that only have time in the evenings.”
“Well, tell him to come down to Mackinaw’s when he’s done. We’ll be there until at least midnight.”
Mackinaw’s was the bar where they had their Christmas Party every year. It was one of those faux -Irish pub places with a back room which Angela would rent for the evening. Madeleine had never seen the appeal, but then she didn’t have to foot the bill for the party so who was she to complain?
Madeleine had a meeting with Mr. Foster—the cheating rotten liar— right before lunch. She still hadn’t come up with a plan to ensure he’d avoid paying alimony. Frankly, she didn’t care. The secret was to be authoritative and convincing when she told him so. If he’d been a different kind of man, she’d have appealed to his compassion and reason. Unfortunately, Mr. F was neither compassionate nor reasonable.
Mr. F arrived at 11:00 accompanied by Mistress Number Four. Madeleine had already met Mistresses One, Two and Three. Where the man found these woman, Madeleine couldn’t imagine. They were young and attractive. They must be with him for his money. No wonder he was trying to hold onto as much of it as possible.
Madeleine broke the bad news. Mr. Foster didn’t take it well. Predictably, he blamed everything on his soon-to-be-ex-wife. It was all Madeleine could do to keep her opinions to herself. At one point, she clamped down on her tongue with her teeth. Every time she had to deal with Mr. Foster it was getting harder to behave professionally. At least he hadn’t caught onto the fact that he had a lawyer who didn’t give a flying flip if he walked away with nothing but the shirt on his back. Oh, well. She’d have to deal with him again in court, but, if she was lucky, this was the last time she’d have to see the man in her office.
Madeleine’s afternoon was better. While she was taking a late lunch, she got a call from her brother.
Joe got straight to the point.
“I hear you’ve been seeing my friend Mark.”
“’Seeing’ is a loaded term.”
“Alright, ‘spending time with.’”
“I suppose you could say that, but I only ran into him a couple of days ago.”
“So I heard.”
“What do you think of Mark, honestly?”
“I think he’s great! He’s no Chad, if that’s what you’re worried about. He has this wicked crush on you, you know.”
“I do remember that much. I can’t imagine that makes any difference now.”
“No?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?”
“So, while we’re being honest. How old is Mark?”
“Not sure. My age I think. His birthday’s in July.”
“So 24ish.”
“You have no idea how old I am either, do you?”
Madeleine made a quick calculation. Joe was right. It was something she should know.
“26ish?”
“Much better.”
“Joe, I have to go. I have a meeting in half an hour. Did I tell you it’s the dreaded office party tonight?”
“Taking Mark?”
“No. I am not. ”
“Why not?”
“Don’t you think it’s a little early?”
“No.”
“Well, I do.”
“Suit yourself. You’d have a better time if you did.”
“Bye, Joe.”
“Be good.”
“I’m always good.”
“I know.”
Joe was gone. She’d talk to him again on Christmas Day. She missed Joe. Hong Kong was too far away.
Mark had spent the morning doing rounds of all the remaining fitness centers on his list. The result was the same as it had been every other day. No one would touch him. The community center wasn’t even interested in hiring him as a lifeguard. Mark couldn’t believe the influence Kristen wielded. He wouldn’t have imagined that just one woman scorned could make such an impact on his future.
He was Santa for the afternoon shift. Horace called in with a cold, so Mark pulled a double shift and spent 10 hours in the Santa suit. He came home exhausted. He got his beard off and took Festus for a walk around the block. Then he opened a can of baked beans for himself and a can of beef
“Well, tell him to come down to Mackinaw’s when he’s done. We’ll be there until at least midnight.”
Mackinaw’s was the bar where they had their Christmas Party every year. It was one of those faux -Irish pub places with a back room which Angela would rent for the evening. Madeleine had never seen the appeal, but then she didn’t have to foot the bill for the party so who was she to complain?
Madeleine had a meeting with Mr. Foster—the cheating rotten liar— right before lunch. She still hadn’t come up with a plan to ensure he’d avoid paying alimony. Frankly, she didn’t care. The secret was to be authoritative and convincing when she told him so. If he’d been a different kind of man, she’d have appealed to his compassion and reason. Unfortunately, Mr. F was neither compassionate nor reasonable.
Mr. F arrived at 11:00 accompanied by Mistress Number Four. Madeleine had already met Mistresses One, Two and Three. Where the man found these woman, Madeleine couldn’t imagine. They were young and attractive. They must be with him for his money. No wonder he was trying to hold onto as much of it as possible.
Madeleine broke the bad news. Mr. Foster didn’t take it well. Predictably, he blamed everything on his soon-to-be-ex-wife. It was all Madeleine could do to keep her opinions to herself. At one point, she clamped down on her tongue with her teeth. Every time she had to deal with Mr. Foster it was getting harder to behave professionally. At least he hadn’t caught onto the fact that he had a lawyer who didn’t give a flying flip if he walked away with nothing but the shirt on his back. Oh, well. She’d have to deal with him again in court, but, if she was lucky, this was the last time she’d have to see the man in her office.
Madeleine’s afternoon was better. While she was taking a late lunch, she got a call from her brother.
Joe got straight to the point.
“I hear you’ve been seeing my friend Mark.”
“’Seeing’ is a loaded term.”
“Alright, ‘spending time with.’”
“I suppose you could say that, but I only ran into him a couple of days ago.”
“So I heard.”
“What do you think of Mark, honestly?”
“I think he’s great! He’s no Chad, if that’s what you’re worried about. He has this wicked crush on you, you know.”
“I do remember that much. I can’t imagine that makes any difference now.”
“No?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?”
“So, while we’re being honest. How old is Mark?”
“Not sure. My age I think. His birthday’s in July.”
“So 24ish.”
“You have no idea how old I am either, do you?”
Madeleine made a quick calculation. Joe was right. It was something she should know.
“26ish?”
“Much better.”
“Joe, I have to go. I have a meeting in half an hour. Did I tell you it’s the dreaded office party tonight?”
“Taking Mark?”
“No. I am not. ”
“Why not?”
“Don’t you think it’s a little early?”
“No.”
“Well, I do.”
“Suit yourself. You’d have a better time if you did.”
“Bye, Joe.”
“Be good.”
“I’m always good.”
“I know.”
Joe was gone. She’d talk to him again on Christmas Day. She missed Joe. Hong Kong was too far away.
Mark had spent the morning doing rounds of all the remaining fitness centers on his list. The result was the same as it had been every other day. No one would touch him. The community center wasn’t even interested in hiring him as a lifeguard. Mark couldn’t believe the influence Kristen wielded. He wouldn’t have imagined that just one woman scorned could make such an impact on his future.
He was Santa for the afternoon shift. Horace called in with a cold, so Mark pulled a double shift and spent 10 hours in the Santa suit. He came home exhausted. He got his beard off and took Festus for a walk around the block. Then he opened a can of baked beans for himself and a can of beef
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