“I know,” Ann said unsteadily. “I feel so guilty all the time and I know Paul can see it on my face. I can’t even bear to look him in the eyes.” Kyle nodded. It was the same with him when he was with his wife, Peggy. Then he shook his head.
“It’s not something to feel guilty about, Ann,” he said, a little more forcefully than he’d planned. “It’s not like we set out to go out and have sex one day. What happened…just happened. It’s no one’s fault.” There were tears trickling from Ann’s eyes now. She touched a tissue to the corner of each eye in a vain attempt to stem the increasing flow.
“It’s just that Paul will be so hurt,” Ann said. “I can’t face that.” Kyle caught her wrists in his hands and pressed her palms together on the tabletop.
“Honey,” he said quietly, “he’s going to be even more hurt if we don’t tell him. Sooner or later, he and Peggy are going to figure out something is going on and then we’ll look like criminals or something…you know that,” he finished in a coaxing tone. “It’s just something we have to do and hope they’ll understand. There’s no two ways about it.”
He released her wrists and patted the backs of her hands affectionately. The physical contact reassured her; it seemed to give her a little strength. She sat up straighter and nodded her acceptance. She bit her lips for a moment then took a deep breath and let it out. Her head came up, her eyes lifted to meet his and a smile grew on her lips. The color left her face in an instant, leaving her alarmingly pale.
“PAUL!” she cried. Kyle swiveled in his seat to see his friend standing nearly at his shoulder. He and Ann had been so intent on their conversation they hadn’t seen him come in the café, much less walk up to them.
Kyle looked at Paul closely. Paul didn’t look good. Dressed casually, but correctly, he still gave the impression of being slightly disheveled. He looked worried. His complexion was as pasty as Ann’s…and his own, Kyle suspected. He’d been caught with his friend’s wife, and now there could be hell to pay. He and Ann had no other option now. They had to confess to her husband what they’d done.
“Ann…please, Ann…I’ve got to know what’s going on,” Paul said raggedly, his voice breaking twice in the short entreaty. Ann’s tears poured from her eyes now. Raising her arms to her husband, she pleaded mutely for him to come to her. He did, contorting his body to slide into the bench seat beside her. He held her as she pressed her face into his shoulder and murmured soft words that had no meaning into her hair.
It was a while before Ann regained control and sat up straight. Kyle sat quietly the whole time, keeping his eyes on the table to give his friends as much privacy as he could. He occupied himself straightening the pile of sample circulars. Paul watched him with growing hostility in his eyes but the printed words on the top leaflet caught his eye before he said anything.
“My birthday?” he said in a confused tone. “That’s what this is all about? You’re setting up a surprise party?” The colored pages contained an invitation to come help celebrate Paul Anderson’s birthday. Paul’s face brightened spectacularly, then fell again when Kyle shook his head in negation.