Lover's Road (14 page)

“Oh…” Andrew looked uncomfortable. “I don’t know about that. Golfing would be nice.”

“And since you’re loaded, girls will beg you to sleep with them. You could bag a twenty-five year old for a wife.” Ryan continued to entice him.

“Golfing sounds like a good idea,” I said quickly. “Let’s get the guys together. We can have a round of poker afterwards.”

“Nah
, that’s boring,” Ryan said. He hooked his arm around Andrew’s shoulders. “We’re going to show you a good time. Being single is awesome.”

Andrew was getting redder in the face. “After being married for twenty-five years, it’s hard to imagine being with anyone else.” The sadness in his voice killed me. He was always so jolly.

“You’ll be alright, Andrew,” I said gently. “Let’s go golfing this weekend. And then later, let’s play some laser tag and go-carts.”

A slight smile formed on his lips. “That sounds like fun.”

“Then the strip club,” Ryan pressed.

I gave him the eye. “If Janice is already pissed at you, do you think that’s a good idea…?”

“She knows I’m doing it for Andrew,” Ryan said with a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry about her.”

Andrew shifted his weight then adjusted his tie. “Thanks for the offer. I don’t have anyone else…”

Ryan and I shared a look, feeling sympathetic to the coolest guy in the world. He made my dad look lame.

I stood up and patted him on the back. “We’ll get you through this, man.”

Andrew adjusted his watch on his wrist and averted his gaze. “I appreciate it more than words can say.”

14

Scarlet

“What are your plans for the day?” Sean asked while he ate his fruit cup.

I sipped my coffee then browsed through the paper. “Just work and stuff.”

“What stuff?” he asked.

I hadn’t told Sean about my plans to see his mother. I knew he wouldn’t be thrilled about it. “Andrew and I usually have lunch.”

“He’s coming to work with me. He can’t sit still.”

I kept my eyes averted. “I need to go to the grocery store and pick up your dry cleaning. I’m stopping by your mother’s house and then I’ll probably make pot roast for dinner. You like pot roast, right?” I hoped he wouldn’t notice what I said. He didn’t listen to me most of the time anyway.

He stilled at my words. “Stopping by my mother’s? What do you mean?”

I heard the anger in his voice. “Your dad asked me to check on her.”

“Why?” he snapped.

“Because you wouldn’t,” I said with an attitude. “And neither would Mike.”

“Because she’s a fucking bitch, that’s why. Scarlet, I don’t want you going over there. She doesn’t deserve your compassion. When you were at your lowest point, she kicked you into the dirt. Forget her.”

“Sean—”

“No. I said no.” The anger burned in his eyes.

“It means a lot to your dad.”

“Who gives a shit?”

“I already told him I would do it.”

“That’s too damn bad.”

I expected him to disprove but I didn’t expect this amount of hostility. “Sean, I don’t care for your mom and neither do you, but it’s important to your dad. And I love him very much.”

“He’ll get over it.”

“Sean, be mature about this.”

“I’ll check on her,” he insisted. “This isn’t your problem.”

“I don’t mind, Sean. I know you’re busy.”

“Like I said, this isn’t your problem.”

We were going to argue about this all day. “I’m going whether you like it or not. Just get over it. Now finish your fruit and get your ass to work.”

He flinched at my words then smirked. “My baby is a hard-ass.”

“I have to be when you become stubborn.”

He sighed. “Fine. But I hope you know you really don’t need to do that.”

“I know, Sean. But your dad means a lot to me.”

He finished his coffee then adjusted his tie. “How’s he been around the house?”

“He’s usually in his room. When he comes d
own for meals, he’s pretty quiet. We played a few games of chess and took a walk on the beach. Other than that, he keeps to himself.”

“Man, I feel so bad for him.”

“I do too…”

“Well, my dad is
a stud. He’ll pull through this and find someone new.”

“I don’t think he wants someone new.”

“He will eventually.” He grabbed his bag then gave me a quick kiss. “I’ll see you when I get home.”

“Okay. Be good.”

He stilled. “Be good?”

“Sorry,” I said quickly. “It’s something Ryan and I used to say to each other when we were little. Sometimes habits die hard.”

