“Do you want to go over the scheduling book now?” she asked.
“No, not now,” Marissa said.
“I’ve had a slight change of plans. I’ve got to go out for a little while. We’ll do it as soon as I come back.”
Marissa got her coat. She’d made a snap decision. The salpingitis problem was too important to ignore. She had to follow up on it. Robert had to understand. What she needed to do was have a real talk with him. No more of these halfhearted attempts. She decided to go to his office. Now that they’d both had a good night’s sleep, maybe they would be in better shape to discuss their problems.
Getting into her car, and pulling out of the clinic’s garage, Marissa already felt better than she had for months. She was doing something she should have done long ago. She had to explain to Robert what her feelings were and listen to his. They had to stop the downward spiral.
Parking was at a premium in downtown Boston. Marissa left her car with the doorman at the Omni Parker House Hotel, slipping him a five-dollar bill. When his expression didn’t change, she gave him another five. She wasn’t in a position to bargain.
Crossing School Street, she entered the elegant, refurbished old City Hall building that housed Robert’s office. She took the elevator to the fourth floor, making her way to a door with HEALTH RESOURCE CORPORATION etched on the glass. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked in.
The reception area of the office was handsomely decorated with rich mahogany paneled walls, leather seating, and Oriental rugs. The main receptionist recognized Marissa and smiled. She was on the phone.
Marissa passed the receptionist’s desk. Familiar with the office, she walked straight back to Robert’s corner office. His secretary, Donna, wasn’t at her desk but the steaming cup of coffee in the middle of the blotter indicated she couldn’t be far away.
Marissa went to Robert’s door. She glanced back at Donna’s telephone to see if any of the extension lines were lit. She didn’t want to interrupt Robert if he was in the middle of a call. Seeing that no one was on the phone, Marissa knocked softly and entered.
Marissa was first aware of a flurry of activity with Donna straightening up and Robert coming half out of his chair. Robert quickly sat back down. Donna self-consciously smoothed her short skirt toward her knees and adjusted a string of pearls around her neck. Her hair, which she usually wore in a chignon, had partially come undone on the side.
Stunned, Marissa stared at her husband. His tie was loosened and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone. His sandy hair, usually so neatly combed, was mussed. On the carpet by Robert’s desk, Marissa spotted two high-heeled shoes.
The scene was so trite, Marissa didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Maybe I should wait outside for a few minutes,” she said at last.
“It’ll give you two time to finish your dictation.” With that, she started to back out of the office.
“Marissa!” Robert said.
“Wait! This is not what you are thinking.
Donna was merely rubbing my shoulders. Tell her, Donna!”
“Yes!” Donna said.
“I was just rubbing his shoulders. He’s been so tense.”
“Whatever,” Marissa said with a false smile.
“I think I’ll be leaving. In fact, I’ve just reconsidered that idea I mentioned last night. I think I’ll be going to Australia for a few days after all.”
“No!” Robert said.
“I forbid you to go to Australia!”
“Oh, really?” Marissa said.
With that, Marissa spun on her heels and walked out of Robert’s office. She heard him call after her, insisting she come back immediately, but she ignored him. The receptionist looked up at her with a quizzical expression, having heard her boss’s cry, but Marissa merely smiled and kept moving. She went directly to the elevators and punched the Down button, refusing to so much as glance back at Robert’s office door.
Inside the elevator, Marissa was glad to be alone. In spite of her rage, she felt a few hot tears slide down her face.