Kitsey Barbour and Tom Cable

Kitsey Barbour and Tom Cable share a long-standing romantic relationship that runs parallel to Kitsey's engagement to Theo Decker, characterized by emotional intensity, secrecy, and a pattern of deception that ultimately surfaces when Theo discovers them together.

Origins and Early History

Tom Cable was a childhood acquaintance of Theo's, a fellow student at their Upper West Side school who had been suspended alongside Theo for smoking on school property. After Theo's mother died in the museum bombing, Cable distanced himself from Theo, blanking him in the hallways and refusing to acknowledge him. Platt Barbour later revealed that Cable had a history of petty theft, including rifling lockers at the country club in the Hamptons and stealing wallets from elderly members while working as a bartender. Despite this, Cable maintained a connection to the Barbour family through his sister Joey, whom Platt had dated, and through his own persistent courtship of Kitsey.

The Secret Affair

Kitsey's relationship with Cable predates her engagement to Theo and continues throughout it. Platt Barbour, aware of the affair, told Theo that Cable had been "the big important reason" why Kitsey sent Andy to look after their father on the day both drowned—she had chosen to be with Cable instead of going herself. Platt described Cable as someone who "strung her along, leeched money constantly, went around with other girls and lied about it," characterizing Kitsey as a "meal ticket" to him. Mrs. Barbour also knew of the relationship and had worked to keep Cable away from the apartment, instructing the doorman not to let him up when he appeared.

Discovery and Confrontation

Theo discovered the affair by chance on the night of his engagement party. After being turned away from Kitsey's apartment by her roommate Emily, he saw Kitsey and Cable on the street, huddled together intimately. Kitsey was crying—something Theo had never seen her do—and Cable kissed her with a tenderness that revealed the depth of their connection. When confronted, Kitsey initially denied the affair, claiming Cable was "an old friend" who had come to her apartment because he'd "had some bad news." Under pressure, she admitted the truth but insisted she would end it, saying, "I've said I won't see him any more. Actually I told him I wouldn't a while back."

The Nature of the Relationship

Kitsey's attachment to Cable was emotionally charged in ways her engagement to Theo was not. She described herself as "in love with the wrong person," and her grief over Andy and her father's death seemed to surface only in connection to Cable. Theo observed that Cable "doesn't love her" but that Kitsey was "crazy for him, completely off her head." Despite this, Kitsey argued that her marriage to Theo was "the right thing for both of us," acknowledging that they were "a good match" who "get along" rather than being passionately in love. The affair revealed the fundamental emotional dishonesty at the heart of Kitsey and Theo's engagement—a practical arrangement that allowed both to avoid confronting their true desires.

Aftermath and Significance

The discovery of the affair did not immediately end the engagement. Kitsey and Theo continued their relationship, with both tacitly agreeing to maintain appearances. Theo reflected that "in some way, hadn't we both been pretending all along?" The affair served as a mirror to Theo's own emotional dishonesty—his unresolved love for Pippa, his drug addiction, and his willingness to enter a marriage based on convenience rather than passion. Kitsey's relationship with Cable represented the passionate, messy, authentic connection that both she and Theo were avoiding in their engagement to each other.