Excerpt
From Chapter 14 – You Blew It This Time Buddy!
I sat up and turned to look at him. “Paul! I’m not moving again! Unless, I’m moving back home to my father! And as for your secrets, why? Why are you keeping secrets?”
Paul pulled me back into his arms, “Oh no, baby, we’re not moving. We’ve just made some changes. Some position changes. Changes that I know will be good for the Firm. Changes that I know you would not understand, at least not right now. But I promise, when the time is right, I will tell you.”
At first, I would not allow myself to think past that moment. I didn’t work at the Firm. I could not imagine anything good in any of the changes that might be forthcoming. Another project? Another building? A bigger office? More drafting tables? How would any of that make a change in my life? How would any of that bring Paul home to me?
“You know Paul, there are times I wish we could change places, just for a day. It would be one of your late days of course. The one where you’ve cooked a great meal and you want to impress me. Or maybe it’s one of those Atlantic stormy evenings when the sky turns black. The heavens pour out cisterns of rain upon this ocean that we already sit upon. The tidewater creeps shoreward foaming at the mouth and searching for anything to devour, (maybe some secrets.) The dogs howl and everybody’s stray cat is throwing itself against your outside walls. You can’t call me because the phone just went dead. If I walked in I wouldn’t find you because you and your four babies would be huddled in a corner of the basement praying for blood to be on your doorpost that night… But then… I wouldn’t want to be you, appearing in the aftermath. “Is everyone okay? I’m here now!”… It’s your turn Paul. How would my day be as you?”
“Honey, I wouldn’t let you in my office for a day!” Paul said.
“Why Paul?” I asked.
“I certainly fear that you would tunnel through my walls like they did in the movie The Shawshank Redemption, except when you were through, there would be nothing left,” Paul said. And for you, it wouldn’t take years. You’d get it done in one day!”
“I’m afraid you know me too well,” I said, “at least regarding the Firm.”
“And I still love you, though! And I’ll love you even better if you let me get some sleep,” Paul whined.
“Sleep it is! Goodnight!” I said.
When we went to bed, Paul lay asleep beside me. I was awake for the next hour. I wanted so desperately to trust every word that he had said. But, I couldn’t help wondering, how long would he be able to make good on his promises? And what of his secrets?
We were just approaching our first year anniversary on this island, and my perfect world that I had become accustomed to over the past 17 years was going belly side up. And there was too much water out there for this.
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