After the court hearing, Gina seemed on edge during the ride to dinner. She had changed during our six-month separation. The gray streaks had been dyed black, and she wore bright red lipstick. A green dress, cinched tight at the waist by a thin green belt, accented her weight loss and made her eyes bright emeralds.
"You look a lot younger."
She stared out the passenger window. "So do you, Michael."
"Younger?"
"Full of yourself." She glanced at me before turning away.
"Thanks. I guess your new lover bends to your every need."
I realized then how much she had wanted out. The hurt punched my chest. It would be easy to hate her, but I keep such emotion locked up, especially now.
"Can we just drop it?" she said.
"Just making conversation." "I thought we were still going to be friends."
"We are."
"Then drop it." She looked straight at me for the first time, brow pointed down. She had power since I was the one still in love.
"Okay."
I had picked the restaurant for our final dinner as a couple. A place called Richard's in rural Dover, Indiana, a town with a church, a funeral home, several large Victorian houses, and one main road. We didn't know anyone there.
That's why I was surprised to see our insurance man, Terry Jenkins, in the restaurant parking lot pushing a guitar amplifier.
"Hey, Terry, what's up?" I said. "You play music here?"
Short and chunky, Terry had curly brown hair and Coke bottle glasses that magnified his blue eyes and made his narrow chin appear pointed. He wore tight jeans and tan cowboy boots.
"How you doing, Mike?" He shook my hand and nodded at Gina. "I play country ballads and some original music."
"I don't remember you telling me you were a musician."
Terry shrugged. "I keep it separate from the business. What you all doing up this way?"
"Our divorce was final today and we decided to eat dinner in some place we've never been before."
Gina checked her lipstick and clicked a small compact closed. "Sort of a celebration," she said.
"On your part maybe," I said.
Gina's eyes darted sideways and her red lips curled like she bit a lemon.
)
