My Two Husbands

by Yari Martinez

  As usual, he doesn’t answer. Once again I won’t get to say good night to Kaylee. I wonder if she ever asks herself why she doesn’t hear from me every night. If she does think about it, I hope she doesn’t ask Hunter. He will surely tell her something that will turn her against me.

  I make it home, feeling ready to go to sleep, but hunger compels me to make something for dinner and watch some well-deserved television.

  I put my purse on the floor by the door and kick my shoes off. My cellphone rings when I am rummaging in the freezer. It is Diane.

  “What’s up?” I say.

  “Nothing. Where’ve you been? I haven’t heard from you in so long!” she asks.

  “Girl, it’s been a long couple of days. It just got back to normal a few minutes ago.”

  Always ready for gossip, she asks, “What happened?”

  I put the phone on speaker and place it on the counter. I fetch my steak from the freezer and defrost it and start with my dramatic story, “Well Dominic went to the hospital to help Amanda with her mother and decides he is not going to tell me. Until I see him the next day and question him about it. You know how I feel about Amanda.”

  I open the package of twin steaks, placing them in a bowl with cold water and salt to defrost them while I prepare the vegetables.

  “What the hell is with Dominic and Amanda? Why is he always trying to be her damn hero?” she asks.

  “You took the words right out of my mouth! That’s exactly what I told him when I found out.”

  “Brook, I swear something is going on with those two. I tell you this all the time. I know you hate hearing it, but I know you feel it too.”

  “I do feel something is going on, but he assures me there’s nothing. His excuse is that he feels obligated to her mother, who has supposedly helped him so much in the past. Anyway, he did the strangest thing today. He just showed up to my house without telling me, desperate to talk and fix things. I shouldn’t have listened but I did.”

  “Of course you did,” Diane comments.

  I know she isn’t judging me, but Diane must be tired of hearing excuses for Dominic.

  “I tried ending things with him but he begged for another chance! So I gave in. He basically assured me that Amanda will not be an issue anymore. I’m not sure if he meant it, but I can’t continue torturing myself with something I can’t prove,” I try to justify.

  “Do you honestly believe that?” she asks me.

  I remain quiet because I’m not sure what to believe. You would think at my age I would know more.

  I look at the zucchini I’ve finished chopping and season it with a little salt and pepper. I place it on a rack, ready to be placed into the oven.

  “Exactly, you are not answering me because you know he’s full of shit.”

  “I don’t know Diane, but I do know I’m not ready to end things. I go back and forth with what to do but when we are together, I’m content,” I say, knowing I sound ridiculous.

  “Fine I’m not going to try to change your mind. That’s not my style, but keep your eyes open. I don’t want you to get hurt.” With that said, she changes the topic, “Anyway, what are you doing?” I couldn’t be more grateful. She knows my limits and respects them.

  I want to tell her how Hunter ignored my call once again and how I have gone without hearing from Kaylee, but that will turn into another conversation that ends with me appearing stupid, so I spare myself the embarrassment.

  “I’m at home cooking steak and zucchini. I’ve already defrosted the meat and put the zucchini in the oven, waiting for it to cook so I can add cheese on top, and now rinsing the steak with water and lemon because I did my speed defrosting,” I tell her, knowing she doesn’t care, since she only enjoys eating and not cooking.

  “I like how through it all you still find it in you to cook. It’s what makes me love you most,” she says with a smile on her face that I can’t see but I know is there.

  “I know. God knows if we would be friends if I didn’t know how to cook,” I reply.

  “Probably not,” she laughs and hangs up.

  We never say bye, which is what I enjoy most about chatting with her: no hello’s or goodbye’s.

  Dinner is ready and smells to die for. I have to admit I couldn’t have cooked better if I tried.

  I wash my dinner down with some Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat and settle down on my couch to watch a trashy reality show, hoping it distracts me from my problems. It didn’t help much, but I manage to find sleep.

