Marriage Matters (32 page)

Sixty-two

C
hloe was spraying down the mats at Tiny Tumblers with a mint-scented disinfectant, when the owner walked in. Tall and lanky, Albert wore his thinning gray hair in a comb-over. He always walked around with a bewildered expression on his face, as though surprised to find himself working with children.

“Excuse me, sir.” Chloe got to her feet. “We’re closed for the day. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Albert squinted at her, confused. “Chloe, it’s—”

“Albert, I’m just teasing you.”

Walking over to him, Chloe set the bottle of disinfectant on the cash register counter. She dropped the dirty paper towels in the bright red wastepaper basket. “So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?”

Albert lived out in Lake Forest and rarely made in-town visits.

“Ah, well, I’ve come here with some rather unfortunate news,” he said. “Have a seat.”

Worried, Chloe perched on one of the blue chairs in the waiting area. “What happened?” She hoped it wasn’t one of the kids. Asher had been out with the flu for a week. Maybe it had turned into something more serious.

Albert fidgeted with the latch on his briefcase. “You’ve been with Tiny Tumblers
for a long time. But, Chloe, this is a family establishment. It’s come to my attention that you have started a rather inappropriate relationship with one of our clients.”

Chloe’s eyes widened, then she laughed. “Oh, don’t worry. It’s not anything scandalous.” Holding up her left hand, she said, “Albert, we’re getting married. I would have liked to invite you to the wedding but thanks to my grandmother, the guest list was pretty packed already.”

“Congratulations.” He pursed his lips. “But please do not be coy.”

“Coy?” She was totally confused.

“Your relationship started here.” He pointed at the blue and red mats. “At Tiny Tumblers.”

Chloe felt a tiny prickle of concern. “I didn’t meet him here. We knew each other before and . . .” Realizing this was irrelevant, she cut to the chase. “What’s this all about?”

Albert let out a hearty sigh. “You signed a code of ethics when you took this job. Having an affair with one of the parents is unacceptable.”

“It wasn’t an affair,” she said. “We’re getting
mar
ried.”

“Nonetheless, we’re going to have to let you go.” He handed her a plain white envelope. The type of envelope that her checks had always arrived in. “I’m sorry.”

Chloe was stunned. “What? But . . . ”

He took advantage of this moment to get to his feet and usher her to the door.

“Don’t look so surprised.” Albert collected her coat and purse and handed them to her. “You have to understand, this sets a bad example with the other parents. Considering you are planning to work with children, that may be something for you to keep in mind as you move toward the future.” He waved around his hands as if trying to shoo her away. “Good luck.”

Chloe trudged out of the building. Quickly, he shut and locked the door behind him.

Left out in the cold, she stared at the big picture window in shock. She could see Albert striding around the room, finishing up the tasks she had expected to do. She felt a wave of confusion and then, as the realization of what had just happened really hit her, a wave of despair.

Fumbling through her purse, she picked up her phone and called Geoff. “I got fired.” She almost choked on the words. “I’m, like, totally stunned right now.”

After telling him the story, there was a lengthy pause. Finally, he said, “Chloe, it’s for the best. You’ll have that internship to handle, which is going to take up all of your time. Plus, you’ll have Mary Beth. You already know she’s a full-time job. Tacking that onto your current responsibilities, while trying to hold down a part-time job . . .” He sighed, as if the thought was too much for him to handle.

“But I loved my job,” Chloe said. Tiny flakes of snow melted across her phone and smeared down the face like tears. “I loved the kids. These were happy kids, without problems and bad things happening to them and . . . it helped pay for school and my rent and I liked it. I liked being there.”

She stared at the building, distressed to see that Albert had pulled down the shades on the front window. So much for a last longing look inside.

“Chloe.” There was a smile in Geoff’s voice. “You’re not going to pay rent anymore. You’ll be living with me.”

The thought of packing up her cozy apartment and moving downtown suddenly seemed exhausting. She wanted to stay where she was. For everything to stay the same.

“Are you still there?” Geoff sounded concerned.

“Yeah. I’m just upset,” she said. “He acted like I’d done something horrible, but we’re getting
married.
It’s not like I’m, like, going on dates with the par—”

“Chloe, I have a patient coming in right now.” Geoff’s tone was gentle. “But tonight, we’ll celebrate this. Mary Beth will be so excited to hear that she’ll get to see you more.”

