Read Online Pretense by Lori Wick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Family, Man-Woman Relationships, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Sisters, INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE
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happened to me."
"She's probably still picturing me in grade school."
"Probably, but she's still right, Marrell. I needed someone from outside to tell me to get my act together. My assistant was jubilant when Dante left. She asked me if we'd seen the last of him. It was good to be able to tell her yes."
"I'm so glad, Shay. I hate to see you hurting."
"Well, I do hurt, but I still know I did the right thing."
The women fell silent for a moment, and it wasn't long before Paul joined them. He fixed his own coffee and sat next to Marrell on the sofa.
"I'm impressed," Shay teased him, as she'd been doing to all of them the whole evening.
"With what?"
"That you get your own coffee. My friend Marrell is the most liberated woman I've ever known."
Paul laughed but wasn't going to rise to the bait.
"Did she tell you I offered her a job?"
"Yes. She also told me that she informed you she already had one."
Shay shook her head. "I didn't think there were any couples like you left on the planet."
The Bishops only stared at her, causing her arms to go up in frustration.
"Come on, you guys! You know what I mean. Paul goes to work, and Marrell happily keeps house at a time when women are burning their bras and telling men off. I just don't get it."
Marrell could have told her friend that that was the very reason she was divorced. Shay Elliot didn't understand how love could change a person, but telling her would have been too cruel.
"I think you have a wrong impression of us, Shay," Paul surprised Marrell by saying. "I don't own my wife. She has her own life. I do come home expecting dinner, but if for some reason nothing's made, I don't go into a rage. I work hard to support
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Marrell and the girls, but I don't expect them to fall at my feet in gratitude every time they see me.
"I didn't tell Marrell that she couldn't work for you, but we both happen to think that our daughters are very important, and if we can make it on my salary, then we at least want one of us to be here with them."
Shay looked at Marrell, her face surprised. "I guess he told me."
"It's true, Shay. We do like things the way they are. That's not to say that the girls never drive me crazy, but don't forget, I didn't grow up with a mother. My grandmother was wonderful, but I want more for Micki and D.J. than I had."
Shay sighed. "Well, you've found something that few people do."
"What's that?"
"True happiness. I envy both of you."
"You'll have it too, Shay," Marrell said kindly. "I know you will."
Shay nodded. Paul was still sitting there, but it was as if the women had forgotten him. "You'll think I'm crazy, but I've scheduled an appointment with another therapist."
"Oh, Shay."
"This one's a woman," Shay swiftly put in, "and comes highly recommended."
Marrell's head dipped to one side. "What do you hope she'll tell you?"
The other woman shrugged. "I don't know. Often I feel so empty inside, and I just wish I knew why."
Marrell wouldn't have admitted it for anything, but she often felt the same way.
"Well, if she doesn't help you," Marrell suggested quietly, "don't prolong it. I think some of these counselors have more problems than their patients."
"I've met a few that have, but I'll tell you, Marrell, there's something very special about getting to talk about yourself for a whole hour every week. You don't have to compete with anyone or listen to their problems, and most of the time, I feel very good when I leave."
Marrell nodded, but inside she thought it sounded extremely self-centered. Paul changed the subject and rescued Marrell from having to reply. She refilled everyone's coffee, and the three
60
talked of general things until almost eleven o'clock. When Shay left, they made plans for her to come again the next week.
Shay was all the way to the car before she gave in to her tears. Why, she asked herself all the way home, can't I have a happy life like theirs? What's wrong with me that I'm always on the outside looking in? No
"She's probably still picturing me in grade school."
"Probably, but she's still right, Marrell. I needed someone from outside to tell me to get my act together. My assistant was jubilant when Dante left. She asked me if we'd seen the last of him. It was good to be able to tell her yes."
"I'm so glad, Shay. I hate to see you hurting."
"Well, I do hurt, but I still know I did the right thing."
The women fell silent for a moment, and it wasn't long before Paul joined them. He fixed his own coffee and sat next to Marrell on the sofa.
"I'm impressed," Shay teased him, as she'd been doing to all of them the whole evening.
"With what?"
"That you get your own coffee. My friend Marrell is the most liberated woman I've ever known."
Paul laughed but wasn't going to rise to the bait.
"Did she tell you I offered her a job?"
"Yes. She also told me that she informed you she already had one."
Shay shook her head. "I didn't think there were any couples like you left on the planet."
The Bishops only stared at her, causing her arms to go up in frustration.
"Come on, you guys! You know what I mean. Paul goes to work, and Marrell happily keeps house at a time when women are burning their bras and telling men off. I just don't get it."
Marrell could have told her friend that that was the very reason she was divorced. Shay Elliot didn't understand how love could change a person, but telling her would have been too cruel.
"I think you have a wrong impression of us, Shay," Paul surprised Marrell by saying. "I don't own my wife. She has her own life. I do come home expecting dinner, but if for some reason nothing's made, I don't go into a rage. I work hard to support
59
59
Marrell and the girls, but I don't expect them to fall at my feet in gratitude every time they see me.
"I didn't tell Marrell that she couldn't work for you, but we both happen to think that our daughters are very important, and if we can make it on my salary, then we at least want one of us to be here with them."
Shay looked at Marrell, her face surprised. "I guess he told me."
"It's true, Shay. We do like things the way they are. That's not to say that the girls never drive me crazy, but don't forget, I didn't grow up with a mother. My grandmother was wonderful, but I want more for Micki and D.J. than I had."
Shay sighed. "Well, you've found something that few people do."
"What's that?"
"True happiness. I envy both of you."
"You'll have it too, Shay," Marrell said kindly. "I know you will."
Shay nodded. Paul was still sitting there, but it was as if the women had forgotten him. "You'll think I'm crazy, but I've scheduled an appointment with another therapist."
"Oh, Shay."
"This one's a woman," Shay swiftly put in, "and comes highly recommended."
Marrell's head dipped to one side. "What do you hope she'll tell you?"
The other woman shrugged. "I don't know. Often I feel so empty inside, and I just wish I knew why."
Marrell wouldn't have admitted it for anything, but she often felt the same way.
"Well, if she doesn't help you," Marrell suggested quietly, "don't prolong it. I think some of these counselors have more problems than their patients."
"I've met a few that have, but I'll tell you, Marrell, there's something very special about getting to talk about yourself for a whole hour every week. You don't have to compete with anyone or listen to their problems, and most of the time, I feel very good when I leave."
Marrell nodded, but inside she thought it sounded extremely self-centered. Paul changed the subject and rescued Marrell from having to reply. She refilled everyone's coffee, and the three
60
talked of general things until almost eleven o'clock. When Shay left, they made plans for her to come again the next week.
Shay was all the way to the car before she gave in to her tears. Why, she asked herself all the way home, can't I have a happy life like theirs? What's wrong with me that I'm always on the outside looking in? No
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