Chapter 5: Two Years

I took the glasses off and let them hang on the chain.

"How long?"

"Since the soup," Benedict said. "You blow on it twice. Every time."

Maxine looked from his head to mine.

"I'm going to go," she said. "This is a lot of marriage for a Monday."

"Stay. Finish your steak."

"I'm taking it with me." She waved down the waiter. "Box, please. Big one. I'm fleeing."

She stood, then leaned over the back of my booth.

"For the record, the aunt is amazing. I'd watch a whole show of her."

"She has a spin-off in development."

Maxine laughed all the way to the coat check.

[ok I'm sorry but I kind of love them]

[NO. don't be fooled. this is the part where the ex-wife makes Maxine feel small]

[she literally told her to order the lobster??]

Benedict came around and slid into my booth across from me.

He looked at the stole.

"Is that animal real?"

"It's acrylic. It's been shot four times. In shows."

"You smell like mothballs."

"That's character work."

The corner of his mouth went up. It didn't come down.

For a second it was the two of us on a Sunday morning, two years ago, before we stopped talking at breakfast.

Then I remembered why I was wearing a bouffant.

"You asked her what my show needed."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it's going to be in my hotel."

"You told the board it was a birthday party."

"I was wrong about that."

The air went quiet. Even the readers were waiting.

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