The Friends We Keep by Holly Chamberlin

Author:Holly Chamberlin [Chamberlin, Holly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2015-03-10T16:00:00+00:00

49

There’s no doubt in this writer’s mind that corruption must be routed and that to do so requires the moral fiber of a true hero. There’s also no doubt in this writer’s mind that the average person lacks such moral fiber. Therefore, this writer’s advice to the average person is as follows: keep your mouth shut and your head down.

—Whistle Blowing: Do You Have What It Takes?

JOHN

“So, what are some of the good things about marriage?”

Ellen looked up at me as if I were an odd art installation or something else problematic. “Didn’t we just have this conversation?” she asked.

I perched on her desk, my usual spot. “We had a conversation in a similar vein,” I admitted.

“I should charge you by the hour for my advice.”

I reached for my wallet and withdrew a credit card. “Use my corporate account and have lunch at M. Kaye’s tomorrow. You know how to forge my signature.”

“In that case,” she said, closing the file on which she was working, “I’m more than happy to answer your question. But I’m afraid I can’t tell you about anyone’s marriage but my own. What Austin and I have is unique to us.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, “I know every marriage is different. But what are some of the things you like about your marriage? I don’t mean to be too personal,” I added hastily.

Ellen frowned. “Why all the questions? Are you taking a survey?”

“Something like that, for my own edification. So?”

“Okay,” she said. “Here’s a good thing: Austin and I both like to go canoeing. Being married, and liking each other, mind you, allows each of us to do something we like—in this case, canoeing—together.”

I nodded. “The best-friend aspect, of course.”

“Someone to bitch to about your horrible day at work.”

“Not that you ever have cause to complain about your boss.”

“Of course not,” Ellen said, eyes wide.

I wondered. It was possible to be lonely in a crowded room. It was possible to be lonely all alone. But was it really possible to be lonely in a good marriage? Probably, I thought. But maybe not for long.

“Since you’re conducting this informal survey,” Ellen said then, “you might want to take a look at your parents’ marriage, or at your sisters’ marriages. What seems good about those relationships?”

“I never gave my parents’ marriage much thought,” I admitted. “Until recently. And I’ve come to the conclusion that food is their primary mutual interest. And, I suppose, their kids. But really, I think it’s mostly about homemade pasta. They work together in the kitchen like a well-oiled machine. I’m not criticizing, by the way, when I say they’re bonded by something as mundane as food. My parents are very close. Whatever they have works for them.”

“Keep in mind that it probably took years for them to develop into that smoothly functioning team.”

“Of course. And I’m not saying they never fight. My mother nags. My father doesn’t listen. He says he doesn’t listen because she nags and she says she nags because he doesn’t listen.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.