  I don’t know how or when I fell asleep, but what I do know is that Dominic never called me as he had promised.

  Chapter 5

  In the morning, I feel a bit uncomfortable not having heard from Dominic, especially after my conversation with Diane. I don’t want to put much thought into it and decide to send him a text. “Good morning. I just made it to work. Call me when you wake up.”

  I shove my phone into my purse, get out of my car, and hope that I can remain busy today. Thinking too much about Dominic and his behavior is going to drive me crazy.

  I stop in front of the office building; I know as soon as I walk through those doors, Zoe, my secretary, will ambush me. That’s how she usually keeps me on my toes. I do need the distraction, but I wish there was another way.

  I inhale deeply, as if I were about to jump into the ocean, and walk through the door. “Morning, today you have a meeting with Mr. Kuntz at 11 to discuss which teams will be funded. I already have John on standby to drive you over there. I also took the liberty of putting breakfast on your desk to start you off. God forbid you don’t eat and turn into a Snickers commercial at this meeting,” spouts Zoe, barely taking a breath through her little speech to ensure each passing second is utilized to the utmost. I wonder if she takes vitamins to give her all this energy.

  I envy how, in the years she has worked for me, I have never seen her stressed about anything other than work. I know she has two children and a husband, but none of that seems to ever affect her work or her mood. Zoe is definitely one of those people who make you believe life is easy and you can make it all you want it to be because you are in control the whole time. But the moment you jump into life, you realize that it’s only Zoe who has it under control.

  “Good morning to you too Zoe,” I say as I walk on. Giving her a strained smile, I take my presentation from her as she smiles back, knowing my world here would fall apart without her.

  She follows me into my office and takes a seat while I move around, settling in, and kick off my heels, which I have never adjusted to wearing. I have to give credit to women who live in heels. It’s a skill I have never mastered. I sit down and take another deep breath. Today will be one of those days I was praying for. “Any word on how the meeting went with Mr. Kuntz and Mrs. Doughty?”

  “About that, he denied her team funding,” replies Zoe.

  When we started our magazine, one of the things we tried to do well was establish our teams for international students who dreamed of joining the magazine industry. It was immediately apparent Mrs. Doughty had it in her to make her team bring out the best from its competitors if they did not want to be mutilated before their dreams even started taking shape. Not funding the Doughty team seems unacceptable, and I can’t fathom why it has happened. “Are you serious? Dammit, how the hell are they going to participate in next year’s event?” I say, not expecting an answer. I’m sure if Zoe had any information, I would have heard by now.

  “Are you secretly going to find them a sponsor?” she asked, leaning into my desk conspiratorially.

  “Of course I am. I can’t stand her, but I have to admit her team is always one of the best teams out there. Funding them to keep them in the competition is a must,” I tell her, looking through my notes.

  “Why do you think he denied them funding?” Zoe asks, puzzled.

  I look up at Zoe, feeling as confused as her. “I have no idea, but I intend to find out by today. Do me a favor, give your connections a call to see if yo
u hear any rumors before I get the scoop from Mr. Kuntz.”

  I open my presentation folder to review keynotes before my meeting with Kuntz. It’s impressive how Zoe has put together everything we thought of during our late hours together. I have a whole team to help me prepare, but working with Zoe is gold. The other members of the team work hard too, but they are no Zoe. Plus, I don’t have time to babysit an entire team and stay on top of my responsibilities.

  “I will be at my desk if you need me,” Zoe says on her way out. I nod and continue reviewing as I have my breakfast.

  Without realizing it, I go two hours without thinking about Dominic and am able to review my presentations without interruptions. I push the presentation to the side, gazing at my beautiful nude Anouk Jimmy Choo shoes. I feel like throwing them across the parking lot, but instead I get up and bend down to pick them up and slip them onto my feet. Anyone will think I am asthmatic, with all the huffing and puffing I'm doing putting these shoes on. Such a shame I spent six hundred dollars on a pair of shoes. I could have done so much more with that money, but people in this business notice everything. This industry isn’t all about playing hard, it is also about looking the part if you want to survive. Making it to the top doesn’t exclude anyone from that rule.

