Chapter 4

Tomorrow went on to become a string of new days. Brenda moved into her new apartment on the Saturday following her discovery of her husband’s infidelity. Her daughter and her son-in-law and I helped with the moving. What didn’t conveniently fit into the little one-bedroom apartment went into storage. Son-in-law and I struggled with the King-sized mattress for her bed.

“Mom, I can’t believe you took the BED,” Ellie said.

“Damned straight I did, baby,” Brenda replied. “I’m not leaving it for him and his slut to use.”

Brenda and I had NEVER used her bed. I’d never been to her house. She’d been to mine once, though, before finding out about her husband’s infidelity. Brenda and I had certainly made the very best use of MY bed. Just once. Neither of us wanted to risk discovery.

I caught her glance in my direction.

“It’s a big empty bed, but it’s MY big empty bed,” she said.

Ellie looked at me, then back at her mom. “Mom, you have friends. You have us. Don’t stay cooped up here by yourself. Get out. Have friends over. Have a life.”

Son-in-law and I finished hauling in another load of boxes while Brenda and Ellie were putting things away.

“Ellie’s really kinda fried over this, Mister Steve.”

“Please don’t call me ‘Mister’, Alex,” I said. “I can only imagine...”

“Yeah, we KNEW about her dad for quite a while, but the reality of them splitting ... She’s so worried that her mom’s gonna be alone. You know ... She thinks her mom’s past her prime and it’s a tough market.”

I guess I laughed a little. “You ‘n’ Ellie, you’re young. Ellie’s a cutie, but her mom, well, some things do get better with age. Brenda’s mature and that’s not a bad thing at all.”

“I thought guys your age were all about young chicks...”

This time I did laugh. “Like renting a go-kart at the amusement park. Might be good for a few laps around the track, but for the long trip, you want something else.”

He grinned. “Oooo-kayyyyy then ... Ellie ... Her mom says you’re a good friend. She used you for a safe place this week.”

“I’m her friend, Alex. I would never take advantage of the situation.”

“It’s a bad situation,” he said. “And you know how it is when the nights are long and dark and lonely.”

“What are you, a poet?”

He laughed again. “I had fun with poetry in college. Ellie thinks I’m artistic and sensitive. I think Ellie’s a delectable cupcake. Life’s good that way. And her mom? Steve, she’s a good mom to her daughter and her son. She’s a good grandma.”

“I know all that from looking at her office at work. Pictures of you and Ellie and your munchkin and Gray and his wife and their baby.”

“Yeah, I’d imagine that’s how it would look. Anyway, she’s going to be lonely and she’s gonna need a friend and she tells Ellie that you’re her friend from work. Keep being her friend, Steve.”

“She’s been my friend for a long time. I don’t intend to stop that, but with her divorcing, it’s gonna look strange.”

Alex looked over his shoulder, then back at me. “Fuck how it looks, Steve. Ellie’s fried. She sees her mom as the victim here. Been carrying this crap around, keeping it to herself.”

“Her brother doesn’t know?”

“Yeah, he knows, but it’s like, since Ellie found out first, she OWNS it.”

“It’s not Ellie’s fault. Look, I know the story. I know that her dad told her that it’s because Brenda got old and plumped out a bit. I think that’s bullshit.”

I watched his face.

He continued, “That’s a college turd reaction. You LOVE a woman for what’s inside, what you’ve been through together ... Ellie and I ... Brenda’s a good mom. She deserves better.”

“I think so.”

“So be her friend. Whatever.”

I shrugged. “I don’t want Ellie to think...”

“Ellie already knows that you’re a special friend to her mom. You ‘n’ Brenda have been very discreet. Brenda kind of told her ... I don’t know what all Brenda told her, but Ellie knew about her dad quite some time before her mom mentioned you for the first time.”

“What did her mom say about us?”

“That you were a nice, reliable friend, that occasionally you two met on out-of-town work and had dinner together. Past that? Ellie didn’t say.” He looked at me, raising an eyebrow slightly. “I figure Brenda’s gonna need friends. You’re it.”

I have a better idea of what ‘it’ might mean.

We headed back out, picked up another load and walked back in.

“That’s the last one,” he told Ellie.

Brenda stuck her head around the corner. “Steve, can you put this box up on a shelf for me?”

“Let me,” Alex said. He started to take a step toward the bedroom, but Ellie touched his arm and gave him a somewhat subtle ‘no’.

I turned the corner into the bedroom. Brenda had a box on the bed. “Can you put this on the shelf in that closet? I won’t need this stuff for a while.” She smiled. I grabbed the box. It wasn’t very big and the shelf wasn’t very high, but, oh, well ... I lifted it into place on the shelf, felt a familiar hand trace my butt. I had the presence of mind to NOT jump.

I turned around, found myself face to face with Brenda. She gave me a quick kiss. “Thank you.” She kept smiling. “For everything.”

We went back into the living room with Ellie and Alex. “Steve’s gonna take me to dinner, y’all. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the help,” Brenda said.

“We’re here for you, Mom,” Ellie said. “If you need anything at all, just call.”

I really think that Alex winked at me as they left.

I turned to Brenda. She caught the question on my face, smiled.

“Ellie knows?” I asked.

“I didn’t come out and tell her. I think she suspects. You know, at this stage of the game, I don’t care. I talked to the lawyer. I get out of that marriage with equity – half of everything. My savings, part of his, because he was the breadwinner while I was holding back from my career, raising kids, half the house. My car. I can start over, alone...” Her grey eyes connected with mine. “I don’t relish the idea of being alone, Steve. You came along and took care of the ‘alone’ I was feeling while I was inside a dead marriage. I don’t want to be alone.”

My mind was aswirl with thoughts. I wasn’t, really WASN’T, one of those guys who gets off by tapping some other dude’s wife. I knew that in my heart of hearts.