Once Upon a Marriage

* * *

SATURDAY WAS CRAZY busy in the shop. Liam and Gabi came down midmorning, to have coffee and show her Liam’s article—a copy they’d printed off the internet as soon as it had been published that morning. She read the first paragraph, was impressed but had to put it down to wait on customers. Gabi told her to call if she needed help. She’d worked in the shop all through law school and made a great cup of coffee. Eva was on that morning and Nancy would be relieving her midafternoon. Betty would be training with Marie on Sunday. Maybe it was the weather, or the fact that the days were getting longer, but coffee drinkers were steady the entire day.

By early evening, she was beat. They were down to one customer—a woman in her thirties who was in law school and used their free Wi-Fi to study and who was known to sit awhile whenever she came in. By seven, after a lull that lasted half an hour, Marie, sent Nancy home. The cleaning up Nancy would normally have done was a welcome respite from going upstairs alone. While the hot bath she planned to take did call out to her, her skin could only soak so long before it started to prune, and it was far too early to go to bed.

Sulking was out of the question.

Television didn’t hold her attention.

And she knew she had to talk to Elliott. If she couldn’t find the courage to call him, to try, to offer to do whatever it took to make their marriage work, then she didn’t deserve him.

While her lone customer typed on her computer, headphones on, Marie stepped to the far end of the counter and dialed.

He picked up on the first ring. “You okay?”

“Fine,” she was quick to assure him, reminding him that she had an armed security guard right outside her front door. “I don’t trust myself, so I discern who I can trust and then I tell them everything, just to get a second opinion to my own thoughts before I make a decision.” She was repeating what her mother had told her.

But only because the truth rang all the way to her core.

“Okay.” He was clearly at a loss, and she didn’t blame him.

“I...we need to talk, Elliott. If that’s okay with you, that is...”

She had to tell him that she’d figured it out—the fact that she did trust him. Her mother had said how her whole life she’d relied on her—even calling from college—until she’d met Gabi and knew that she could trust her, too. And Liam. She only had two best friends, and a mother, but she’d placed her trust well. They’d all been standing by her for a very long time. And then she’d met Elliott. And within a week, she’d been telling him her secrets...

“Of course it’s okay with me.” He didn’t hesitate on that one. “I’d rather not do it on the phone, though.”

“I know.” She glanced back at Law Girl. She’d never thrown anyone out before, but... “I’m still in the shop. I have a customer.” Her heart started to race.

“I know. I drove the perimeter five minutes ago. I’m heading to get some dinner and have one thing to do for another client. I’ll be back within the hour.”

“Call me when you’re back and we can talk here, in the shop.”

“It’s a date. And just to be clear, no matter what it comes to, I’ll be here for you, Marie. Always.” He said the words as if they were news to him. “No matter what happens. Whether I have a home or security with you or not. I love you and I am more certain than ever, after these past days of not having any home of my own at all, that I will always be here for you. My security is in myself. It came at an early age, and has formed, I think, in a way that is healthy for me. But you are my heart. I just want you to know that...”

He was rambling. And she started to grin. Thinking that maybe, just maybe, she’d have her husband in her bed again that night.

While she waited for her customer to leave, she scrubbed and shined everything behind the counter. She wanted her customers to feel welcome—always—not as though she was rushing them out. But she gave every hint she could that she was closing up.

She refilled canisters. Stocked condiments. When the door opened, she even smiled at the new customer who came in. A friendly guy who’d been in a few times. Technically it wasn’t closing time yet.

“Latte, low-fat, low-foam with a wisp of nutmeg,” she said, greeting him at the cash register. She loved her job. Loved having a business that became a neighborhood in and of itself. If that was all she ever had, she’d be at least somewhat happy. But if she could have it all? Was she really going to rob herself—or Elliott—of that chance?

“That’s right,” he said, pulling out his wallet. She probably remembered him so well because he was a cash customer. Credit card receipts made the books easy, but she didn’t have to pay fees on cash.

Her heart was still thrumming at a brisk pace as he took his coffee and turned, but peace was slowly descending, as well.

The guy walked toward her one other customer. Greeted her as though he knew her.

Her smile and ready response indicated that she knew him, too. He’d be pulling out the other chair at her table any second now.

And Marie was about to offer to pay their way anyplace they wanted to go.

Latte Low-Fat Low-Foam Nutmeg Wisp leaned over, speaking in Law Girl’s ear. Marie emptied the last pot of coffee. She closed in fifteen minutes. Officially.

Latte didn’t sit down. He stood back. Law Girl was packing up.

They were hooking up without her help!