Marriage Matters

Fifty-six

Chloe stood in front of an office door, finishing a diet soda and crossing her fingers. Earlier that week, the head of the department had called a meeting with her to discuss “her future.” She had no idea what that meant and hoped that it wasn’t a euphemism for “considering another field altogether.”

The past few weeks, it had been so difficult to manage her time. For the first time ever, she found herself skipping study groups and class reviews in favor of racing across town to meet with June about invitations or thank-you notes or the type of shoes they would wear at the reception. It was hard to say no to all of June’s requests, and managing that, coupled with spending time with Geoff and Mary Beth, had made her worry that her work was slipping.

Taking a deep breath, Chloe knocked on the door.

Dr. Jacobs barked, “Come in.”

Stepping into his well-organized office, she gave a weak smile. “Hello, Dr. Jacobs. Thank you so much for seeing me.” She glanced at the stately wooden desk and his floor-to-ceiling shelves of books, reports and medical journals. At his indication, she took a seat in the red leather chair across from his desk.

Dr. Jacobs was sifting through a report at lightning speed. Finally, he set it down and gave her his full attention. “Chloe McCallister.” Behind round tortoiseshell glasses, his dark eyes seemed to smile. “How do you feel this semester is developing for you? Things are good?”

Inside, she groaned. This meeting was going to be about her work. Crap.

“It’s been an interesting few months,” she admitted, setting her backpack on the ground. “Typically, I expect much more from myself but this semester, I let some personal distractions get in the way. I plan to do more in the winter term.”

Dr. Jacobs leaned back in his chair, running a hand over the precise lines of his beard. “Interesting,” he said. “When I was your age, I was hard on myself, as well.”

Chloe looked up, surprised. “Hard on myself?”

The doctor smiled at her. “Chloe, your work is fine. Better than fine.”

At his words, she felt a profound sense of relief. In spite of the wedding, she had not lost sight of her goals. She still planned to own her own practice by thirty and to make a name for herself in the world of art therapy. It was good to know she was still up to the challenge.

“Chloe, there are some big opportunities coming up next semester that I think would be perfect for you,” he said. “There is an internship at the children’s hospital . . .”

Immediately, her heart started to pound. She was very aware of the position he was talking about. The students had been circling around the topic for weeks, trying to determine the best way in.

“. . . actively looking for assistance.” Dr. Jacobs peered at her from over the rims of his glasses. “This internship has a strong focus on research and it’s highly competitive. Does that interest you?”

Nodding enthusiastically, the office seemed to bob around her head. “Yes! Very much.”

“The position starts in February,” Dr. Jacobs said. “However, I’m confused about your statement regarding personal distractions.”

Chloe blushed. “I’m getting married. Right after Christmas.”

Dr. Jacobs hid a smile. Suddenly, she wondered if he’d seen the engagement announcement in the paper. Or . . . Oh, geez. He and Geoff knew each other. What if they were actually friends? It felt strange to imagine that, in a few short weeks, there was a very real possibility of ending up at a dinner or a social outing with the head of her department.

“I will be fine when it’s all over,” Chloe said. “Participating in a wedding is a big commitment.”

Dr. Jacobs held up his left hand to display a wedding ring. “So is marriage.”

Chloe smiled. “That’s the rumor.”

They both sat in silence for a moment. “You’ll have to meet with the hospital,” Dr. Jacobs said with a nod, “but my recommendation will weigh heavily on their decision.” He leaned back in his chair. “Chloe, I’m very impressed with your work. If you want my recommendation, it’s yours.”

Chloe leapt out of the chair. “Oh, thank you,” she cried. “Thank you! I am so excited.”

Dr. Jacobs got to his feet. Stepping out from behind his desk, he shook her hand. “Stop being so hard on yourself. You have the ability and vision to achieve great things. Now, get out of here.”

As Chloe raced out of the office, she let out a happy shriek. It wasn’t a real job or anything, for heaven’s sake, but it was a very big, very important step in her career. She couldn’t wait to share the news with Geoff.

