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“If you say so.”
Both women downed their drinks.
“Feel better?” Eliza asked.
Anne licked her lips, reached for a fork, and stabbed an olive from her beer. “A lot better.”
“You’re just trying to be strong for your kids and your family,” Eliza said. “You and Mark have four children. That makes things complicated. Have you thought about how you’ll talk to Mark about everything?”
“I don’t know what good it would do, honestly. I can’t leave him.”
Eliza nodded along. “Would you leave him if you could?”
Anne considered. She gave the only answer she could. “I don’t know. I love him.”
“If you want my advice, talk to Mark. This is eating you alive, and if you don’t do something about it…” Eliza’s eyes flitted toward Anne’s purse like it was a sordid little goody bag. “Things won’t end well.”
“What do I say?”
“That’s why you need a plan,” Eliza said. “I suggest you talk to him sooner rather than later, but you need to be prepared. What if he tells you he’s in love with this woman, and he’s planning to leave you and the kids and shack up with her?”
Anne felt her body go rigid. Her veins prickled with ice, and her legs felt shackled to the sticky surface of the booth. She’d never considered the fact that it might not be her choice. It might be Mark’s choice to leave, and in that case, she wouldn’t be able to do a thing about it.
“You never considered that aspect,” Eliza murmured. “I’m sorry to be crass. I just think you need to be prepared for whatever the outcome when you do confront him.”
Anne nodded dully. “I never truly thought it might be serious between them.”
“I’m sure it’s not, which is why you need to talk to him before you drive yourself insane.” Eliza shrugged. “Whenever I have doubts about Roman, I meet them head-on.”
“How?”
“I—” Eliza stopped, took a swig of her drink, then ran French-tipped nails across her bottom lip to wipe away a stray bead of beer. “Well, I hired a private investigator. Roman still doesn’t know that part.”
“I want his name,” Anne said quickly.
“He’s expensive.”
“I’ve saved up some money.”
“Are you sure you want to go down that route?” Eliza asked delicately. “I’m not claiming it’s admirable.”
“You did it.”
“You shouldn’t live your life like me. It will only get you in trouble.”
“I want to be sure. I don’t want any gory pics of them doing the deed or anything, just a name on the apartment. Maybe some background on the girl. How soon can we meet with him?”
Eliza pulled her clutch toward her, opened it, removed thirty bucks, and tossed them on the table. It covered their nine-dollar bill and then some. “I’ll take care of it.”
TRANSCRIPT
Prosecution: Mrs. Tate, please describe your relationship with your husband and how it’s been over the past year.
Eliza Tate: It was a typical marriage. We had good times and bad.
Prosecution: Did you love him?
Eliza Tate: He was my husband.
