Showdown

“’If we have this conversation, it’s going to end badly for you,’ that’s what he said. The words chilled my soul, Laren. Chilled my soul. It was clear out of the blue. All I know is how scared I got. I thought he’d give me a hug and say, ‘Sure, baby.’" Allie was near tears.

“That’s harsh.” Laren paused. “So what did you do?”

“What could I do? I could go ahead and ask my question again, or I could slink back into my regular life and pretend everything was okay and work like hell to make it better. “

“So, what did you do? “

“First, I said, ‘That’s what you think!’ And then I gasped, and turned around. Then I stopped, and looked back, and he was still staring at me. So I said, ‘Bring it on!’”

“So what did he say then?”

“He said that I should know the answer. That if there was anything worth coming home for, he’d have come home. Instead, he went to someone else’s house, spent time with someone else. Someone he loves.”

“He said all that? “

“His eyes said it.”

“But that’s not the same! “

“It may as well be. “

“What did he say, really?”

“He didn’t say anything. He just glared. “

“So you don’t really know the answer.”

“Of course I do. The answer is no. If it was yes, he would have said so.”

“How about you: are you happy?” Laren asked.

Allie was quiet.

“Are you happy?” Laren repeated.

“I would be if…” Allie said.

“Nuts. I said, ‘Are you happy?’”

Allie glared at her; then she pulled away and began to sob. “No.”

Laren reached toward her. “It’s better to know. Really it is. It’s better to know.”

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