Chloe snorted. “But will Mary Beth be excited to hear that she’s never, and I mean ever, going back to Tiny Tumblers? Even if it’s the last place left to play on earth?”

Geoff laughed. “Spoken like a true ex-employee. Hang in there, I’ll see you tonight.”

“Wait.” She shook her head. “I can’t do anything tonight. I
have
to go to my apartment. I have no clean clothes, the place is a wreck and I just . . . I just need to put my life back together.”

“That’s fine,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

After they hung up, Chloe gave Tiny Tumblers
one last look. She had walked in and out of that door so many times in the past few years. It was impossible to count all the hours she’d spent there. Chloe’s gaze shifted to the garden next door, where she and Geoff had shared their first date. It seemed like just yesterday that the sun had been shining down and the flowers were in full bloom. Today, the trees were bare and the ground was covered in dirty snow.

It was hard to believe everything could change so quickly.

Sixty-three

K
ristine hovered by the cash register, staring off into space. Not ideal, considering the holiday rush was happening all around her. The normally cheerful staff was shooting her looks to kill.

There was a loud bang from upstairs and she jumped. The landlord had started doing construction in the space above the store, just in time to add more chaos to the holiday season. She had the Christmas music turned up loud, but in between “Holly Jolly Christmas” there was the whir of the drill or a steady banging. The whole thing was giving her a headache.

“Where are the rest of the Spanish Santa cards?” Annie demanded, swooping up to the counter. She was wearing a deliberately ironic snowman sweater, complete with carrot noses made out of felt. “I know we haven’t sold through all of them.”

“Um . . .” Kristine blinked, trying to remember. “In the office. I put the extras back there to make them look more in demand. Do you want me to—”

“I’ve got it.” Annie took off her glasses and quickly cleaned them with a tissue. Sliding them back on, she said, “But if you could just refill the coffee pots and put on some more mint cocoa, that would be a big help.”

“Okay.” She nodded. “Absolutely.”

Normally, the holiday season was her favorite time of year. Not only was business booming, but she loved the smell of the fresh-baked cookies that they served from morning until night and the thrill of helping people find that perfect gift. This year, though, Kristine couldn’t concentrate. She was so confused.

Kevin was doing his best to fix a bad situation, that much was for sure. She had been receiving cards in the mail from him, little love notes saying things like,
Can’t wait to see you again, Firecracker!
or
I love you more than honey-roasted airline peanuts.
But just like the last-minute trip to Italy, it all felt just a little too late. Years ago, she had loved getting cards from him. Now, it just wasn’t enough.

On a late-night phone call, where Kristine suspected he’d been drinking, Kevin insisted that things were going to be fine. That he had some news that would make her “very, very happy.” Kristine had just rolled her eyes. She was so tired of talking, so tired of being alone.

The bells on the door jingled and she forced herself to snap to her senses. Straightening her shoulders, she walked over to the coffee display. She threw away the paper cups that were lying around and loaded the gigantic carafe onto a cart. Wheeling the cart back toward the utility room that served as a makeshift kitchen, she even managed to smile and say hello to a few regular customers.

At the door to the kitchen, Annie stopped her. “Listen,” she said, frowning behind her black-framed glasses. “I’m sorry if I sounded short. I’ve just been worried about you.”

Kristine pasted on a smile. “Annie, I’m fine.”

“Kris, be real with me.” Annie put a hand on her arm. “The big triple wedding is right around the corner. I mean, I know mothers who have lost their mind just handling one wedding. Like, stone-cold nuts. So, the fact that you’re trying to deal with three?” Annie raised her eyebrow, her eyebrow ring winking. “That’s enough to push anyone over the edge.”

Kristine bit her lip. “Yeah. It’s . . .” She sighed. “It’s a handful.”

“Are . . . Are you and Kevin having problems?” Annie blurted out.

Kristine flushed, surprised that her friend would be so blunt. “Every relationship has problems.” She forced herself to keep it light. “But that’s life, right? We’ll work it out.”

Annie hesitated, as though debating on whether or not to tell her something. There was another bang from upstairs.

“What is all that noise?” Kristine demanded, looking up. “It’s so annoying.”

