The Woman He Married (40 page)

Josie spilled the words out before she noticed that they weren’t alone. Dressed in his superman pajamas, his newly acquired blue belt tied around his waist, Bobbie was standing tentatively in the kitchen doorway.

Josie softened her tone. “Hey, buddy, you need something?”

“Is everything okay, Momma?” he asked, sheepishly eyeballing his angry, fighting parents.

“Sure. Your daddy and I are just talking, that’s all.” Josie forced a smile through her quivering lips.

“Are you
gonna
tuck us in?” Bobbie asked like he wished he hadn’t.

It was at that very moment Josie realized she and John had never fought in front of the children, or at all for that matter. Instead, all these years they’d chosen to simply avoid communication, negative or otherwise.

“Of course—come on,” Josie said, crossing the kitchen. Spinning Bobbie around, she steered him down the hall toward his room.

“Daddy, you
comin
’?”
Bobbie called over his shoulder.

John followed.

Josie and John continued their argument by shooting scathing glances at one another as they walked silently down the hall. After tucking in the boys, and then Beth, while pretending to be happy, doting parents, John followed Josie out of their daughter’s room, closing the door behind him. Heading toward the master bedroom, Josie didn’t even bother to turn and face John before starting back in.

Using an angry whisper, she said, “I can’t believe you have the nerve to blame
me
for
your
affair.” After stepping into the bedroom, Josie turned to see John right behind her.

“That’s not what I meant—” he started.

With one hand on each of the double doors, Josie blocked his entry into the bedroom. “Don’t think you’re coming in here!”

Holding his hands up in surrender, John stepped back, apologizing.
“My bad.”
He started to say something else, but Josie slammed both doors in his face before he could get one more word out.

Fists clenched, Josie paced the carpet between the door and the bed. “He has some nerve blaming our lame excuse for a marriage on me!” she muttered to herself. “He’s the one who ignored me all these years, accusing me of not wanting sex. How many nights did I lay here waiting for him while he was getting it from someone else? What wife wouldn’t need to drink?” Her anger seethed from her gut, threatening to rupture from the top of her head. She stopped pacing, and snatching a pillow from the bed, hurled it end over end into John’s autographed picture of Bear Bryant. The portrait fell to the floor in a tragic crash of shattered glass and tattered possibilities.

“
I’m
not the one who slept with Trisha!”

* * * *

The next morning, Josie staggered into the kitchen, exhausted. After her clash with John she’d tossed and turned the entire night, dreaming that she was snuggled up next to him while warm water gently fell down over them and he softly caressed her, kissing her tenderly and promising that they’d shower together more often. Only, it wasn’t like a dream with all the usual bizarre subplots, but more like a very pleasant memory.

She rubbed her blurry eyes as she reached into the cupboard for her favorite mug before noticing it sitting on the counter in front of her. Leaning out of the top, a single white Magnolia greeted her merrily. On the counter just behind, a fresh pot of hot coffee had just finished brewing. Plucking the flower from her mug, she twirled the stem between her thumb and forefinger. Josie couldn’t imagine who would have put her favorite flower… John? Out in the garage, she saw that his car was already gone for the day. A smile pulled at her lips as she held the flower to her nose before tucking it behind her ear.

The flower floated beautifully in her hair the entire day.

* * * *

White wispy clouds hid the mid-March sun as Josie looked up and attempted to warm her face, trying to muster the energy needed to finish the golf tournament. Only a day or two into spring, and Josie could feel the humidity knocking lazily at the recesses of the changing season. Winter was short-lived in central
Alabama
.

The last two weeks had been interesting to say the least.

“I’ve loved you for almost half my life. I don’t expect that’ll be changing anytime soon,”
Brian had said. Josie felt a flutter in her chest as her lips turned up involuntarily, remembering how he’d all but ignored her for a few days after the karate incident. However, as usual, he couldn’t stay mad at her for long.

Working fulltime had been grueling with Brian’s involvement in not only legal matters, but also civic projects as well, including a new community center over in west
Birmingham
,
and a multi-cultural center for migrant workers.

Although he hadn’t tried to kiss her again, and probably wouldn’t until John moved out for good, he was warming a bit more everyday.
Just as well,
Josie thought. Waiting until things were settled with John would be best for everyone.

Josie twisted her upper body from side to side, trying to work out a cramp as she and Gina waited their turn on the ninth hole.

“
You feeling
all right?” Gina
asked,
the worry apparent in her voice.

“Yeah—I’m tired and getting winded easily for some reason,” Josie said. Just over six weeks since she started to work fulltime and she worried that she’d never build up enough stamina to be super mom, ace lawyer, and whatever else. Her back hurt, her concentration was distracted, and walking the course had made her uncharacteristically winded. Even so, she and Gina were playing well and managing to maintain a steady six and seven stroke lead.

Scuffing the grass with her foot, Gina casually said, “So, you never told me what happened when you and John went home after the karate thing…when Brian threatened him.”

