13 She always felt that she had given up almost everything for him, most important, the
closest person in the world, her twin, Elizabeth. And what did he give up for her? Nothing comparable. Okay, that was probably unfair, but still, what he gave up didn’t come close to what she had given up. She’d given up love for love. That was the hardest sacrifice. All she asked was that he understand that this was the way her life was now! Well, maybe not all she asked, but still, this was the way it was going to be, and too bad for him if he couldn’t accept it. Except what sucked was that the real “too bad” was for Jake. She still got sick to her stomach about what she was doing to her baby, but it wasn’t just Jessica, it was Todd, too. Actually, she felt it was mostly Todd. Jealousy, that’s what it was. It was a response she’d never expected and he would never admit. In fact, his whole attitude about her career was so retro. Were they really back to where the woman had to stay home with the children or have some kind of unimportant job that was totally second to her husband’s and could be dropped whenever he needed it to be? Jessica knew she could work and succeed and be as good a parent as he was. That was the difference—she wanted him to measure being a father on the same scale as being a mother. So far, he couldn’t seem to do that. Or just wouldn’t. Maybe that was a reach, but she’d made up her mind it was the goal she was aiming for. Todd had underestimated her. Everyone had, herself included. And now they were all waking up. Todd especially. She was so not his “old Jessica,” and he really was feeling threatened. All the signs were there: She was probably going to be very successful, possibly more than he was. Shallow Jessica Wakefield, the lightweight, was not so lightweight anymore.