She was right. She wasn’t all about retribution and mayhem.
She was mostly about friendship and loyalty and that started but didn’t stop when the retribution and mayhem began.
In protecting myself I’d overprotected myself.
And once I’d figured that out and admitted it, Robin, being Robin, let that be.
I decided to do the same, settled in, grabbed my wine and before taking a sip, asked, “And that is?”
“I’m moving on too.”
I nearly choked on my wine, accomplished not doing this, and sputtered, “I’m sorry?”
“Get this,” she demanded. “That Pilates instructor my ex-ass left me for left him for a Pilates instructor too. And that instructor is a she.”
I felt my eyes get huge right before I burst out laughing.
“No,” I forced through my laughter.
“Yes,” she said gleefully. “My ex-ass drove his tight body bitch right into the arms of a tight bodied bitch. Isn’t that fabulous?”
“It so is,” I agreed.
“Everyone is talking about it. He’s so humiliated he’s taken leave and is hiding at my ex-house on Coronado.”
“That’s brilliant, Robin,” I told her.
“I know,” she replied. “And I got more.” Her voice changed when she said, “But this might not be so brilliant.”
Oh no.
“What?” I asked cautiously.
“It’s not about me, sweetie,” she said.
My neck got tight. “Your kids?”
“No,” she said quickly. There was a long hesitation before she went on, “You.”
I felt my brows come together. “Me?”
“You’re over him?” she queried softly.
Oh no.
“Yes,” I answered carefully.
“Okay, then, this shouldn’t hurt as much as it would have.”
Oh God!
“Robin, what?” I demanded.
“Had lunch with Helena,” she stated quickly. “She told me her hubs went to a conference. At that conference were some neuros who worked with Conrad in Kentucky. They got to talking and Helena’s Ron mentioned Conrad and Martine and you and that Conrad and Martine moved to Maine. Since these guys worked with Conrad, at this news, they shared that his practice had been warned because Conrad was fucking every nurse in the hospital, leaving them high and dry. One got pissed and filed a sexual harassment suit and that’s why you guys got your asses back to La Jolla.”
I sat on my stool, wineglass in my hand, elbow to the counter, unmoving.
He’d said it was a better opportunity.
He’d said it was more money (and it was).
He’d said not one thing about a sexual harassment suit.
“Worse,” she continued quietly. “They said that happened in Boston too and that’s why you guys went to Kentucky.”
I remained immobile and stared unseeing at the wine bottle.
“I know this seems bad but let’s look at the bright side,” Robin suggested. “If you want to get your kids back, you can dig these bitches up and—”
“Oh, I’ll be digging these bitches up,” I declared.
“What? Really?” she asked.
I had not fought for my kids. I thought I did. I had a good attorney. He cost a fortune. He was a shark, like my brother. My brother was sweet to me. He loved his kids. He loved my kids. But in a courtroom, he was a ferocious lion that showed no mercy.
In fact, Lawr had recommended my attorney.
But I had not let him loose. I didn’t want it to get ugly. I didn’t want my kids to go through that.
But really, I didn’t want me to go through it. I was too mired in pettiness that got me nowhere to involve myself in the real fight that would have been a far better use of my energy.
“I’m making headway with the kids. If that continues, I’ll want them more. If they want the same and Conrad doesn’t agree with that, then I’m going to parade these women in front of a judge and in front of Martine and obliterate him,” I decreed.
“You go, girl,” she returned gleefully.
I was going to go.
God, he’d not cheated on me.
He’d screwed everything in three states while married to me!
How had I been so wrong about him?
Before I could ask that of Robin, my head snapped around because a loud knock sounded at the door.
The outside light was on and Mickey’s frame was shadowed in the stained glass.
He was here.
My belly flipped.
“Oh God, Mickey’s here,” I breathed to Robin.
“Fabulous,” she didn’t breathe back.
The knock sounded again. Actually, it was banging.
Why was he banging and not using the bell?
“I need to go get that,” I said to Robin, slipping off the stool and putting my glass down.