The Cold Wife

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  After Louis announced that breakfast was ready, Justin waited for Carrie to come down the stairs so they could go to the dining room together. He wondered if he would ever get over his initial pleasure of seeing her. Her curly brown hair was pulled back with a light purple barrette that matched her dress. Though her eyes were dry, he noticed that they were slightly red and swollen from crying. He wondered why she didn’t get him if she needed someone to comfort her. Then it occurred to him that she might have been crying because of him. He took a deep breath and sighed. He hoped he wasn’t the cause of her sorrow. He prayed it was her father’s departure that did it.

  “Good morning, Carrie,” he greeted her with a warm smile.

  She seemed to be surprised to see him waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. “Oh. Good morning,” she slowly replied.

  Justin. My name is Justin. He wondered why she didn’t say it.

  “You didn’t have to wait for me before eating breakfast,” she told him as soon as she reached the bottom step.

  “You’re my wife. I want to eat with you.”

  “You don’t have to pretend you care.”

  “I’m not pretending.”

  She looked around the hallway. “The kitchen is this way, correct?”

  Apparently, winning her over wasn’t going to be easy. “Yes. May I escort you?” He extended his arm to her.

  “No, that’s alright. I can walk without assistance.”

  “I was being polite.”

  “There’s no need. We’re alone.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “I know the reason you wanted to marry me is so I can help you look good to your clients. Well, they aren’t here so there’s no need to put on a show.”

  “Is that why you think I married you?” He couldn’t believe his ears.

  “Of course. A man in your position wants a wife who can make a good impression.” She walked toward the kitchen.

  He quickly followed her. “That’s not why I married you, Carrie. I honestly do want to be with you.”

  “Seriously, you don’t need to keep up the charade. I agreed to one month with you. I’m sure in that time, you will discover I’m not the kind of woman who’s suitable for your lifestyle.”

  He gently reached for her hand to stop her. It worked. She was looking at him. “If you don’t believe that I want to be with you when no one is looking, then join me in my bedroom,” he softly stated. “I’ll show you exactly how much you mean to me.”

  She stiffened. “You promised you wouldn’t ruin my purity.”

  The way she said it made it sound like being intimate with him would soil her. He let go of her hand. It took him a moment before he could speak. “On second thought, I think I’ll eat somewhere else.” Without looking back at her, he grabbed his hat from the hat rack by the front door and left the house.

  Chapter Eight

  Carrie winced as she watched Justin slam the front door. She knew she came off as cold. If she didn’t know better, she would swear he was sincere and that she honestly hurt him with her words. But she did know better.

  She ate breakfast alone. She hadn’t eaten a meal by herself before and found that the food didn’t taste as good as it did when she was with her father, brother or one of her friends. She noticed the silence and it was deafening. The clock ticking in the corner of the room seemed to echo off the walls. The table was long so it only emphasized how empty the room was.

  The maid walked into the room. “Do you need anything, ma’am?”

  She looked up at the kind, elderly woman.

  “Actually, would you eat breakfast with me?” she requested.

  The maid smiled. “I’m sorry but it is forbidden for the staff to eat with the owner.”

  “According to whose rules?”

  “Society’s, ma’am.”

  Carrie sighed. She was right. She couldn’t remember a time when she ate with a maid. She finished her meal, wondering how Justin did this every day, and left to pick up Helen Ritter from the nursing home to walk her to church. When she got to the nursing home, she was surprised to see Mary walking with the elderly woman out of her room.

  Helen and Mary looked shocked to see her.

  “Carrie, why aren’t you with that good looking husband of yours?” Helen asked. “If he belonged to me, I wouldn’t let him out of my sight, let alone the bedroom.”

  “I don’t know where he is,” Carrie responded. “He walked out of the house this morning and didn’t come back.”

  Mary frowned. “Did you say something to upset him?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Do we need to discuss this before church?”

  “What did you do, Carrie?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Mary,” Helen interrupted them, “perhaps, we should delay this conversation for a later time. We are running late for church.”

  Mary nodded.

  Carrie was relieved. She didn’t feel like hearing Mary argue with her about Justin. If Mary had to marry him, she would understand, but since she didn’t, then how could she possibly know what Carrie was going through?

  The two young women walked with Helen down the sidewalk that led to the church.

  “Carrie, it is only right that you sit with that handsome man of yours,” Helen remarked.

  “He is not my man,” Carrie insisted. “We’ll be getting an annulment in a month.”

  Mary had to catch Helen from tripping on a crack in the sidewalk.

  Helen stopped. “That’s it, child,” she told Carrie. “We’ve got to talk. Mary, help me back to my room.”

  “What? I thought we were going to church,” Carrie protested.

  “Not today, we’re not. As much as I love the Lord, this is an emergency. He’ll understand that saving a marriage is worth missing a church service. We can go to church next week. I mean, of course, Mary and I will go to church. You will be going with that sweet husband of yours.”

  “You know what? You’re right. I’ll go to church and find him.” She knew that Helen didn’t mince words. That woman was about to let her have it and she didn’t feel like hearing it.

