Keeping Score

Marilyn stiffened at his question. She faced him from across the room. “They do have one concern about me.”

Her expression filled him with dread. “What?”

“You.”

Warrick’s eyebrows jumped up his forehead. “What about me?”

She twined her fingers together. “They’re concerned that the media attention on you could reflect badly on their practice.”

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; His anger melted the ice that had settled in his gut. “What does my press have to do with their practice?”

Marilyn met his gaze. “Negative coverage might make patients wonder why Dionne and Janet allowed me to join their practice.”

Warrick crossed his arms. “What did you say?”

“That the media coverage is a misrepresentation of the truth, if not outright lies. They amount to deliberate smear campaigns against you.”

Her outrage calmed him. He wasn’t alone. She still believed in him. “Were they satisfied?”

“No.” Marilyn’s eyes scanned the room’s warm wood and green decor. “The press is a large part of the reason you and I have arrived where we are.”

The weight returned to Warrick’s back. “I know.”

She hugged her arms around her torso. “Janet and Dionne’s comments are another reason I’m just not certain I can be a celebrity’s wife.”

He stilled. “What do you mean?”

“The media’s personal attacks against us affect me professionally.”

“Those aren’t even real reporters.” Warrick clenched his hands. They were damp with sweat. “They’re gossip columnists. You shouldn’t pay attention to them.”

Marilyn swung her right hand toward the room’s two windows. “Even if I don’t, they do.”

“The public will take their cue from you.” Warrick struggled to keep his tone reasonable. “You handled Janet and Dionne well. People will eventually stop asking you about the gossip because they’ll know you don’t give it any credence.”

Marilyn smoothed her hand over her hair. “I spent the first twenty years of my life trying to meet the standards my parents had set with their high profile. Now I have to defend myself from media attacks because of my husband’s fame.” She pulled the clip from her hair and drew her fingers through her thick tresses. “I had other plans for my life. I hadn’t intended to live it with a camera in my face.”

Warrick leaned his right shoulder against the doorjamb as the pressure beat against him. “I know this is hard, Mary. The negative attention is new to you. But I’ve been dealing with it since college. It does get easier.”

“I can’t wait that long.” Marilyn’s voice trembled.

Warrick heard his heart beating. “What are you saying?”

“Your celebrity is affecting our marriage. Now, it’s also affecting my career.” She paused for forever. “Maybe we should get a divorce.”

Marilyn’s words echoed in his head. Maybe we should get a divorce. Maybe we should get a divorce. Maybe we should get a divorce.

Warrick’s body shook. The room spun. If he weren’t leaning against the threshold, he would have crumpled to the floor. Marilyn’s face, stiff and pale, went in and out of focus.

“You want to divorce me so you can get your partnership ?” His lips were numb. If only his heart were, too.

Marilyn raised her hands, palms up. “Our relationship is already under a lot of strain.”

“So you’re going to throw it away for your career.”

“Rick, it’s—”