Once Upon a Marriage

“Janice and her mother are almost as small as you are.”

Maybe. Though Marie had never thought of herself as small. Gabrielle was small. Neither of them was overweight. They both had good figures. But Marie took two sizes bigger on top, which made it difficult to share clothes.

“Janice’s mother has a penchant for snatching candy out of bowls or off from tables and hiding it in the seat of her walker,” Marie said. “I make it a habit to always have some on hand for her to snatch. It’s harmless.”

It was only as they were waiting in line to pay that Marie realized how much of a kook she must look to him. And wondered why the idea bothered her so much.

She’d never really cared before what other people thought of her. She liked herself, and that was what mattered. Or so her mother had always said.

But as a little girl gave a bit of a yelp when they approached her in the parking lot on the way to the car, hiding behind her mother’s leg as she watched them walk past, Marie couldn’t help being bothered. “That’s why you were apologizing, earlier. You get this a lot, don’t you? People staring at you?”

His shrug made her curious. More than curious. She wanted to know what it hid. Wanted to know everything he didn’t say to her.

“I’m larger than what most people are used to,” he said with no inflection as he began to load her purchases into the back of his SUV. “I’m not only tall. I’m broad. I have to special-order my pants and shoes.”

The words were personal. She wanted more. “What size shoe do you wear?”

“Sixteen and a half.”

Marie glanced at his feet. They were huge. She’d never really noticed before. Because they fit his body.

And she’d made him feel uncomfortable. Which wasn’t her way at all.

“Burton’s in love,” she blurted as soon as they were buckled into the SUV for the drive home. She hadn’t meant to tell him. It wasn’t as if Burton’s love life had anything to do with him.

But the news had depressed the heck out of her.

And she’d had to say something to get rid of the awkwardness that had arisen between her and Elliott.

He looked over at her before he’d even started the vehicle. Tall, bright security lights popped on around them as dusk was turning to darkness.

“That’s why he asked me to lunch today,” she babbled, to fill the silence. “He wanted to tell me that he won’t be able to accompany me to the theater anymore. He and Rebecca are getting season tickets together.”

There. She’d told someone. She hadn’t even been able to keep a boring mama’s boy faithful to her.

Not that she’d tried. She’d told Burton, quite emphatically, that she was not and was never going to be interested in a romantic relationship with him.

“I’m happy for him,” she blurted next. Why didn’t he turn on the car? Get them home where she could take a hot bath and forget life’s little embarrassments?

Or cry in a glass of wine?

“The timing kind of sucks, though,” she added when he just sat there.

“Why’s that?”

He’d been listening to her. “You know, with Gabi and Liam all newlywed-like. At least I could count on Burton for a night out when I needed it.”

She couldn’t believe how selfish t

hat sounded. Out loud. What about what Burton needed?

“I really am happy for him,” she said, feeling better for no reason whatsoever. As evidenced by the smile she sent Elliott’s way. She’d just needed to talk the whole thing through. Would have done so with Gabi by now if her friend were around more.

“I think you really mean that.”

“Of course I do. He’s a nice man. A good man. He deserves to be happy.”

He’d probably be faithful, too.