  To avoid walking like a new-born calf, I strut around my desk a couple of times then hit the intercom to alert Zoe that I am ready to head out for the meeting. Quickly, my thoughts sneak to Dominic, but Zoe of course is at her desk and interrupts my reverie faster than lightning.

  “Yes,” says Zoe.

  “Zoe, have John meet me out front in five minutes, I’m leaving now,” I instruct.

  “He is already out front waiting for you.”

  Grabbing my purse, I dig around in it for my phone in hopes of hearing from Dominic, but instead there is a message from Kuntz, “See you at 11:00 a.m.” As if I would forget to meet him. And of course, nothing from Dominic.

  I silence the darn phone, throwing it back into my purse, and grab my presentation. I have to stop being desperate to hear from Dominic. He does have a life other than me.

  I walk into the Auden Bistro and Bar located in Midtown Manhattan. Why in the world are we meeting here when the traffic is atrocious? I notice Mr. Kuntz and make my way to him as he gestures to the hostess that I am with him.

  “Happy you were able to make it darling. How was the trip here?” he asks, pulling out a chair for me.

  “Traffic was as usual, but no complaints. Happy to see you too.” I kiss his cheek before sitting down. I should say what I’m really thinking.

  Kuntz walks towards his chair and sits facing me and quickly apologizes for this meeting location. “I would have never made you come all this way. However, I’m on vacation and my wife wanted to stay at the Ritz-Carlton, so here we are. She forgets I work in the city and being here is not a real vacation for me, but I have keep the missus happy if I want to remain married.”

  And here people say chivalry is dead. I beg to differ.

  I smile at him, respecting him as a man. It is a privilege to see this side of him—almost forgetting he is my boss, I see a man who loves his wife. It makes me think, are men like him all taken? I thought I had one of the great ones when I married to Hunter, but one day that great man reminded me I’m not one of the lucky ones. I turn my attention back to Mr. Kuntz. He is looking at me with a strange expression, “Are you feeling okay, Brook?” he asks.

  “Yes! I’m sorry, I was reviewing topics I wanted to discuss in my mind,” I explain, wondering how long I was stuck in my past.

  I retrieve the presentation from my bag in the hope he doesn’t think I am losing it.

  As the waitress comes to our table to fill up our glasses, he takes out his notepad and tells me, “No rush at all, but we have to hurry up. The missus is in the spa for about three hours, and I would like to eat something before she is done.”

  Whenever I am prepared for a meeting, things always get in the way. I’m sure if I wasn’t ready and didn’t have this presentation, this meeting would have been a long one.

  “Sounds fair. We will go over the important points and then talk about the funds I have gathered for the teams. We have enough resources to fund about five teams. If my calculations serve me right, we will triple our investments on sales if everything goes as expected,” I say, handing him the presentation.

  He flips through it, of course asking many questions. After a couple of hours, he finally makes a decision: “We will fund four teams this year. The six teams we’ve funded over the last five years haven’t impressed me much. They’ve not proved to be worth it.” He says this more as an order than a suggestion.

  “But our numbers increased significantly with six teams. Why only four this year?” I ask, confused about his decision.

  “Our numbers did increase, but for the years I’ve been doing this, it’s clear our greatest spike in numbers has occurred when we fund four or less teams.”

  I know well enough not to argue with Mr. Kuntz, regardless of how fond he is of me. So I simply agree. I start gathering my presentation to shove it back into my bag, and right when I am about to ask him what happened with Mrs. Doughty, he tells me, “I will leave it up to you which four teams get funded. However, we will not fund Mrs. Doughty’s team this year.”

  “Is something wrong with Mrs. Doughty and her team?” I ask, intrigued.

  “Let’s just say some of the material they presented last year was not their own. And I do not care to taint my reputation by funding them.”

