More of Chapter Nine

He thought that Marsha had a little crush on him and might be making some kind of overture to him at the same time as she offered up the bad news.

Janice was a hard nut to crack.Joe had tried to get to know her but she kept her distance in their three way relationship.

Now that he was out of the loop he hoped to use that distance to get her to tell him more of what she knew. Janet knew plenty and was more than eager to share. She didn’t like Joe and and held nothing back.

She told Joe about all the men Suzan had been seeing while they were “together.” She told Joe that Suzan had been casually looking for “Mr. Right” while dating him. The information made him sick to his stomach, sad and angry all at once.

“Then who’s the the jerk and the liar in this relationship Janice?” Joe said half trying to redeem himself in Janice’s eyes for some reason he didn’t understand. She was momentarily silent. Then she spoke.

“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do Joe.” was all she she said. There was o guilt or shame in her voice.

“I thought you were a decent person Janice.I guess I was wrong about you.” “I’m Suzan’s friend, not yours Joe. I do have my alliances and friendships to keep.”

Joe still felt sick to his stomach as Janice laid out the whole awful story. After the phone calls, Joe felt like a fool. He was left feeling like he deserved some type of revenge on Suzan. She had changed the entire course of Joe’s life, after all. And not in a good way as far as Joe could tell at the moment.

He had seen a long and wonderful life with Suzan. Now sadly, he knew who she really was. He couldn’t believe what she had done to him. She had done plenty. How and why that had come about, he still had no idea.

Joe felt that he was making some headway on his faults that Suzan had pointed out to him so often.

He had at least had tried to change. He only knew that at some point shew would have to pay for her decision.

After the last meeting of the day was overJoe talked to his boss about his vacation travel article ideas. Mr. Crowley had no objections. Perhaps something good or would come out of this time away from the office for Joe. Everyone knew Joe needed something to cheer him up.

Mr. Crowley looked at Joe and spoke. “Maybe this trip will get those creative juices of yours flowing again like in the good old days Joe.” Joe didn’t know what to think of that statement.

Mr. Crowley was glad Joe was leaving for his vacation soon. He wated all that sick leave and overtime off the books by the end of the year even if Joe’s marriage was off. he tried to stay out of staff affairs.

Joe walked out of his bosses office and asked Charlene to join him in his as he passed by her desk. He pulled the chair facing his back from the desk so Charlene might sit there.

“I’m going on this trip as a single. There are still at least three open spaces on the trip as of last night, Charlene. HYou can come along as a single but at your own expense of course, if you like.”

“I understand sir.” She had already checked this morning and booked a spot on the trip. She hadn’t thought about what might happen if Joe objected. She couldn’t stop herself.

“We aren’t a couple, Charlene.” “I know sir.” “Not at the moment anyway, she thought as she rubbed the every thin scars on her arm where she cut herself often in the past to sooth her nerves and make the hallucinations that often plagued her go away.

We won’t be sleeping in the same tent, either.” “I understand Mr. Monroe.” “That’s up to you Joe,” she added in her imaginary conversation running in her head. “I’m flexible on that tissue,” Charlene smiled as she went over that thought.

“Well as long as we are straight on the rules, I guess were all set. Make whatever calls you need to to make sure we have this all settled.”

“I’ll get on it right now sir. Thank you for letting me tag along. I need a vaction too. My mom is getting to a little to needy at the moment.”

“Oh, sorry to hear that. This might just turn out to be fun Charlene. I will be working on some ideas on the trip that you might be able to help me with.”

The idea that she might work closely with Joe made her very happy. Charlene called the travel agency when she got back to her desk. She simply made sure of the reservations. She just replaced her name with Suzan’s on all of the arrangements with hers when the woman asked how she might help her.

The woman on the phone was very surprised.

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So, here we go again, lies upon lies.

Not a great start for a new reltaionship, Charlene.