A Turn in the Road by Debbie Macomber

stood and threw her napkin on the table. “Have a great time, and when you get back, don’t bother to call. We’re done.”
    â€œAnnie,” he cried, “you don’t mean that!”
    â€œWanna bet?” They had the attention of half the restaurant. The entire room seemed to go quiet. Not wanting to be the subject of anyone’s dinner conversation, Annie ran toward the elevator. A line had formed, waiting to be taken down to street level.
    Vance hurried after her. “I was afraid you were going to be upset. I wanted to tell you, I really did, but Matt said—”
    â€œI already know what Matt said.” Annie crossed her arms and stared fixedly at the elevator door, willing it to open. Pressing her lips together, she did her best to ignore him. There was nothing Vance had to say that she wanted to hear.
    â€œCome on, Annie. I hate leaving when you’re upset with me.”
    She turned her back and looked in the opposite direction.
    â€œAnnie, please.”
    What was taking the elevator so long? All she could think about was escaping Vance as quickly as possible.
    â€œOkay, fine, be mad.”
    She didn’t need any encouragement from him.
    â€œGive me the silent treatment. See if I care.”
    She pretended not to hear.
    â€œAll I want to know is if this means you won’t be driving us to the airport.”
    She whirled around, shocked that he could even ask.
    â€œWell?” He spoke with an air of defiance.
    She shook her head. “No, Vance, I won’t be driving you to the airport, but have a nice trip. In fact, have the time of your life because that’s certainly what I intend to do.”
    The elevator arrived and, after it emptied, the line moved forward. Annie stepped inside and, just before the doors closed, shetook one last look at Vance, standing in front of her, still holding the black linen napkin in his hand. She gave him a short, sarcastic wave.
    â€œTa-ta,” she said as the door glided shut.

Five
    T he phone rang, waking Bethanne from a sound sleep. No one called in the middle of the night unless it was an emergency. Caller ID indicated her daughter’s name. With nervous, uncooperative fingers Bethanne answered. “Hello?”
    â€œMom!” Annie wailed.
    Shifting into a sitting position, Bethanne rubbed her eyes. “Annie, what’s wrong?”
    Annie tried to speak but Bethanne couldn’t understand a word she said. And what she did grasp made no sense. “Vance is going away?” Bethanne asked.
    â€œTo Europe with Jessie.”
    This came out in a screech, which led Bethanne to believe Jessie was most likely a girl. So tonight’s dinner at the Space Needle wasn’t the marriage proposal Annie had so eagerly anticipated. While Bethanne was grateful, she hurt for her daughter.
    â€œOh, baby, I’m so sorry.”
    â€œI… He actually wanted me to drive them to the airport. Can you believe that?” The anger was coming through loud and clear.
    â€œHe said he couldn’t ask me to go to Europe with him because I had another year of school and…and responsibilities.”
    â€œEveryone has responsibilities,” Bethanne said, stifling a yawn.
    â€œI… Mom?”
    â€œYes, sweetheart?”
    â€œThis is what it was like when Daddy told you about…the lovely Tiffany, isn’t it? You didn’t know, you didn’t even suspect. You were completely oblivious to what was going on right in front of you. Well, so was I.” She sniffed loudly. “I feel so stupid.”
    â€œOh, Annie.”
    â€œHow could Vance be so insensitive?”
    Bethanne remembered the shocked, numb sensation that had come over her when Grant left. Unlike her, Annie didn’t have a twenty-year marriage; still, she’d just been given a small taste of what Bethanne had experienced.
    â€œMom?”
    â€œYes, honey?”
    â€œCan I go to Florida with you and Grandma