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Karen ripped off her apron. “Well, isn’t that just the last straw?” she muttered. Not only were her husband, her coworker and her boss in on this, but so were her friends. Okay, maybe that meant Elliott wasn’t being disloyal, as she’d first feared, except, of course to her. “I’m taking my break early, if you don’t mind. I’ll be back in time for dinner prep, then Tina’s due in to take over the rest of the shift.”
A few years back, she and Tina Martinez, then a single mom struggling to make ends meet while she tried to fight her husband’s deportation, had split the shifts at Sullivan’s, which had allowed them both the flexibility they desperately needed to juggle family responsibilities. Karen was still thankful for that, even though they were both working more hours now that their lives had settled down and Sullivan’s had become a busy and unqualified success story.
Though she’d thought mentioning Tina would reassure Dana Sue that she wasn’t going to be left in the lurch, Dana Sue’s expression suggested otherwise.
“Hold on a second,” she commanded.
Then, to Karen’s surprise, she said, “I hope you’re going someplace to cool off and think about this. It’s all good, Karen. Honestly.”
An hour ago, Karen might have accepted that. Now, not so much. “I’m in no mood to cool off. Actually I’m thinking I just might divorce my husband,” she retorted direly.
As she picked up steam and headed out the back door, she overheard Dana Sue say, “She doesn’t mean that, does she?”
Karen didn’t wait for Erik’s reply, but the truth was, her likely response wouldn’t have been reassuring.
* * *
Elliott had been totally distracted while putting his seniors’ exercise class through its paces. Usually he thoroughly enjoyed working with these feisty women who made up for in enthusiasm what they lacked in physical stamina and strength. Though it embarrassed him, he even got a kick out of the way they openly ogled him, trying to come up with new reasons each week to get him to strip off his shirt so they could gaze appreciatively at his abs. He’d accused them on more than one occasion of being outrageously lecherous. Not a one of them had denied it.
“Honey, I was one of those cougars they talk about before they invented the term,” Flo Decatur, who was in her early seventies, had told him once. “And I make no apologies for it, either. You might be a little out of my usual range, but I’ve discovered recently that even men in their sixties are getting a little stuffy for me. I might need to find me a much younger man.”
Elliott had had no idea how to respond to that. He wondered if Flo’s daughter, attorney Helen Decatur-Whitney, had any idea what her irrepressible mother was up to.
Now he glanced at the clock on the wall, relieved to see that the hour-long session was up. “Okay, ladies, that’s it for today. Don’t forget to get in a few walks this week. A one-hour class on Wednesdays isn’t enough to keep you healthy.”
“Oh, sweetie, when I want to get my blood pumping the rest of the week, I just think about how you look without your shirt,” Garnet Rogers commented with a wink. “Beats walking anytime.”
Elliott felt his cheeks heat, even as the other women in the group laughed. “Okay, that’s enough out of you, Garnet. You’re making me blush.”
“Looks good on you,” she said, undisturbed by his embarrassment.
The women slowly started to drift away, chattering excitedly about an upcoming dance at the senior center and speculating about who Jake Cudlow might ask. Jake was apparently the hot catch in town, Elliott had concluded from listening to these discussions. Since he’d seen the balding, bespectacled, paunchy Jake a few times, he had to wonder what the women’s standards really were.
Elliott was about to head to his office when Frances Wingate stopped him. She’d been his wife’s neighbor when he and Karen had first started dating. They both considered her practically a member of the family. Now she was regarding him with a worried look.
“Something’s on your mind, isn’t it?” she said. “You were a million miles away during class. Not that we present much of a challenge. You could probably lead us without breaking a sweat, but usually you manage to show a little enthusiasm, especially during that dancing segment Flo talked you into adding.” She gave him a sly look. “You know she did that just to see you move your hips in the salsa, right?”
“I figured as much,” he said. “Not much Flo does surprises or embarrasses me anymore.”
Frances held his gaze. “You still haven’t answered my question.”
