Page 44 of Little Empty Promises

Terrific.

The subject of oversharing was a conversation I’d had with my mother on many occasions, asking her to respect the fact that I liked to keep my private life private.Privacy was a gray area for her, an area she tried to respect, but oftentimes, she ended up blurring the lines.

I was feeling bothered by the fact a woman I knew almost nothing about seemed to know a lot more about me, details I wouldn’t want her to know about.Then again, it was clear she was a Chatty Cathy, which gave me an advantage.

“It’s too bad you and your husband can’t make your relationship work,” I said.“Where did things go wrong?”

She gave the question some thought.“It’s difficult to pinpoint.A lot of little things started adding up until they became much bigger things.We’re so different.I like to get out of the house and meet new people.I like getting involved in the community.He likes being at home, where it’s quiet, so he can snuggle up on the couch with our two cats.”

“I may not know you, but from what you’ve told me so far, it seems like you have a healthy attitude about getting divorced.”

“It’s been a long time coming, and it is sad.We have a great time together.When I’m at home, and we’re just hanging out, we enjoy each other’s company.It’s just not a lifestyle I want to live day after day.I want someone who will go do things with me.I’m tired of going it alone.”

“Does your husband know how you feel?”

She nodded.“He’s known for a while.It’s just … I feel stifled.I stay home too much because I know it’s what he wants and needs.I wish he’d agreed to go out with me from time to time, but I feel like he wouldn’t be happy if he did.”

“It sounds like you still feel a great deal of love for him.”

“I do.”

“Are you sure a compromise can’t be reached between the two of you?”

A Siamese cat attempted to slink between her legs and escape out the front door.She bent down and picked it up.“And just where do you think you’re going, Major Whiskerton?Nowhere, that’s where.”

Major Whiskerton?

The name was a bit strange, but I gave her points for creativity.

“I need to put Mr.Whiskerton here in the bedroom,” she said.“You want to come in for a minute?”

“I do.”

She turned and pointed to the left.“Kitchen’s that way.I’ll meet you there in a few shakes.”

I walked to the kitchen.While I waited, I looked around, noticing most of the windows in my vantage point were open, making the house a lot cooler than I would have liked.Maybe it was what she preferred, a crisp chill in her household air.

The home was spotless.Not a single item in my line of sight was out of place.As far as decorations went, other than plants, there wasn’t much to see.And the house had a pleasant aroma of vanilla, which I attributed to a candle I saw burning in the living room.

I stepped into the room for a moment, peering out the window at Cordelia’s house.I’d left Cordelia’s blinds open and the lights on, but I couldn’t see much.Given Cordelia’s house was at a higher elevation than both her neighbors’ homes, it made sense that she could see things they could not.

“Georgiana?Where have you gone?”

“Sorry, I was in the living room, admiring your plants,” I said.

I turned, joining her in the kitchen.

“I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself before,” she said.“I’m Kayla Collins, and my husband’s name is Seth.As to the question you asked before my naughty cat tried to make a run for it, the crazy thing is, I think my husband and I will be a lot happier as friends than we ever were as marriage partners.”

It was the most responsible, healthy attitude I’d ever heard from someone going through a divorce.I suspected many, many people remained in relationships when they knew they weren’t right for each other for a myriad of reasons, Many people stayed, even when the marriage and the partnership between them was over.

“What does your husband do for work?”I asked.

“He’s a yoga instructor.”

“Teaching yoga is a job that would require him to work around people, so he must like at least a little bit of social interaction.”

“He’s been doing yoga since high school.It calms his nerves.It’s the one thing he realized he could do out in public that doesn’t give him social anxiety, so he got certified, and now he teaches.He loves it.The place he works at is lowkey and has a chill vibe.It’s the perfect place for him.”

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