Thomas unlocked his door, climbed in and reached across to open Cassi’s.
“Besides,” said Thomas, gripping the steering wheel, “I have a feeling something else is going on in the hospital. Something between George Sherman and Norman Ballantine. God! I’ve just had it with all the bullshit!”
Thomas gunned the engine, then rammed the car back, then forward, the tires screeching in protest. Cassi braced herself against the dashboard to keep herself upright. When he stopped to stick his card into the slot for the automatic gate, she reached over her shoulder for her seat belt. As she locked it in place, she said, “Thomas, I think you should fasten yours, too.”
“For Chrissake,” yelled Thomas. “Stop nagging me.”
“I’m sorry,” said Cassi quickly, now certain that she was in some way partially responsible for her husband’s foul mood.
Thomas weaved in and out of traffic, cutting in front of irate commuters. Cassi was afraid to say anything lest she anger him further. It was like a Grand Prix free-for-all.
Once they were north of the city, the traffic thinned out. Despite the fact Thomas was going over seventy, Cassi began to relax.
“I’m sorry I seemed like a pest, especially after an aggravating day,” she said finally.
Thomas didn’t respond, but his face was less tense and his grip on the steering wheel not as tight. Several times Cassi started to ask if she’d been responsible for upsetting him, but she could not find the right words. For a while she just watched the rain-slicked road rushing toward them.
“Have I done something that’s bothered you?” she said at last.
“You have,” snapped Thomas.
They rode for a while in silence. Cassi knew it would come sooner or later.
“It seems Larry Owen knows all about our private medical matters,” said Thomas.
“It’s no secret that I have diabetes,” said Cassi.
“It’s no secret because you talk about it so often,” said Thomas. “I think the less said the better. I don’t like us to be the brunt of gossip.”
Cassi could not remember mentioning anything to Larry about her medical problems, but of course that wasn’t the issue. She was well aware she’d talked to a number of people about her diabetes, including Joan Widiker that very day. Thomas, like her mother, felt Cassi’s disease was not a subject to be shared, even with close friends. Cassi looked over at Thomas. The bands of light and shadow from the oncoming cars moved down his face and obscured his expression.
“I guess I never thought discussing my diabetes affected us,” said Cassi. “I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.”
“You know how gossip is in a medical center,” said Thomas. “It’s better not to give them anything to talk about. Larry knew more than just about your diabetes. He knew that you might have to have eye surgery. That’s pretty specific. He said he heard it from your friend Robert Seibert.”
Now it made sense to Cassi. She knew she hadn’t said anything to Larry Owen. “I did talk to Robert,” she conceded. “It seemed only natural. We’ve known each other so long, and he told me about his surgery. He’s having impacted wisdom teeth out. With his history of severe rheumatic fever he has to be admitted and treated with IV antibiotics.”
They turned north off Route 128, heading toward the ocean. There were unexpected patches of heavy fog, and Thomas slowed down.
“I still don’t think talking about such problems is a good idea,” said Thomas, squinting through the windshield. “Especially to someone like Robert Seibert. It’s still beyond me how you can tolerate such an overt homosexual.”
“We never talk about Robert’s sexual preferences,” said Cassi sharply.
“I don’t understand how you could avoid the subject,” said Thomas.
“Robert is a sensitive, intelligent human being and a damn good pathologist.”
“I’m glad he has some redeeming qualities,” said Thomas, conscious that he was baiting his wife.
Cassi bit down her reply. She knew that Thomas was angry and was trying to provoke her; she also knew that losing her own temper would accomplish nothing. After a brief silence, she reached across and massaged Thomas’s neck. At first he remained rigid, but after a few minutes she felt him respond.