Justine finally got Adele’s agreement on all the tiles and colors and paint; they went together to the appliance store to get new appliances as the ones in the house now were withering with age. They even had time to sit down with a couple of contractors and attempt to plot out the remodel to begin early in January.
Justine had brought Christmas decorations from the San Jose house to adorn the old house, and they put up a tree early. The days grew shorter and the sun was setting by five. And all the lights in town were illuminating the streets.
Justine was just coming out of the law office at five when she heard her name. “Justine,” Scott said. “Hi.”
“Hi, Scott. What brings you to my part of town?”
“I wonder if we could have a talk,” he said, shivering either from the cold or from anxiety. “Would you have a drink with me?”
She looked around nervously. “Is your girlfriend lurking somewhere?”
“No. Just me. Let’s go to Tony’s Oyster Bar. We can walk. Just for a quick drink.”
“Is this about Christmas plans? Because we can discuss that—”
“I’d like to talk about that, yes, but that’s not what this is about. I think I probably should say I’m sorry or something...”
A huff of laughter came out of her. “Ya think?” she said.
“Let’s get a beer or something. Please.”
Justine dreaded whatever was to come. She noticed the fine white scar along his hairline and frowned.
“You’re not planning to clear the air, are you, Scott? Because I really don’t need another long list of reasons how I somehow drove you to another woman.”
“Nothing like that, I promise.”
“All right,” she said, taking off down the street at a brisk pace. “Just a glass of wine. That’s all. I have plans for dinner.”
“Oh? That guy? Logan?” he asked.
“No, my sister and daughters. I’m making a rotini pesto tonight. And salad. And bread. Logan is working, and I have some work to do later.”
“That sounds really good,” he said, struggling to keep up.
“Thank you. You’re not invited.”
It took them only minutes to reach Tony’s. The place was crowded for happy hour, but most of the patrons were gathered around the bar. Justine found a table in the back near the kitchen door, and she sat down. She put her briefcase on the chair beside her and quickly texted her daughters that she was stopping for a glass of wine and wouldn’t be long. She ordered a chardonnay and waited in silence until it arrived. She didn’t ask “How you doin’?” or make small talk. When her wine arrived, she took a sip and said, “What is it, Scott?”
“Boy, you don’t make it easy,” he said.
“If anyone on earth hasn’t earned easy, it’s you. What did you want to talk about?”
“Well, I don’t know how to say this, Justine.” He stopped and looked down into his beer. Then he looked up with the soulful eyes she had once loved. “I made a mistake. I was wrong about everything.”
“Is that so,” Justine said. “And what has that got to do with me? Or Christmas?”
“It has nothing to do with Christmas!” he said angrily. “It has everything to do with you. Didn’t you hear me? I was wrong! I regret leaving the marriage. I regret having an affair. I was manipulated and fool enough to fall for it.”
“She beat you up again? Or just leave you?”
“She never beat me up!” he insisted. “We had a disagreement. It happens. Justine, I never stopped loving you. You’re the mother of my children, of course I always loved you. I thought... I don’t know what I thought. I made a mistake. I should never have strayed, should never have...”
“Strayed?” she asked, drawing out the word. “Scott, you engaged in a complicated and destructive series of lies for months if not years and destroyed our family! You betrayed us all. So you made a mistake. I guess you’ll have to live with that.”
“Be reasonable, Justine. I’m sorry. I recognize where