  “Nothing doing. Mary, help me drag this poor, stupid girl back to my room.”

  Despite Carrie’s protests, Mary and Helen practically lifted her up by the arms and carried her back to the nursing home. When Helen says she’s going to drag someone back to her room, she’s not kidding! Carrie knew it was pointless to fight them so she let them plop her on the chair next to Helen’s rocking chair in front of the window. Helen sat in the rocking chair and Mary pulled up another chair so she could sit next to Carrie. They had her trapped so that she couldn’t escape.

  “For your own good, we’re going to talk some sense into you,” Helen said.

  “I hope you can do it, Helen, because she won’t listen to me, Brad or her father,” Mary replied.

  Carrie sat and waited for the old woman to give her a piece of her mind.

  “Where do I begin?” the woman wondered. “I know. What are you being so thick-headed about?”

  Carrie sighed, already knowing the woman wouldn’t understand her plight. “Justin only wanted to marry me so he can impress his clients.”

  The woman scoffed.

  “She truly believes that, Helen,” Mary added. “She ran out of the church yesterday right before the wedding. Brad and I had to lock the room to keep her from escaping.”

  “Did that boy tell you he was only interested in you so you could make him look good to other people?” Helen asked her.

  “Well, no,” Carrie slowly admitted, staring out the window so she wouldn’t have to see them shaking their heads. “But in his line of work, appearances are everything. I’ve been told time and time again by my brother not to embarrass him in front of other people.”

  “No man wants the woman he loves to make a fool of him.”

  Here it comes. She’s rushing to defend him. It only served to make her want to get an annulment even more.

&n
bsp; “I saw the way he treated you at the reception,” Helen continued. “You’re important to him.”

  “He doesn’t even know me!” Carrie yelled in aggravation. “Honestly, love doesn’t develop in a matter of days.”

  Mary spoke up. “Brad said that Justin’s been interested in you since he was fourteen.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “No, it’s not. You think women are the only ones who are shy? Men can feel that way too.”

  Carrie crossed her arms.

  “Alright,” Helen consented. “Let’s say that all he does want is for you to make him look good. So what? The way I see it, he makes you look good too. He’s got an honorable reputation, he’s rich, and he’s not bad to look at either. Why, if I were in your shoes, I’d give him a wedding night he’d never forget.”

  “Helen!” She was appalled at the woman’s blunt statement.

  “I may be old but I still got my memory. I remember how fun loving was. You should go to bed with him. The poor man was denied his wedding night. You could enjoy it too if you allow yourself to.”

  Carrie’s cheeks grew bright red. She put her hands over her face to hide her embarrassment.

  “What Helen is saying,” Mary began in a gentle voice, “is that there are worse men you could marry.”

  “That’s the truth of it,” the woman agreed. “You’d be surprised at the stories I hear in this place. People assume that old folk don’t know what’s going on around them, but I assure you, we remember what we hear. Sometimes it’s like living in a gossiper’s heaven. Not all men make good husbands. Now I won’t tell any names, but I will tell you what you could have ended up with. There’s a man in town who keeps a mistress on the side. How would you like an unfaithful spouse? Another man hits his wife on a regular basis. How would you like to live in fear? Then there’s a man who constantly criticizes his wife in public. How would you like to know your husband thinks you’re disgusting? And those are just a few examples of things that are going on in this town. So you can see that marrying Mr. Monroe is not the worst thing that can happen to you.”

  “It’s really the best thing,” Mary added. “Not only does he love you but he’ll give you and your children a good home for the rest of your life.”

  “I don’t appreciate being used,” Carrie mumbled, though she knew they wouldn’t listen to her.

  “He could use me all he wanted to if that’s what being used is all about.”

  “Great! Then you can have him.”

  “We’ve already been through this. Carrie, don’t you remember when we were younger and we’d talk about getting married and having kids? We even came up with the names we wanted. Isn’t that something you still want?”

  Carrie didn’t answer because it was true and she didn’t want to admit it.

  “You’re determined to shut out the truth,” Helen realized. “Lord, help this misguided but wonderful child understand that she’s making a big mistake if she pursues this annulment.”

  “Lord, help this senile but kind woman understand what Mr. Monroe is really like.”

  Helen grinned at Carrie’s sarcasm. “I’ll even say amen to that if you ask the Lord to also show you what that boy is like.”

  “Fine.” Carrie did so.

  “Amen.” Helen smiled. “There. That’s all settled. The annulment will not happen. The Lord will open your eyes and show you what a prize you got.” Helen glanced at Mary. “You never discuss anyone you’re interested in. Is there anyone who catches your fancy?”

  Mary shrugged. “I haven’t seriously sought anyone out.”

  “Perhaps you would like your father to arrange something for you?” Carrie pointedly asked. “I know! We’ll find someone you find boring who makes stupid analogies and fix you two up.”

  “You didn’t exactly look bored on the dance floor,” Helen commented.

