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495 when they shorted him on the overtime. But the paychecks were always from three weeks back.
She had to calm down. Showing her hand would not catch his bluff. Eddie was into a movie on HBO when the phone rang. He switched off the television and answered Tanya’ s call.“ I’ m sorry I yelled at you last night. I am just a wreck after what happened. Here it is Wednesday and I never asked you how the meeting went with the architect.”“ Apology accepted. Friday’ s meeting went well and Frank took me to lunch and then he got a call to collect rent from his brother-in-law George.” Eddie told her the entire story, starting with driving Frank’ s car and ending with the visit to the club, including the names of the girls who provided the entertainment. Eddie picked up something in Tanya’ s silence. He finished with,“ And then I came home.” She had not interrupted his entire monologue.“ And how was your day today?” she asked.
Eddie told her he was still angry when the crew finished early. Rodney already offered his place. He was not going to be there and it would give Eddie a chance to cool down. Again he offered every detail, from meeting Taylor to dinner with Mandy, except the price of the meal.“ And then I called you,” he finished. The question that came from her mouth said way too much.“ And that’ s all?” Tanya wanted to take them back the moment the words slipped out. She knew he was telling the truth. She was the one who imagined the worst, and now realized why Eddie performed the way he had. Being teased all Friday afternoon, the look but don’ t touch rule fueled a fire that was extinguished by a fantasy come true at home. The words came back evenly and honestly, and they struck her core.“ I sewed my oats before we were married, and you know that.” Eddie said, and turned off his phone. Tanya dialed the number and was sent immediately to his voice mail.“ I was wrong. I’ m sorry.” she said, and cried herself to sleep for the second night in a row.
Eddie sat on the couch in his jeans and a t-shirt. It was his turn to ruminate. In the course of their marriage and the countless disagreements they shared, she had called him,
“ Insensitive, inconsiderate, self centered and narcissistic.” He had to look that one up in the dictionary. All of it was true at the time. But never had she accused him of being unfaithful. He went into the kitchen, found a bottle of wine and a goblet. He returned to the leather sofa, switched on the movie and proceeded to empty the wine bottle one glass at a time.
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