didn’t think it would happen so abruptly. Between you and me, I feel like such a fake. I don’t know what to say. I should go now. I’m really not a bad person. I like you so much, Alice. Please don’t hate me. Oh—Christ, goodbye.”

15

From: Wife 22 <Wife22@netherfieldcenter.org>

Subject: New Questions?

Date: May 15, 6:30 AM

To: researcher101 <researcher101@netherfieldcenter.org>

Researcher 101,

Is the new set of questions coming soon? I don’t want to rush you or anything, and you probably have some timetable of when you send the questions out, but I seem to have a lot of anxiety these days and answering the questions calms me down. There’s almost a meditative aspect to it. Like confession. Have any other subjects reported feeling this way?

All the best,

Wife 22

From: researcher101 <researcher101@netherfieldcenter.org>

Subject: Re: New Questions?

Date: May 15, 7:31 AM

To: Wife 22 <Wife22@netherfieldcenter.org>

Wife 22,

That’s very interesting. I haven’t heard quite that response before, but we have heard similar sentiments along the same line. Once a subject described answering the questions as “an unburdening.” I believe the anonymity has a lot to do with it. You can expect the next set of questions by the end of the week.

Best,