Crystal Lies - Melody Carlson [94]
But the day came when I discovered three more used hypodermic syringes wrapped in tissue and discreetly wedged behind the tank of the toilet. Almost unnoticeable. Almost.
“I just don’t know what to do anymore,” I confessed to Marcus after a codependent session. I think it was about my fifth session by then, and it didn’t seem that I’d progressed at all. I felt certain I was either the most gullible woman on the planet or a born enabler. Or perhaps I was simply stupid.
“You do know what to do,” he reassured me.
“Throw him out?” It was as much statement as question. My head knew this was the correct answer. But my heart was still unsure. Marcus said nothing.
“But he hasn’t even been home in three days.” I held up my hands in frustration. “How do you throw someone out who isn’t even there?”
“Maybe you box up his things and—”
“What?” I demanded. “Throw them out the front door? Maybe toss them down on the sidewalk and ignite them?”
He laughed. “Just pack them up and get them out of his room so it won’t be so easy to allow him back in.”
“Seriously?” I considered this. “But really, what am I supposed to do with his stuff once it’s boxed up? Just set it by the door so I have to look at it every day—a reminder that I am throwing my only son out in the middle of November?”
He smiled. “That might not be such a bad thing. Kind of a visual aid, you know? Or maybe you could put his stuff into storage.”
I sighed. “Why does life have to be so complicated?”
Marcus glanced around the nearly empty classroom. “You want to grab a cup of coffee?”
I was caught off guard by this invitation. Was he asking me out? No, of course not, I told myself. He was probably just trying to get me out of the center so they could close up for the night.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m taking up too much of your time. I should just get—”
“No. That’s not what I mean, Glennis. I’m not trying to get rid of you. I only wondered if you’d like to get a cup of coffee and just talk as friends.”
“Just talk?” I queried. “As friends?” He shrugged. “If you’d like to.”
I considered this. I hadn’t really “just talked” to anyone during the past couple of weeks. Sherry, still grieving over Matthew, had taken some time off work and gone to stay with her mother in the mountains. Other than seeing Jack in the laundry room occasionally, I’d lived the life of a hermit these past few weeks.
“How about it?” Marcus asked.
“That actually sounds kind of good,” I admitted.
We agreed to meet at Starbucks, but as soon as I began driving over, I started to feel nervous. Was I making a mistake? Could this be perceived as a date? And what if someone saw us together? What would they think?
Then I had to remind myself that Geoffrey had served me with divorce papers just last week, and everyone in town seemed to accept that he and Judith were a couple now. I’m sure the story circulating the community was that I had left him. And perhaps that was true. But I knew he had left me long ago.
Then, as if my life wasn’t miserable enough, Geoffrey had decided to sell the Range Rover. He didn’t even ask me about it. And, of course, since he’d purchased it without me, only his name appeared on the tide, so it was legally his property, to do with as he liked. He had “generously” given me a small portion from the sale, which was why I suddenly found myself driving across town in a seven-year-old Taurus. Quite a step down from the Range Rover, I’ll admit. But at least this car was paid for and registered in my name alone. Now if it would only get me through the winter.
I parked on the street by Starbucks and asked myself what I was doing meeting a man for coffee at nearly nine o’clock at night. Was I totally crazy? Perhaps, I thought as I pushed open the door, but then why shouldn’t I be?
We ordered our coffees and sat down. I knew I was glancing around, still nervous that someone might see me here.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m sorry,” I told him. “I just feel a little awkward.”
“Having coffee with a man who’s not your husband?