Chapter 32

"Hi Jeanne," Bud said, having finally gotten up his nerve to make the call. He had drunk two beers in quick succession and practiced what he wanted to say. Then he dialed the phone and took a deep breath.

"Hey, hi yourself," Jeanne said, "believe it or not, I was just about to call you."

"Really, how come?"

"No, it's your dime, you go first," she said, sitting down on the kitchen stool and taking off her earring. She sounded, Bud decided, unusually happy.

"I need a favor, a real big favor," he said and took another deep breath, about to plunge in.

"Uh huh," she replied, sounding dubious. "How big?"

"I want you to give me a divorce, a nice, quiet, no-fuss, no contest, inexpensive and friendly divorce."

He waited.

"Did you hear me?"

"Uh huh," she said, exhaling. "I heard you."

More silence.

"Sunday," she said, "I was home, having supper with my folks you know."

Bud swallowed and put the phone to his other ear, confused and impatient.

"So anyhow," she went on, "I talked to Daddy and I asked him if it would be okay if I divorced you."

"What!" Bud said loudly.

"Now don't get excited. I've met somebody, at work, a nice guy, a CPA."

"You met somebody."

"And, well, we got to talking, and I told him we had been separated for a while."

"Yeah," said Bud, "like five years, getting on six."

"So he said, why didn't we get divorced so we both could, you know, get on with our lives."

"Right, right, I agree," Bud said, finding this development hard to believe. "But how did your father... ?"

"He blew his stack, ranted and raved and called me names. Momma had to give him a pill and make me go home."

"Geeze, that's too bad," Bud said.

"You've found somebody?" Jeanne asked, "a woman I mean?"

"I'm not sure, maybe. I've been talking to this widow: I teach her son. She's older, you know, older than we are."

"OK, that's good," Jeanne said. "I'm glad, but what can we do?"

"Well, if I divorce you, I mean if you'll let me divorce you, I guess there's nothing your father can do about it."

"Except raise the roof you mean."

"Of course. I know he'll do that, but if you agree, I mean we aren't kids any more."

Jeanne sighed. "Mother called me Monday. She said something about an annulment; said she would look into it."

"Annulment? Explain," Bud said.

"Oh, you know. I'm a Catholic so even if we get divorced, I still couldn't remarry."

"Oh yeah," Bud said, nodding and thinking about another beer. "Right."

"So if the marriage is annulled, then I'm legal. I can marry 'cause I was never married."

"How are the kids?" Bud asked after a long silence.

"Fine, fine, just runny noses. Jimmy likes going to school."

"So, maybe I'll talk to my friend, he's a lawyer, and then I'll get back to you."

"All right," Jeanne said quietly. "And I'll talk to my mother."

"I'm sorry," Bud said.

"Me too," said his wife.