Contingency (Covenant of Trust) (31 page)
Read Contingency (Covenant of Trust) Online
Authors: Paula Wiseman
He’d give anything to have that morning back. He got up to pour a second cup of coffee when Bobbi came in the kitchen. “You didn’t sleep in that chair, did you?” she asked. “That wasn’t necessary.”
“I didn’t want to leave you.” He set a cup of coffee on the table for her. He leaned against the sink and took a long drink from his cup. “I’m going to go get your car. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine.” The phone rang and Bobbi’s irritation with his hovering came through in her ‘hello.’
Chuck sipped his coffee and waited to see who called. He realized he forfeited the courtesy of knowing who talked to his wife, but after last night, he wasn’t leaving unless she made him.
“I have a four o’clock doctor’s appointment,” Bobbi announced, and hung up the phone.
“Can I drive you?”
“I’ve been driving for myself for years, now.”
“Please?”
“Whatever.”
“Thank you. I’ll be back soon with your car.” Chuck had to fight off the urge to kiss her before he walked out.
*******
Rita rushed to
answer the doorbell without checking the driveway. Who on earth? She swung the door open and her jaw dropped. “Chuck?” She recovered quickly. “Where’s Bobbi?” She glanced past him toward his car.
“Bobbi’s at home. She drove out to Dixson Lake yesterday, and we left her car so I could drive her home. I was hoping Gavin could go with me to pick it up. Is he here?”
“No, he’s not. They all went to the mall to stand in line to buy some video game. I have no idea when they’ll be back.”
“Thanks anyway,” Chuck said, turning to leave.
“Wait, I’ll go with you,” Rita said. “If you don’t mind.”
“Uh ... no,” Chuck said, unable to hide his surprise.
“Let me get shoes and a coat.” She shut the front door, then returned a moment later, locked up and followed Chuck to his car. The tiny interior of the two-seater dictated that Rita sit with her shoulder almost touching Chuck’s. No wonder Bobbi hated this car.
Rita tried to focus on the road ahead, but she couldn’t help glancing over when Chuck shifted gears. This sudden concern had to be an act. Gavin claimed that it was best for Chuck to stay with Bobbi last night. She shot back that if Bobbi was that vulnerable, Chuck was the last person she needed. Through the night and into this morning Rita beat back every protective instinct in her, and she’d stood it as long as she could.
“Why did Bobbi drive out to the lake?” she asked.
“She just wanted to get away and think about things.”
“What kind of things?”
“What do you think, Rita?” Chuck said, irritation in his voice. “Our marriage, her life ... lots of things.”
Rita couldn’t hold back any more. The sentence she said to herself so many times in the past few months came out with all the accusation and venom she felt. “You don’t have any idea how much you hurt her, do you?”
She stiffened, ready for him to lash back and defend himself. Instead, he began outlining his case, his voice rising as he ticked off his points.
“Let’s see, I stripped away the sense of security she so desperately needed since losing her mom and dad. Two, I have instilled a paralyzing fear of hurt and rejection in her that has prevented us from accomplishing anything in counseling. Three, I’ve made her question her judgment and her intuition, because I blindsided her with my affair.”
“Chuck—”
He held his hand up. “I’m nowhere near finished. Four, I stole the joy that should have come from having her own class. Five, I’ve driven her to withdraw from everyone and everything she loves, including you. Six, I have forever tainted the memory of our anniversary. Seven, I’ve created a burden of guilt in her because she feels like Brad and Joel have been shortchanged as we have tried to work through my infidelity.”
He paused just a moment as he watched his rearview mirror. “Let’s see. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Eight, I shook her faith in God. Nine, she hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep since July, and she’s lost weight from not eating right. Now, to top it all off, she has an appointment with a psychiatrist this afternoon that is one hundred percent my fault. Did I leave anything out? You want to add anything?”
Rita sat in silence with no rebuttal.
“You can say a lot of things about me and I deserve all of them I’m sure, but I live every minute of every day with the full knowledge of how deeply I hurt Bobbi, and for the most selfish and disgusting reason.”
He didn’t bother to hide his tears. “But you know what?” He whispered. “She still loves me.”
“Chuck, I owe you an apology. Gavin told me you had changed, but I didn’t believe him.”
“You don’t owe me anything. I don’t blame you for wanting to protect Bobbi. She needs you right now. She needs your support and your presence. There’s still a hard road ahead.”
“You mean with the psychiatrist?”
“Donna recommended she see one.”
“For what?”
“Any number of things, depression, anxiety, sleeping on the sofa—”
“She’s still doing that?” Rita asked.
“Still?”
“I don’t think she’s slept in her bed since ... since all this started.”
“Great, that’s number eleven,” Chuck muttered. He found Bobbi’s car just where he left it. He handed Rita his extra keys and she opened her door to get out.
“Do you think I could stop in and see Bobbi for a minute when we get back?”
“She’d like that.”
“See you back at the house then,” Rita said, closing the car door.
*******
“
You could have
gone on in,” Chuck said when he met Rita in his driveway.
“Yeah, I know. Just check with Bobbi first.”
Chuck knocked as he opened the front door. “Bobbi! I’m back!” Not ‘I’m home.’
“I’m in the kitchen.”
Chuck found her at the breakfast table with a cup of coffee. “Rita ended up going to the lake with me.” Bobbi’s eyebrows arched in surprise at the mention of her sister’s name. “She wanted to see you, but she asked me to check with you before she came in.”
