Broken Oaths in White Coats novel · Chapter 20 of 24
Chapter 20: Ask Me to Stay
Ben's POV
Laurel went to Norma's after the dinner, because the board would meet in the morning.
She wanted to sleep in a house with a casserole rule.
I did not argue. I went back to my apartment alone and stood in the kitchen with the lights off.
It was ten to midnight when someone knocked.
I opened the door on my ex-wife.
She stood in the hall in a camel coat, with snow in her hair.
"I was in town for a conference," she said. "I saw the stream. Half of Minnesota saw the stream."
"Come in."
"No. I only want a minute."
She had not changed. She still stood with her hands in her pockets, waiting for me to ask her something.
"You stood next to her," she said. "In that ballroom. For four hours you didn't leave her side."
"She needed a witness."
"I needed one too. You were at work."
I said nothing. It was a fair thing to say.
"When I asked you to take the job in Minneapolis, you said, 'Do whatever makes you happy.' I asked you to say what you wanted. You said you'd be fine either way."
"I remember."
"I wasn't asking for permission, Ben. I was asking for a reason."
The hall was very quiet.
"You never once told me to stay," she said. "Not when I packed, not at the door. I stood there with the car running."
"I thought if I asked, I'd be pushing."
"You thought asking was taking something." She smiled, and it was kind, and that was the worst part. "She's going to be offered a chair at that table tomorrow. A big one. And you're going to say congratulations and step back."
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