Josie waved her hand dismissively. She’d been brushing Gina off, not wanting to discuss the fight—but knowing Gina would keep
trying,
she gave in and said, “Oh, we had a big fight. But things have been better since then. He leaves work early at least three days a week to help out, has the carpool, karate, dance and basketball schedules down pat, and he especially seems to be enjoying taking Beth to dance.” She let out a chuckle before continuing.

“Apparently, now that he understands his ‘target’ audience, he’s better able to really put on the charm.” She explained to Gina how she saw one of the other moms at the Winn Dixie the other day who said,
“Your husband’s truly an inspiration…he should give seminars to other men about how to be a better husband.”
Josie rolled her eyes while Gina let out a little snort.

“Then, I heard John on the phone with Patrick, telling him there’s a whole demographic out there, consisting of women they’ve been underestimating. And could he come up with some concepts for a new ad directed primarily toward voters of the ‘female persuasion’?” Josie laughed. “I can just see it now, a TV ad with John officially taking the bench in nothing but a Speedo.”

“As much as I hate to say it, that would probably be effective,” Gina said. “But what happened
after
karate?”

“Oh, he had the nerve to suggest that all our problems are somehow my fault too.
I
didn’t sleep with Trisha,” Josie replied, briefly feeling irritated. Then she thought about how eager and patient John had been with Bobbie and his homework. Wonderful—except for the day Josie came home to find that John and Bobbie had built a large volcano for the science fair. For some inconceivable reason the monstrosity was in the dining room—and Beth couldn’t resist pushing the button. To Josie’s dismay, hot “lava” and mud spewed relentlessly all over her silk drapes.

“Well, you know what they say: ‘No marriage breaks up because of the actions of only one person,’” Gina said, pretending to be indifferent.

Josie called out, “Lord,
have mercy
! I think the ground’s going to open up and swallow us whole. Gina’s agreeing with John!”

“Well, before you start looking for flying
pigs,
just know I’d never agree with
that
man. I heard it on
Dr. Phil
.” Gina spit out her words before taking on a more sober tone.
“Still, something to think about.”

“You’re the one who said I needed to face my problems and confront John.”

“Yeah, confront him—not divorce him.”

“But you hate him.”

“Right, but
you
love him. I just wanted you to be happy. Despite what most Southerners think, denial is not happiness.” She looked Josie directly in the eye. “Take it from me, after years of divorce mediation, I can tell you that ending a marriage rarely makes anyone happy,
especially
when there are children involved.”

Josie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So, I’m wrong in leaving my cheating husband. I should stay with a man I don’t trust, who doesn’t love me, for the
kids
?”

“I’m saying that first you avoided your problems by not confronting him. Now you’re avoiding your problems by divorcing him.” Gina clicked her tongue. “Same amount of avoidance, different subject, but no resolution.” She stayed quiet for a moment before adding, “And yes, what better reason is there for working things out than for your children?”

Josie had no response to that. She hated it when Gina made so much sense, especially when her insight required intense self-examination on Josie’s part. But Josie had already done some soul-searching since that night. While there was no excuse for John’s affair, she knew that if she had it to do over again, she’d do some things different.
Starting with not letting him bully her, and then not drinking to dull the pain.

“Speak of the devil—is that John over there with Dash?” Gina said, squinting against the sun. They walked over to the two men.

“What the hell’s he up to now?” Josie muttered as she edged her way carefully to the back of the tee box and over to her husband. “What are you doing here? Are the kids okay?”

John smiled warmly back at her. “They’re fine. They’re with my momma.”

“I thought you said they were fine?” Josie deadpanned.

“Very funny.
I just wanted to watch you play,” he said, smiling affectionately. “Ease up on the back swing, save your energy for the follow through, and try your number two driver on this hole,” he said with a wink.

“Who are you?”
Josie wanted to say but instead she simply looked him up and down before turning away without commenting.

Playing the supportive husband, John stayed at the tournament until the end. Then, he gave Josie a spontaneous hug and peck on the cheek when she and Gina were awarded with the winner’s trophy for the second year in a row.

“I’m proud of you, babe,” he whispered, holding onto her as long as possible before she finally wriggled free.

What’s gotten into him?
she
wondered as she watched John make small talk with some of the tournament officials. Josie didn’t trust his sudden interest in her endeavors and subsequent displays of public affection.
Is he spying on me to make sure I’m not with Brian? Maybe he’s just keeping up appearances until the election? Or, could he genuinely be interested in an event that doesn’t revolve around him?

* * * *

Out in the parking lot, Josie climbed into the van and closed the door. John had left a little while ago, leaving her and Gina to enjoy the festivities. It was dark and Josie couldn’t wait to get home, take a warm bath, and climb into bed. Checking the rearview mirror before backing up, she saw a woman staggering through the parking lot.

“Looks like someone had a few too many,” Josie muttered, “better you than me.”

After watching the woman a moment longer, alarms sounded painfully in Josie’s head when she realized the intoxicated female was no woman at all, but a wayward teenage girl being pursued by two young men, up to something nefarious, no doubt.