“Tell her to come in. Good grief.”
“I’m going to go get a shower and change clothes, but I’ll be back by three,” Chuck said, before heading back out.
“See you then,” Bobbi said as he left.
*******
Rita paced the
front sidewalk, but snapped around when she heard the front door open. “Bobbi’s in the kitchen,” Chuck said, motioning toward the house.
“Listen, Chuck, why don’t you and Bobbi come for cake tomorrow evening about seven? That is, if she’s up to it, and you can stand to be around me.”
“Are you inviting me to your home, for your birthday? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, you jerk.” Rita smiled and punched him in the arm.
Chuck hugged his sister-in-law. “Now get in there. Bobbi needs you.”
Rita eased the door open and walked back to the kitchen. For the first time in months, Bobbi looked rested. “How are you this morning?”
“Better, thanks,” Bobbi said. “Thank you for letting my boys freeload. Again.”
“Don’t mention it. I don’t have to entertain Danny when they’re at the house.”
“You want some coffee?”
“No, thanks.” Rita took a deep breath. “Bobbi, I need to apologize to you. Instead of being supportive while you work through this with Chuck, I’ve been an additional problem for you to deal with—”
“You just want to protect me,” Bobbi interrupted.
“That’s no excuse. Chuck and I talked on the way out to the lake. I apologized to him, and I don’t want things between Chuck and me to be another burden for you. I’m sorry I let that happen.”
Bobbi reached over to hug her sister. “I’ve missed you.”
“So, how are you, really?” Rita asked.
“Better than I’ve been in weeks.”
“Chuck says it’s depression, not food poisoning.” Rita crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
“You caught me,” Bobbi admitted. “I think things are turning around, though. Chuck and I should be able to take some real steps forward now.”
“Yeah, who was that guy, anyway? I almost asked for his driver’s license.”
“He was so sweet to me last night and he insisted on driving me to the doctor’s appointment this afternoon.”
“Just guard your heart. Don’t let Prince Charming cloud your judgment.”
“Rita—”
“Wasn’t it President Reagan who said ‘trust but verify?’ That’s all I’m saying.”
Palliation
Bobbi poured herself another cup of coffee and retreated to the study to enjoy a few moments of peace before Chuck returned. She needed all the soothing she could get right now.
God, is this what trusting You means? A psychiatrist? Is this a test? Like, ‘are you going to trust Me even if I ask you to do something uncomfortable?’
Then, for the third time this afternoon, she reached for the phone to call and cancel the appointment. Nobody she knew saw a psychiatrist. No one ... except Donna Shannon.
Chuck’s car pulled into the driveway and she took one long last drink from her coffee. By the time he knocked on the door, she stood at the hall closet, checking herself in the full-length mirror inside the closet door.
I hope this is how you’re supposed to dress to go see a psychiatrist.
She smoothed her sweater against her slacks, grabbed her coat, and slung her purse up to her shoulder.
Chuck eased the door open. “Ready?”
“No, but we can go.” She locked the door and glimpsed Chuck’s car. “Do you care if we take my car?”
“Would you rather drive?”
“It’s not that. It’s silly, but ... I don’t know ... I’d rather go in my car.” She fished her keys from her purse and handed them to Chuck.
He unlocked the car and opened her door for her. Her eyes met his as she got in.
He thinks I’m a nut case already.
Chuck closed her door and then got in.
“Did you have a good afternoon?” he asked.
“I’ve had enough coffee to float a barge.”
“Nerves?”
“Ya think?”
“It won’t be as bad as you think,” he said.
“How many psychiatrists have you seen?”
“Well, none.”
“Then don’t patronize me.”
*******
Dr. Neil Craig
met Bobbi with a warm handshake, then he took the stack of papers his receptionist asked her to fill out. Tall and slender with salt and pepper hair and wire-rimmed glasses, the kindness in his eyes reminded her of Phil.
“Please,” he said, motioning toward a brown leather armchair. He sat down in a chair across from Bobbi and glanced through her paperwork. “In the interest of full disclosure,” he began, smiling slightly, still flipping pages, “Mrs. Molinsky, I have to tell you I’ve known Phil Shannon since college. He’s an excellent counselor and had he just written a thesis, he would have a master’s degree. We’ve consulted professionally for years, and he feels that your situation has acquired a medical dimension that requires more than just counseling.” He reached back, laying the stack of papers on his desk, then looked Bobbi in the eye. “What can you tell me about what’s going on in your life right now?”
“My husband had an affair this summer,” Bobbi said, trying her best not to look away.
“Did you discover it, or did he confess it?”
“I discovered it.”
My whole evening is free again ...
“But he didn’t deny it.”
“Was he forthcoming with the details?”
“As forthcoming as I could stand.”
The defendant then kissed the plaintiff’s neck …
“Was there any discord in your marriage leading up to the affair?”
“No.” The doctor shifted in his chair.
He doesn’t believe me.
“Did he suggest, or do you believe, that you did anything to push him into an affair?”
“No.”
“He came with you today?”
“He insisted.” Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
“So you’ve reconciled?”
“We’re separated.”
“But you’re able to talk.”
“We’ve made progress, yes.”
“How long have you been married?”
“Eighteen years.”
“Do you have children?”
“Two sons, fifteen and eleven.”
“How did they handle the revelation? That is, if they’ve been told.”