* * *

To her surprise, Geoff was less than enthusiastic. Chloe saved the news until they were sitting out on the balcony later that night, shivering in the chilly air and drinking mugs of hot apple cider. The lights of Chicago stretched out before them and the wind brightened their cheeks.

“What’s that face for?” Chloe asked after telling him the news. She was wearing his wool-lined jacket and felt incredibly cozy. “I thought you’d be more excited about it than that.”

“But it’s an enormous internship.” Geoff’s green eyes seemed worried. “It typically leads to a job at the hospital. That’s why they don’t offer it every year.”

“I know.” Beaming, she lifted her mug and clinked it against his. The sharp smell of spiced apples wafted up, warming her. “Why do you think I’m excited?”

Geoff didn’t say anything. He just gazed out at the buildings. Across the way, she could see someone vacuuming an office, the fluorescent light bright in the night. His silence stretched on, until she could hear the faded sounds of cars rushing by, on the street so far below.

“I don’t understand,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

Geoff shook his head. “I’m concerned. Taking on an internship like that, you won’t have the time to devote to Mary Beth. She’s going to need your attention, Chloe. Your love.”

Chloe swallowed hard, thinking back on Ben’s words. He just wants you to be a nanny.

They both sat in silence for a moment, then he let out a sigh. “I have something to tell you. I . . . I took Mary Beth to see Miriam today. My ex-wife.”

Chloe’s eyes widened. “You did?” She felt surprised that he’d waited so long to tell her. “How was it? How did it go?”

“Surprisingly well.” He turned the coffee mug around in his hands, avoiding her eyes. “It was emotional. To see her again. They, of course, bonded right away.”

Chloe felt a pang of jealousy. “That’s good.” Mary Beth hadn’t bonded with her yet. Not really.

Geoff glanced at her, as though realizing the conversation might be upsetting. “Should we talk about this? Or is it . . .”

Chloe shook her head. “Sure,” she said, waving her hand like June always did. “Of course we can.”

“Thank you.” He set down his mug of cider and took her hand. “It was all so strange. Mary Beth was shy at first, but she warmed up to her right away. And now that Miriam is back to normal, she’s eager to invest time with Mary Beth.”

“How do you feel about that?”

Letting out a sigh, his eyes settled on their hands, which were woven together. “Not great. It’s almost too much, the plans she has. Mother and daughter classes, outings . . . I know I should let them spend time together, but I don’t want Mary Beth to get it confused. You’re her mother now.” He squeezed her hand, as though to punctuate the words. “These are things you should be doing, not her.”

They sat in silence for a minute, the wind blowing harder around them. Sometimes, being this high up was frightening. There were moments where Chloe thought that, if the wind hit just right, it could carry her away.

“Regardless, you can do the internship,” he said, as though giving her permission. “Just please be aware of how it will affect Mary Beth. I’ll need you to be there for her, Chloe. That’s why I asked you to be my wife.”

“Um . . .” She blinked hard, the wind tugging at her contacts. “I thought you asked me because you love me.”

“Well, duh,” Geoff said. Giving her a cautious look, he added, “Isn’t that what you always say?”

Chloe burst out laughing. “Wow,” she said, shaking her head. “You just duh-ed me. Taking on the vernacular of the fiancée.” For some reason, this made her inexplicably happy, in spite of their conversation. Scooting her chair closer to his, she snuggled up against him. “I might like this new you.”

Geoff reached over and touched her face. “Well, I love you. Your ambition, your gorgeous body . . .”

Chloe blushed. Until Geoff, she’d never once thought of herself as being gorgeous. He said it so often, though, that she finally had to admit to herself that, okay, maybe she was attractive. Leaning over, she gave him an appreciative kiss on the nose.

“But the thing I like about you most,” he said, “is that you value family. And children. I know that you would never . . .” He stopped suddenly, his jaw clenched. His voice low, he said, “I just don’t ever want Mary Beth to be pushed aside like that again. Not ever again.”

Chloe felt sad, thinking of the little girl. “I know.”

“Good.” He nodded. “I want to build a family together, Chloe. Something that will last for years to come. And I want to do that with you.”

Linking her hand in his, she rested her head against his shoulder. Together, they sat in silence, staring out at the night.