A Time to Mend by Sally John

let it go.
    She stiffened. His ballpark guesses on time never hit the mark, and he knew that. And he knew that she knew.
    “Two hours, tops. You can get settled in. We can order pizza. Or I’ll swing by Mille Fleurs, bring home something nice. I’ll call you before I leave. We can decide then.”
    “Mm-hmm.”
    “You’ll be fine, hon. I won’t be long. I know how hard this trip was on you.”
    “Mm-hmm.”
    Ten silent minutes later, he kissed her on the cheek and got out at the office, attaché and overnight bag in hand.
    Two minutes after that, alone in the back of the limo speeding toward home, Claire began to shiver. Fears swooped upon her, typical aftershocks from a visit to her hometown. She felt an overwhelm-ing sense of insecurity and ugliness. She usually managed to swat such thoughts away by reminding herself she was an intelligent, grown woman with a family who loved her and important community work to do.
    But her defenses were down tonight, lowered because Max had comforted her. He had made her feel safe and secure. He had shown up at the funeral home, her knight.
    Now he was gone. Pfft . Like the wind.
    She should have told him she needed him to stay with her. One or two or whatever hours from then would be too late.
    But hadn’t she already told him? Hadn’t she already revealed her heart to him in such an obvious way that even he could catch on? Hadn’t she given him all the credit for her feelings of safety and security? Last night she had begged him not to leave her. Why wouldn’t he care enough to skip the office for one evening?
    Because his heart remained impenetrable. He couldn’t feel a thing. He thought all was fine again now that she’d cried on his shoulder. He figured they’d carry on, slide back into the status quo.
    Shortly before the exit to her house, she gave the driver Tandy’s address. He had to backtrack, get off the freeway and back on, take another one that cut inland, meet heavy side-road traffic. She figured the extra cost was less than her funeral costs, which she surely would incur if she drove herself.
    The man carried her luggage and all those heavy boxes of her mother’s into Tandy’s condo, stacking them neatly along the entry wall. Her friend didn’t even raise an eyebrow.
    Claire reached Max on his cell at the office. “I’m at Tandy’s.”
    “Oh, honey.”
    She closed her eyes. His term of endearment didn’t touch the sore part inside of her. “Thank you for being at the funeral and after. It—it just isn’t enough.”
    “I don’t know how else to do it.”
    “And I don’t know how else to say I can’t keep it up.”
    “Keep what up? Our life? Blast it, Claire! I don’t get it! Weren’t we just fine on the plane?”
    “We were fine on the plane, and then you went back to work . You left me, Max! You leave me every single time work takes precedence over us.”
    “That’s quite a stretch, Claire. Another low blow. Worse than the stale commercial remark.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Yeah. Guess that’s why you’ve moved out.”
    “I’m sorry.” She pressed a fist to her stomach. “I don’t think I have a choice. For now.”
    “For now. Well, do me a small favor and call when ‘now’ is over.” Deep anger and hurt came through his tone.
    Her stomach ached. “I’m sorry. I—I’ll call.” She didn’t know how to end the conversation.
    Max did. He hung up.

Twenty-five
    C laire really didn’t know why she was there.
    Fingers gripped around the steering wheel, she gazed across the big parking lot. She had parked several rows away, out of sight of any casual observer, but the angle gave her a clear view of the Beaumont Staffing storefront.
    Was she going inside or not?
    It was a busy place, centered in the strip mall between a gift shop and a travel agency.
    If she went inside, she would have to smile at the front desk women and ask if Max was available, and could they please page him if he wasn’t in his office.
    It galled her, how