He kissed me again. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He left the house and took off in his ridiculously expensive car. Olga took care of the dishes and the cleaning while I went to work in my office for a few hours. Andrew joined Sean at work so I had the house to myself. After putting off the errand as long as possible, I finally got in the overpriced car I didn’t even need and drove to my mother-in-law’s house.

I had no idea how she was doing. She might be a total wreck, sobbing hysterically every second of the day. She might be happy to take half of Andrew’s empire without any hassle. I really didn’t know.

When I arrived at the house, I stared at the outside. The fountain still squirted water in the air, and the plants were still lively with care. I took a deep breath then walked to the door.

A maid answered it like I expected.

“Hello, Mrs. Preston,” she said politely.

“It’s Scarlet,” I said quickly. “And hello.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Can I speak to…the other Mrs. Preston?” I hated sharing her name.

“Certainly. Please come in.”

I stepped into the entryway and stood awkwardly, expecting Diane to jump out of the shadows.

“Just one moment.” She disappeared down the hall.

I shifted my weight repeatedly then rubbed my arms, trying to find something to occupy myself while I waited.
I feared she would scream at me and tell me to get out, somehow blaming the divorce on me. It was unlikely, but with Diane, anything was possible.

Dianne finally made her entry. She wore a pink cardigan with white slacks. She looked exactly the same to me. However, there were bags under her eyes. She seemed thinner than before. And her natural spark was gone. “Scarlet?” she asked.

“Hello,” I said. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I would stop by…” Did I play that off well enough?

“Oh.” Her blue eyes were no longer identical to Sean’s. They were dim and dark, almost black.
She was calm and quiet, almost dead. She moved slowly, like every movement was painful to her. “Well, thanks for paying me a visit.”

I waited for her to mention the divorce but it didn’t seem like she would. “So, how are you doing?”

She held her hands together, rubbing her fingers over the pads of the opposing ones. “I’ve been better…”

Should I hug her? What do I do? “I’m sorry about everything. We were all shocked.”

She took a deep breath and her eyes watered. “I’ve been married to that man for twenty-five years…and he just walked out on me.” She breathed heavily then calmed herself. The drops of moisture didn’t fall. “And honestly, I’m surprised he didn’t leave me sooner.”

I never expected her to say that, not in a million years.

She inched toward the kitchen, moving like she was ninety, not fifty. “Can I get you some coffee?”

“Sure.” I followed behind her and took a seat at the grand table.

She placed the black coffee in front of me then dropped into a chair. Her usual grace was gone. Her shoulders sagged forward, and her back was hunched. Her nails weren’t pampered and filed. They were long and uncared for. The small details made me realize just how broken she was.  “I’ve been alone in this house for weeks. The maids hardly speak to me because they hate me.”

I wasn’t surprised.

“I don’t have any friends…at least real friends. When they found out Andrew and I had separated, they tossed me out of their social circles. Friends that I’d known for decades turned their backs on me. It’s like all that time never passed.” She sighed deeply, the depression escaping her voice.

My heart broke at her words. Diane seemed to hit rock bottom.

“Andrew was the only one who stood by my side through everything, but even he had a limit. I pushed him too far. Now he’s gone.”

“You should talk to him,” I said quietly. “Just because you’re getting a divorce doesn’t mean he’ll stop loving you. That isn’t possible.”

“My husband isn’t the type of man that gives up on anything. When he built his first software, he made fifty prototypes before he finally created the right one. He spent years of his life patiently working hard. He doesn’t give up easily, and when he does, it’s because there really is no hope.”

“Love has a different set of rules.” I knew that too well.

“I’ve tried calling him but he doesn’t answer…because he hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you,” I said firmly.

“Then he should.” She looked at the table, not meeting my gaze. She hardly looked at me. “Why are you here, Scarlet?”

The question caught me by surprise. “To check on you.”

“After all the horrible things I’ve said and done to you, why would you come? Why would you care? My own sons haven’t even come to the house since they found out. No one likes me. You can’t be the only exception.”

“Well, I think everyone deserves a second chance.”

“With you, it would be the fifth chance.” She shook her head slightly.