“Sorry,” Elliott said. “What?”
“Don’t apologize. Just tell me what’s wrong. Are the kids okay?”
Elliott smiled. Frances adored Daisy and Mack, though both were unquestionably a handful. “They’re fine,” he assured her.
“And Karen?”
“She’s great,” he said, though he wondered how truthful the answer really was. He had a hunch she’d be less than great if she found out what he’d been up to. And truthfully, he had no idea why he’d kept these plans for opening a gym from her. Had he feared her disapproval, anticipated a fight? Maybe so. She was rightfully very touchy when it came to finances after going through a lousy time with an ex-husband who’d abandoned her and left her with a mountain of debt.
Frances gave him a chiding look. “Elliott Cruz, don’t try fibbing to me. I can read you the same way I could read all those kids who passed through my classrooms over the years. What’s wrong with Karen?”
He sighed. “You’re even sharper than my mother, and I could never hide anything from her, either,” he lamented.
“I should hope not,” Frances retorted.
“No offense, Frances, but I think the person I really need to be talking to about this is my wife.”
“Then do it,” Frances advised. “Secrets, even the most innocent ones, have a way of destroying a marriage.”
“There’s never any time to talk things through,” Elliott complained. “And this isn’t the kind of thing I can just drop on her and walk away.”
“Is it the kind of thing that will cause problems if she finds out some other way?”
He nodded reluctantly. “More than likely.”
“Then talk to her, young man, before a little problem turns into a big one. Make the time.” She gave him a stern look. “Sooner, rather than later.”
He grinned at her fierce expression. No wonder she’d had quite a reputation as a teacher, one that had lived on long after she’d retired. “Yes, ma’am,” he said.
She patted his arm. “You’re a good man, Elliott Cruz, and I know you love her. Don’t give her even the tiniest reason to doubt that.”
“I’ll do what I can,” he assured her.
“Soon?”
“Soon,” he promised.
Even if it stirred up a particularly nasty hornet’s nest.
* * *
When she reached The Corner Spa at the corner of Main and Palmetto, Karen paused. She was beginning to regret that she hadn’t followed Dana Sue’s advice and taken a slow walk around the park to calm herself down again before arriving here to confront her husband. Even she knew it was probably a terrible idea to do it, not only when he was at work, but when she was still completely furious about being left in the dark. Nothing was likely to be resolved if she started out yelling, which is what seemed likely.
“Karen? Is everything okay?”
She turned at the softly spoken query from her former neighbor, Frances Wingate, a woman now nearing ninety who still had plenty of spunk, even if her age was slowing her down a bit. Despite her own lousy mood, Karen’s expression brightened just seeing the woman who was like a mother to her in so many ways.
“Frances, how are you? And what are you doing here?”
Frances regarded her with a perplexed expression. “I’m taking Elliott’s exercise class for seniors. Didn’t he tell you?”
Karen heaved a frustrated sigh. “Apparently there’s quite a lot my husband hasn’t been sharing with me recently.”
“Oh, dear, that doesn’t sound good,” Frances said. “Why don’t we go to Wharton’s and have a chat? It’s been ages since we’ve had a chance to catch up. Something tells me you’d be much better off talking to me than going inside to see Elliott when you’re obviously upset.”
Knowing that Frances was absolutely right, Karen gave her a grateful look. “Do you have the time?”
“For you I can always make time,” Frances said, linking her arm through Karen’s. “Now, did you drive or shall we walk?”
“I didn’t bring my car,” Karen told her.
“Then walking it is,” Frances said without a moment’s hesitation. “Good thing I wore my favorite sneakers, isn’t it?”
Karen glanced down at her bright turquoise shoes and smiled. “Quite a fashion statement,” she teased.
“That’s me, all right. The ultimate fashionista of the senior set.”
When they reached Wharton’s and ordered sweet tea for Frances and a soda for Karen, Frances looked into her eyes. “Okay now, tell me what has you so out of sorts this afternoon and what it has to do with Elliott.”
