It dawned on her that for Seb she felt nothing at all.
#
A day later she arrived in Seattle to find a weak sun struggling to break free from a shroud of clouds. She shivered in the misty gloom as she waited on the curb for Aubrey to pick her up. After several minutes, she spotted her parents’ aged Oldsmobile puttering through the line of cars.
Aubrey steered the Olds alongside Adrienne. Moments later, Adrienne was slowly thawing beneath a blasting heater.
“How are they?” she asked.
Aubrey nodded. “Good, but try not to be shocked when you see Dad. He’s lost use of his left side. The doctors are hopeful, though. He’s in amazing condition for his age.”
“And Mom?”
“It’ll be hard. He’s always been large and in charge. He’s not going to surrender his dominance just because half his body refuses to work properly.”
“Do you think,” Adrienne swallowed, hating the thought and not even wanting to know the answer, “that this could be permanent?”
“They’ve scheduled a brain scan for tomorrow. We should know more then.”
Adrienne nodded and looked out the window. Her parents had always been such brainiacs. It was impossible to think of them in any other way, but she supposed it could happen. In time, one or possibly both could lose their mental capacity. Maybe her dad already had.
“Are you going to see Seb?” Aubrey asked.
“Yes.”
“What are you going to say to him?”
Adrienne sucked in a deep breath. “What do you think about divorce?”
“That it’s a whole lot easier if there aren’t children involved.”
Adrienne thought about this. Of course she agreed, but it wasn’t really the answer she was looking for. “I made a vow before God.”
“So did Seb.”
“I can’t let his behavior determine mine.”
“You’ve told me this before,” Aubrey said through tight lips. “Who are you trying to convince, me or you?”
“You don’t like him.” This wasn’t a question.
“I never have.”
“Why?”
“He was always smarmy. Trying too hard to be something he wasn’t.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before I married him?”
“Would it have stopped you?”
Adrienne thought about pointing out that Aubrey, who had never been married, was unqualified to be handing out marital advice, but since she didn’t want to start an argument she bit her lip.
“Where are we going?” Aubrey asked. “Will you stay at your apartment or at the house?”
“With Mom.” Adrienne slid her sister a glance. “My being here has everything to do with Mom and Dad and very little to do with Seb.”
Aubrey smiled. “Of course. Why would you stay with your husband when you can stay with your parents?”
