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"What are you going to do?"

"Right now, nothing I’ve hired a private investigator It sounds so stupid, so clichéd You’re the only person I’d adeous fees to follow raph him with another woman Is that sick or what?"

"Oh, Marta Of course it isn’t A detectivethe truth" Early on, before the breakup of her ownIn retrospect she wished she’d done it Photographic evidence

"All I want is for this to go away I think now I should’ve waited until after Christmas, but, Anne, I couldn’t I couldn’t endure this for another second I couldn’t pretend and look the other way anymore"

"I’m so sorry, Marta," Anne told her friend "I wouldn’t have wished this on you for anything"

"Oh, Anne, I don’t knohat to do Christmas is only a week away I can’t deal with this and the holidays, too What a to tell our friends? How can I possibly face everyone?" The questions came between deep sobs

"Oh, Marta, I’ain

"Why is this happening to me?"

Anne had asked herself the same question hundreds of times "Would you like to fly out to Seattle? Stay with hts Let your attorney know you’re coet on a plane"

"I can’t believe you’d do that for me," Marta said, and continued to sob

"I’ve walked in your shoes I kno hard this is What do you want to do?"

"Would youto New York? I’d pay for your ticket I just need someone with me--someone who understands"

"Of course I wouldn’t et off the phone" Roy wouldn’t care; Anne was sure of that Her son would be just as happy to spend Christmas Day at Julie’s With Anne in New York, he’d be free to do so

"Thank you Oh, thank you, Anne I’d fly out and join you, but I don’t want to leave There’s no telling what Jack would do if I were to vacate the house"

Naturally her friend was right "That’s fine, Marta I’ll come to New York for Christmas and be your moral support"

"Thank you," her friend whispered again "I don’t kno I’d cope if it wasn’t for you"

"We’ll have a wonderful Christh she knehat Marta was experiencing The pain and shock…

"Oh, Anne, I’m just shocked that Jack would be so stupid"

"Heon it," Marta said "He see I never kneas capable of such lies"

It hurt just to listen to her friend’s agony Anne didn’t have the heart to tell her that the pain, even when dulled by ti when you least expected it Anne had felt its sting only morew quiet, as if she was co herself She took a deep, audible breath "I’ve been so caught up inon with your painting"

Although she was dying to know, Anne was prepared to put it off "That’s not important now"

"But it is"

"Did Mrs Gould decide against it?" Anne asked She’d never been co the buyer assuel

"No, she’s more interested than ever, but now there’s another prospective buyer"

"That’s wonderful," Anne said excitedly

"This one clai Mrs Gould offers"

"Are you saying that two custo war?" Anne was aluess what this could "

"Ho much?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes!" she cried "Tell me"

"Well, first of all," Marta teased, "I’ to sell it"