Native Affairs

“It sounds like your husband doesn’t have much faith in you,” Joan said softly.

“You’re right, and that’s the root cause of our problems. He just can’t trust me. Maybe he can’t trust any woman. His mother abandoned the family. What happened between us when we were teenagers didn’t help, even if the damage I did was unintentional. But it seems he just can’t get past it.”

Joan nodded somberly.

“He reads the papers, he watches the news,” A

“Why would a young, healthy man have a vasectomy?” Joan wondered aloud.

“I’m sure you’ve heard all the reports about alcoholism being genetic, that scientists can create alcoholic mice in the laboratory through selective breeding,” A

“And at the time he had this done, you were out of his life, right? I’m sure he couldn’t picture a future that would include children,” Joan said.

A

“Here’s your tea,” Joe said, rejoining them and handing A

“Joe, did you know about this blackmail business when Heath and A

“Sort of,” Joe replied, looking sheepish.

“What does that mean?” Joan said.

“He told me about it at Christmas. I didn’t know it before they got married.”

“And you never said a word to me?” Joan asked, amazed at the idea.

“Heath made it clear that it was his business,” Joe said, shrugging.

“I feel kind of awkward accepting your hospitality,” A

“We’re your friends, too,” Joan said swiftly. “And you’re not saying anything we didn’t suspect for a long time. It was plain that Heath didn’t trust women—his relationships were always brief and very surface. That’s why we were elated when he married you but we didn’t realize the complicated subtext involved. All we knew was that you’d been an item as kids and were now reunited.”

“I didn’t think it was appropriate to give you all the lurid details,” A

“You’re staying here tonight and no excuses,” Joan said briskly. “I’ll make up the guest room bed and in the morning, if you still want to go to New York, Joe will drive you to the airport. You can leave that article of conspicuous consumption at the curb and Heath can pick it up anytime. I don’t know if I’ll be able to speak to him when he does but that’s another issue.”

“Don’t blame him,” A

“You look exhausted,” Joan said. “Just give me a minute to get fresh sheets on the bed and we’ll be in business.” Joan left the room and Joe shifted his weight uncomfortably.

“It’s really a pity about you two,” Joe finally said quietly. “It’s obvious you’re crazy about each other.”

“Sometimes that isn’t enough,” A

“It should be.”

“In a perfect world,” A

“Are you going to divorce him?” Joe asked.

A

“Don’t be hasty. Take some time to consider it.”

“Joe, I know how much you care for Heath, but he’s a better friend than he is a husband,” A

“I can understand that,” Joe said. “He’s very... volatile. It’s just that where business matters are concerned he will usually listen to my advice.”

“I only wish I could say the same about his personal life,” A

Joan returned with a blanket folded in her arms. “All set,” she said.

A

* * * *

Heath paced the floor in his bathrobe, unable to leave the bedroom or to stop walking up and down restlessly. A

He had ruined it. Over the past couple of months A

He had gone too far.

Heath slid back the door to the patio and stood out on the flagstones, looking up at the stars. They began to blur and he had to glance away.

He didn’t really believe that A

Heath sat on a redwood bench and stared at the ground, remembering the look on her face when he’d said the baby could not be his. Of course he knew that her pregnancy was possible, he had been told as much when he’d had the operation. But instead of accepting her version of events he’d had to say the most damning thing he could think of and drive her out of the house.

Why was he so destructive?

He stood again, wondering where she had gone. She had the car and a wallet full of credit cards she rarely used. But she might find a purpose for them now. She could go anywhere in the world and he would have to hire a posse to find her.

And she was carrying his child.

The phone in the bedroom rang shrilly, startling him out of his reverie. He dashed for it, slipping on the rug, and grabbed it on the second ring.

“A

“No, but she’s here,” Joan replied icily.

“Joan?”

“Yup.”

“She’s at your house?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be right over,” Heath said.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Joan said.

“Why not?”

“She’s asleep now and I think you should let her rest. She was very upset and I don’t imagine waking up and seeing you is going to help her calm down, do you?”

There was a frosty tone in Joan’s usually friendly voice that Heath didn’t mistake.

“Then I’ll talk to her in the morning,” Heath said.

“I can’t promise that she’ll be here.”

“Keep her there.”

“I’ll do no such thing, Heath. She’s a grown woman and can do as she pleases, and what she pleases right now is to get far away from you.”

“Joan, she’s pregnant.”

“Yes, I know, and I hear the child’s paternity is in doubt,” Joan said sarcastically.