Page 42 of Little Empty Promises

“I don’t know how you do it,” I said.

“Don’t know how I do what?”

“Handle his crazy schedule.I don’t think I could do it.”

“I’ve gotten used to it.”

“How long have the two of you been married?”

“It will be two years in December.”

“Not long then.I imagine you two must still be in the honeymoon phase.”

“I suppose it still feels that way at times.”

“Are you from around here?”I asked.

She shook her head.“I’d never been to Cambria before we bought this house.”

“What caused you two to settle here?”

“My husband used to come here a lot with his family when he was a child, back when his grandmother was still alive.She lived here all her life.He has fond memories of those times, and he always wanted to have a home here one day.So here we are.”

“I hope he considered where you wanted to be before a decision was made.Are you happy living in Cambria?”

She narrowed her eyes like she didn’t understand why I cared about her happiness.It gave me the impression she wasn’t used to others taking her feelings into account.

“I’m happy enough,” she said.

“It’s good of you to care about your husband’s hopes and dreams.You just don’t seem enthusiastic about being here.Am I right?”

Rosalyn set Boomer on the floor, and he scampered off to the kitchen, making a beeline for his water bowl.“I haven’t lived here long enough to know what I think about it yet.For a small town, Cambria is all right.Maybe it’s not the place I thought we’d end up, but there is a quaint sense of community here.People are nice.It’s the reason I decided it was worth giving it a try.”

“Did you know Eddy wanted to move here before you married?”

“I guess not, no.”

“Seems like that would be something he’d want to discuss.Why do you think he never mentioned it, given his family memories here and all?”

“He was working for another company at the time, and he wouldn’t have been able to relocate, so there was no point talking about it.He quit that job and found a new one, and his boss said he’d be fine with us living here if my husband didn’t mind traveling for work.”

“How far is the commute?”I asked.

“To San Luis Obispo and some of the surrounding areas.”

“What does your husband do for a job?”

“He’s an environmental scientist.”

“I have no idea what one does in that position.”

“He collects samples from different areas, things like soil, water, and food, and then they’re analyzed.”

“Who is his employer?”

“Eco Earth.”

She turned, looking out the window.

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