Page 35 of Robert

The question threw him and for a second he could not answer. “What kind of question is that?” He asked lightly.

“A logical one. Something is off. Robert, you rushed into marriage with this woman you barely know and now you are telling me that she is at one place and you’re in another. Is that what you want?”

No! He wanted to shout. I want her here with me, but she has chosen to be by herself, and I have no right to tell her otherwise.

Instead, he answered lightly. “It’s the way it must be for now. We are deciding where we want to live. Don’t worry about me. What’s up with you? Still at work?”

“I am on a small break. I am doing a twelve-hour shift today – yay me.” She laughed lightly. “Today was a bit rough. We lost two patients; one was a sixteen-year-old boy with leukemia. It doesn’t get any easier.”

“I would be surprised if it does.” He said gently. “How are you holding up?”

“Me? I am fine. The parents are devastated of course, and the mother keeps falling apart. It was awful to see. I went into the on-call room and shed a few tears myself. Anyway, I just wanted to hear your voice. Will I see you soon?”

“I might be going away for a couple days, but as soon as I am back, then yes.”

“Okay. My break is up, and I need coffee. I love you, Robert.”

“Love you too.” He ended the call and could not help but wish he was hearing it from another woman.

*****

She was tired. Combined with the fact that she had spent a restless night, her mother had insisted on hearing about the honeymoon and promptly issued an invitation to have dinner with her as soon as possible. We have various functions coming up and I would like to show off my new son-in-law.”

Sonya did not bother to remind her that Robert belonged to the same society, and everyone already knew him. She also did not mention the fact that her mother had been against the union in the first place.

She could not blame Robert for being so cynical. People were so fickle, and money could buy all sorts of friendship and loyalty. It made her sad, but who was she to judge, when not too long ago, she had been that person too? She thought wearily.

He had not called. Not last night nor this morning, but it was early time yet. She had decided to make an early day of it because she had some catching up to do. Her offices were in the business district and were a converted warehouse.

She liked the wide-open spaces and large parking lot. Another business occupied the space, an antique store that did very well and was owned and operated by a friend of hers.

She had met Carlette when she was looking around for office space and they had hit it off immediately. The slightly stocky brunette was five years her senior and was not pushy.

She had severed ties with her friends from high school and in college she had kept mostly to herself. Now, she discovered that she did not need anyone to make her feel whole. She was rather enjoying her own company.

If she wanted company, all she had to do was call on Carlette and several others from her circle, which had grown smaller over the years.

“Girl, get in here.”

She smiled as she keyed in her alarm and walked towards the woman framed inside the doorway of her store. She should have expected Carlette to get an early start as well.

“What have I ever done to you for you to treat me so shabby?” She demanded as soon as she gave Sonya a bone breaking hug. “You got married? And I was not invited?”

“Don’t be. It was a small ceremony, and we did not want to make a big deal.” She followed the woman into the shop, resigned to the reality that she was going to have to spend some time filling her in.

She had had the presence of mind to wear the ring, Robert had placed on her finger of course and the diamonds picked up the glint from the early morning sun streaming through the window.

“Grab a chair. I know you are dying to get upstairs to that office of yours, but I have coffee on and some pastries I made over the weekend. That end table you were eyeing came in last week.”

“It did?”

“I will have it wrapped and ready for you when you leave today.” Carlette bustled off to get the coffee and pastry, leaving her todo some browsing. She had bought several pieces already for her apartment but was always looking around for something else. She passed her hand over a folding table with a dull finish and an exquisite design.

“Now, oh, that came in over the weekend and I thought of you. Half off the original price for your wedding gift.”

“Oh, I couldn’t!” She protested, still running a hand over the table.

“You can and will. Sit.”

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