Love Will Find a Way (3 page)

He lay down on the other bed, crossed his legs and put his hands behind his head. “I was trying to comfort you. You seemed so distraught."

"Obviously, for you it was no earthshaking event.” Never before had she felt so used. “You really are a bastard."

"If it makes you feel better to call me names, go ahead. God knows you have every right.” He reached to turn off the lamp. “Get some rest."

Emily had thought she wouldn't sleep, but she did. When she opened her eyes the next morning the sun was streaming through the window. Robert was fully clothed was sitting on the end of his bed. “I sent for breakfast and packed your bag."

Emily sat up and ran her hands through her hair as the events of the night before came rushing into her mind. “I'll be ready in fifteen minutes."

"There are a few details that have to be ironed out.” Robert said. “We should do that here instead of waiting until we get home."

She looked up in startled surprise. “You have everything mapped out. Say what you have to say."

"There are some practical matters that must be attended to.” A knock on the door brought him to his feet. “That will be breakfast."

While Robert was dealing with breakfast, Emily escaped to the bathroom and dressed. When she came out of the bathroom, Robert was pouring coffee into cups. “I ordered bacon and eggs. I hope that's all right."

"I'm not hungry,” Emily said with a belligerent lift of her chin.

"Emily, damn it!” Robert slammed the coffeepot down on the serving cart. “Don't do this."

She was telling the truth. She didn't think she could force food down her throat. Taking the coffee he offered, she was careful not to let her fingers touch his hand. “This will be fine."

He stopped pressuring her. Sitting down, he took his time eating, cutting the bacon into small pieces and pushing the eggs around on his plate.

Emily perched on the end of the bed, drinking her coffee and looking pensive.

After a while, Robert pushed his plate back and sighed. “Do you want to get the divorce, or shall I?"

"If you want your freedom, you'll have to divorce me."

"I thought as much.” He took a quick sip of coffee. “I'll get the divorce. I'll file the first of the week."

Emily stared into her coffee cup. “Then it's settled."

"Not quite. I want you to have the house, the Buick and half of our savings.” Robert was having trouble keeping his voice steady. “You will be comfortably well off..."

Emily slammed her cup down on the table beside the bed. “Shut up!” Vaulting to her feet, she grabbed her handbag. “We can settle our differences in a court of law.” She ran from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Slowly and with deliberate movements, Robert picked up the suitcase and followed her outside.

The ride home seemed endless. Robert began by trying to make small talk. When Emily refused to respond, he asked, “Do you want to listen to music?"

"Does it matter to you what I want?” She was dangerously near tears and the last thing she wanted to do was cry.

"It matters to me, you matter to me.” His grip on the steering wheel tightened. “I care for you, very much."

Driven by sheer desperation, Emily pleaded, “Don't throw our marriage away. We may have lost some of the magic somewhere along the way, but we can find it again."

"Please don't cry. This is not worth your tears."

She turned toward him, tears spilling from her eyes. “I happen to think the death of my marriage merits mourning.” She fought to control the blistering anger that seared through her incredible pain. “Are you sure this is what you want?"

His answer rang loud and clear. “I'm positive."

She did have some pride. When she could control her voice, she said. “I'll pack your things. You can pick them up the first of the week."

On the end of a distressed sigh, he breathed, “Thank you."

Chapter 2

Emily kept her word. Saturday evening after Larry had gone out with friends she packed Robert's personal belongings in boxes and stacked them in the garage. Then she called Kevin and invited him to Sunday dinner. She had to tell her sons about the divorce. What had she done, she wondered, that had driven Robert into another woman's arms? She admitted, not denying the pain it brought that she had taken him for granted. He had always been a part of her life. She had assumed that he always would be.

The thought of Robert with another woman was more than she could bear. Even now was he holding Susan, whispering to her, making love to her? Excruciating pain made her open her eyes and cry out. “No!” Numb with shock and grief, she sat down on the end of the couch and stared into space.

Boo's barking brought Emily to her feet just as Debra came through the front door. “Emily? I thought you were away."

Emily sat back down. “Well obviously, I'm not."

"I rang the bell and got no answer. I heard Boo barking. The door was unlocked, so I came in.” Debra came across the room and stared down at her sister-in-law. “Are you ill?"

