Leaks in the Foundation

Tessa Everly had mastered the art of bending the truth. Seattle’s upper crust knew her as the life of every party, effortlessly charming, with stories as vibrant as the city skyline. But beneath the layers of designer clothes and glittering nightlife, Tessa’s reality was as shaky as the cocktails she pretended to sip.

Tonight, she found herself in Neon Shadows, an upscale nightclub tucked into a quiet corner of Belltown. The music was pulsing, the lights dim and intoxicating, and yet, all Tessa could think about was her family. Specifically, the mess back home.

As she leaned against the bar, swirling a sparkling water, her gaze drifted toward the man at the end of the counter—Marcus Quinn, a plumber she’d reluctantly hired after a plumbing disaster. He stood out like a sore thumb, too casual for the pretentious crowd, fidgeting with his phone as if debating whether he should leave.

They had shared awkward silences before, but now they were sharing one at a nightclub. “You’re a long way from leaky faucets,” Tessa called over, her voice slicing through the awkward tension.

Marcus looked up, startled. He scratched his head, then offered a half-smile. “Yeah, not really my scene.”

Tessa cocked her head, a thin smile forming. “Then why are you here?”

He hesitated, a flicker of indecision crossing his face. “I was in the area… thought maybe I’d… never mind.”

There it was again. That uncertainty. It made her feel smug, knowing she could read him so well. But this wasn’t the night for games. She had more pressing things on her mind—like the gaping holes she was patching up at home.

As if sensing the shift in mood, Marcus asked, “How’s your brother doing?”

Her smile faltered, just slightly. “He’s fine. Rehab is working wonders,” she lied smoothly, but even she didn’t believe it anymore. Her brother, Nathan, had been battling addiction for years. Rehab had become more of a revolving door, and yet, she told everyone he was always just on the cusp of recovery.

Marcus seemed unconvinced but didn’t push. He was used to indecision, both in his work and his life. But the more time he spent with Tessa, the more he realized how much of her life was built on shaky foundations.

They lapsed into silence again until Tessa noticed something unusual. “Why is there a dog in here?”

Sure enough, a scruffy little dog, drenched from the rain outside, had slipped into the club unnoticed. It wandered under tables, sniffing around for scraps, and eventually made its way toward them.

“Guess he likes expensive tastes,” Marcus joked, kneeling down to pet the dog.

Tessa smirked but felt an uncomfortable pang in her chest as she watched the dog. “What’s your name, little guy?” she cooed, offering her hand. The dog, surprisingly affectionate for a stray, licked her fingers, leaving her with an unexpected warmth.

Marcus glanced up. “You always had a soft spot for strays, huh?”

Tessa froze. He didn’t know the half of it. Her whole family was a collection of strays, patched together with lies and ignorance. Nathan wasn’t the only one lost; they all were. They’d ignored the problems for so long that the cracks in the foundation were now leaks flooding their lives.

As the dog settled beside them, Marcus finally asked, “You ever think about facing it? The truth, I mean?”

Tessa stared at him, her heart racing. “Facing what?”

“Whatever you’re running from. You don’t have to lie all the time, you know.”

For a moment, the nightclub’s noise faded into the background. Tessa wanted to snap back with some clever retort, something to deflect the uncomfortable truth he was hitting on. But she couldn’t. She thought about her brother, still lost in addiction, the secrets she’d buried, and the people she’d hurt in the process.

The dog nuzzled against her leg, a strange comfort in an otherwise harsh moment of reality.

“I’ve gotten good at pretending,” she finally whispered. “But I don’t know if I can stop.”

Marcus stood, indecision swirling in his eyes as always. But this time, he made a choice. “Sometimes, it’s about patching things up before the whole house falls apart.”

Tessa nodded, unsure if she was ready for that. But as she watched the dog settle at her feet, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she didn’t have to do it alone.

For once in her life, there was something—someone—that didn’t expect her to lie. The dog was still there, alive and unbothered by her web of deceit.

And maybe that was enough to start with.