Cleaning out old papers I came upon this short story I wrote 28 years ago. I was writing about myself but didn’t realize it then. I had no idea that years later I’d be a relationship coach using my experiences to help other women avoid these pitfalls: don’t snoop, don’t assume and don’t avoid asking the hard questions.
When Bruce put his key into the door, he was surprised to find it unlocked. A warning shot through his body. He carefully pulled the key out and ever so slowly opened the door.
The lights were on and standing in the middle of the living room was Marie.
“What are doing?” he began, but stopped when he saw her face. An automatic feeling of guilt washed over him but he couldn’t imagine what he had done wrong.
“You’re married, you bastard! You lied to me!”
“Wait a minute…” This was the last thing he expected. It was impossible for her to know.
“How long before you were going to tell me?”
“Tell you what? There’s nothing to tell and what are you doing in my apartment?” Damn her. He felt cornered and didn’t like it.
“I said when were you going to tell me?”
“What are you doing here, Marie?”
“She called, I shouldn’t have picked up but I couldn’t help myself. She was in London and her voice was strange. She said to tell you it’s over, something like that, and that she’ll be seeing you.”
When she saw the look on his face she stopped. The silence became enormous.
Bruce slowly walked to the phone and dialed.
Marie was incredulous. How could he be so cruel? She felt like she no longer mattered, that she’d been dismissed. Who was this man?
“May I speak to Althea Baron please, room 32. Please hurry, it’s urgent. ” He listened to the voice on the other end.
Slowly he placed the phone back in its cradle and fell heavily onto the couch. He covered his face with his hands.
She’d never seen him cry.
“Bruce? What is it?”
“She’s gone. Does that make you happy, Marie? I’m no longer married.”
“What do you mean…what happened?”
“Go home. I can’t talk now.”
“I can’t just leave you like this. You have to tell me what’s going on. You owe me an explanation.”
“Do I?”
“Tell me, Goddamn it!”
“I’ll tell you but then you have to go. We were childhood sweethearts and got married young. We separated after seven years but stayed in touch. Five years ago she got Leukemia. She was getting special treatments in London but she’s been getting worse. I knew it would be over soon. I thought there was no reason to tell you.”
“No reason! What do you mean? I thought you and I…” She broke off, embarrassed by what she was going to say. She was uncertain now of anything with him.
“Althea, I’m so sorry, I wish I hadn’t stopped for that beer,”
Marie was unnerved by the intimacy in his voice. “I better go.”
“What were you doing here, Marie, and how did you get in?”
She started to perspire, her hands shaking. “I used the key above the door, the one you keep for emergencies. I needed one of the scripts for my monologue tomorrow.”
“Tell me the truth or I’ll never trust you again.”
“God Bruce, you’ve seemed so unhappy lately. I felt something was wrong. I know it sounds crazy but I was looking for some kind of clue, some way to know you better. I didn’t mean, it’s not like me…”
“You have to go.” Bruce moved to the door.
She brushed by him on her way out and ran down the cement steps.
The door slammed behind her. She turned when she heard Bruce’s fist pound into the wood. Again and again. The sound chased her until she found her car. Even then the relentless agony behind every blow came after her until she was miles away.
Release what’s been standing in the way of finding your special someone.