To her dismay, Karen’s eyes filled with unexpected tears. “I think my marriage is in real trouble, Frances.”
Genuine shock registered on her friend’s face. “Nonsense! That man adores you. We chat after class every week, and you and the kids are all he talks about. He’s as infatuated now as he was on the day you met. I’m as sure of that as it’s possible to be.”
“Then why doesn’t he tell me anything?” Karen lamented. “I didn’t know he was seeing you every week. And earlier I found out that he’s planning to open some sort of gym for the men in town. We don’t have the money for him to take that kind of risk, even if he has business partners. Why would he take on something like that without even talking it over with me?”
She gave Frances a resigned look. “People warned me about these macho Hispanic men. I know it’s a stereotype, but you know what I mean, the ones who just do whatever they want and expect their wives to go along with it. Elliott’s father was like that, but I never thought Elliott, of all people, would be. He was such a thoughtful, considerate sweetheart when we were dating.”
“Are you so sure he’s keeping you in the dark deliberately?” Frances inquired reasonably. “There could be a lot of explanations for why he hasn’t mentioned these things. With two children and two jobs, you’re both incredibly busy. Your schedules don’t always mesh that perfectly, so time together must be at a premium.”
“That’s true,” Karen admitted. She often worked late at night, while he left for the spa early in the morning. They were sometimes like ships passing in the night. Their schedules weren’t great for real communication.
“And when you do have time off, what do you do?” Frances persisted.
“We help the kids with their homework or drive them to all these endless activities they’re involved in, then fall into bed exhausted.”
Frances nodded. “I rest my case. There’s not much time in there for the kind of heart-to-heart talks young couples need to have, especially when they’re still adjusting to being married.”
Karen gave her a wry look. “We’ve been together awhile, Frances.”
“But you’ve only been married and living together for a couple of years. It took time for your annulment to come through. Dating is very different from being married and establishing a routine. It takes time to get in a rhythm that works, one that gives you the time alone you need to communicate effectively. I imagine Elliott’s as anxious for that as you are.”
There was something in her voice that gave Karen pause. “Has he said something to you? Please tell me you weren’t in on this whole gym project, too. Was I the only person in town he hadn’t told?”
“Stop working yourself into a frenzy,” Frances said, though her cheeks turned pink as she said it. “Elliott and I did have a chat earlier, but he didn’t mention a thing about any gym. Just now was the first I’ve heard about that. He told me that he’s been putting off talking to you about something important because you’re both so busy. He never got into the specifics with me.”
“I see,” Karen said stiffly, not entirely relieved by the explanation or by the idea that more people had been talking behind her back.
“Don’t you dare make more of that than is called for,” Frances scolded. “I asked him why he was so distracted in class today. He hemmed and hawed and finally admitted he’d been keeping something from you. I told him there was no good excuse for not communicating with a spouse.” She gave Karen a pointed look. “Notice I said communicating, not yelling. Real communication involves listening, as well as talking.”
Karen smiled weakly, duly chastised. “I hear you. But how on earth do we find the time to really sit down and have those heart-to-heart talks we used to have when we were dating? Right now we need all the hours at work we can get. And even if we could find some time, babysitters are too expensive for our budget.”
“Then you’ll let me help,” Frances said at once, her expression eager. “Since you married and moved to a new home with Elliott, I don’t see Daisy and Mack nearly as much as I’d like. They’re growing like weeds. Soon I won’t even recognize them.”
Karen immediately regarded her with guilt. Though she’d taken the kids by often right after she and Elliott had married, the visits to Frances had dwindled as their schedules had grown more complicated. How could she have been so selfish, when she knew how much the older woman enjoyed spending time with Daisy and Mack?
“Oh, Frances, I’m so sorry,” she apologized. “I should have brought them by more often.”
