Eligible Ex-husband - Marie Johnston Page 0,33
has sailed.”
He adjusts his white hat, which doesn’t have sweat stains on it. Either he’s impervious to the heat, or he swaps it out every week. My hat will have to be burned after today. “Whether you and Natalie work things out, and let’s face it, the divorce is kind of a final sign, take heed. It feels like work gives you everything. Money that brings opportunity that brings a life you never expected. But it doesn’t tuck you in at night. It’s not there when you’re sick, it doesn’t care if it’s your birthday or whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah. Work can wait.”
The guy that’s been sucking up all our weekend concentration just told me work can wait? I need to let it go, but I don’t. “What about those weekend emails I keep getting?” My tone is light, but I have to fight to keep the irritation from showing in my face.
Lancaster’s face screws up like he doesn’t know what I’m talking about. “I email when I think about it. You don’t have to answer right away. They have autoresponders nowadays. Peggy has one for weekends, holidays, evenings, you name it, she autoresponds that we’ll be back during such and such hours. You should try it sometime. Oop, they’re done.”
I’m left scowling at him as he trots to set his golf ball in place and gazes to where he wants it to go.
You should try it sometime. Lancaster has all his money in the bank, or is continually growing it with me. His kids are adults and he has enough to set his five grandkids up for life.
I’d love to try it sometime. If only it was that simple.
Natalie
Peggy greets me with a giant hug. I can only return the embrace with one hand. Maddy clutches my other hand. Abby’s holding Simon’s.
“It’s so good to see you again.” Sincerity pours out of her. Unlike a lot of Simon’s clients, what you see with Peggy is what you get. She cuts to the point but is tactful, is unashamed about her love of money and numbers and how to grow them bigger, and she enjoys life.
“I’m happy this worked out.”
Peggy steps back to ooh and ahh over Abby and Maddy. “Look at you two. Little holograms of your parents. Look one way and you resemble your dad, look another way and it’s your mom.”
Maddy’s nose scrunches at the hologram part, but she likes being on the receiving end of gushing.
Simon introduces them. “I know you haven’t seen them since they were babies.”
“And what cute babies you both were.” She waves us in. “Leave your shoes on, we’ll go right out to the pool. Dan has everything set up to grill and we have the misters going to beat the heat away.”
I always forget that Lancaster’s first name is Dan. He said he went by Dan all his life until he met Peggy. Her first husband was also named Dan, so her family called Lancaster by his last name. It stuck.
We follow Peggy through the house. Unlike the cream stucco exterior, the inside is a colorful mix of family photos, trinkets that were clearly made by someone under ten, and travel souvenirs. The Lancasters are doing retirement right. This is the first major trip that Simon and I have taken. Ever. For our honeymoon, we were moving from Wharton University to Fargo. After that, we had a fledgling business.
We’d talked about it. Constantly. During the summer when we couldn’t afford to go anywhere farther than our backyard, we’d sit on the porch and sip a beer, daydreaming about all the places we’d go. Then we bought the house, knowing full well that it was our vacation home and holiday home wrapped in one family home. We chose roots over wandering, but we never quit thinking that one day we’d reach a point where we covered mortgage payments and had enough to take the kids around the world.
That wasn’t going to happen on one income. Simon’s income. My house was paid off thanks to the divorce. I know Simon has plans for their college fund, and my pride says that if we’re flying somewhere for nothing but fun, I’m going to earn it. We won’t be cruising on Simon’s dime.
He’s not the only one who wants to prove himself in the world.
We step out the sliding doors to the back patio. I expect a wave of heat, but the shade cover is deep and clouds of cool mist hover between