It sucks when your friend gives you advice that you don’t want to hear, even if it’s the truth.
Advise and Consent
Mary looked across the table at Susan. Was it a look of resignation? Of despair? Mary couldn’t have said, and Susan didn’t know.
“You can look at me like that all day, if you want to, “said Susan. “It doesn’t change anything.”
“I just think you should look at the bigger picture,” Mary suggested.
“I see the bigger picture, even the parts you are trying to hide from both of us. You wanted to know what I thought, and I’ve told you. If you just wanted validation of your behavior, you came to the wrong person.”
For a passing moment, Mary wondered why she had approached Susan. Did she need to approach anyone? And why Susan? What did she expect? She knew Susan would be honest, but she had hoped Susan would see things differently. “It’s different for you,” Mary observed. “You’re happily married, two kids. Everything’s fine. Not everyone is that lucky.”
“Luck had nothing to do with it. I have been honest with myself and have expected honesty from everyone in my life. Jim and I have been honest with each other since day one. Relationships tend to work out when you do it that way. Can you say you are being honest with yourself, much less with Bill and Gloria?”
Mary was not accustomed to defending herself. “Their marriage is coming apart anyway. I’ve tried to be there for both of them. And, OK, it turns out that there’s something between Bill and me. Should I deny it? Should I turn my back on a chance for happiness for Bill and me?”
“Happiness? Sneaking around? Is that your idea of happiness? You know, I think maybe it is. Maybe if Bill was an entirely available regular guy, you wouldn’t be so quick to hook up with him. No excitement, when it’s open and above board.”
Mary deflected. “The available guys seem to all be taken. Or gay. You only get so many chances at real love, and I didn’t want to miss this one.”
“That doesn’t address my question. I’ve known you for a number of years, now. When have you ever had a straight-up relationship with no drama, no maneuverings? This isn’t your first affair with a married guy.”
”A happily married man is not going to cheat. I wasn’t messing up Bill and Gloria’s marriage. It wss already messed up.”
“I’m sure you’re right. But you came here for advice on how to have a healthy forever relationship. Don’t you see a problem with drawing from a pool of men who cheat and can’t maintain a healthy relationship? You set yourself up to lose, every time. And then you wonder why it happened.”
As luck would have it, Bill came in. He saw the women, as they saw him. What should he do? He couldn’t just ignore them. He walked over and sat with them.
“How are you two doing today?”
“Pretty good,” said Susan. “How about yourself?”
“Can’t complain. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on the Davis case. That brightens my day.”
“Good,” said Susan. “Now maybe you’ll be able to spend more time with your wife.”
Bill easily saw that Susan meant something by that. He could guess what, and couldn’t believe that Mary had confided in her. Then again, he could. He couldn’t help glancing at Mary, who was studying her lunch. “Absolutely. I have a lot of catching up to do.”
“I can imagine,” Susan responded. “Maybe besides wrapping up the Davis case, you can bring a few other things to a close as well. You know, make a clean sweep.”
Bill pondered as quickly as he could. Should he presume that Susan knew it all? Mary never could keep anything to herself. Or was Susan fishing, hoping he’d confess things she only suspected. “No question. I’ve been up to my eyeballs in this case. It will be good to get back on an even keel. How have things been going with you, Mary?”
Susan and Bill both regarded her, curious as to how she would answer. “Nothing I can’t handle. I’ve been looking at my caseload, considering maybe settling one or two. Cut my loses, as they say. But it’s too soon to make that call.”
“Watch how you go about settling,” warned Susan. “There are people involved besides yourself. They’re counting on you to call it right.”
“Of course,” said Mary.
Bill had heard all he needed. Susan knew everything that mattered. What is it with some women? All women? They can’t keep anything to themselves, it seems. He and Gloria were wearing thin with each other. Nobody’s fault. Just the way things go. Maybe it’s time to toss it all in and start over. But there were the kids. That could be worked out. But Mary. More like a ticking time bomb. If he broke it off with Gloria, Mary would be right on top of him. The way she is, she could end up being a witness for Gloria!
“So, Susan, what’s the latest in your part of the office?” Bill asked.
“No news is good news, right? Contract law is so nice and neat. Most of the time, anyway.”
“Yeah, I guess you can believe what most of your clients tell you. That’s no fun!”
“It grows on you. I go home at night with not a care on my mind.”
“That’s what I was talking to Susan about before you came,” said Mary. “How nice it must be to have a husband you can count on.”
“It kind of requires you to be a wife that he can count on,” Susan reminded her.
They looked at each other with barely readable expressions. Bill looked at them. No, he decided, I will never understand women.
I like Susan, she is right and she doesn't hold back. Old Bill is going to have a hard time untangling this web he made. A timeless cautionary tale. Well done.
Love hurts - so does truth.