Point, Click, Love by Molly Shapiro Page B

when she knew Jake had back-to-back surgeries, but she didn’t care if he did walk in. She no longer cared what Jake thought.
    After four hours, Deirdre finally arrived at one o’clock. She ordered a coffee and a sandwich and sat down at a table near the door without even noticing Maxine.
    Deirdre was the kind of woman who could wear the most boring clothes—beige slacks, a white shirt, black pumps—and still look glamorous. Her shoulder-length blond hair was cut straightacross, with no particular style, but it was thick and shiny and had a natural bounce whenever she moved her head. She wore no discernible makeup. Her eyes had such a lovely shape and her skin was so luminous that mascara or blush would have been a distraction.
    Maxine packed up her computer as if she was leaving and headed toward Deirdre’s table. “Deirdre?”
    “Hi, Maxine! How are you?”
    “I’m great! Came in to do a little work on my computer.”
    “Are you here to see Jake? I think he’s in surgery.”
    “Oh, no. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d hang out for a while before I get the kids from school. Sometimes I need to get out of my studio, you know what I mean? Well, I guess you don’t really know what I mean, since you don’t work in a studio. Although maybe you do. Don’t tell me painting is another of your many hidden talents!” Maxine knew she sounded like a babbling idiot, but wasn’t quite sure how to stop.
    “No, I’m no artist,” said Deirdre, seemingly unfazed by Maxine’s rambling. “By the way, I went to see your show at the Red Gallery a couple weeks ago. It was amazing.”
    Maxine thought it strange that Deirdre would take the time to go to her show. Was she checking out the competition? “That’s so nice of you to go see it.”
    “Oh, I love that stuff. I wish I took advantage of the culture in this city more often.”
    “Who’d you go with?” Maxine regretted the question the moment it came out, especially when she saw Deirdre’s confused look. But, she thought, isn’t that why I’m here, to ask the tough questions? For the first time, Maxine wondered what exactly she hoped to learn from Deirdre. Did she think there would be a confession?
    “I went with a friend,” answered Deirdre.
    “I know how hard it is to make friends in a new city,” said Maxine.Without waiting for an invitation, she pulled out the empty chair across from Deirdre and sat down. “I’m glad you’re meeting people.”
    “People here are very friendly.”
    “Yes, they are. Especially when you’re as beautiful as you!”
    Deirdre smiled shyly.
    “I’m sure you hear that all the time,” said Maxine.
    “No, not really,” said Deirdre.
    “I know, you’re right,” said Maxine, who was never shy about highlighting people’s attributes. “Maybe it’s because I’m an artist. I appreciate beauty. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with pointing it out.”
    “Well, that’s nice of you to say,” said Deirdre. “But it still makes me uncomfortable.”
    “That’s better than being vain,” said Maxine. “I’m always telling my girls how beautiful they are, but sometimes I worry it’ll go to their head.”
    “I don’t think so,” said Deirdre. “Girls are so critical of themselves, I think it’s great that you tell them they’re beautiful. As a kid, I was always so hard on myself. And my parents weren’t very … complimentary.”
    “Really?”
    “They were kind of cold. They expected a lot of me but never gave me much encouragement.”
    “That’s too bad,” said Maxine. She felt sorry for Deirdre. Then she wondered if Deirdre was now looking for approval from an older man—a father figure.
    “It’s okay. I managed all right.”
    “You certainly did.”
    “But I admire the way you and Jake are with your kids,” said Deirdre. “They’re so well behaved and so happy. They clearly come from a loving home.”
    Then why do you want to break it up? thought Maxine. Fromone minute to