by Mary Monroe
“You’re right.” He shook his head and slid his hands into his pockets. Then he looked toward the door. “I guess I should be goin’ so you can get some rest. You look tired.”
“I am tired. But the thing I’m tired about the most is the way we keep going around in circles about what we are going to do. Now, there is no reason why we can’t agree on something right here and now.”
“You’re right,” he said again. “If you want to go ahead with the divorce, go ahead. I ain’t goin’ to stand in the way of you bein’ happy. I’ve done that long enough. I’ll come by in a couple of days to get the rest of my stuff.”
“Wait a minute.” I raised my hand. “I’ve been happy most of our marriage. You haven’t been standing in the way of me being happy. I don’t know where you got that idea from.”
“You know what, I’m tired, too. I’m goin’ to go back to my place. If you have them serve me the divorce papers, that’s fine. I can live with it. If you don’t, well, I can live with that, too. Right now, I’m goin’ home.” He looked toward the stairs. “Tell Charlotte I’ll take her shoppin’ this weekend, and she can spend the weekend with me if she still wants to.” He didn’t hug me or even say good-bye. He just turned and walked away.
I didn’t even wait for him to pull out of the driveway before I called Rhoda. She sounded sleepy, but she started talking right away. “I’m glad you called. I’m bringin’ you somethin’ tomorrow that’s goin’ to make you very happy,” she informed me.
“Good. Don’t forget to bring some batteries with it,” I chided.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, you nasty buzzard. I was talkin’ about some tequila. I’m goin’ to make you some killer margaritas.”
“That’s good to hear. We can celebrate.”
“Celebrate? Celebrate what?”
“Pee Wee’s coming home,” I told her. “I think…”
I heard her suck in some air and then let out a disturbing gurgle.
“Rhoda, are you all right?” I asked with concern. “Can you still talk now?”
“Yeah, some air went down my windpipe the wrong way. What you just said shocked me, I guess. I mean, I’m glad to hear it all, but I’m surprised. I just saw Pee Wee a little while ago, and he didn’t even mention a reconciliation. When is he movin’ back in with you?”
“Um, we haven’t decided on that yet.” I crossed my fingers as I stood in the window with the curtains cracked open enough for me to see Pee Wee. There was enough light coming from the moon and the streetlights for me to see him sitting in his car with his head on the steering wheel. “There won’t be a divorce…this time.”
“I am so happy to hear that!” Rhoda squealed. She sounded wide awake now. “This news gives me so much hope! If you and Pee Wee can get back together after all you’ve put each other through these past few months, anything is possible. You agree?”
“I agree with that,” I said.
“Now as soon as my daughter’s husband comes to his senses and realizes how much he loves her, he’ll come back.”
Before I could leave the window, or hide my face behind the curtains, Pee Wee looked up. He smiled at me for the first time in weeks. I smiled back. We waved to each other; then he backed out of the driveway and drove down the street.
I returned to my seat on the couch. The phone was still up to my ear, and I was still listening to Rhoda as she babbled on and on about the possibility of Vernie coming back to Jade. But none of that bothered me. I felt better than I’d felt in a long time. It was a while before I could get another word in edgewise. And that was only because she had to pause to clear her throat. “Rhoda, you’re right. Everything is going to work out all right for all of us.”
“Even Vernie comin’ back to Jade?” she asked, suddenly sounding as eager as a child on Christmas morning.
“Even Vernie coming back to Jade,” I said. “If Pee Wee and I can get back together and go on like before, anything is possible.”
I didn’t know for sure if my husband was coming back to me, but if he wanted to, well, he was still my husband.
READING GROUP
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
For years, Annette accused Pee Wee of having an affair, even though it was not true. When he finally did get involved with another woman, were you as surprised as Annette was?
If Annette had not badgered Pee Wee, he would not have hired Lizzie Stovall to work in his barbershop in the first place. Was Annette responsible for Pee Wee and Lizzie falling in love and moving in together?
When Lizzie showed up at Annette’s house and told her face-to-face that she was in love with Annette’s husband, Annette reacted violently. Was she justified in physically attacking Lizzie and Pee Wee?
Speaking of violence, when Jade’s meek husband, Vernie, finally fought back against her battering of him—and almost killed her—was his violent behavior justified? Are you glad he finally stood up to her and then deserted her?
Annette tolerated Jade because of her relationship with Jade’s parents. Each time Jade insulted her, Annette responded in ways that usually made Jade feel more insulted than Annette. Do you approve of the way Annette handled Jade’s hostility toward her, or do you think she should have “turned the other cheek” the way she used to?
Annette didn’t want Pee Wee to think that she was sitting at home twiddling her thumbs and that no other man wanted her. That was one of the reasons she got involved with the first man who approached her after Pee Wee’s departure—one of her “throwaway” former boyfriends, Jacob Brewster. The other reason she rekindled her relationship with Jacob was because she felt guilty about his son committing suicide after a misunderstanding with her. Do you think she resumed her relationship with Jacob for the wrong reasons?
If Jacob had been more responsible, would Annette have fallen in love with him again and eventually forgotten about Pee Wee? If yes, why? If no, why?
Annette’s daughter, Charlotte, got attached to Jacob right away. But she got too close to him too soon, which made Annette uncomfortable. Do you think that because Annette had been sexually abused throughout her childhood she is too suspicious and hard on men when it comes to her child?
Whenever Annette faces a problem, she turns to Rhoda—who consistently gives her advice that usually leads to another problem! Do you think it’s time for Annette to stop taking advice from Rhoda and try to solve her problems on her own?
It didn’t take long for Pee Wee to realize what a big mistake he’d made by moving in with Lizzie. Compared with Annette, Lizzie was a lousy cook, a terrible housekeeper, slovenly behind closed doors, and a woman with a hidden agenda. Do you think Pee Wee got what he deserved when Lizzie dumped him, then went to work for his rival and moved in with his rival’s uncle?
When Jacob started to mistreat Annette, were you glad she severed her relationship with him? Do you think she should have done it sooner than she did?
Do you think that the main reason Pee Wee had an affair was because Annette had had an affair a few months earlier?
Do you think Annette’s marriage is worth salvaging? If so, why? Do you want to see Annette and Pee Wee back together again?
Dafina Books are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2010 by Mary Monroe
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Dafina and the Dafina logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number: 2010921528
ISBN: 978-0-7582-6034-5
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