***
As he stepped out of his office, it took him a couple of minutes to remember that his car was smashed up and has gone back for repairs again and that he needed to go home by taxi. It was a lovely evening as he rode home in a taxi – as if nature meant to mock him on such a wonderful evening he was burdened and could not enjoy the scenes flashing by. There was not a trace of a cloud in the blue sky; the golden sun caressed the roof tops and lawns; birds chirped, greeting the spring, and children rode bicycles and ate ice-cream as their parents quietly lazed in chaise lounges in their yards. Inside of Solomon Fray it was storming. He had the driver stop a couple of blocks before his home. He felt like walking a bit. As he walked, he contemplated on some kind of strategy, on what his responses would be when confronted by his wife. He wondered what reaction would be the most suitable. But there was not much sense of success in defending yourself if you have already lost the battle. Solomon Fray knew knew there was no turning back from the separation and divorce scenario he had mauled over all day. For a second he played with the idea of turning back literally and going to some night club to have a good time and spend the evening. He felt he was a free man since separation and divorce were inevitable. He did not have to go home if he did not want to. However, the anticipated disclosure that frightened him so much was also a mysterious magnet that drew him closer with every step. Of course he had known and was aware that his secret would come out one day; of course, he had known and repeated it to himself all the time that nothing will stay hidden forever. So perhaps some unconscious part of him had, in a strange way, longed for this revelation to come out in order for the burden of guilt to be lifted from him. That was probably so that he can, maybe, go back to being an honest and innocent, brilliant young businessman again; a the man of the world, but one who will never again make deals with his conscience! The two blocks to his house seemed to be the longest walk he has ever taken in his whole life.
***
Dinner was quite as usual. Solomon Fray was irritated. Even mad with fury. He wanted everything to happen right away on his entering the house, he was ready for it! But Janine was as dull as ever, asking the same stupid questions about his day, telling him about some poem David wrote in class today. Usually he would have answered such dinner table banter with a well-timed “oh, really?” or a guttural “Ughm…”, or even “that’s a news” while being preoccupied with other thoughts. Today, however, he was attentive as never before looking for some signs of the oncoming disaster. He was nervous, he could not relax for a second. It was as if his own home was suddenly turned into an enemy camp and he was a spy at the risk of his cover being blown.
After the meal he offered Janine help with the dishes. The woman was stunned – as if he had said that he would be running away with the circus to work as a clown. He merely wanted some pretext to stay in the kitchen. He wanted everything to take place here and now and hated being played with.
After their cleaning-up, Janine made two cups of tea for him and herself. What did she do it for?, he thought. Solomon Fray was panicking now. Was it a crude strategy to deflected his alertness to the sword of damocles that was about to fall on his neck? Or did she simply misunderstand his mood and intentions? During Solomon Fray’s inner struggle Janine blabbered quite carelessly on, telling him about all those meaningless and funny adventures that a housewife can experience and urging her husband to taste the cake she bought in a corner that same day.
He could not stand the suspense anymore.
“So what did Molly Gleemors want from you?”
Solomon Fray was horror-struck at the words that came out of his own mouth so suddenly and in a such straightforward manner. Forgetting that it was hot, he hurriedly took a gulp of his tea, savagely burnt his throat in the process and starting to cough. Janine hurried to get him a glass of water. After taking her seat again she responded.
“Oh, well, it wasn’t much of a meeting. She was in a great hurry, she is leaving town tomorrow and moving somewhere on coast with her new husband. She showed me her ring. It was quite a pretty thing, though maybe too big for my taste… You know, I always think the thinner the rings are, the more elegant they look, but the tastes as we all know…”
Solomon Fray was looking at his wife as if she had suddenly gone barking mad. He could not figure out whether she was making a fool out of him. Finally, he lost his nerve and interrupted her impatiently.
“Yes, yes, but what did she want then? Just to show you the stupid ring and talk about moving?”
“Oh, no, not quite. She is giving up her job in the university as well, so she wanted to know whether I am interested in taking her place. Said, they didn’t really have time for the usual interview routine in the middle of the term. But I had to refuse. I’m not quite ready to let David be so much on his own, he’s so small! Though on the other hand it’d be a great pleasure…” Solomon interrupted her once again, growing almost mad with anticipation
“Did she said something about me?”
This time Janine sounded a bit offended when she spoke again. Her lips tightened around the tight to the tea cup.
“No, she didn’t… And actually I’m not even sure she has the least notion that we got married. We didn’t keep any contact after our studies and she never asked a single question about my personal life today…”
Here Janine was interrupted again and for the third time. But this time it was the familiar telephone ring. She rushed into the foyer, automatically giving Solomon a little ‘excuse-me’ smile on her way out.
