The Last Mrs. Parrish

Daphne invites Amber to a dinner party, introducing her to a man named Gregg. While Amber does not find him attractive or intellectually stimulating, she decides to date him for his money and to make Jackson jealous. After a month of dating Gregg, Amber convinces Daphne to arrange a double date. When Gregg picks her up, they kiss, and Amber reinforces that Gregg must go slowly with her romantically. She tells him, “I told you how hurt I was in my last relationship” (166). At dinner, Jackson displays superior knowledge of wine, leading Amber to flirt.

Daphne brings Amber to their rented lake house and asks Amber to see The Tempest with Jackson in the coming weeks. At the lake, Daphne confesses her fertility problems and Jackson’s desire for a son. Then she invites Amber to stay at the New York apartment on nights that Jackson is not there, wanting to save her commuting time.

Amber decides to stay in the apartment for the weekend and continues to be awed by the luxury. She wears Daphne’s underwear and robe, using her brushes and planning to sleep in her bed. Amber is surprised by Jackson’s unexpected arrival, and he is equally surprised by her presence. Jackson is in a poor mood and excuses himself. When he comes to the living room, they talk about Daphne, and Amber says Daphne is unhappy in the marriage. When she claims that Daphne is glad she has not become pregnant again, Jackson is enraged, and Amber seduces him. The two have sex. In the morning, Jackson is repentant, but Amber says that he can use her for sex, and she will keep their affair a secret.

Two months pass. Amber and Jackson spend several nights a week together in the New York apartment. Amber continues to pretend to be Daphne’s friend. One night, over drinks, Daphne says she and Jackson had sex, frustrating Amber. Amber talks about her pseudo-relationship with Gregg, then Daphne offers Amber her old clothes. Amber points out Daphne’s increase in weight, leading to a discussion about Jackson’s faithfulness. Amber pretends a woman named Bree is flirting with Jackson, hiding that Bree is a lesbian. Amber then promises to tell Daphne if she sees any strange behavior.

Amber resists Gregg’s advances because she is not using birth control. She is trying to get pregnant with Jackson’s baby and cannot risk Gregg being the father. They see Fiddler on the Roof and Amber is irritated by Gregg’s enjoyment of the show. They have different interpretations of the plot, and Amber fakes a headache to go home early.

The Parrishes and Amber take a business trip to London. Jackson and Amber have increased the amount of time they spend together and have started to have sex where they could be discovered. Over breakfast, Daphne expresses concern that Jackson is cheating on her, but Amber reassures her that he is just busy with work. Jackson arranges a romantic dinner with Daphne, and Amber makes plans with someone else as revenge. Jackson interrupts her when she is getting ready and demands she cancel her date, giving her a diamond bracelet. She agrees and later sends him erotic pictures while he is on his date with Daphne.

Jackson takes Amber to an art show and is impressed with the research Amber did before arriving. After spending the night together, they go to the office for a meeting. At noon, a slightly disheveled Daphne arrives, asking Jackson for a lunch date. She and Jackson spend time alone in his office, but when Jackson emerges to ask about his afternoon meetings, Amber pretends that he has one so he cannot spend more time with Daphne. Amber reassures Daphne privately that Jackson is not having an affair then goes into his office to have sex with him.

Jackson surprises Amber with a trip to Paris, as well as a closet filled with new clothes. The two have a romantic week-long trip. As they fly home, Amber expresses her resentment at sharing him, and he offers to get an apartment for her. Amber rejects this because she wants Daphne’s place, not a hideaway. She makes Jackson jealous by mentioning Gregg then storms away into the plane’s bedroom.

Amber becomes pregnant but cannot tell the sex of the baby. She alters an ultrasound image to make it look like a boy. She gets a bib reading “Daddy’s little boy” and plans to present it to Jackson. After she and Jackson have sex, she makes comments about Daphne, which angers him because it gives the impression that Daphne is speaking poorly of him. When Amber tries to coax him into receiving his present, he says she is nagging, snapping at her for the first time. She lets him cool off, then gives him the bib and a sonogram. He says he will get her a place to live, but she threatens to move, claiming that she wants her son to grow up with a family and not be hidden away. He implores her to be patient and outlines a plan to divorce Daphne before she learns about the pregnancy. Amber agrees to wait for several months while they work things out.