The Wives

Thursday wakes up in bed with Seth later that evening, and she notices a notification from someone named Regina pop up on his phone. Thursday wonders whether Regina is Tuesday, since it is too late for one of Seth’s clients to be messaging him. Tuesday is Seth’s first wife. Thursday remembers the status that being the “new wife” had brought her, but the memory is tarnished as she remembers that it was really her ability to give Seth a child that had given her power over Tuesday.

Thursday recounts how Seth and Tuesday had met during college. Seth noticed Tuesday standing alone at a Christmas party, and the couple married two months after they graduated college. Seth discovered that Tuesday was taking birth control pills: Tuesday admitted that she didn’t want children, and Seth was devastated. He tried to convince her to have kids, but she prioritized her career and went to law school in Oregon the next year.

Thursday asked Seth why he hadn’t left Tuesday when he met her. He responded by asking Thursday if she had ever been left by someone and to think about how it feels. She accepted that explanation, believing that it meant Seth would never leave her either. Thursday wakes Seth up, asking him if he is angry for what happened to their baby. He answers by saying that Hannah is not a replacement for Thursday and that he still loves her despite what happened. Thursday asks what Seth would do if something happened to his and Hannah’s baby, and Seth becomes angry.

Thursday reminds Seth that he found another wife after she was unable to have his child. He tells her that she knew he wanted children and that he is still with her despite it. Angry, Seth quickly dresses and attempts to leave. Thursday grabs his arm, and Seth pushes her away. She falls backward, hitting her ear on her nightstand. Seth leaves, and Thursday realizes she is bleeding. She goes back to sleep, promising she won’t look into his other wives anymore, but she knows that she’s lying to herself.

The next morning, after several alcoholic beverages, Thursday finds Regina Coele’s photo on a law firm’s website in Portland. She also finds several of Regina’s social media accounts and several profiles on dating websites. Thursday decides to look deeper into the dating accounts, justifying her actions by saying that she is trying to find out more information for Seth’s sake. Thursday creates a fake dating profile for a man named “Will Moffit” by using photos of her cousin Andrew, who is in prison for identity theft. Thursday wants to find a reason to condemn Seth’s first wife so that she can regain his favor; she feels that this is her duty to Seth.

She looks through the photos on Regina’s profile, and she finds herself unable to look away. She wonders whether Seth is different with all of his wives and if she really knows him at all. She reaches the last photo on Regina’s account, and she is shocked to see a woman who looks like Hannah standing in a photo beside Regina. In her disbelief, Thursday sends Regina a message, inviting her to chat with “Will Moffit.”

At work, Thursday runs into her coworker Lauren. Lauren is a young woman whom Thursday sees as having the perfect relationship with her husband. She quickly heads to the break room, avoiding speaking with Lauren as much as possible.

Thursday thinks about how she doesn’t have any photos with Seth hung on her locker, and she wonders whether the other two wives have one on their desks. Her eyes fall upon Lauren’s locker, which is decorated with photos of her and her husband’s travels. Bitterly, Thursday wonders whether the only reason that Lauren and her husband travel so frequently is because they are unable to have children. She finishes getting ready for work and notices that Seth has texted her. She reads the message and realizes that Seth has texted her a message meant for one of his other wives.

As the day progresses, Thursday thinks about the text from Seth and decides to check in on Hannah; they plan to meet up later in the month. At the nurses’ station, one of Thursday’s coworkers, Debbie, asks why Thursday has been obsessing over her phone all day. Debbie admits that she checks in on her husband’s ex-girlfriends all of the time. She comments that women can be “conniving” and that she’s more worried about their love than her husband’s. She also admits that she stole her husband from one of her close friends, saying that women want what they want. She leaves Thursday by telling her that it’s even better when you spy on your husband’s exes in person.

Seth enters their condo, and Thursday realizes she hasn’t thought about anything other than her husband’s wives in days. She remembers the text she got by mistake and wonders where the other wives stand with each other. Seth seems to be in a good mood. When Thursday asks why, he says he is just happy to see her.

They amicably eat dinner, but Thursday feels Seth is different. She tells him this, and he says that she is different too. After dinner, the pair goes for a walk, and Seth surprises Thursday with several public displays of affection. Thursday reminds herself that she needs to focus on being in the present moment and enjoy her time with Seth.

Seth’s phone rings: He asks her if she minds if he answers, showing her that Regina is calling. Thursday realizes how much it hurts to see Seth actually speaking with one of his other wives. Once off the phone, Seth tells Thursday Regina was calling about their sick dog.

Thursday tells him he sent her a text meant for either Regina or Hannah. He quickly apologizes and asks Thursday to forgive him. She agrees, and they go back inside and have sex.

When Seth is asleep, Thursday reads through the message that Regina sent back to Will. Thursday responds, asking Regina more questions about herself and whether she wants children. Regina messages back quickly saying she does want children.

On Sunday, Thursday goes to her parents’ house for lunch and rereads the message that Regina sent back to Will about being divorced. She becomes frustrated with the fact that Regina is cheating on Seth; she admits that it is technically true that Regina and Seth got divorced so that Thursday could become Seth’s legal wife, but their relationship never really ended. She convinces herself that she has to tell Seth the truth about Regina.

Thursday sits with her father, waiting for her mother to return home. Her father hands her a Diet Coke, which she hates, and grabs a beer for himself; he believes women shouldn’t drink alcohol so early in the day. When Thursday’s mother returns, she immediately asks about Seth. It frustrates Thursday that her mother asks despite knowing that Seth will be in Portland until Thursday; she believes her mother likes to remind her that she is not a good enough wife. Her mother thinks Thursday needs to work less so that Seth doesn’t feel like he has to compete with her; as a woman, Thursday’s place is at home.

Thursday’s father cuts in, reminding her mother that Seth is doing what “men should do,” and Thursday feels grateful despite disliking the sentiment behind those words. Thursday’s mother brings up her sister, who has a happy marriage. The family argues for a few more minutes before Thursday’s mother asks what is wrong. Thursday thinks about Hannah, Regina, and the cut behind her ear: She wonders whether she has ruined everything for herself or for Seth. She thinks about how she has failed Seth as a wife by losing the baby and how he had to go to someone else to give him what she couldn’t.

She decides that exposing Regina will save her relationship. She imagines that after Hannah has the baby, she’ll be so preoccupied with caring for it that Seth will feel neglected and spend more time with Thursday. Thursday responds to Regina as Will and asks for more details about her previous marriage.