“Well, most people aren’t, and you know it,” he said, trying to convince her.
“No, you’re right, most people aren’t that happy, but some are.”
“Damn few,” he said, as they reached the restaurant, and she looked at him cautiously once they were seated at their table.
“How did you get such terrible views about marriage, Bill? Was it as bad as all that?”
“Worse. By the time it was over, we hated each other. I haven’t seen her since, and wouldn’t want to. And she’d probably hang up on me, if I called her. That’s how bad it was. And I don’t think we were the exception.” It was obvious that he believed what he was saying, although Liz didn’t.
“I think you were,” she said calmly.
“If we were, then you’d be out of business.” She laughed at that, and they ordered a mushroom-and-pep-peroni pizza with olives on it. It sounded good to both of them, and when it came, it was delicious. They dove into it, and had eaten roughly half when they decided they’d had enough, and the waitress served them coffee.
They had talked about a lot of things, medicine, the law, the years he had spent in New York during his residency, and how much he liked it, and she talked about going to Europe with Jack and loving it, particularly Venice. They touched on a wide variety of subjects, but she was still intrigued by what he’d said about marriage and children. He obviously had very strong opinions on the subject. And she felt sorry for him. He had deprived himself of a way of life she cherished. She wouldn’t have given up the years of her marriage for anything, and certainly not her children. Without them, she knew her life would be empty, as she suspected his was. All he really cared about was his work, and the people he took care of and worked with. It was a lot, but not enough for a whole life, in her opinion. But they didn’t bring up the subject again. Instead, their conversation turned to films.
He had very eclectic tastes, he liked foreign films, and arty movies, as well as some big commercial ones. She admitted that she enjoyed the kind of movies she saw with her children, they were all very commercial films, and in Peter’s case, action movies. And she used to love going with them. It reminded her of how little she had done with her children, out in the world, since Jack died. She was always there for them at home, but she seldom went out with them anymore, and she promised herself silently that she would in future. Bill had gotten her rolling again, and after the film they saw that night, she promised herself she was going to take the kids soon. It was a long time since they had done something like that together, and it was time now.
She invited him in for a drink when they got home, but he said he had to get up early the next day. He had to be at the hospital at six, and she was touched that he had stayed out so late with her. It was after eleven o’clock, and more likely than not, he’d be tired in the morning. She apologized to him for it and he smiled.
“I think you’re worth it.” She was surprised by his words, but she was glad he said them. She had had a good time with him. She thanked him, he promised to call her again soon, and she went inside as he drove away. Peter and Megan were still up, and she could see almost before she closed the door that she was about to be subjected to the inquisition.
“Did he kiss you?” Megan asked accusingly, with a tone of disapproval and revulsion.
“Of course not. I scarcely know him.”
“That wouldn’t be cool on the first date,” Peter said wisely, and his mother laughed.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you guys, we’re just friends. I think he’s very careful not to get involved. He cares more about his work. And I care more about you. You have nothing to worry about, Megan,” she said firmly.
“I’ll bet you ten bucks he kisses you next time,” Peter said with a look of amusement.
“You won’t win that one,” she told him. “Besides, who tells you there’ll be a next time? Maybe he had a lousy time and won’t call me.”
“I doubt it,” Megan said glumly. She could see disaster ready to strike them, in the form of Bill Webster.
“Thank you for the vote of confidence, Meg. I wouldn’t waste time worrying about it. Besides, I have a trial next week that I’ll have to work on.”
“Good. You can stay home with us. You don’t need a man, Mom.”
“Not as long as I have you, is that it, Megan?” But she had to admit, it had been nice being out with Bill, talking about grown-up things and learning about him. There had been just enough of an undercurrent of mutual admiration. They didn’t want anything from each other, they just liked each other, and they’d had a good time. Even if she never heard from him again, Liz told herself, it was nice being with him, and feeling like a woman, and not just a mother. It was nice being with someone who wanted her to have a good time, and was interested in talking and listening to her.
She sent Megan and Peter off to bed then, and went to bed herself. Jamie was already in her bed, waiting for her. He still slept with her sometimes, and it was nice being in bed with him too. And as she fell asleep beside her child, she wondered if Megan was right, and she didn’t need a man. But she wasn’t quite as convinced as she had been. It had been nearly nine months since she lay beside Jack, and had made love with him. It seemed like an eternity to her now, and for the moment at least, she had no real desire to change that. In her mind, that part of her life was over forever.
And as he went to sleep that night, Bill Webster was thinking of her, and how much fun she had been. He wasn’t sure what would come of it, but there was no doubt in his mind, he liked her.
The House On Hope Street
Chapter 9
Bill called her again later that week, and invited her to the theater this time. They drove to the city, and had dinner there, and afterwards he came in for a glass of wine, and they talked for a while, about the theater, and books, and she told him about a difficult case she was working on, involving a custody suit and a child she suspected was being abused. She had reported the parents to child protective services, and they had discovered she was right. In some ways, it presented a moral dilemma for her, and she wished that she could represent the child and not the parents.
