He handed Kat a glass of wine and sat down across the table from her.
"Here's to surviving a maniacal woman and a philandering husband," Kat said, clinking her glass to his.
"I'll drink to that," Blaine said.
"You know, what I'm really worried about at this point is Deborah," Kat said. "I can only imagine what must be going through her mind right now. I mean, think about it. You find out your husband is cheating on you with a young student. Then you're almost murdered by another of his mistresses, and then you discover there have been many more affairs. And everyone knew about them but you! It has to be one of the most humiliating things I've ever heard. I wonder what she'll do next."
"You mean besides filing for divorce and taking him for everything he has?"
"That doesn't seem harsh enough in this case, if you ask me," Kat replied. "Blaine, I have to say that all of this has made me appreciate you and love you all the more for being such a wonderful man and wonderful husband."
"I wish I could say I was that wonderful, but Geoffrey White sets a pretty low bar," Blaine joked. "However, if you're talking about stepping outside the bounds of marriage, that's a no-brainer. There is no way I would do anything to jeopardize our relationship. I love you so much I can't even imagine doing anything that would hurt you. You know that, right?"
Kat leaned forward and wrapped both her hands around his. "I do know that, and I love you for it with all my heart."
Blaine kissed her hands gently, smiled, and then stood up and walked to the kitchen counter where he had left his cell phone. He picked up his phone and placed an order for a large pizza.
The next morning, Kat woke up slowly, feeling somewhat dazed. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept so deeply or for so long. Blaine had already left for work, and there was a note in his handwriting waiting for her on the nightstand next to her side of the bed.
I didn't want to disturb you, so I'm grabbing breakfast on my way to the office. I'll see you tonight. Take it easy today. You deserve it. I love you, Blaine
After she'd gotten dressed, Kat went downstairs to feed the dogs and make a strong pot of coffee. She was sipping coffee and reading the day's headlines when she heard a knock on the front door. Given the events of the previous evening, the sound startled her, but she quickly shook it off and walked to the front entry, Rudy and Jazz following close behind. She glanced through the peephole and was reassured to see a friendly face.
Kat opened the door and said, "Good morning, Deborah. It's good to see you. You've been on my mind constantly. How are you holding up?"
"I'm okay. If you don't mind, I'd like to come in and talk to you for a few minutes."
"Please do. I just made a fresh pot of coffee. I'll get a cup for you."
Deborah followed Kat into the living room where Deborah lowered herself gently onto the sofa. She looked like a woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Just as they had the other day, Rudy and Jazz nestled down on either side of her legs. Kat hurried to the kitchen to pour her friend a cup of coffee and returned with a mug for each of them.
"Did you get any sleep last night?" Kat asked, trying to ignore the answer which was apparent from the dark circles under Deborah's eyes.
"Not much. I stayed up half the night thinking about what I should do next," Deborah replied.
"You mean whether or not you should stay with Geoffrey?" asked Kat.
"Oh no, that was an easy decision. We're separating. I was so angry at him I wanted to throw him out right then and there, but I was still too scared to stay home alone. I know the police took Jodie Morris to jail, but I felt better having someone in the house overnight. Plus, I figured it would give him some time to pack." Deborah smiled weakly at Kat.
"Are you going to file for divorce?" asked Kat.
"Not yet. I'm too emotional right now to make any final decisions regarding our marriage, but I told him he had to be out of the house before I got home today."
"What will you do next?"
"This semester is almost over, so I think I'll take a sabbatical for the spring semester. I've never taken one, and it's probably long overdue. I'd like to do some traveling. It's been a long time since I visited Europe, and I figured now is as good a time as any. Geoff has agreed to see a counselor about his apparent sex addiction. Obviously, I couldn't take the case," she said wryly.
"I agreed to wait until I return from Europe before making my final decision about our marriage. Between us, Kat, he's done way too much damage to this relationship for it to be saved. His affairs are too numerous to count, and his indiscretions almost got us killed. He finally came clean to me last night. I insisted he tell me everything."
"No one can blame you, Deborah. I'm glad you're okay, and I can't wait to hear about your adventures in Europe. What countries are you planning to visit?"
Kat was glad to see Deborah's eyes light up as she outlined her upcoming trip. "I've decided my first stop will be Italy, and then I'd like to spend some time in France. I'm looking forward to the scenery, the breads and pasta, and of course, great wine. Kat, the real reason I'm here is to thank you for all you've done to help me since the beginning of this mess. If you hadn't come over when you did last night, I wouldn't be alive and sitting here with you today."
"Don't mention it. Glad I could help, and we both have Rudy to thank for saving our lives. I think I'll make him a big steak for dinner tonight as a special treat. And I can't tell you how sorry I am that you're going through all of this. Please keep me posted on how you're doing. I'd love to hear where you are and what you're doing. You have my email address."
"Yes, I will. I hope to see you again before I leave for Europe."
