Page 62 of First Date: Divorce
K.D.asked a question about what if counseling didn’t work.
“We can visit that later — if we have to.But for now, I don’t want either of you to think about this failing, only about how to succeed.We have many successes and…”
He hadn’t really failed at marriage.He’d failed well before that — maybe when he said hello to Hilary.Sure as heck when he’d gone against his instincts in letting things happen so fast.
His family’s lukewarm response should have put the brakes on, but she’d rushed him past that.How would they react to K.D.?
Didn’t matter.Not a valid question.
“What do you think about that, Eric?”Melody asked.“About what you were thinking when you got married?”
He’d missed some of her words, but caught up now.
“I got married thinking what I could do for her, instead of what we could build together, because if I had, I’d have seen—”
He broke off.Not part of the scenario they’d built.
K.D.said, “What you could do for me?That’s what you say, but what did you do for me except try to make me the little wife?”
Good for her, bringing them back on script.
He sank into silence.Let Melody think it was defensive or withdrawn.
K.D.answered a question from Melody and he threw a look toward K.D.without reaching her, figuring that would give the counselor more to chew on.
He had a hard time imagining Hilary digging deep in counseling.His mouth twisted.To her, what was wrong washimand that he didn’t give her the life she expected on schedule.Or had she seen him as a step up the socio-economic ladder from the start?
Probably.
That realization didn’t bother him.It was all part and parcel of Hilary.
Her lemonness, according to Pauline.
He thought of how he’d wanted to share that exchange with K.D., see her amusement…
But then another realization came.
He’d been over Hilary — and over the divorce — for a while.
Not only the part where you swing from thinking you love someone to thinking they’re the demon seed, but to the part where you don’t care.
Maybe he could posit a test: When you thought it amusing that your assistant likened your ex to a lemon car, you were fully recovered.
“This is a good start,” Melody said.“This evening, you’ll have dinner — the two of you — on the patio, then you can join the group for a movie in the reception area.We recommend an early night, because the work really begins tomorrow.”
*
K.D.planned to wait for Eric to fall asleep.
Their dinner on the patio had felt like a command performance, with wait staff in a position to overhear almost anything they said.They’d kept carefully to what they’d practiced.
Watching the movie had been much easier, but not productive, since there’d been no opportunity to learn anything new.Except that the staff clearly didn’t work nine-to-five.
One of the counselors — not Melody — remained on hand until the last guests went to their rooms, apparently available for emergency counseling.Lily passed through the back of the movie-watchers a couple times.As did a tall, burly man, though he appeared to be on his way out for the weekend, judging by his quiet good night to Lily.
K.D.and Eric lingered, but that counselor didn’t budge, so after an exchange of looks, they went upstairs.
To their room.
