Chapter 10: The Chair He Gave Away

Curtis gave Rosalind my chair and left me standing before the luncheon guests.

The people who had heard his lie watched him do it.

A stack of church programs rested in my hands.

Curtis pulled out Rosalind's chair.

'There's room at the side table,' he said. 'You can leave the programs there.'

He had found a place for his mother. He had found work for me.

Several guests looked up from their plates.

I set the programs on the nearest table.

'I'm not handing these out.'

The organizer stopped at the serving counter.

Curtis kept one hand on Rosalind's chair.

The programs stayed on the table, untouched.

A guest near the counter glanced at Curtis, then picked up a serving spoon herself.

Curtis's mouth tightened.

My hands shook when I faced the room.

I pressed my fingertips against the table until they steadied.

The humiliation had reached me before I could speak.

'I did not choose Curtis's career over nursing.'

The guests stopped talking.

'I wanted to return to school. Curtis answered the school without asking me.'

A man across the table turned his chair toward Curtis.

'Why did you let us believe she quit by choice?'

Curtis faced him with his public smile.

'Maureen changed her mind. I thought we were both proud of what I built.'

His answer slid past the question.

'I had not changed my mind,' I said.

Rosalind stood beside me.

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