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Tuesday, December 12th, 2006“After he finished medical school,” Michael said, “you went to law school. You told us in London. Sonya didn’t believe you. She said you weren’t like any of the lawyers she knew.”
“Sometimes I don’t believe it either,” Barbara said. “I didn’t really like law. I got to go to law school because I helped Chuck go to medical school. Law school was just like being married to Chuck. Discipline. A lot. And never ever think about lt. Just get through it. But I think practice may be fun. My girl friends all liked it at first. I haven’t talked to any of them in a long time, actually.” She lay down flat on the bed and talked towards the ceiling. “Chuck gave me a Porsche for Christmas my first year. All my girl friends in law school were talking about it, how supportive he was of my career. Turns out his girlfriend had been driving it all over Cleveland before he gave it to me.”
She felt the tears coming again and sat up. She held them back. “It’s ok to just be a housewife, isn’t it, Michael?” she asked. “Maybe I can still do that even if I end up getting a divorce.”
She turned away from the mirror and looked directly at Michael.
“I like housewives,” Michael said.
She turned back to the mirror and smiled.
“You can be funny,” she said. “It’s ok hanging out with you. This is a nice room. I like this furniture. I’d like a room like this in my house.”
Looking at Barbara’s wide eyes, Michael remembered Sonya’s distain for this room. “I shouldn’t pretend with you, Barbara,” Michael said. “Sonya’s leaving has thrown me all off. The net of it is, I’m shocked she left. I do not know what to think about it. I want her back and I don’t. We had some fun this trip. But it has been hard around her. At some point, some time ago, I think she just stopped loving me. Maybe that is what happened. I’m not sure. We started sleeping in different rooms; she did anyway. She wanted to go to marriage counseling. Everyone in Manhattan goes to marriage counseling. It doesn’t’ really mean anything. Or maybe it does. I don’t know. But I only made one session. Things kept coming up. I always had to cancel and I guess she did not get much going alone. I have no idea what to do next, Barbara. I don’t know what to do the rest of today or tomorrow or when to go home or what. It was ugly being in this room with Sonya. We were in the same bed but she would not let me touch her.” He let out a loud exhale. “Let’s not talk about this anymore. OK?”
“Yeah,” Barbara said.