28. Great Things

28

GREAT THINGS

EVANGELINE

T he trees lining the street rustle with the wind as I walk up to the busy café and notice Rebecca at a table outside enjoying the view of the Potomac. The weather is warm, and the scent of cherry blossoms is carried on the same breeze that roughens the water.

I gesture to my lunch date as the hostess leads me through the tables.

“Thank you for meeting me,” Rebecca greets, gesturing to the chair opposite her.

“I have to say I was surprised to hear from you,” I reply, taking a seat. “You’ve been avoiding me,” I accuse, getting to the point.

“I’m sorry about that,” she says sheepishly.

Our waitress approaches. “Can I start you off with something to drink?” she asks with a perky smile.

“I’ll take a martini,” Rebecca replies, handing her the menu.

So, I guess this is how it’s going to go.

“I’ll have the same,” I respond and hand her my menu as well. I don’t think I could eat anyway.

“I don’t want to sit here and act like everything is okay. It’s not,” Rebecca responds.

“I can appreciate that,” I nod. “I understand that you’re mad finding out about my past at that press conference.” I shake my head.

“I knew about you before the press conference.”

“How long have you known?” I question.

The waitress drops off our drinks, but I can’t take my eyes off Rebecca.

As soon as the waitress leaves, I ask, “ How did you know?”

“I know a lot of things I wish I didn’t,” she admits.

She’s not just talking about my confession.

“I know what kind of man my husband is,” she admits.

“He was a client,” I admit. “But I never slept with your husband.”

She shakes her head and sighs, taking a large sip of her martini. “I’d really like to believe that, but that’s not what this is about.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

“I know you don’t understand how things are done in my world. You might be married to Darren, but you didn’t grow up like this,” she gestures around at the upscale café with baskets of flowers and gold-plated silverware.

“There are certain expectations and well, I didn’t want to admit that I had married the wrong person,” she explains. “Not that it would matter to my family anyway.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t need you to be sorry. I just need you to listen,” she states.

I nod, picking up the martini and taking a healthy sip because I think I’m gonna need it.

“I just don’t know how you could look me in the eye, knowing what kind of man my husband is,” she shakes her head, and I can’t seem to read her. She’s angry but I’m not sure if she’s angry at me anymore.

“I never meant to hurt you,” I explain. “I honestly only ever saw you as my friend.”

“I did too,” she replies and then sits back in her chair, crossing her legs. She looks at her lap and smoothes down her skirt.

“You know, generations before me have had to put up with infidelity,” she smiles sadly. “I guess I always expected it.”

“Rebecca, I never…” I try to explain but she cuts me off.

“But when my family’s business and reputation are at stake, that’s a whole other matter.” Her eyes narrow.

“I don’t think infidelity should be excused,” I reply.

“You must think I’m weak,” she says.

“I don’t think that at all. In fact, I think it takes a strong person to keep a marriage together, especially when you’re the only person in the relationship doing the heavy lifting,” I explain.

Rebecca smiles sadly. “I appreciate that, but it was more of a family expectation and not wanting to rock the boat, so to speak.”

“What is it that you want?”

She places her elbows on the table and leans forward. “I want to rock the boat.”

She reaches down, pulls an envelope from her purse, and slides it across the table to me. I don’t reach for it.

“What’s this?”

“It’s everything you need to take down Jonathan.”

This is not how I thought this conversation was going to go.

“Infidelity can be excused. I think you’re smart enough to know that politicians come back from that all the time,” she says. “It’s one thing for a husband to be unfaithful but quite another to commit fraud.”

I look at the envelope with trepidation.

“It’s not going to bite,” Rebecca attempts to make a joke. “At least, not you, anyway.”

“I don’t want any of this to hurt you. That’s why I didn’t name him as a client.”

“I know,” she offers me a small smile, a little piece of the Rebecca I remember coming through. “I appreciate that. I already have the divorce papers drawn up and I’m taking the kids out of town for a while. Whatever you decide to do with that information, I won’t be here to get pulled into the mess.”

“Why are you doing this?” I ask.

“I made a mistake a long time ago.” She sighs and looks down at her napkin on the table. “Merrill confided in me when she found out about Kerry and Rausch.”

I stare at her in complete shock.

“I overheard you and Darren arguing last night in the hallway of the museum,” she admits. “I was coming to find you.” She must see the worry on my face when she says, “Don’t worry, I made sure no one else overheard.”

I breathe a sigh of relief.

“I made the mistake of confiding in Jonathan,” she admits, and I can see the remorse written all over her face. “I didn’t know he would use it against them. I’m the reason Kerry didn’t run for President.”

“You can’t blame yourself. You’re supposed to trust your husband. He’s the one who betrayed you,” I try to reason even though I know it doesn’t help.

“I made a lot of excuses for him over the years, explaining it away as political competition and just the way things are, but my friendship with Merrill never recovered. We were cordial, but,” she shakes her head. “Then she died in that horrible helicopter accident, and I never got my chance to make things right—for her and Kerry.”

My heart aches for all of them. I take the envelope and slip it into my purse, clutching it to my lap as if my life depends on it. Rebecca stands, throwing cash on the table to pay for the drinks.

“You don’t have to do that. Please don’t leave, Rebecca,” I urge her because I don’t want her to leave like this when I don’t know if she’ll be okay.

“I have to make a flight.” She then surprises me by giving me a hug. “Despite everything, I’m glad I got to know you. Darren is going to do great things, especially with you by his side,” she pulls away and smiles at me. She taps on my purse that’s clutched to my side. “I hope you do the right thing with this.”

I watch in distress as she leaves the restaurant.