Page 14 of Wait for Me

“Where are you going?” Logan asked.

“None of your business.” She picked up her purse from the floor on the other side of her chair.

“You can’t leave,” Logan said, almost in a panic.

“Why not?”

“Jonas will be back any minute now. He’ll see you gone. Again.”

All around them, the lunch crowd carried on. Nobody seemed to care that these two people were at it again. Everyone else seemed to be busy talking and eating. The servers in their white gloves circled the table. One came over to ask if they wanted their water goblets refilled.

Logan took the opportunity to reach out and touch Marie’s arm.

To ask her to stay.

Don’t go.

Please?

After the server left, Logan continued. “Whenever he asks for you, he’s sad. Always sad.”

Marie’s lips moved slightly. Quavered?

“Don’t make him sad. He just turned five last week. It has been three years without you in his young life.”

“You blame me now?” Marie said between gritted teeth.

“I’m trying to avoid future psychological trauma in our son.”

“Wait. What?” Marie pulled away from Logan’s touch. She mumbled something in French.

Should have learned French. She could be cussing me out right now.

Logan waited.

“You’re as much to blame for our broken family,” Marie said.

“Who left? Who stayed?”

“I had no choice.” Marie opened her mouth to say more. But for some reason, she decided not to.

“Choice? So you chose.”

“If only you knew…”

“Knew what? Tell me.”

“I can’t.” She pursed her lips.

“So there’s another man?” Logan asked.

“No. There is no other. There hasn’t been another.”

“Me neither.” The sudden realization that they both hadn’t dated since their divorce hit Logan deep in his chest.

But.

There’s this matter of transparency.

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