Elizabeth had even extended an olive branch toher parents. Although they attended Christmas dinner, Agnes spokeonly to the children and Peter, never once acknowledging her onlydaughter.
And now, Peter was inviting Elizabeth to be hisdate for a gala for the local heart association. The event wasValentine's Day weekend. Elizabeth still didn't like going out inpublic that much. People in town still talked, and her behavior waswatched with hawk-like scrutiny. Elizabeth never spoke to anyoneabout the book, and no one dared mention it to her face. Still,some of the more malicious mothers made little effort to hidetalking about Elizabeth behind her back. Nancy Beemer was cool butpolite to Elizabeth. Not exactly cordial, but they could be in thesame room with each other. While Nancy fully realized the book wasfiction, Elizabeth was quite certain Nancy still believed Elizabethhad slept with Jack, and that was the reason for her residualfrostiness. Elizabeth didn't feel the need to defend herselfanymore.
Some of the other school mothers, Juliaincluded, would make small talk with Elizabeth. Elizabeth did notlet it go further than that. She politely, but firmly, shut downfurther efforts at socialization. She would not, no could not, letherself get sucked into that world again. Plus, every single one ofthose women had aimed their spiteful little claws at Elizabeth thefirst chance they got. She did not intend to be their scratchingpost ever again. The mob mentality would never change. They woulddo the same thing to the next poor soul who came along, andElizabeth did not intend to take any part in thateither.
Elizabeth called Peter. "Are you sure you wantto take me to this? You hate these things, dinner and dancing andschmoozing."
"Yeah, I have to go, and I just thought itwould be the type of thing you would enjoy."
"Why do you have to go? I don't see how abenefit fracas ties into engineering."
"Our company is a corporate sponsor. Plus, ourCEO's child has heart problems or something, so it is personal forhim. Not going would be shooting myself in the foot."
"Gotchya. What about the kids?"
"I, um, asked my mom to come for a visit, andshe'll stay with them here."
"Oh, wow. You've thought ofeverything."
"I tried to. I tried to think like you wouldand cover all the bases. That way, you don't have an excuse to sayno."
Elizabeth was quiet for a moment. She didn'twant Peter to think that this would be a step towardsreconciliation. She didn't want to lead him on in any way. Shestill cared for him and did not want to see him hurt.
"Elizabeth, why are you so quiet? Why won't youagree to be my date? Are you seeing someone else?"
"As much as I'd love to get all gussied up andgo with you, I don't want you to get the wrong impression. I don'twant you to get hurt by this."
"You didn't answer my question, so I take ityou are seeing someone. Is it that Jack guy?"
Elizabeth sighed. "No, I'm not seeing Jack, noranyone else. In fact, I've been trying to get Jack to backoff."
There was silence on the line. Elizabethrealized her error. Peter never knew that she had been in contactwith Jack. He had been fishing with that comment. He didn't knowabout the texts and the e-mails. He didn't realize that she hadturned to Jack for occasional support when she just couldn'tshoulder the weight alone anymore. But Elizabeth knew that she wasleading Jack on and was trying to let him know that she was not inany kind of place to be in a relationship.
"I didn't realize you and Jack had been seeingeach other?" He was fishing for more information. Subtle he wasnot.
"We're not, Peter. That came out wrong. Jackand I text occasionally. He was trying to be my friend through thisvery difficult time."
"Very difficult time? He's the bastard whocaused all of this! That damn book with you splayed out for all theworld to see—he's what ended our marriage. And now he's yourfriend?" Peter was livid.
"Peter, calm down. The book did not end ourmarriage. The scandal surrounding it may have acted as a catalyst,but the problems were there well before and much after. What I wastrying to say is that I don't want to be with anyone right now. I'mstill trying to figure me out. And Jack has not been as respectfulof that as you have, which makes me appreciate you all the more."Elizabeth tried to soothe his ego. "Yes, Jack and I havecommunicated, yes. I have not seen him in about six months, andthat was only to yell at him about the book. We text andoccasionally e-mail. You need to know that I never slept with him.Not twenty years ago, not two years ago, and not since we've beenseparated."
Peter was silent. Elizabeth knew he wasthinking this over. She had never given him reason to doubt her butdid not know if that would matter to him now. Finally, heresponded, "So, you'll go with me?"
"Yes, I guess I will."
"Okay, I'll be in touch then aboutarrangements. What time I'll pick you up andeverything."
"Peter, can I just meet you there? I think Iwould just feel better if we went separately."
"Oh, I guess." Elizabeth could tell from thetone of his voice that he was disappointed. All the more reason forthem not to go together.
"Would your mom want to stay here with thekids? There's more room."
"Um, I'll ask her, but I have the feeling thatshe won't be comfortable with that. You're not her favorite personright now."
Right, of course. Because the failure of theirmarriage was all her fault. Elizabeth took a few deep breaths,trying to cleanse her thoughts. She was sure that someday, ifsomeone did the same thing to Teddy, she would feel the same way.She would always support her children and stand up for them. Inthat way, she admired her mother-in-law. Elizabeth would have tolet her know that she understood and had learned about what it isto be a supportive mother from her. Perhaps that would ease thewoman's heart towards Elizabeth.
"Okay, Peter, we can