Deborah finished her coffee and set the mug down on the coffee table. She bent over and petted Rudy affectionately.
"Thanks for saving my life, big guy," she said. When Deborah stood up, her eyes were filled with tears. She smiled at Kat and leaned in to give her a big hug. "Goodbye, Kat. Thank you again, for everything."
Kat walked Deborah to the front door and waved as her friend climbed into her car and drove away. When the door was closed, she cried for her friend, and for herself, for her good fortune in finding happiness with a good man.
EPILOGUE - SIX MONTHS LATER
Kat sat back from her computer and breathed a sigh of relief as she typed the last sentence of the final book in her series, The Bawdy Halls of Ivy. She took a sip of coffee from her cup and relaxed in her chair, pleased that she'd been able to finish the series without another murder happening in the small Kansas town where she lived. Things had finally settled down.
It didn't seem possible that Lacie would be graduating from college next week. It felt like only yesterday that Kat had walked her to kindergarten, and now Lacie was on her way to graduate school with plans to become a child psychologist.
A lot had happened in the time between those two events. Lacie's father and Kat's former husband, Greg Denham, the dean of the English Department, had been killed in a car accident. When it happened, Kat didn't know how she'd survive, financially or emotionally. Fast forward and she was now the wife of Blaine Evans, the county's district attorney. When she met Blaine, she'd been given a second chance at happiness, something she'd never thought would be possible.
Her writing career had mushroomed, and she felt blessed that she had a large following of loyal readers, always ready to buy her latest book. Although she hadn't planned it, she'd also discovered that she had a talent for solving murder mysteries. Blaine had even urged her to get a license as a private investigator. He assured her that his brother, Nick, would be more than happy to hire her. So far, she'd avoided that temptation, far preferring the solitary time she spent creating sentences and paragraphs, to chasing down and catching bad guys.
She thought back to the latest murder she'd solved and the part she'd played in helping her friend, Dr. Deborah White. Deborah had taken a sabbatical from her responsibilities at the university and traveled to Europe, in
tending to visit several countries over a period of a few months. However, based on the emails Kat had received from her, she'd never made it out of Italy.
Kat was glad Deborah had made the decision to divorce her philandering husband, rather than try to reconcile with him when she returned from Europe. She'd written Kat that she felt she'd never be able to trust him again, and that she was better off without him. Kat couldn't have agreed more. Deborah and Geoffrey had split the proceeds from the sale of their home in Lindsay, as well as some of their other assets.
After a full investigation into Geoffrey's practice of selecting certain young coeds for "special assignments" in his creative writing classes, the university fired him. He applied to several other universities for a position as an English professor but was turned down after they checked into his prior employment record. He's currently working as a used car salesman in Kansas City. He still has his "sabrage" sword, but his wine collection, like everything else he once had, is gone.
Kat took another sip of her coffee and realized it had gotten cold while she'd been thinking about the recent events in her life. She stood up to get a refill and walked downstairs, followed by Jazz and Rudy, her furry four-legged shadows.
When she returned to her office and sat down at the desk in front of her computer, she saw that she had an email message from Deborah. She opened it and began to read.
"Kat, I hope this finds you well. As you know, a lot has changed in my life in the last few months. I've given you updates from time to time, but I think I owe you a full account of where I am and what I'm doing.
First of all, it's now official. I am no longer married to Geoffrey White. Part of me is a little sad that it didn't work out, but a far bigger part of me is glad that I had the courage to end a relationship with a spouse who had been cheating on me for years. Do I feel like a fool when I think about it? Oh, yes. One would think someone who was the dean of the Department of Sexual Therapy and had a thriving private practice dealing with just that issue, would have recognized the signs I tell my patients to look for. Guess it's akin to the shoemaker's children going shoeless.
I guess I'll never know whether Geoffrey really had a sex addiction, or if that was just another lie to cover up the many others he told me over the years. At this point, it no longer matters. I've learned to let go of the past and look to the future.
These last few months have been an interesting time for me. As you know, I never did leave Italy. I don't think I ever told you that I'm fluent in Italian. As a matter of fact, both of my parents were Italian and it was spoken more in the home I grew up in than English. When I arrived in Tuscany, I felt like I'd come home. I know how trite this sounds, but it's true, Italy has become my home. Yes, I'm sure that's a shock to you, but I have a few other shocks for you. Please keep reading.
A few months ago I decided to live here permanently, and once I'd made that decision, the next step was to find a place to live, and I did. I bought a small vineyard with a three-hundred-year-old stone house on it not far from Florence. I've always enjoyed drinking wine, so I decided I might as well see if I could grow it.
Which leads me to my second big shock. When I was visiting the nearby vineyards in the area where my new home and vineyard are located, I met a man who also owns a vineyard. Luigi is an attractive widower, about my age, and one thing led to another. Simply stated, we became involved. I know it's awfully fast, but I think it very well might end up to be a very long-term relationship, sanctioned by the church, if you know what I mean, although since I'm divorced that might be a problem.