"I ... no.” Emily asked again, “What are you doing here?"

"I was passing and I saw your light. I knew you and Robert were out of town for the weekend. I thought Larry had gone off and left the lights on...” Debra's words faded as she beheld the grim expression on her sister-in-law's face. “You look terrible."

Emily nodded toward a chair. “Sit down, Debra."

"I only have a few minutes. Mike and I are babysitting the grandchildren tonight.” Debra perched on the edge of a low footstool and looked around. “Where's Robert?"

Emily swallowed over the lump in her throat. “He's gone.” The finality of those words rang in her ears like a death knell.

Debra frowned. “I thought the two of you went to Wimberly for the weekend."

"We did. We came back this morning.” Had it been only this morning that Robert had deposited her on the doorstep and driven away without bothering to look back? It seemed that at least a decade had passed since then.

"Did Robert have to come back because of business?"

Shame and humiliation swamped Emily. She began to cry like a helpless child. “Robert wants a divorce."

Debra's mouth fell open. “My brother Robert wants a divorce? Why?"

Emily was crying so hard she couldn't answer.

Debra stepped across the small space between them, and sat beside Emily. “Robert loves you. He wouldn't leave you and the boys."

Between sobs, Emily explained. “He's in love with someone else."

Debra's eyes rounded in disbelief. “Robert could never love anyone else. He's hopelessly devoted to you. He always has been.” Her teeth worried her bottom lip. “There has to be some mistake."

There was a mistake and Emily had made it. She had believed that her husband's love would last forever, and it hadn't. “Robert is suing me for a divorce. Does that sound like hopeless devotion?"

"It sounds like he's suffering from the middle-age crazies.” Debra reached into her sweater pocket and offered Emily a slightly crumpled tissue. “Dry your eyes and tell me what happened."

Slowly, Emily gained some composure. “It's not just an infatuation. He says he's in love with her."

"A younger woman no doubt.” Debra's full mouth pulled into a thin line.

"I don't know.” Emily daubed at her eyes. “I never thought to ask."

"This will kill Mamma and Daddy."

"What do you think it's doing to me?” Emily lifted tear-drenched eyes.

"Oh, honey, I didn't intend to sound unfeeling.” Debra's hands rose and fell in a hopeless gesture. “Do Kevin and Larry know?"

"Not yet; I'll tell them tomorrow.” Emily sniffed and blew her nose. “You're the first to know."

"You can't stay here tonight. Come home with me.” Debra stood and grasped Emily's hand, pulling her to a standing position.

"No. I can't leave.” Emily pulled her hand away. “Larry will be home soon."

"Larry won't be home until the wee hours of the morning."

Emily's bones hummed with fatigue. “I'm too tired to go anywhere. Besides I have Boo here with me."

"Boo is a dog,” Debra argued. “You need to be with your family. I'm going to have a long talk with my brother,” Debra promised on the end of a heavy sigh.

"No.” Emily caught her arm. “You mustn't."

"Somebody has to bring him to his senses."

"I've thought about this most of the day.” Emily sat back down. “This hasn't been an easy decision for Robert."

A puzzled frown pleated Debra's brow. “How can you defend a man who's cheating on you?"

"I'm not defending him. I am trying to be honest with myself. Emily wiped at a wayward tear. “I don't want him back if he doesn't want to be here."

"If you won't go home with me,” Debra declared, “I'll stay here with you."

In spite of herself, Emily smiled. “And leave Mike to manage three toddlers alone?"

"That's probably grounds for divorce.” Debra grimaced. “I'm sorry, Emily. I'm being thoughtless again."

Impatience gave Emily's voice an edge. “Go home, Debra. Your husband is waiting for you."

"I can't leave you here like this."

Emily surprised herself by doing something she almost never did—she became testy and rude. “Will you, for God's sake, go home? I don't want you here."

Debra's breasts rose and fell as she heaved an indignant sigh. “I was only trying to be helpful.” As she turned to walk away, she called over her shoulder, “I'll be in touch."

