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“Yes, I’m good. It’s nice to have a weekend away from it all.”
“Well, enjoy yourself. I’ll see you next weekend and talk to you before then.”
“I’m really sorry I never sent that text, Rob.”
“Don’t be. It’s all good.”
“Love you.”
“You, too.”
While she’s on the phone, I move to sit on the bed. When she turns to face me, she looks troubled.
I hand her the T-shirt I just took off her, and she puts it on.
“Sorry about that.”
“That’s Mike’s brother, right?”
“Yeah, he comes to see us on Saturdays. Plays with the kids all afternoon. I thought I’d texted him about this weekend… I feel terrible. He drives an hour to come down from Baltimore.”
“It’s good of him to be there for you and the kids.”
She sits next to me on the bed. “He’s been a rock from the start. He and Mike were so close.”
“I’m glad you’ve had each other.”
“Me, too.”
“Why do you seem so unhappy all of a sudden?”
“It’s just… what we were doing when he called. I feel unsettled.”
“We weren’t doing anything wrong.” Unless… “You aren’t involved with him, are you? With Rob?”
“What? No! He’s my brother-in-law. One of my closest friends.”
“Would he like it to be more than that?”
“Of course not,” she says, but there’s no force behind her words.
“Iris.”
She looks up at me, her gaze troubled.
“Talk to me.”
“I think he’d like it to be more. In fact, I’m almost sure he would.”
“But?”
“I love him so much and have relied on him tremendously since we lost Mike. He’s been rock solid through it all.”
“We’re all glad you can rely on him and that your kids have him in their lives. I know how important he is to you.”
“It’s all so insanely complicated,” she says with a deep sigh. “How easy would it be for me to fall into something with a man who loved Mike as much as I did, who already loves my kids and would do anything for me?”
“Very easy.”
