Chapter 19: Crossing Lines

I went to the bar for another drink and planned to join my wife. While I was waiting for the bartender to finish my drink, Simon approached me, and we started talking about the Florida timeline, with him asking my opinion on things related to my department. As we talked, I kept looking over at Sarah. I watched Sarah talk, one hand moving in the air as she was making a point to the other ladies. Her other hand was in Roxie’s lap. Roxie was holding it, thumb moving slowly across the back of Sarah’s knuckles. Simon clapped me on the shoulder and said he needed to find his wife. I started toward Sarah when I felt Cindy’s arm looped through mine before I made it more than a few steps.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked. She steered me a short distance away from the main groups, near the side of the house where the music was quieter. “Will has been gone so much these last two months: training, meetings, all of it. I have been alone with our son most nights. Now he leaves tomorrow, and I will be here by myself until I can join him. I do not know who else I can actually talk to. Everyone else just tells me how exciting it is.” Her hands moved on my biceps, then lower, resting on my waist. Her fingers flexed. “You listen. You do not just smile and change the subject.”

I tried to reassure her that the months would go fast. I told her she should spend more time with Sarah and some of the other wives. She just shook her head.

“Sometimes I need to talk to a man. Not another woman who is going to tell me to take a yoga class.”

Her fingers stroked up my arm and then across my chest. That is when I saw Roxie and Sarah heading toward the sliding doors into the house. Sarah was laughing, unsteady on her feet, and stumbled on the tiled path. She was clearly drunk. Both of them had their arms around each other’s waists. I told Cindy I needed the bathroom and walked away before she could stop me.