Emily watched the ten o'clock news and an old Humphrey Bogart movie before she went to bed, but she couldn't sleep. Where, she wondered, for the thousandth time, had she failed her husband? That persistent question crowded every other thought from her mind and made even rest impossible. Finally she put on a battered old robe, went downstairs and curled up on the couch with Boo. Switching on the TV, she tried to lose herself in yet another old movie. After awhile, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, listening to, but not hearing the sounds of sophisticated cinema voices.

That was where Larry found her at two-thirty in the morning. When she opened her eyes, he was gently shaking her shoulder. “Mom, wake up. You went to sleep watching TV."

Emily stirred. “Larry?"

"You should be in bed.” He shook his long red hair back from his face.

"Would you like something to eat?” Emily yawned.

"No. What I need now is rest.” He raced up the stairs taking two steps at a time. “See you tomorrow."

"Don't forget,” Emily called after him, “Kevin is coming for dinner tomorrow night. I want you here, too."

It was a dinner Emily didn't look forward to and it rolled around all too soon.

Kevin was late, arriving a little after seven. As the doorbell sounded, Emily untied her apron and hung it on a hook. “That's your brother,” she told Larry. “Let him in."

Emily had made chicken fried steak and apple pie, Kevin's favorites. He came into the dining room and looked around before dropping a kiss on his mother's cheek. “Where's Dad?"

"He's not here.” Emily pulled out a chair. “Sit down, both of you."

"I can see the old man's not here.” Kevin sat at the table and turned to Larry. “Do you know where he is?"

Larry shrugged. “He hasn't been home all weekend."

"You shouldn't call your father the old man.” Emily laid her napkin across her lap. “Thank you for coming, Kevin."

"I should have been here before now.” He took a sip of water. “Are we waiting for Dad?"

"No. He won't be here. Eat before everything gets cold."

Larry forked a steak into his plate and covered it with cream gravy. “So, Kevin, how's the new job going?"

Kevin set his glass down. “Okay.” And then cleared his throat. “Why do I get the distinct feeling that something is wrong here?"

Emily looked into the expectant faces of her two sons and swallowed the tears that rose in her throat. “I have something to tell you. I don't know where to begin. It's not—"

Kevin's question cut across Emily's faltering explanation. “So you found out? I was afraid this would happen."

"Found out what?” Larry was looking more puzzled by the minute. “What were you afraid would happen?"

Emily chided, “Don't talk with food in your mouth."

"Who told you, Mom?” Kevin's jaw tightened.

"Told her what?” Larry swallowed, “Sorry, Mom."

Kevin's reply fell like a bomb into the quiet atmosphere. “The old man is screwing around with some young chick."

Larry jumped to his feet. “That's a damn lie.” His chair tumbled over behind him. “You take that back!"

Kevin lifted one hand. “Sorry, little brother, but it's the God's truth."

Emily had anticipated some difficulty in breaking this news, but nothing like this. “Sit down, Larry.” She had no idea Kevin knew about Robert and Susan. “Please, darling, sit down. It's not as bad as it seems."

Larry retrieved his chair and sat down.

After a moment of tense silence, Emily asked Kevin, “How did you know?"

"I saw them together about two months ago.” Kevin's eyes clouded with pain. “They were in a restaurant. After that I made a few discreet inquiries. It's no big secret. A lot of people know."

Emily said, “Your father wants a divorce."

Kevin struck the table with his fist. “The bastard."

Emily's voice was very level and very firm. “That's enough. You may not approve of what your father is doing, but he's still your father."

"Tell him you forgive him, Mom,” Larry begged. “Let him come back home to us. This is where he belongs."

"It's not my choice to make.” Her young son's suffering added to Emily's pain. “Dad doesn't want to come home."

Kevin's hand tightened around his water glass. “Then learn to play a little hard ball, Mom. Find a good lawyer and take him to the cleaners."

Why hadn't she seen this coming? Blinded by her own grief, Emily had failed to realize what a devastating effect Robert's affair would have on her sons. “Dad and I have already settled on terms of the divorce. He's being very generous."

"Don't let him get away with this, Mom.” Kevin shoved his plate back. “Don't let him treat you this way! Make him pay!"

"Please,” Emily begged, “settle down, both of you. I know this is hard for all of us, but let me tell you how I feel. Is that too much to ask?"