“That’s the politically correct answer, but that’s not really what most women think.”
“I can’t speak for all womankind and neither can you, but I don’t have a list.”
“Then is it safe to say that deep down a part of you never completely trusted him? You saw your cat in the window and immediately thought he had something to do with putting her there.”
“Only because he’s the only other person in my house. That was the logical explanation.”
“Would you have thought that if you had left your best friend alone in the house with the cat?”
She pauses for a moment to consider what I’ve said.
“I think it would have been better if that’s all he had been guilty of. What I saw was so much worse.”
“I know it seems like that now, but I tell you from experience that it’s better you find out who he is now and cut the cord.”
“I guess you were cheated on?”
“My mom was, and she paid a heavy price for not dealing with it.”
“A heavy price?”
“She died.”
We stop walking and she looks up at me with the softest brown eyes I’ve ever seen.
“I’m so sorry. Losing a parent is hard.”
“Yeah, it certainly is.”
We continue walking a few more moments in thoughtful silence. I’m thinking about the last time I saw my mom alive, and maybe Adrienne is having the same thoughts about her father. Usually, I grow very uncomfortable when I talk about my mom’s passing with anyone, but for some reason it’s easy with Adrienne. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s lost a parent of her own or because she’s a doctor and has a soothing bed manner, but it’s just… effortless.
“Was it your dad that cheated on your mom?” she asks gently as if I could break.
“Yes.”
“And how is your relationship with him now?”
“Non-existent.”
“So you don’t talk to him at all?”
“Very rarely.”
“I would love to have one more day with my father.”
“I bet that’s because you had a good one.”
She nods in agreement. “I definitely did.”
“Then you were lucky.”
“We’re not that far from the Brooklyn Bridge if you want to see the lights,” she offers. “The weather will get no better than this until the spring.”
Before I agree, I glance over at her again and take a longer look. While Adrienne’s eyes aren’t swollen with tears, they look exhausted and sad just the same. I’m so not ready for our time together to end, but I realize it should. This night could easily go another direction if I let it go any further, and ultimately she would be the one to get hurt.
“Maybe another time.”
“Oh, um… ok.”
