Chapter 7

It had been two months. She’d never missed before. But she had now. She inserted the device and waited to see the color. “Shit!” she exclaimed. Her husband was at the Pasture with Lance and Milton, the old guy, who taught PE classes at the college and who hung with them. He’d be getting home late. It was Friday: she and her Grant had an off day, a once a month thing.

Twice a month the three musketeers met and drank too much beer. She did not begrudge him that, and he appreciated her forbearance enormously.

She made the call. The other man answered.

“Yes, we need to talk. I have the car. Your house in fifteen,” she said.

“Okay, good,” he said.

She sat across from him looking down.

“Okay, okay,” he said. “You’re sure.”

“Yes, I’m two months along, maybe three, but most likely two. He’s been too tired to do it but once or twice in the last couple of months and the timing is wrong in any event. No, there is no doubt, you’re gonna be a daddy,” she said. He nodded. “So when ... I mean when are you due?”

Probably April, Maybe March, but mostly likely April,” she said. He nodded. “And he grads in late May is what he told me.”

“So now?” he said.

“I don’t know. I guess I have to tell him. It’s gonna be getting pretty obvious soon enough. Like I’ve been saying the man ain’t no dummy,” she said.

“And us?” he said.

“You still want to marry me. I mean a pregnant nurse?” she said.

“You know I do,” he said. She nodded.

“Okay, I will be telling him that I will be filing this week, and I am going to tell him why. I cannot lie to the man. Yes, hiding all of this for so long is lying to him, at least on one level; and he is going to be real unhappy when I tell him. But this is different, somehow; somehow, it’s very different,” she said.

“I guess,” he said. “Would you be okay if I was with you when... ?”

“No, no, no, not on your life. That would not be good,” she said.

“You say you are going to tell him why. Does that include telling him you’re with child?” he said.

“Yes, like I said. He gets the truth, delayed though it is,” she said. “I am just hoping he doesn’t go off on me. I really do owe him so much.”

“Okay, you’re the boss,” he said. “But you say he is not the violent type. I’m being serious here. I’ve fixed a lot of faces of women who thought it couldn’t happen to them.”

“Hah! The last thing I have to worry about is Lee Wyatt hitting me. He might do a little understated yelling, and I won’t blame him if he does, but that would be it,” she said. “And really, I don’t think he’ll even do that. But shit, I will be breaking the man’s heart, and I should be horsewhipped for doing it.

“Grant, I don’t love the man, like we’ve talked about, but I do like him and I sure as hell ... well hell, I don’t know.”

“Penelope, we will do what we can for the guy. And for sure we won’t be rubbing his nose in anything we do, especially as regards our baby. Girl, people get divorced all of the time. It’s life. And if he’s the brainiac you say he is...”

“He is,” she said.

“Okay then; he’ll know that and deal with it. I think that while it might take some time, that you, we, will be able to mend some fences with the man. I mean especially since he is apparently smart enough to know the score,” he said.

“My gosh, I hope you’re right,” she said. “I really do.” Her future husband nodded.

It had already been a long day for me at ASU. Lance and I were having lunch together before heading back to the word wars.

“So how are you and my lovely ex doing,” said Lance.

“Funny,” I said. “But to answer your question, we are doing simply marvelous. I adore her, she tolerates me, and as far as I can tell she is doing super good on her job. Helps a lot of people, I mean the ones who don’t have much time left. Like I told yuh, she works for a hospice group that’s kinda part of the hospital’s outpatient thingy.”

“Well, good, I know she always wanted to be a nurse. Now all you have to do is get me through Law school, to be declared a national icon, hero, something,” said Lance, laughing.

“You don’t need that much help anymore. You’ve gotten used to the method now. You’ll be fine. What kind of a lawyer you’ll be is another question,” I said, and now I was laughing.

I had just gotten home from the university. She was already home and had a glass of wine in front of her. I was surprised. I took a seat at the table.

She was sitting across from me and not smiling. Which made no sense. Everything for us was going good.

“Lee, I came home early today because I had to do some stuff, and because I have something to tell you. It’s important,” she said.

“Okay?” I said.

“Lee, I need to ask you for a divorce,” she said, and she leaned back in the seat at the table we were sitting at and looked to be about to cry.

“Wha... ?” I said.

“Lee, I’ve met a man, and we’re in love, and we are pregnant him and me. I’ve already moved my stuff out. I will be asking for nothing in the divorce. Well, except for your understanding and forgiveness. I owe you mister, and in the future...” she stopped talking. She suddenly stood, tendered me a sympathetic glance, and walked out. I hadn’t even had a chance to react to what she’d said. Fuck!

I remained sitting for a long time. I didn’t move, not even to scratch my back, nothing. For some reason, or maybe no reason, I wasn’t surprised. She’d always been out of my league. That she’d decided to marry me to begin with had been a shock, and had always remained one. Yes, she owed me for my help in the past, but enough to marry a nerd like me?

And now she was pregnant with another man’s child. That meant of course that she’d been cheating on me, and that probably for a long while. Did I hate her? I don’t think I did. I think I pitied her. I was certain that she would never be happy, not really. A good wife and mother? Probably average, but good, unlikely; she was too self-centered. The bad news for me? I needed her. I needed a woman, and she’d been my woman of choice, But now... ? It was November 1st 1988.

“How did it go?” said Grant. She shrugged.

“He hardly said a word. I told him that I’s met a man and was pregnant with his child. I asked him to try and understand and to forgive me. Of course, now he knows I’ve been cheating on him; and he likely hates me. But as to that maybe not. I don’t think the man is capable of hating anyone,” she said, and she started to cry. He went to her and held her for a long time.

“Would it be useful for me to talk to him. Maybe offer him a free nose job?” he said smiling.

“Not funny, Doctor Grant, not funny. He’s hurting,” she said.

“Yes, I know. I guess I know,” he said. “But I could talk to the man. You know, try and make things not so bad.”

“No. we need to cut him out of our lives for the foreseeable future. Me, you, approaching him now or any time in the near future would be just rubbing his nose in it, his loneliness. No, if he comes to me and wants to talk or what all, we’ll do what we can, but only then. It has to be him that comes to us. Okay?” she said.