That Sour Brunch

MARIE

 On the day of

I am going to be meeting someone for brunch. Someone I never thought I would see again. I had recently bumped into my high school best friend. We had lost touch after we moved to different cities for college. But somehow I had seen it coming all through the senior year, I was more like the friend of the most popular girl in school. But after all these years, when I met her at the Bloomingdale’s all she could remember was the memories we made. And for memories sake, we decided to have brunch today at Juan’s Bistro. 

I sit at the end table and wait for her as I recall all the high school memories. And I can’t stop thinking how she would trot through the hallways of the school so that not an eye would miss her hips sway and not an ear didn’t hear her heels click. I am shaken out of my past when I see her turn into the bistro in a bright red sundress. As I see her approach, she still hasn't lost that walk with the head held high even after all these ears. She sits in front of me and smiles, reaching out to my hand. We exchange greetings and order our food. 

We talk for a while about all that is happening with us. I tell her how I have been happily married for 4 years now. She says she isn’t married but is seeing someone who she potentially could see her future with. I am amused when she says she has been in the same city as mine for almost two and a half years now. The waiter brings my steaming hot coffee with Hash browns, bacon and eggs and her classic Belgian waffle with strawberries and powdered sugar. She thanks the waiter and tucks a lock of air behind her ear. A quick glance and I know this was a bad idea. 

* * *

ROBBIE 

Nine months ago

I was happy when I married Marie. I loved her so much that I couldn’t spend a minute away from her. So I had proposed and we got married a month after our engagement. But the relationship turned sour as we were little over three and a half years into our marriage. Something made me feel that she didn’t want to be around me as much as she did in the initial months of our marriage. She would bury herself in work. She wouldn’t want any love making sessions. She would come home late from work one or two days a week or preferred sleeping earlier. I didn't want to coerce. She would only make small talk whenever she felt like it. 

Her small talk drives me crazy. No one wants to hear a “Hmm..” when you finish sharing an exciting piece of your day with the person whom you call your partner. But after much effort, I just stopped expecting her to respond to my emotional feelings. My publishing house had conveniently got new contracts from a couple of authors and I was able to distract myself with the “New Client Celebrations” and other works. I am finally at a place where I am okay with being an invisible being at a place called home. I spend more time with my friends from work. I go home late and I sleep without a care in the world. 

* * *

MARIE 

Six months ago

For a few months I haven’t been able to spend time with Robbie. I know he tried talking but my work pressure and my mental exhaustion got to me. I just thought it was better to keep mum about how I felt than to invest my energy in explaining about how I feel trapped with work and my duties as a wife. 

It is not that I didn’t love Robbie, but I fantasize my marriage to something more than just two people living under one roof. I felt like it all happened so soon that we didn’t talk about our roles in each other’s life. We just assumed it in each other’s heads but never talked about it. I wanted more adventure. I wanted to do so many different things once in a while but also keep working to keep ourselves grounded and in touch with reality. I started consulting a therapist about my muddled mind. I needed to talk to someone who wouldn't judge me. I didn't want to worry Robbie so I did it without his knowledge. I felt myself getting better

It was a Saturday, I called my office and informed them that I will be late today. I wanted to cook some breakfast for Robbie before he woke up. He came home late last night, I believe. Must have been at a Friday night party with his friends at work. I didn't want to bug him about his whereabouts.

 His bag lies across the couch and his tie is strewn on the armrest which I can see from the kitchen. His phone lies on the granite countertop of the kitchen near the kettle. I take it and see it has 3% battery. I take it to the plug point to charge it when it whirrs in my hand. The screen flashes the words, “Thank you for last night, we should do it again sometime. Love, J.” I am trying to think it is just some Jerry, Jeremy or John. But I can’t do it. I can only manage to let out a small whimper. 

I sat across the kitchen in the living area for a few minutes. I feel sick to my stomach. I hope it is not what I think it is. I never knew this is what it would come to. I didn’t mean for this to happen in spite of partly being at fault. I should have paid more attention to him. But then, now what will this mean? Will our marriage fall apart? Will I be left alone? No one will ever be able to get me like Robbie does and without him it would be hard for me. I need to figure out a way. But now I can’t breathe a word of this to him. I will hunt down the damsel and deal with her. I down a big glass of water in a gulp and resume my breakfast like a frozen ice statue. 

* * *

ROBBIE 

Five months ago

I don’t know what changed, but suddenly I feel Marie’s presence more often at home. She makes coffee for me before I wake up from the bed. She touches my shoulder when she says she is going to work. She comes home early, waits for me with dinner. I like this new attention from her, but what changed her? I have made a mistake. She cuddles next to me at night and kisses me on my forehead before falling asleep. I am amazed and confused at the same time. 

On some days when she wakes up along with me, she would kiss me and then leave to go to the kitchen. I am tied between two worlds. I am confused. I didn’t realise being visible would tie me up like this. I am stranded by love to be honest, I just smile a little when she tries to be appreciative or talks to me. 

* * *

ROBBIE

Two months ago

One day I came home from an exhausting day at work. It was a devastating day, our company which I co-owned was going to sink in the storm. Financially we had hit the worst of rocks. And we were in dire need to save ourselves. I was frustrated and I shuffled into the kitchen and opened a bottle of whiskey. I take the whole bottle to the counter-top and still on a bar-stool.

 I run my hand in my hair when suddenly a hand runs softly from the back of my shoulder to the front of my chest. I look up and see Marie. She kisses my ear from behind and she cups my face in her hand and our lips close. She then looks into my eyes . She reads me that very instant. “What’s the matter, honey?”, she asks. Her voice sounds like the worry I had inside my head. I narrate the whole plight leaving no detail. 

Marie looks around the room, suddenly lets me loose and walks away. Oh no, not now, not again. I hope I didn’t summon any dirty evil behaviour of Marie’s. I am surprised to see her walk in calmly. She brings out a purple velvet jewel case, and opens it in front of my eyes. All I can do at this instant is gape with wide eyes as a rush of guilt, relief and surprise floods through my body. 

* * *

MARIE 

Two months ago

I tried a gazillion ways to reignite the love we have and remind Robbie that we meant to be with each other. As surprised as he is, I also see his lips curl into a smile at small things I do for him. I wanted to take it up a notch and bring back the night of our life. I wait for him to come home and I hear the door click. 

I see him through the opened door and I know he is not his usual self. His work troubles definitely put him in some trouble, I figure when I see him with the whole bottle of whiskey. I go near him and he is so consumed by his thoughts that he doesn’t notice me walking to him. I look into his eyes after a brief moment and I know what to do when I hear him spill all that has been going on at work. I go to my room and take my grandmother’s one of a kind diamond and emerald earring from under the clothes in my cupboard. It might be more useful to him now, and might also be the key to change things for us. It was an heirloom that my great great grandmother got when her husband was a royal advisor. 

I see Robbie dumbfounded. But I smile and he smiles back taking it. “This is worth more than you can imagine.” He hugs me for a brief moment. I don’t know if it's a home run to our love life but it's a start. I smile and turn around hoping things change. 

* * *

MARIE 

On the day of

She tucks the hair behind her ear. And I know it when I see it. Then glistening bright green dangles from her ear and studded in between the rich diamonds. What is happening? And realisation flooded like a tsunami carrying me away. Jenny, it was. My best friend Jenny from high school was. How could this have happened? Jenny was no different from what she was in school. All I know is. It's all over. This brunch was no longer the usual brunch but a horrible turn of events.