“Things aren’t always what they seem, Kristine.” Annie’s eyes were intent behind her glasses. “Hang in there. I promise you everything is going to be okay.”

Sixty-four

A
s Chloe trudged up the steps to her apartment, she took it all in. The heavy cement porch railings. The steep stairs. The familiar onion smell of the lobby. It was so strange to think that she’d be leaving it behind.

The hallway was quiet as Chloe pulled out her keys. She stood at her door a little longer than necessary, jiggling the lock. If Ben was home, he didn’t bother to come out to see what all the commotion was about.

Pushing open her apartment door, Chloe shuddered to think of the mess that was waiting for her. Dishes in the sink, laundry scattered everywhere and Whiskers’ self-cleaning litter certainly needed to be changed by now. On top of that, Chloe hadn’t dusted or cleaned the bathrooms in months.

Oh, well. It was time to suck it up and get caught up. One day soon, she was going to have to pack up her apartment and clean it for good. For some reason, the thought made her incredibly sad.

Walking in, she stopped in surprise. “What?”

The place did not smell like cat litter; it smelled like Lemon Pine-Sol. The kitchen counters were bright white, clear of any dishes or clutter. The trash had been taken out and—she gasped—her laundry was neatly folded in baskets sitting on the couch. It was tagged with a receipt from the local Laundromat.

Chloe put her hand to her heart. Geoff must have sent his housekeeper over to clean. She couldn’t believe it. Ever since the registration fiasco, she’d been a little wary. There was so much going on in her life but it felt like his life always took precedence. Sometimes, she wondered how much he really cared. But this—Chloe’s eyes swept over the dust-free living room—this was exactly what she’d needed.

Taking out her cell, she punched in his number. “Hi . . .” Mary Beth, of course, was screaming like a banshee in the background. “You are the best fiancé in the world.”

At the sound of her voice, Whiskers came bounding out of the bedroom. Purring and meowing, the cat weaved in and out of Chloe’s legs. She bent down and rubbed her ears.

“Are you home?” Geoff’s voice was warm.

Mary Beth screamed a little louder, most likely annoyed to share her father with the phone.

“Yes.” Scooping up Whiskers, Chloe strolled into the bedroom. “And I just wanted to say . . . Oh, my gosh!”

Chloe stopped in surprise. On her bed sat a display of six entertainment magazines, a box of caramel and sea salt chocolates and a bottle of red wine. “Wow.” Her mood instantly lifted. “I’m going to have to get fired more often.”

“Is there something you need?” Geoff asked. “Sorry, but Mary Beth’s having a bit of a meltdown.”

Setting Whiskers down on the bedspread, she reached for the card on the box of chocolates. “No, I just wanted to call and say thanks.”

“For . . . ?”

Chloe cocked her head in confusion. “For . . .” Suddenly, she looked down at the card on the bed. It was homemade, with a brightly colored graphic design on the cover.

Ben.

Chloe almost dropped the phone. “For . . . For being so understanding today.”

“Of course,” he said. “I love you. I have to go. See you tomorrow, okay?”

“Goodnight.” Hanging up the phone, she opened the card with shaking hands.

Hey, Chloe,

Considering the foul odor coming out of your apartment, I had two choices: call the health department or clean it. Since I hate bureaucracy, I decided to give it a little scrub.

Consider it a “Sorry I’m going to miss your engagement party” sort of thing.

P.S. Whiskers had me get you some wine, some magazines and a pet mouse to make up for it. If the pet mouse is missing by the time you get home, talk to your cat.

Missing my friend but happy she’s happy, Ben.

Chloe read the note three times. She touched the collection of magazines and the box of candies. Whiskers, who was stretched out next to it all like the rightful owner, watched Chloe with her wide yellow eyes.

“He cleaned my apartment,” Chloe whispered. “And . . .” Blushing, she thought about Ben gathering up her laundry. Thank goodness he’d sent it out instead of doing it himself. She couldn’t imagine how much it cost him, though. Probably a fortune.

Whiskers hopped up, stalked to the end of the bed and yawned. For a cat that had been left alone for days at a time, she certainly didn’t seem hungry for attention. Chloe watched the easy loll of the pink tongue and the flash of white needle teeth. Suddenly, she got the picture.