We haven't really looked into that part of it just yet. I'm hoping at some point you and Blaine could visit me, so I could introduce you to him. My house has four bedrooms, so there's plenty of room for guests. By then, I might have even produced a couple of bottles of drinkable wine. Who knows?
And my last shock? Well, the gentleman I'm with these days just happens to have ties to a local university, like his brother is the head of it. And the fates must be smiling on me, because the person who was the head of their Sexual Therapy Department (yes, they even have that designation in Italy) recently retired, so there was an opening for a dean of Sexual Therapy. You're the author. Could you have scripted that sequence of events? I couldn't.
I'll end this by saying I'm not coming back to the United States, and I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. I don't know if you have to go through hell to find heaven, but I did, and trust me, heaven's a lot better.
I wish you and I didn't live so far apart, but I guess I'll have to be content with the fact we're only an email away. Please stay in touch. And I'm sincere when I say I'd really like you and Blaine to come for a visit. Again, thanks for being the catalyst for me having such a wonderful second chance at everything.
With love, Deborah"
Kat reread the email three times and tears of happiness began to trickle down her cheeks as she silently said a prayer of thanks for her friend and the joy and fulfillment she'd found after all she'd been through.
She wanted to think about it before she replied to Deborah's email and was sitting at her desk smiling inanely when her cell phone rang. It was Lacie.
"Hi, sweetheart. How's the graduate-to-be and the upcoming child psychologist?" Kat asked with a smile.
"She's absolutely fine. One more week to go, and I will officially be a college graduate and on my way."
"I'm so proud of you, Lacie. I just wish your dad could be here to celebrate the occasion, but I'm sure he's observing it from above."
"So am I, Mom, but that's really not the reason I'm calling."
Kat heard Lacie take a deep breath at the other end of the line and then she said, "Mom, remember when you saw the semiformal dance pictures on my Facebook page?"
"Yes," Kat said wondering where the conversation was heading.
"Well, do you remember when I told you I asked a friend of mine to be my date, because we got along well, and he was so much fun?"
"Yes," Kat said again.
"Mom, if you and Blaine are going to be home tonight, I'd like to stop by so you and Blaine could meet him. He's just finished his first year as a veterinarian student, and I know he'll love Jazz and Rudy."
"Lacie, why don't you both come to dinner? I can't wait to meet him."
"Great! Mom, I can't talk any longer. I have so much to do I don't know how I'm going to ever get all of it done on time. See you about six tonight. Oh, and his name is Tyler. Bye."
Kat looked at the phone in her hand and thought her life was probably going to change once again. Lacie had never brought a young man home to meet her. This was a first, and it seemed to be a very important first. She pressed favorites on her cell phone and then Blaine's cell phone number.
"Blaine, guess who's coming to dinner?"
RECIPES
MARINATED MAHI MAHI
Ingredients:
2 mahi mahi fillets (about 1 lb.)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sea salt (If you don't have any, use table salt, but I really prefer sea salt.)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I've found if you put a little salt on them, makes chopping them easier.)
1/2 tsp. paprika
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the mahi mahi in a shallow roasting pan. Combine the orange juice with the next 9 ingredients and pour over the fish. Let stand 15 minutes to 1 hour. Pour the marinade off the fish and transfer it to a small saucepan over low heat. Keep warm. Bake the fish in the oven for 25 minutes. Sprinkle paprika over the fish, plate, and serve with the warm marinade. Enjoy!
STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts:
4 skinless boneless chick
en breasts
1/4 lb. ham (Packaged is fine.)
8 slices of cheese, halved (Whatever kind you have on hand.)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
Toothpicks as needed
Sauce:
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced (Put a little salt on them. Makes it a lot easier to mince them.)
1/3 cup chicken broth (I like the concentrate Better Than Bouillon.)
1 tsp. flour
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flatten the chicken breasts with a mallet on a flat surface so the breast thickness on all sides is even. Season with salt and pepper to taste. With a sharply pointed thin knife, create a slit in the side of each breast to form a pocket. Insert two halves of the cheese slices, ham, and two more halves of the cheese, tucking the ingredients into the pocket. Lightly secure with toothpicks.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large oven-safe skillet. Add the chicken and cook 6 minutes on each side (or until golden and crispy). Remove the chicken from the skillet. In the same skillet, add butter and garlic. Saute for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add flour and stir for 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Stir until well incorporated. Simmer 1 minute. Place chicken back in the skillet, spooning the sauce over the chicken. Cover the skillet and bake 15-20 minutes in the oven or until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove and plate. Enjoy!
NON-FLAMING STEAK DIANE
Ingredients:
2 New York steaks, medium thick
1 shallot, roughly chopped
8 oz. crimini (brown) mushrooms, stems removed and sliced. (If you can't find brown mushrooms, you can substitute white ones.)
1 tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (I scatter some salt on it and it makes it easier to chop.)
The Professor's Predicament Page 11