November 1989, Yellow Pines, Virginia
This year Thanksgiving was at my parents' house. I flew down from New York a few days before for a much needed vacation. Dennis was with me and my parents instantly liked him. Of course they did - he was successful and Harvard educated. My mother kept hinting around if 'he was the one.'
I wasn't sure if he was the one. I liked him - but the wanton side of me was still there. Our sex was just ok, and more than once I had to fantasize about Robert in order to get off. Dennis had no idea about it and I figured it was a good thing.
I was sitting leisurely on the couch, drink in hand when Robert arrived with a woman at his side. She looked very cultured and I immediately got jealous. I wondered how long they were together. I hadn't spoken to Robert in at least 3 months and he never said anything about it before.
He introduced her as Pamela and she nodded politely to my parents. I began to hate her.
Next in was Brett. I quickly avoided his eyes as he ushered in a trashy looking blond. It was the first time I had seen him since that night. Robert told me that he always asked for me, but our secret would be safe with him. I hoped it would be.
"Who are those guys?" Dennis asked.
"They're my cousins," I said, clenching my jaw. "I'll be right back, I have to use the bathroom."
I went down the hall to bathroom hoping that Robert had seen me. I waited for ten minutes, but he never came. I sighed and went back to join Dennis. He was talking with my father about some financial something or other. I pretended to listen while I spied on Robert and Pamela. At least he noticed me and his face lit up. He brought her over.
I stood up and gave him a brief hug. When I pulled back, he smiled that old smile at me. I half smiled back.
"Beth - I want you to meet Pamela, my fiancΓ©e."
That was the hardest dinner in my life to choke down. I sat next to dinner and willed a few pieces of turkey into me. I didn't have any problem with the wine, though. After my fourth class Dennis whispered something about me getting drunk. I ignored it and tried to hide my sullenness. I didn't want Robert to see how upset I was.
I'm not sure if anyone knew just how upset I really was, but people avoided me a little after dinner. My mother asked me if I felt ok, so I told her I really wasn't and I needed to lay down. Dennis, always the faithful one, offered to come upstairs and sit with me. I smiled wanly and told me it ok - he could watch football with the guys.
I was alone in my old room. Tears were rapidly welling up in my eyes. I couldn't believe they were getting married, but I had to accept the reality of the whole thing. He deserved to have a life with someone who could be committed to him. We couldn't do that - we would be the disgrace of the family and I could never do that to our parents. We had talked about it enough times.
I lay on my bed thinking about it for a long time and then at last I fell asleep.
A knock on the door woke me and I told whoever to come in. I figured Dennis was checking on me.
But then I smelled him. I knew his smell. It musky and sexy and it always drove me wild. I turned over to look at him with bleary eyes. Suddenly I wasn't rational anymore. I didn't want to lose him to that ice queen. With anger welling up inside of me, I beat his chest with my fists and he had to grip my arms hard to stop me. I shook my full head of hair and tried to get away from him.
"Beth! Get yourself together!"
"How could you do this to me?" I sobbed.
"Please, don't - you know it would happen to us some day."
"But how long..."
He didn't say anything. He let my arms go and looked at him.
"You were seeing her when I was in LA, weren't you?"
He looked away - guilt was on his face.
"Oh fuck, how could you do that? You betrayed us both!"
He buried his face in his hands. "I know...I know...I'm so sorry, Beth. I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want you to stop seeing me when you were town. I was so addicted to you."
I sobbed again and threw myself back on the bed. He was quiet for a while.
"Beth, what we did was wrong. I have to make a life. You need to as well. What about Dennis? He seems like a nice guy."
I grunted.
"Beth - I'm going to do this. And I want you to back me on this. You know we need go our own ways."
"When's the wedding?" I said in a muffled voice. I couldn't look at him.
"Next June. It will be down here in Virginia. Will you come?"
"If you want me to."
"Of course I do."
"And where you going to live?"
There was a slight hesitation before he said: "Westchester County. Her family got us a house in White Plains."
My head shot up.
"Are you fucking serious! That's in my back yard!"
"I know, I know. But I got a job teaching at Columbia and she's a lawyer in the city."
"What are you gonna do now, flaunt her in my face whenever you come into the city for a posh evening on the town?"
I saw him stiffen slightly and I put my head down and sobbed some more. He stroked my hair lightly.
"I'm so sorry...I hesitated about Columbia, I really did. I had another offer at UCLA, but I wanted to come back East. Pamela is from New York and wanted to come back here too."
I said nothing. What else could I say?
He pushed back my hair and leaned over me. "Please sit up, let me see you."
I reluctantly sat up. Tears streamed down my face. He handed me a tissue and I wiped them away. He held my hands in his.