  Carrie ignored her. Helen was right of course, but there was no way she’d let the woman know that. Carrie didn’t find Justin boring anymore. After their kiss in the gazebo, he was anything but boring, but she wasn’t going to let her attraction to him blind her to the fact that they weren’t meant for each other.

  A knock at the door interrupted them. They turned to see Mrs. Walker enter the room. Mrs. Walker owned the nursing home and library in town. The blond in her late thirties looked relieved when she saw them. “Thank goodness you’re here,” she said. “Helen, when I didn’t see you in church, I feared the worst.”

  “I’m sorry I worried you, Kate,” the old woman replied. “I had a personal matter to attend to with a couple of friends.” Helen looked at her pregnant belly. “You mean to tell me you haven’t given birth yet?”

  Kate smiled. “No, not yet. This one knows he has three big brothers to contend with.”

  “You think it’s going to be another boy?”

  “Most likely. I don’t think Chad knows how to make a girl,” she joked.

  “Kate, you enjoy being married, don’t you?”

  “Of course, I do.”

  “And you enjoy being a mother.”

  “Yes.” She looked at the three women in curiosity. “Were you three talking about me?”

  “No,” Helen assured her. “However, you showed up at a good time. Mary and I are having a hard time convincing Carrie to open her heart to Mr. Monroe. Why, just look at how happy Mrs. Walker is,” she told Carrie. “This could be you in as little as nine months if you get started on it.”

  Carrie groaned. Just how many people was Helen going to drag into this mess?

  Kate looked at Carrie. “Your husband has been making it clear to everyone in town that you might get an annulment in a month. Since your marriage was arranged, you two have decided to see if going through with it is a good idea. That wasn’t his decision, was it?”

  “Please, Mrs. Walker, I don’t wish to discuss this with everyone.” Carrie was beginning to wish she hadn’t left the house that morning. Being alone at breakfast was much better than this.

  “I understand.” She patted Carrie’s shoulder. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll work out. I will quickly say that Justin Monroe is an excellent catch. Get to know him very well before you dismiss him. Not all people are what they initially seem.” She sighed. “Well, I will return to the church. I’m glad you’re doing alright,” she told Helen. “I don’t like being scared like that.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about me.” Helen waved her hand. “I’m still young. I’ve got plenty of years left before the Lord takes me home. But it’s nice you cared.”

  “Alright. I’ll see you later. It’s good to see you, Mary.” She nodded to the other woman before she left.

  “It’s nice that he didn’t mention the fact that you wanted the annulment and he didn’t,” Mary said. “Harrison would never have done that.”

  “I’m not interested in Harrison,” Carrie replied. “He’s only interested in money.”

  “That’s probably true.”

  “At least you aren’t harboring feelings for the Grant boy,” Helen thoughtfully stated. “We just need to get your focus on your husband and everything will work out.”

  Suddenly, Brad stormed into the room. By the angry look on his face, Carrie knew that things were going to get worse for her. “How could you do it?” he demanded, staring at her.

  “Does everyone know my personal business?” Carrie shot back. “Where does a woman have to go so she can get some privacy around here?”

  “You’re acting like a spoiled brat.”

  “I love you too, brother,” she sarcastically replied.

  He glared at her.

  “Mr. Allen, I assure you that Mary and I have been working through the situation,” Helen told him.

  “There’s no talking to her. She won’t listen to any of the logic anyone’s presented to her.” Brad threw his hands up in the air. Turning to his sister, he said, “I’m ready to pick you up and take you back to your new home where I’ll tie you down to the chair so you can’t go anywhere.�
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  “Leave me alone!” she yelled. She had enough of people bullying her. She would show them all if it was the last thing she did. She would make sure the annulment was going to happen whether they liked it or not!

  He shook his head in disbelief. “I love you, Carrie, but the way you’re treating Justin is wrong. You’re going to regret it someday if you persist in the road you’ve chosen.” He took a deep breath to calm down. “Forgive me, Helen. Forgive me, Mary. Carrie, I will speak with you again once I’ve had time to settle down.” He stomped out of the room.

  “That’s it,” Carrie said as she stood up. “I’m going back to Mr. Monroe’s house before someone else tracks me down.”

  “Good,” Helen responded. “His bed will be a good hiding place.”

  She shot the old woman a dirty look before she left the room. She could deal with all the disgruntled people later. For now, she needed to hide from the torrent of animosity directed at her.

  Chapter Nine

  Carrie didn’t see Justin when she came home. He stayed out of sight. If he was in the house, she didn’t know where he was. She was relieved. He was the last person she felt like talking to after all the grief she got earlier that day because of him.

  That afternoon, Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Tobias stopped by to visit her. The two older women were leaders of the Women’s Christian Group at the church, and since Carrie often attended their meetings and volunteered to help out at their functions, she thought of them as friends. She led them to the parlor with the two couches and three chairs. It was more comfortable than the parlor with the large oval table. She sat on the light blue couch that was on the opposite side of the two white chairs.

  “It’s good to see you,” Carried greeted.