“Nothing. I’m just lucky to have you.”
At the time, his words warmed me.
Later, I would remember the strange expression on his face—not gratitude exactly, but something closer to guilt.
Soon afterward, the private phone calls began.
Michael would step into the garage whenever his phone rang. Sometimes he disappeared into the bathroom and turned on the faucet while he talked. Once, I carried two cups of coffee onto the porch and found him sitting in his car with the doors locked and the windows closed.
He ended the call the moment he noticed me.
“Who was that?” I asked when he came inside.
“Work.”
“You’ve been getting a lot of work calls lately.”
“It’s a difficult quarter,” he replied, kissing my forehead. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
I wanted to trust him, so I did.
Or perhaps I simply wanted to avoid the questions that might disturb the safe little world I thought we had built.
For illustrative purposes only
“Mom Needs Absolute Peace”
One evening, Michael returned from the hospital later than expected.
As he passed me in the kitchen, I noticed a sharp floral scent clinging to the collar of his shirt.
It was not my perfume.
For a moment, suspicion rose inside me.
Then I immediately smothered it.
Hospitals were crowded. He could have stood near someone in an elevator. A nurse might have brushed against him while helping with Patricia. There were dozens of harmless explanations.
“How is your mom?” I asked while setting dinner on the table.
“She’s exhausted,” he answered. “The doctors say she needs absolute peace.”
“I’ll go with you tomorrow. I haven’t seen her in several days.”
Michael stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth.
The pause was brief, but I noticed it.
“Actually,” he said carefully, “I think it would be better if I visited alone for a while.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“The doctors don’t want too many people coming and going. Mom becomes stressed easily, and the drive is long. There’s no reason for both of us to lose an entire day.”
“I’m not just another visitor, Michael.”
“I know.”
He reached across the table and covered my hand with his.
“But you’re exhausted. Let me take care of this. Please trust me.”
His voice was gentle. His eyes held mine.
So I nodded.
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