“Not enough dollars,” she said. “Place in Auburndale, the first floor of a nice two-family.”
We looked at menus and ordered. KC had another glass of white wine.
“I… I have to say things,” she said.
“Okay.”
“I… I’m sorry about some of the crazy things I did. Calling you up and leaving you notes.”
“No harm,” I said.
“I was just… crazy, I guess. Crazy time, you know?”
“I know.”
“And of course I want to thank you for saving me.”
“Just had to convince you to save yourself. Your ex-husband was more useful than I was.”
“Yes. Burt was there for me. Sometimes I think I made a mistake. I could be there now in a nice house with someone taking care of me.”
“You can take care of yourself,” I said.
“I didn’t do much of a job of it before,” she said.
“Your ex-husband send you money?” I said.
“Alimony.”
“Enough?”
“Enough to be independent,” KC said.
“Or dependent.”
“Sure, men always say things like that. You have no idea what it is like to have been a married housewife forced suddenly to take care of herself.”
“You’re right,” I said.
She sipped her wine. The restaurant was busy. Legal Sea Foods are always busy.
“You think I should get a job?” she said.
“I think if you supported yourself and didn’t take money from your ex-husband, in the long run you’d feel better about things.”
“I wonder if he’s seeing anyone.”
I didn’t say anything.
“He was there for me,” KC said.
“And he urged you not to misunderstand,” I said. “He reminded you that you and he had different lives to live.”
“Of course you’d stick up for him. Men always stick up for each other. The old boys’ network.”
“I’m not so old,” I said.
“Oh pooh,” she said. “You know what I mean.”
The waitress brought chowder for KC and lobster salad for me. KC took the opportunity to order another glass of wine. We each had a taste of our lunch. KC’s wine came and she had some.
“But,” she said, “I didn’t ask you to lunch to complain.”
“Oh,” I said.
“I just wanted the chance to let you know that I understand how much you’ve done for me.”
“My pleasure,” I said.
“Is he-whose-name-shall-not-be-mentioned going to be in jail a long time?”
“Ask me after his trial,” I said.
“What if he doesn’t go to jail?”
“He will.”
“But what if there’s, you know, a miscarriage of justice?”
“Then we’ll take the necessary steps,” I said.
“You’ll still be there for me?”
“It’s sort of what I do, KC.”
“But I haven’t even paid you.”
“I know.”
“What if he comes back and I still can’t pay you?”
“We’ll work it out,” I said.
