bit-especially about Errall and her sudden turn from dedicated single girl to wanton-sleep-around (actually we used more colourful words than that), and her recent mysterious, late-night visitor. The wine was a lovely, dark garnet rather than purple- which meant it was a mature bottle-and tasted of licorice, tobacco, and fig.
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“We missed you at Sereena’s party over the weekend,” I ventured. “Alex was in town.”
“I’m sorry,” Jared answered with a sincere look. “I heard Alex was here, and I would have loved to see him, but, well, you know, domestic disturbance takes priority over fundraising dinner parties.”
A little bit of me froze over at the words “domestic disturbance.” Jared was telling me something, in no uncertain terms. There was trouble between him and Anthony. Over the months since Jared was attacked, I had sensed something was different between them, but I shrugged it off. Of course things would be different. Jared’s life had drastically changed and, as his spouse, Anthony’s had to. But had something more serious transpired between the two men while I wasn’t looking? I hadn’t seen much of them-certainly much less than usual-as they were so often out of town, consulting specialists and undergoing surgeries and treatments, medical and other, and I had been busy focussing on renewing my relationship with Sereena.
At the same time, I had also had my own, not inconsiderable, internal demons to battle. I had come close to being raped by the same maniac who’d disfigured Jared’s face. Thankfully, with a view to the grand scale of things and a healthy dose of the optimism that has always run amok in my blood, I was making good progress in putting that dreadful episode behind me. As horrible and debasing as it had been, there were people around me who had it worse. I was with one of them right now.
“Are you okay?” I asked Jared.
“Anthony doesn’t know I’m here.”
That was odd, and an odd thing to say. I could feel my stomach tighten.
“I want to ask for your help, Russell.”
I placed my wineglass on the coffee table in front of us and turned in my spot next to Jared on the couch. Along with my full and undivided attention, I gave him my unequivocal answer. “Anything.” I would do anything for a friend.
Or so I thought.
“I want you to help me leave Anthony.”
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Chapter 6
I’m sure there were words appropriate to the situation that I could have uttered about then, but I was finding it difficult to form letters with my bottom lip so near my chest.
Sensing the sudden tension in the room, Barbra rose from her spot near (but not too near) the roaring fireplace and snuffled her cool, wet nose under my arm. She let out a soft whine that was her way of saying, “I’m feeling a little uncomfortable with things and need some reassurance.” I looked down into her dark eyes and gave her sweet head a pat. This seemed to suffice and she returned to her place after giving her less sensitive brother, Brutus, a quick shank sniff.
Jared was wearing a charcoal grey turtleneck, which he now pulled over his head, revealing a similarly coloured T and leaving his golden locks boyishly disheveled. “Getting warm in here,” he commented, folding the sweater carefully-no doubt an Anthony thing-and setting it across the back of the sofa.
“Can you repeat that?” I finally got out.
He complied with little telltale emotion. “I want you to help me leave Anthony.”
“B-b-but where are you going? What are you talking about?” I had the black sense that I already knew where this was going.
Jared raised his hands and placed one on each side of his jaw as if setting his face forward for display.
“Take a good look, Russell. This is it. It’s over. There is nothing else that can be done. What you see is what you get. I will always look like this and , before you start, I don’t want to hear any of the polite stuff you
47 of 170
3/15/2011 11:02 PM
“We missed you at Sereena’s party over the weekend,” I ventured. “Alex was in town.”
“I’m sorry,” Jared answered with a sincere look. “I heard Alex was here, and I would have loved to see him, but, well, you know, domestic disturbance takes priority over fundraising dinner parties.”
A little bit of me froze over at the words “domestic disturbance.” Jared was telling me something, in no uncertain terms. There was trouble between him and Anthony. Over the months since Jared was attacked, I had sensed something was different between them, but I shrugged it off. Of course things would be different. Jared’s life had drastically changed and, as his spouse, Anthony’s had to. But had something more serious transpired between the two men while I wasn’t looking? I hadn’t seen much of them-certainly much less than usual-as they were so often out of town, consulting specialists and undergoing surgeries and treatments, medical and other, and I had been busy focussing on renewing my relationship with Sereena.
At the same time, I had also had my own, not inconsiderable, internal demons to battle. I had come close to being raped by the same maniac who’d disfigured Jared’s face. Thankfully, with a view to the grand scale of things and a healthy dose of the optimism that has always run amok in my blood, I was making good progress in putting that dreadful episode behind me. As horrible and debasing as it had been, there were people around me who had it worse. I was with one of them right now.
“Are you okay?” I asked Jared.
“Anthony doesn’t know I’m here.”
That was odd, and an odd thing to say. I could feel my stomach tighten.
“I want to ask for your help, Russell.”
I placed my wineglass on the coffee table in front of us and turned in my spot next to Jared on the couch. Along with my full and undivided attention, I gave him my unequivocal answer. “Anything.” I would do anything for a friend.
Or so I thought.
“I want you to help me leave Anthony.”
48 of 170
3/15/2011 11:02 PM
Chapter 6
I’m sure there were words appropriate to the situation that I could have uttered about then, but I was finding it difficult to form letters with my bottom lip so near my chest.
Sensing the sudden tension in the room, Barbra rose from her spot near (but not too near) the roaring fireplace and snuffled her cool, wet nose under my arm. She let out a soft whine that was her way of saying, “I’m feeling a little uncomfortable with things and need some reassurance.” I looked down into her dark eyes and gave her sweet head a pat. This seemed to suffice and she returned to her place after giving her less sensitive brother, Brutus, a quick shank sniff.
Jared was wearing a charcoal grey turtleneck, which he now pulled over his head, revealing a similarly coloured T and leaving his golden locks boyishly disheveled. “Getting warm in here,” he commented, folding the sweater carefully-no doubt an Anthony thing-and setting it across the back of the sofa.
“Can you repeat that?” I finally got out.
He complied with little telltale emotion. “I want you to help me leave Anthony.”
“B-b-but where are you going? What are you talking about?” I had the black sense that I already knew where this was going.
Jared raised his hands and placed one on each side of his jaw as if setting his face forward for display.
“Take a good look, Russell. This is it. It’s over. There is nothing else that can be done. What you see is what you get. I will always look like this and , before you start, I don’t want to hear any of the polite stuff you
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