The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, child sexual abuse, child abuse, death by suicide, illness, addiction, and substance use.

Lenny might have enjoyed the parties and socializing in the first couple of years at Walden, but she soon grew tired of Nick’s constant hosting and name dropping. Ignoring the reality of his marriage, Nick decided to throw an extravagant “Black and White Ball” to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. People gossiped that such a ball couldn’t have been possible with a television executive’s salary, and Lenny’s trust fund might have paid for it; nevertheless, no one declined, and it was a star-studded evening—so much so that In Cold Blood author Truman Capote, who attended this one, threw a “Black and White Ball” of his own the following year in Manhattan, but Nick was not invited.

A little before Griffin’s 10th birthday and Nick and Lenny’s 11th anniversary, Lenny asked Nick for a divorce. Nick was heartbroken and begged Lenny to change her mind, but she stood firm. They broke the news to the children together, with Nick breaking down in tears mid-conversation and prompting the same from Alex and Dominique. A dry-eyed Griffin joined in, covering his eyes and pretending to cry, only to discover that Lenny, also with her hands over her face, was doing the same.