“Hush now,” Frances said, giving her hand a squeeze. “That was not my point. I was about to suggest we work out one evening a week when I’ll come over and stay with them, while you and Elliott have a night out. I imagine I can still oversee a little homework and read a bedtime story or two. In fact, I’d love it.” She grinned, an impish light in her eyes. “Or you can bring them to my place, if you’d rather have a romantic evening at home. I’m sure I could handle a sleepover now that they’re older.”
Karen resisted, despite the obvious sincerity of the suggestion. “You are so sweet to offer, but I couldn’t possibly impose on you like that. You’ve already done way more for me than I had any right to expect. When times were tough, you were always there for me.”
Frances gave her a chiding look. “I consider you family, and if I can do this for you, it would be my pleasure, so I don’t want to hear any of this nonsense that it’s too much. If I thought it were, I wouldn’t have offered. And if you turn me down, it will only hurt my feelings. You’ll be making me feel old and useless.”
Karen smiled, thinking that Frances was definitely neither of those things. Chronologically her years had added up, but her spirit was young, she had dozens of friends, and she was still active in the community. She spent a few hours every day making calls to housebound seniors just to chat with them and make sure there was nothing they needed.
She nodded at last. “Okay, if you’re sure, then I’ll talk it over with Elliott and we’ll check with you about setting an evening. We’ll give it a test run and see how it goes. I don’t want Mack and Daisy to wear you out.”
Frances’s expression radiated delight. “That’s good, then. Now, I should be running along. I’m playing cards tonight at the senior center with Flo Decatur and Liz Johnson and I’ll need a nap if I’m to be alert enough to make sure they’re not cheating. For otherwise honorable women, they’re sneaky when it comes to cards.”
Karen laughed as she slid out of the booth and hugged her friend. “Thank you. I really needed this talk even more than I needed to confront my husband.”
“Confrontation is all well and good,” Frances told her. “But it’s best not done in anger.” She gave Karen’s hand another squeeze. “I’ll expect to hear from you in the next few days.”
“I’ll call. I promise.”
“And when you get home tonight, sit down with your husband and talk to him, no matter the hour.”
Karen smiled at her. “Yes, ma’am,” she replied dutifully.
Frances frowned. “Don’t say that just to pacify me, young lady. I expect to hear that the two of you have worked this out.”
Clearly satisfied at having the last word, she left.
Karen watched her go, noting that there wasn’t a person in Wharton’s she didn’t speak to or offer a smile on the way.
“She’s remarkable,” Karen murmured aloud, then sighed. “And wise.”
Tonight would be soon enough for that talk she intended to have with Elliott. She would use the extra time to think through the situation, figure out exactly why she was so upset and find a way to discuss it all calmly and rationally over dinner. Frances had been exactly right. Yelling wasn’t the mature way to resolve anything.
And unlike the passive woman she’d once been, Karen also knew that the strong, confident woman she’d become wouldn’t allow resentment to simmer too long or let the whole incident slide in the interest of keeping peace. She’d deal with this head-on before it destroyed her marriage. At least she’d learned something from her marriage to Ray: what not to do.
Pleased with her plan, she paid for their drinks and headed back to Sullivan’s, where Dana Sue and Erik greeted her warily.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” she said. “There are no divorce papers being filed. In fact, I never even saw Elliott.”
Erik breathed a visible sigh of relief.
“Where were you, then?” Dana Sue inquired.
“At Wharton’s with Frances, the voice of reason,” Karen told them.
Dana Sue grinned. “Did she give you one of those sage lectures that makes you feel about two-inches tall? When she was my teacher, she could just look at me with one of those disappointed expressions and practically reduce me to tears. She was the only teacher I ever had who could pull that off. It even worked on Helen.”
“No way,” Erik said, looking impressed. “I didn’t think anyone intimidated my wife.”
“Frances Wingate did,” Dana Sue said. “She had the best-behaved students in the entire school. We didn’t turn into full-fledged Sweet Magnolia hellions until later.” Her expression suddenly sobered as she turned back to Karen. “So, have you stopped being mad at me and Erik?”
