Edward

Chapter Seventeen

Washington, DC 2018

"Well, don't you look pretty. Here-Listen I have to tell you something."

"I haven't even sat down Jack"
You motioned for the waiter. We were at the Blue Pearl, the deck was packed and the air warm with a slight breeze. "God I feel like sailing. Why don't we—soon?"

"I have to pick the kids up by 5. Then Edward's reading."

"you want a wine?" You asked when the waiter arrived?

"yes sure..."
"Pino Grigio -two.. Should we just do a bottle?"
I shrugged.

"All right a bottle. Will you be able to fly back?"

Jack raises his eyebrows and smiles. "you want a salad?"
"No." I said. "chowder."
"Ok, a shrimp salad and chowder"
When the waiter left. I smiled at Jack. How is it that he's so carefree. Do you two love each other at all. "why do you Clarks' always do that?"
"Why do we Clark's do what?"

"Ignore things you don't want to address."

The waiter dropped a basket of bread and a little bowl of olive oil. I tear a piece.

Jack laughs, "Annie, I was ordering. No I won't fly drunk. If I'm drunk in a couple of hours. I'll stay over."

"you should come to the reading."

Jack shakes his head.

What do you have to tell me?" I asked.

Now Jack grows quiet. The charm and flirtatious expression and tone fades.

"I'm leaving Jane."

"You are?" I felt my throat grow dry. I hated Jane. She was a pain in the ass. Jane, stuck up Jane with her straight brown hair, bobbed, forever bobbed. Her headbands. Her diamond studs earrings and that enormous diamond engagement ring Jack's mother gave to him to propose. Edward and I had married first, but no such heirloom was offered, at least not lovingly from his mother. Only the steely cold contempt that has been the shadow of my rejection of Jack. Instead, his sweet grandmother saved the day and she was the true source of the family wealth and she loved Edward. Instead of Carol's own large carat ring, I now wore a French antique engagement diamond and platinum matching band. Even as my friendship with Jack returned, Carol's never did. She never forgave me. Then came Jane...Jane who would never have read Virginia wolf aloud on the deck. Never drink weak margaritas as Carol and I had done for those summers when Jack and I were a couple. Jane was the stiff mirror of you-but unlike you, Jane had nothing hidden behind the mask. She was simply a WASP-y Connecticut girl.

"What about the kids?" I asked.

"They're my kids. I'll see them. half custody."

I nodded. "why?"
"I don't love her. You know I don't."
"I didn't know that." I fiddled with my wedding ring, a princess cut two karat, nothing to be ashamed of but nothing like Jane's. If not for your relationship with your grandmother we would not have aa family ring.

"how does she feel?"

"She's freaking out."

"I would expect—"

"I just can't do it any more."

Jack looked older, He had creases around his eyes. They hadn't lost their blue and with the harbor and blue sky, they shone a deep translucent turquoise.

"I support you no matter—I mean I'm here for you. Do you need anything?"
"you don't get it do you Annie?"

"Get what?"
"This."

"I'm sorry I don't."

Jack keeps his eyes on me for moment.

"I don't know." He is wistful, tears start to form and he looks away, out to the harbor. The sounds of gulls rise, the clanking of boats moored on the dock near by. I wait for him to tell me what I don't get. Then. I looked out towards the water then looked back at him. I took his hands. "It'll work out Jack." Finally he looks back the sounds recede.