  “I’m a bit surprised to hear they would do anything to jeopardize their involvement with our magazine, especially by presenting material that is not theirs,” I counter.

  “I agree, but it’s the truth. Like I said before, we will not fund them. But who we do fund is completely up to you,” he says.

  I watch as he waves down a waitress and wonder what the hell is going on. I can’t wait to leave and call Zoe.

  I finish packing up my things. “Mr. Kuntz, it has been a pleasure seeing you today. But as you know, I have much to do at the office, so I’ll be heading out.”

  “You don’t want lunch?” he asks.

  “Another time, if that’s okay with you. Plus you’re on vacation. You don’t want to spend all your vacation time with me, I’m sure,” I smile.

  “Well, I suppose you’re right. I’ll reach out to you next week,” he tells me, and we get up from our seats and give each other a quick hug. And just like that my meeting is done. I feel accomplished.

  John is waiting patiently for me in the car. I should have invited him in instead of leaving him out there with nothing to do. As if I were anyone that important.

  “John! I’m sorry you waited for me. Can I buy you a coffee or lunch?” I exclaim.

  “Ms. York please. I know you’re very busy, and it was a pleasure to wait for you. I don’t mind at all. If you want coffee, I’ll be happy to stop for you,” he says, smiling into the mirror. I smile back, turning my attention to my phone, which is ringing.

  “Hello,” I say.

  “Hey,” answers Dominic.

  “I haven’t heard from you all day. Are you alright?” I ask.

  I’m trying not to sound snappy, but I don’t understand how busy this man can be to go the entire day without contacting me. It is unrealistic for someone to be busy to the point of forgetting those they care about. Dominic makes me feel more like a chore than a girlfriend. If that’s the case, why does he string me along? I thought with our last argument things would be different, but I guess I was wrong.

  “You’re not going to believe this! I was able to get the weekend off and I took the liberty of booking us a small getaway to the Dominican Republic. Nothing fancy, but thought you’d love it,” he says.

  “Of course I’d love it, but I’ve a lot of work this weekend. I can't leave without notice!” I protest.

  “C’mon, we’ll have a great time. We both know you can get a lot of work done on your laptop. We need a
small vacation, plus you are always asking me why can’t we get away. Now here’s our chance.”

  “This is not about us having or not having a great time! It’s about you not giving me enough time to prepare myself or get organized with work. You can’t expect me to drop everything on Zoe’s lap! As if she doesn’t have enough on her plate as it is.”

  How inconsiderate can he possibly be? I admit I am always asking for more time, but I don’t book random vacations and expect him to be readily available. I thought trips were something people discussed and then planned. A surprise only when you’re certain that you’re not inconveniencing the other person.

  “You’re right. How about you go to your office and talk to Zoe and see if it’s possible. If we can’t make it, don’t stress about it.”

  Great. Now I sound like the mean ungrateful girlfriend who can’t appreciate a nice gesture.

  “I’ll talk to Zoe. I’m sure she won’t have a problem covering for me while I am gone. But please. No surprises like this in the future. It really is not fair to everyone else around me,” I say.

  “Great. Hey sorry about last night. I got caught up with work and I figured it would be too late to call since you said you haven’t been sleeping well.”

  Nice cover. Always smart to slip in an apology after booking a trip to someplace warm.

  “I was tired and fell asleep soon after dinner. Plus, Diane kept me on the phone for a while last night as I cooked.”

  “Are you at work right now?” he asks.

  “I just had a meeting with my boss in the city. Heading back to the office as we speak.”

  “Do you want to meet for lunch? I don’t have to be at work until later on. I have time.”

  “Let’s save lunch for another time. I have a mess in my office. I have to square it away before I leave. I also have a few things I need to review with Zoe about the meeting. She needs to take care of things while I’m gone, things I won’t be able to address from my laptop,” I explain.

  “Okay beautiful, we’ll talk later. Love you.”