Amanda said.
And it was Carol’s fault.
There was a beep and they both startled. Beth and Mary Kay were a mere few feet away, waving at them from the Highlander. “I better go,” she said, grabbing her shoes from the back.
“So I have your OK to take the best offer?” He hustled out to fetch her bag from the trunk.
“I’m not sure.”
“You’re not sure? I don’t mean to be pushy, but you’ve been grousing for months about not having enough money to start your new life. Now’s your chance.”
“I know, but. . .”
“But what, Carol?” He wasn’t mad as much as mildly annoyed, which was about as agitated as Jeff ever got. “This is the final part of the divorce agreement you requested. I didn’t want to get divorced. I was perfectly satisfied with how we were.” Though increasingly upset, he kept his voice appropriately low. “You were the one who felt trapped, remember?”
Carol winced. Had she said that. . . really? What had she been, a 1970s housewife?
“Do you know how hard it’s been adjusting to life after you split for no reason? How depressed I’ve been? Now, when I finally find something that’ll let me put my talents to productive use and go forward, you’re holding me back.” He gave the trunk a hard slam. “That’s rich.”
She hadn’t realized the suffering she’d caused Jeff, her entire family, by simply pursuing her own dreams. And she couldn’t help but resent him, slightly, for making her feel guilty.
Even if he was right.
It was so confusing. She missed their life together. She loved her work. She loved her children. She longed for the peace and quiet of Marshfield, and yet she relished her independence in the city, too.
And then there was Scott, so fantastic in his own right.
It was too much at once. She couldn’t think straight.
“I apologize,” she said, racking her brain to come up with a stall tactic. “Let’s talk to the kids before we make any rash decisions. Even if we overrule them, at least they’ll have a chance to register their opinions.”
Jeff mulled this over. “Good idea. I’ll get in touch with Jonathan. Should I call Amanda, too?”
She wasn’t certain he was aware that Amanda refused to take her phone calls. But this would be a legitimate reason for them to talk. “I’ll handle Amanda. I’ll call her this evening and get back to you.”
“How about six p.m. Sunday night?”
Carol pulled out her iPhone and made a note. “Six p.m. it is.”
“And then?. . .” He cocked his head gently.
“If Amanda agrees, you can sell the house. If that’s what you want.”
“Thank you.” He held out his hand and they shook. “Have a safe trip.”
They said good-bye and she watched him get into the car and pull away, feeling as if a coffin were closing once and for all on the life she’d left behind.
Chapter Seven
“W ow! Can you believe we’re actually doing this?” Mary
Kay riding shotgun gave Beth behind the wheel a little pinch.
Beth rubbed her arm, feigning pain. “Ow!”
“Sorry, it’s just that I’m so excited to get away. Think about it. No men or bosses. Only the open road and the three of us.” Mary Kay spun around, her black curls bouncing to keep up. “Aren’t you excited, Carol? Two years we’ve been apart and now we’re together again like nothing’s changed.”
Carol was staring out the window in a daze, her laptop open before her.
Beth flashed Mary Kay a knowing glance. Carol had been lost in thought all morning, ever since she said good-bye to Jeff at the train station. Supposedly, he’d stopped by to drop off her shoes, but Beth wondered if there was more to the story.
Switching lanes, Beth said, “You know what happened to me this morning? I woke up and realized this would be my first day without doing something for Lynne. I didn’t even want to get out of bed.”
Carol closed her laptop and put it aside. “They say that’s the hardest phase of grief, when everyone goes home and life gets
And it was Carol’s fault.
There was a beep and they both startled. Beth and Mary Kay were a mere few feet away, waving at them from the Highlander. “I better go,” she said, grabbing her shoes from the back.
“So I have your OK to take the best offer?” He hustled out to fetch her bag from the trunk.
“I’m not sure.”
“You’re not sure? I don’t mean to be pushy, but you’ve been grousing for months about not having enough money to start your new life. Now’s your chance.”
“I know, but. . .”
“But what, Carol?” He wasn’t mad as much as mildly annoyed, which was about as agitated as Jeff ever got. “This is the final part of the divorce agreement you requested. I didn’t want to get divorced. I was perfectly satisfied with how we were.” Though increasingly upset, he kept his voice appropriately low. “You were the one who felt trapped, remember?”
Carol winced. Had she said that. . . really? What had she been, a 1970s housewife?
“Do you know how hard it’s been adjusting to life after you split for no reason? How depressed I’ve been? Now, when I finally find something that’ll let me put my talents to productive use and go forward, you’re holding me back.” He gave the trunk a hard slam. “That’s rich.”
She hadn’t realized the suffering she’d caused Jeff, her entire family, by simply pursuing her own dreams. And she couldn’t help but resent him, slightly, for making her feel guilty.
Even if he was right.
It was so confusing. She missed their life together. She loved her work. She loved her children. She longed for the peace and quiet of Marshfield, and yet she relished her independence in the city, too.
And then there was Scott, so fantastic in his own right.
It was too much at once. She couldn’t think straight.
“I apologize,” she said, racking her brain to come up with a stall tactic. “Let’s talk to the kids before we make any rash decisions. Even if we overrule them, at least they’ll have a chance to register their opinions.”
Jeff mulled this over. “Good idea. I’ll get in touch with Jonathan. Should I call Amanda, too?”
She wasn’t certain he was aware that Amanda refused to take her phone calls. But this would be a legitimate reason for them to talk. “I’ll handle Amanda. I’ll call her this evening and get back to you.”
“How about six p.m. Sunday night?”
Carol pulled out her iPhone and made a note. “Six p.m. it is.”
“And then?. . .” He cocked his head gently.
“If Amanda agrees, you can sell the house. If that’s what you want.”
“Thank you.” He held out his hand and they shook. “Have a safe trip.”
They said good-bye and she watched him get into the car and pull away, feeling as if a coffin were closing once and for all on the life she’d left behind.
Chapter Seven
“W ow! Can you believe we’re actually doing this?” Mary
Kay riding shotgun gave Beth behind the wheel a little pinch.
Beth rubbed her arm, feigning pain. “Ow!”
“Sorry, it’s just that I’m so excited to get away. Think about it. No men or bosses. Only the open road and the three of us.” Mary Kay spun around, her black curls bouncing to keep up. “Aren’t you excited, Carol? Two years we’ve been apart and now we’re together again like nothing’s changed.”
Carol was staring out the window in a daze, her laptop open before her.
Beth flashed Mary Kay a knowing glance. Carol had been lost in thought all morning, ever since she said good-bye to Jeff at the train station. Supposedly, he’d stopped by to drop off her shoes, but Beth wondered if there was more to the story.
Switching lanes, Beth said, “You know what happened to me this morning? I woke up and realized this would be my first day without doing something for Lynne. I didn’t even want to get out of bed.”
Carol closed her laptop and put it aside. “They say that’s the hardest phase of grief, when everyone goes home and life gets
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