Actually, it would be more than that. “And I love your son more than anything in this world. His family is my family.”

Diane’s eyes softened but she didn’t look at me.

“I know you think Sean is perfect, and for the most part, he is. But when our relationship started, he wasn’t a gentleman. He hurt me more than I’ve ever been in my entire life. And not only did he do it once, he did it twice. As much as I wanted to walk away and find someone else, I couldn’t. Because I loved him so much. A year later, we are happily married. But we wouldn’t be if I didn’t give him another chance.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but I think it’s too late for me and Andrew.”

“No, it isn’t,” I said firmly. “Give him some space then try to talk to him.”

She ran her fingers through her hair, flustered. “I don’t know… He was so livid with me. When he marched out of the house with his bags, I should have begged him to stay. But I was a fool and remained stubborn. Even if I beg him for another chance, he’ll never give it to me. I’m still the same woman he despises.”

“Then change,” I said simply. “That’s it.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me…” She rubbed her temples. “Sometimes I do things and I don’t even understand why. I get upset when there’s no reason to be upset. I’m out of control…”

That was a perfect description. “Maybe you should see a doctor.”

“Perhaps. But I’m scared…”

“Why?”

“What if there really is something wrong with me?”

I knew that was a horrible thought. “Andrew would be here in a heartbeat.”

She rested her hands on the table. “My boys will tell you I married Andrew because he was full of money and security. But that’s actually not true. He was such a handsome man when we were younger. When I saw him on campus, I knew I wanted him. When I found out he was the founder of a company, a small one at the time, I was even more interested in him. But he was so charming and so beautiful that I fell head-over-heels. I slept with him on the first date.” A slight smile was on her lips.

Whoa…TMI. “I wasn’t expecting that…”

“I wasn’t wild before I met Andrew. I was a good girl and kept to myself. But I knew I wanted him and I’d do anything to have him. Our romance quickly led to love. Within a year, he proposed. The rest is history.”

“That’s a sweet story.”

Her smile faded. “And I lost that.”

I didn’t know what to say. To me, love was never lost. You just had to work hard to get it back. I didn’t take Sean back easily. He had to earn my trust before I finally gave it to him. Lover’s road is never an easy one to trek. And it would take Diane a long time to reclaim what she lost, if she could reclaim it at all.

When I came home, Sean and Andrew were already back from work. Sean was running on the beach and getting his afternoon workout. Andrew was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at his cup of black coffee.

“How was work?” I asked.

He smiled when he noticed me. “Uneventful. My two sons have everything under control.”

“You sound surprised,” I teased.

“I guess part of me expected it to be in turmoil and their dear pops would come to the rescue. Alas, they don’t need me.”

“They are good worker bees.” I sat across from him with a glass of iced tea.

“So…have you seen Diane?” he asked hesitantly.

“Actually, I just saw her today.”

His
eyes flashed but he didn’t react outwardly. “How’s she doing?”

“To be blunt, she’s miserable.”

He looked into his mug and rubbed his fingers together.

“She knows she was wrong and misses you. She’d do anything to get you back.” Even though I disliked Diane, she seemed genuine when I spoke to her earlier. If they could find a way to work it out, they should.

“I think it’s too late,” he said sadly. “She says she know she’s wrong. That’s never been the problem. But she never changes it. She continues to push my kids away with her paranoia and rude comments. She cares more about money than the goodness life has to offer. I can’t go back to that…”

I was fed up with Diane and there were moments when I wanted to smack her upside the head, so I completely understood Andrew’s decision. He was the one who lived with her for twenty-five years. When she acted like a bitch, he couldn’t get away. “Are you no longer in love with her?”
That was a personal question I probably shouldn’t have asked but it came out.

“I’m not sure,” he said with a sigh. “She’s a completely different woman than the one I married. Honestly, I think I’ve never been in love with the woman she turned into. I’ve been holding a vigil for the love of my life to come back. But I’m realizing she’s gone forever.

“She used to be passionate and lively. She used to laugh at the most absurd things. She’d come to my apartment at three in the morning just to fool around with me when my roommates were sleeping in the same room. She was an amazing woman, daring and crazy. But now that energy is gone.”