“You’ve been over there, haven’t you?” she demanded. “Ben’s been taking you over to his apartment to play.”

Whiskers stretched, then gracefully started giving her legs a bath. Unbelievable. Just like any female in Ben’s company, Whiskers had blossomed.

Jumping to her feet, Chloe padded out of the bedroom, across the hall and to his apartment, her heart pounding in her chest. Whiskers trotted faithfully behind, as though used to the route. Taking a deep breath, Chloe knocked on the door and waited.

Nothing. Not a sound. He wasn’t home. Disappointed, she took out her cell phone and called him.

He picked up on the first ring. “You must have seen my handiwork.”

Ben’s voice was so incredibly cheerful and familiar that a grin stretched across her face. Whiskers rubbed up against her legs and looked at the phone, as though she knew it was him.

“I’m standing here with my cat,” Chloe said, “who has obviously fallen madly in love with you.”

“It’s amazing what a little catnip can do.”

Chloe smiled, leaning against his door. There was a silence. Then they both spoke at the same time. “Thank you so much—”

“I hope you don’t mind that I—”

There was an awkward pause, then Ben laughed. “I think you were about to thank me.”

“I was. That was probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.” She shook her head. “And the U.K. version of
Star
? I mean, seriously. That was just a whole new level of awesome.”

“You deserve it.” Ben’s voice was low, earnest. “I want you to be happy.”

Chloe closed her eyes. It struck her then that she was standing across from the exact spot where they’d kissed that one night. A funny feeling started in her gut. It was almost as though . . . It was almost as though she wished it could happen again. Right now. That Ben would walk up those stairs and take her into his . . .

“Clo?” Ben’s voice was soft. “You still there?”

“Uh . . .” She looked at the phone in horror. Her hands were sweating. The phone case was actually slightly damp. “Yes, I just . . .”

“What’s wrong?”

Chloe didn’t know what to say. Maybe it was the pressure. Maybe there was just too much going on in her life and she longed for a simpler time. Or maybe—“I think I’m having a pre-wedding meltdown,” she said, giving a strangled laugh. “I really—”

“You really what?”

“I really miss you,” she whispered. “I mean, bad.”

As Chloe watched, Whiskers scratched at Ben’s door, as though desperate to get inside. Whiskers looked up at her as though to say,
Is he coming home
?

“Chloe, I—”

Just then, she heard a distinct female voice on the line. “Babe, are you coming in? The movie’s going to start.”

“You’re on a date.” Chloe’s heart plummeted into her stomach. “I’m so sorry. To interrupt.”

“Do you want me to come home?” Ben asked. “Chloe, I’ll come home. Right now.”

Yes, it was what she wanted more than anything in the world. To spend her night of silence and solitude with Ben, watching reality television and ordering Thai food. But looking down at her engagement ring, she realized those days were long gone. Her eyes filled with tears.

“Don’t come home. Have fun on your date.”

“Chloe, seriously—”

“Ben,” she practically shouted. “I’m fine! If I need someone, I’ll call Geoff. Okay?”

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Chloe could hear the people in the movie theater walking by, talking and laughing. She could picture Ben standing there, with his latest conquest hanging on to his jacket like an accessory.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice hurt. “Sure thing. You do that.”

“Thank you for everything.” Chloe gripped the phone. “Seriously. I . . . I appreciate you.”

Hanging up the phone, she stood in the hallway for a long moment. She had this crazy moment where she wanted to key into his apartment and lay down in his bed. To just take ten minutes imagining what it would be like to be a part of Ben’s life again. Of course, that would be a total psycho move. Honestly, it was the type of thing that could get her banned from practicing art therapy. Hell, it was the type of thing that could get her arrested.

Shaking her head, Chloe scooped up her cat and walked back to her apartment. She turned the knob on the bath until it creaked, poured a capful of lavender bath gel into the water and flipped on the space heater. Sliding into the water, she felt the tension in her muscles begin to melt away.

All of these crazy thoughts . . . Chloe must just be too tired. She would finish up this bath and go straight to bed. Tomorrow, everything would seem a whole lot brighter.

In just a few short weeks, she was going to marry Geoff. She was happy about this, she really was. It was just fear or nerves or maybe coming back to a place that she used to call home that made her think, for a stupid moment, that she belonged with someone else.