The next few weeks saw Maggie settling back into her old routine. She continued to take her birth control pills because she was anticipating Roberto coming back for one more fling before he was gone forever. Marvin's attitude was bothering her but she couldn't put her finger on it. He seemed upset when he was told that Roberto was back in Miami and that he would not be meeting him any time soon. He avoided sex with her claiming that he had hurt his back playing golf and the one time she insisted on it and practically raped him he had immediately gone into the bathroom and taken a shower when they were through.
Marvin listened to several of her conversations with Roberto through the bathroom medicine cabinet and his daily check of the Caller ID on his phone showed that there was a call from Miami every day at almost exactly one o'clock but no matching Caller ID indicator on the house phones. He had finally figured out that the phones in the house all belonged to the same set and that they did not control the older one in the garage.
Marvin was still not sure what he was going to do but his internal debate was not about whether or not his marriage was over. From his viewpoint it had ended the day he figured she forged the birth control prescription and bought the condoms. His concern was for the girls and he wanted to protect them without him coming off looking like the bad guy. He was afraid that if he confided in them and accused their mother of cheating on the family they would take her side and not look at the facts and the evidence.
The girls also seemed to be at odds with each other. Sixteen year-old Jessica hardly ever left her mother's side and 18-year old Megan was always near him. She frequently told him how much she loved him and she hugged him more often than he remembered her ever doing so.
He spent less and less time at home of if he was home he was busy in his playroom or in the garage. He and Maggie had not had a meaningful conversation in several weeks but she didn't seem to notice. She was preoccupied with something and he knew exactly what it was. The three phone calls he managed to listen in on were all about sex and how soon she and Roberto could get together again since Roberto's father was not letting him go back to Charleston until Thanksgiving break.
Marvin managed to get a peek at Maggie now and then and he took note that she continued to let the hair grow under her arms and she was regularly shaving her pubic hair. She had mentioned that fact in one of the overheard conversations and Marvin knew why and for whom she was doing it.
It was the third week after Roberto left that during Wednesday dinner Maggie announced she had to go to Jacksonville, Florida for a weekend meeting of the Southeast Conference Sports Medicine Specialists. She would be driving down with one of her staff from the college. The meeting was to be held all day Saturday and Sunday morning so she would leave on Friday evening and return on Sunday night. She and Cindy, her staffer, would share a room in the hotel where the conference was being held.
Immediately after dinner Megan jumped up and went to her room without saying anything to anyone. She returned a few minutes later with fire glowing from her eyes in her bright red face.
Walking over to Marvin sitting alongside the pool she sat down next to him and said, "Daddy, can I come into the office tomorrow? One of my braces needs adjusting."
"Here, let me take a look at it," he said and moved to get up.
"No, I'd rather do it tomorrow. It's OK for now and I have some things to do tonight."
Marvin was surprised when Megan showed up at is office shortly after it opened. His nurse told him she was there and brought her into the examining room as soon as he was finished with his first patient.
"You're up early this morning. It must be hurting you," he joked as Megan hugged him and kissed him. "Here sit down and I'll take a look."
"It's not hurting at all. That's not what's wrong with me," she said and started to sob.
Marvin pushed his examining stool over to her and after he helped her sit down she didn't let go of his hand. She held it to her face and he could feel the tears wetting his flesh.
"My God, she's pregnant!" was his first thought.
"What's the matter honey? Tell me."
Megan stood up and wrapped her arms around him.
"Daddy? Do you love mommy?"
"Yes, of course I do," he automatically replied but his thoughts rejected his spoken answer.
"Well," she sobbed. "I don't think she loves you or us anymore!"
Marvin immediately knew what she was talking about. She had found out somehow and it was eating her up. That's why she had seemed so cold and distant the last few weeks.
Pushing her gently away he looked into her face and asked, "Why do you think that, honey?"
