Chapter 14: What He'd Give Up

The Hartwells celebrated their forty-fourth anniversary in the back room of a steakhouse, at a table set for six.

Edwin sat at the head with his cane hooked on his chair.

His wife sat beside him in a green silk jacket. She was a small woman with a large laugh.

Brennan was on my right. Bree was across from me.

She had come back from her leave three days early, with a gift bag and a soft apology for everyone.

Mrs. Hartwell had hugged her at the door.

"Bree plans everything for our Edwin," she told the table. "I couldn't leave her out."

Bree smiled at me over the bread basket.

I smiled back, because I was a perfect wife.

Under the tablecloth I kept one hand flat on my knee so it would stop shaking.

I had not told Brennan about the letter.

I had not told him that his mother and I had spent Sunday in her kitchen, both of us pretending nothing had changed.

He had no idea that thirty million dollars was waiting on him, and on me.

I watched him instead, and what I wanted to know was simple.

When nothing was on the line for him but me, what would he do?

The steaks came. Mrs. Hartwell tapped her glass with a knife.

"Forty-four years," she said. "I'd like every couple here to tell us one thing you would give up for the other."

She turned to Bree.

"You're not a couple, dear, so you can go first and be brief."

Everybody laughed. Bree laughed with them.

"Oh, I'd give up sleep," she said. "I'm already doing that for the company."

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