Once Upon a Marriage

“You’re my wife. I should know what to do if you ever need help,” he said, feeling somewhat better.

If he ignored the rock in his gut.

Her face serious beneath that ponytail that now only tempted him to take it down, Marie cocked her head and looked at him. “Okay,” she said. “You want to start now?”

Eva was busy speaking with a customer. Another was in line. The shop was half-full. “Can we have the first lesson be when you’re closed?” he asked. He wasn’t sure how nimble his big fingers were going to be pushing buttons, or how much room he’d take up bending over the small refrigerators...

“Of course. Tonight?”

He should have seen that one coming. Might have if the entire conversation hadn’t just come off the cuff.

Before he could answer, Eva called out an order and as Marie went back to work, Elliott went out to speak with the guard at the front of the shop. He’d just come on at eleven. They were working twelve-hour shifts. Meant the guy would be there almost until Elliott got home that night.

He wanted to make certain the man knew that Elliott would be out. That he was to make absolutely certain Marie was safe.

Pulling Marie aside only long enough to tell her he’d had a call and had to go to work for a few hours, he went up to visit with Liam and Gabrielle. Told them he had to go out for a few hours that night. A job guarding a long-standing visiting client. They were both planning to be in for the day—working from home. They offered to invite Marie up for dinner. And a movie. Told him to be safe out there.

It wasn’t “out there” he was worried about.

* * *

IT WASN’T SO bad being alone on her side of the table at Gabi and Liam’s that night. The pasta was good—great. Warm French bread, fresh salad and a small glass of wine were nice, too. Knowing that the seat next to her, while vacant, was also taken, was the best part of all.

“If you ladies don’t mind, I really need to get some more words done on the next installment of Dad’s piece,” Liam said as the three of them were finishing up. “I’ll get the dishes, though, if you want to head into the living room and relax.”

Marie wasn’t fooled. And didn’t think Gabi was, either. He was giving them time alone. Girl-talk time. Liam was Gabi’s husband now, but he knew them. And was their best friend. Still.

“So, tell me how you’re doing. Really doing.” Gabi didn’t even wait until they were seated on the couch before starting in. Picking up the remote, she clicked on the TV.

They’d already decided what movie they wanted to watch. Grease, starring Olivia Newton John and John Travolta. It was before their time. But they’d seen it with Barbara one summer and loved it. When they’d passed a Grease-themed slot machine in Vegas, they’d looked at each other, said simultaneously that they needed to see the movie again and laughed.

“I’m really doing great,” Marie said. And then added, “Mostly.” She nodded. “Yeah, mostly great.” If you didn’t count that she worried about getting worried. Was afraid she’d start to fear that her husband could be unfaithful to her. Look how she’d freaked out when Liam had dinner with his editor. The residuals of watching her father rip her mother’s heart out. Again and again. And being unable to do anything about it. A product of knowing that sometimes love wasn’t enough. She’d chosen them because they’d had first priorities other than her.

Elliott didn’t.

He was good at his job. But he loved her.

“Mostly?” Of course Gabi would pick up on that. “Do you regret getting married like you did?”

“Absolutely not.” Elliott had been right about that part. She was glad he’d waited to tell her about his duplicity in their original meeting because if he hadn’t, she might have done just as he’d said and bolted—robbing them of at least a chance of finding heaven together.

Except that his having done so had shown her she couldn’t tell when he was lying to her. “I am so in love with that man. I... No.” She shook her head. “Mom getting married in Vegas, Elliott needing to be there with Liam...it was meant to be.”

Gabi watched her. “So why, mostly?”

“Do you ever worry about Liam? When he’s out with his editor, for instance?”

“No.”

Chin jutted out, Marie nodded. “And there’s no reason to. But I do. You know?” The way Liam used to talk...about wanting other women when he was in an exclusive relationship. He’d been a kid then. And he’d never acted on the temptation. But it had been there. He’d talked to them about it.

“You don’t trust Liam? Our Liam?”

“Of course I trust him! I just...”

“Oh, sweetie.” Gabi moved scooted over. Gathered her close for one of the rare hugs she’d instigated over the years. “You worry, but you know why you do it. You realize it’s unfounded. So while it’s there, you don’t give in to it. It’s like someone who doesn’t see well without glasses. She knows that, and she deals with it by putting on glasses. You took the big step. You let yourself love and get married. We’ll keep the other in line. You aren’t alone, you know.”

Marie wallowed in Gabi’s caring for a minute more, thanking the universe for the life, the friendships and love she’d been given. Until Liam coughed. “You guys want some tea to go with that sugar?”