I’ve got a patient in ten minutes. I’ve got to run.” She gathered her purse and stood, then paused to pat my hand. “Will you be at the session on Monday?”
“I’ll be there. But I want to settle this. Or I won’t be back.”
She nodded. “I promise.” Then she was off.
The waitress passed by, left the check face down on the table. I picked it up and winced. Boy did I miss Maggie—who understood my financial difficulties. I’d have to put in more hours at the bar if I continued seeing the lady shrink.
I left a generous tip and headed for the cashier, glad the restaurant took credit cards.
During the summer I tried to sneak in to Richard’s and Brenda’s house to do my laundry on their golf day. During the winter months, I’d do it when they’d go out to lunch—but even that routine had changed. Lately Brenda was always around. And I thought I knew why.
“That’s the second time this week you’ve washed sheets. You got a problem, Jeffy?” Brenda asked from the basement’s laundry room doorway, her arms crossed over her chest, looking her most maternal.
I didn’t know whether to laugh, blame the cat, or die of embarrassment.
“I’m a nurse,” she said. “Maybe I can help.”
I finished folding pillowcases, didn’t meet her gaze.
“Maybe you should talk to Richard,” she suggested gently.
“Maybe.” I worked to keep my face neutral. I pulled the flat sheet from the dryer, handed her two corners.
“I’ve got good news.” She stepped back to the pull the fabric taut.
I risked a glance in her direction.
“I’m pregnant.”
“I know.” I should’ve shown more enthusiasm, but then this wasn’t a surprise to me and she knew it. She’d have this baby. A little girl, Elizabeth Ruth—Betsy for short—named after Richard’s and my mother, and Brenda’s deceased twin sister.
“That’s all you have to say?” she asked, as we joined corners.
I tried to stifle a smile. “She’ll be gorgeous.”
“Was there a doubt? I suppose you even know her name?”
“As a matter of fact—”
She put a hand over my mouth. “You can tell me after we decide.”
“Deal.” I pulled the fitted sheet from the dryer, gave her another two corners.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” she said.
“Not really. It’s just that you and Maggie are good friends. I don’t want that to end because we aren’t seeing each other any more.”
“I won’t pretend this situation doesn’t upset me. I love you both. But I made it clear to Maggie that you’re family and that’s where my first loyalty lies.”
I finished folding the sheet, couldn’t look her in the eye. “I appreciate that. I won’t ask you about her—put you in the middle.”
“Thank you.”
I finished folding the last few items. “By the way, did you see me come home yesterday afternoon?”
She shook her head. “No. Why?
I shrugged to cover my anxiety. “I kind of lost track of things. I’ve been trying to piece it together.”
She looked down at the neatly folded sheets in my laundry basket. “Maybe you had a lot on your mind.”
Yeah, like why I’d parked in Richard’s spot in the garage. Now I felt even more uncomfortable.
I hefted the laundry basket under one arm and headed for the stairs. Brenda followed.
Richard stood at the kitchen counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“You’re home early,” I said.
“I’m splitting my time at the clinic. They’ll be shorthanded on Monday. Besides, it gave me a chance to drop my car off at the dealership.”
“The steering?”
“Brenda says it cuts out.”
“It does,” she insisted.
Richard shrugged.
“I hear congratulations are in order,” I said, changing the subject.
He smiled. “It’s about time Brenda told you.”
Brenda brushed past me, heading for the hall. “Why don’t I leave you men alone to talk.” She gave me a knowing look before disappearing.
Richard glanced at me curiously. “Talk about what?”
“Brenda worries too
“I’ll be there. But I want to settle this. Or I won’t be back.”
She nodded. “I promise.” Then she was off.
The waitress passed by, left the check face down on the table. I picked it up and winced. Boy did I miss Maggie—who understood my financial difficulties. I’d have to put in more hours at the bar if I continued seeing the lady shrink.
I left a generous tip and headed for the cashier, glad the restaurant took credit cards.
During the summer I tried to sneak in to Richard’s and Brenda’s house to do my laundry on their golf day. During the winter months, I’d do it when they’d go out to lunch—but even that routine had changed. Lately Brenda was always around. And I thought I knew why.
“That’s the second time this week you’ve washed sheets. You got a problem, Jeffy?” Brenda asked from the basement’s laundry room doorway, her arms crossed over her chest, looking her most maternal.
I didn’t know whether to laugh, blame the cat, or die of embarrassment.
“I’m a nurse,” she said. “Maybe I can help.”
I finished folding pillowcases, didn’t meet her gaze.
“Maybe you should talk to Richard,” she suggested gently.
“Maybe.” I worked to keep my face neutral. I pulled the flat sheet from the dryer, handed her two corners.
“I’ve got good news.” She stepped back to the pull the fabric taut.
I risked a glance in her direction.
“I’m pregnant.”
“I know.” I should’ve shown more enthusiasm, but then this wasn’t a surprise to me and she knew it. She’d have this baby. A little girl, Elizabeth Ruth—Betsy for short—named after Richard’s and my mother, and Brenda’s deceased twin sister.
“That’s all you have to say?” she asked, as we joined corners.
I tried to stifle a smile. “She’ll be gorgeous.”
“Was there a doubt? I suppose you even know her name?”
“As a matter of fact—”
She put a hand over my mouth. “You can tell me after we decide.”
“Deal.” I pulled the fitted sheet from the dryer, gave her another two corners.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” she said.
“Not really. It’s just that you and Maggie are good friends. I don’t want that to end because we aren’t seeing each other any more.”
“I won’t pretend this situation doesn’t upset me. I love you both. But I made it clear to Maggie that you’re family and that’s where my first loyalty lies.”
I finished folding the sheet, couldn’t look her in the eye. “I appreciate that. I won’t ask you about her—put you in the middle.”
“Thank you.”
I finished folding the last few items. “By the way, did you see me come home yesterday afternoon?”
She shook her head. “No. Why?
I shrugged to cover my anxiety. “I kind of lost track of things. I’ve been trying to piece it together.”
She looked down at the neatly folded sheets in my laundry basket. “Maybe you had a lot on your mind.”
Yeah, like why I’d parked in Richard’s spot in the garage. Now I felt even more uncomfortable.
I hefted the laundry basket under one arm and headed for the stairs. Brenda followed.
Richard stood at the kitchen counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“You’re home early,” I said.
“I’m splitting my time at the clinic. They’ll be shorthanded on Monday. Besides, it gave me a chance to drop my car off at the dealership.”
“The steering?”
“Brenda says it cuts out.”
“It does,” she insisted.
Richard shrugged.
“I hear congratulations are in order,” I said, changing the subject.
He smiled. “It’s about time Brenda told you.”
Brenda brushed past me, heading for the hall. “Why don’t I leave you men alone to talk.” She gave me a knowing look before disappearing.
Richard glanced at me curiously. “Talk about what?”
“Brenda worries too
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