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Pandy agreed to give the shrink a try, but she had to admit she was terrified She hated confrontation, especially when itto like She was pretty sure if she asked Jonny to go to a counselor, he would ask for a divorce

The thought made her feel sick It was like the mirror under the Christmas tree had finally broken And noas in her sto her insides like tiny butcher knives

Jonny caas Pandy tried to pretend that everything was the sa a bottle of wine and pouring out glasses She tried not to react when, as usual, Jonny kissed her absent about work, he sat down in front of the TV with his laptop on his thighs It wasn’t long before he got the inevitable phone call, the one that he always took in the bathroom because it was “business”

Pandy realized Suzette was right: She couldn’t go on like this “Jonny?” she asked, knocking on the bathroo the knob when she heard hi inside The door was locked; she pounded on it until he blithely opened it, still wearing a smile for whoever it was on the other end of the phone Then his eyes focused on her, and his face twisted into that old puppy-dog expression that now ain, Pandy heard him hiss, “I don’t have much time”

She stood there for a second, feeling too insulted to knock again

Instead, she went into the kitchen and opened one of Jonny’s most expensive bottles of white wine She tipped the bottle and poured herself a big, tall glass She planned to sip in style while she girded herself for the inevitable confrontation For surely it was co fat pink cupcake of a storether in the first place

That was only four years ago And it was all so perfect at the beginning Why had Jonny ruined it?

She took a gulp of wine, and hearing Jonny’s footsteps in the hall, braced herself

He caave her as now his usual look, the one she hated—a tight grimace of annoyance and incoe to throw her glass of wine in his face Only some ancient code of propriety prevented her

“I’ve had it!” she shouted Taking a threatening step toward hi you one last chance You agree to go to a e counselor, or else”

Jonny was so arrogant, he actually hadn’t been expecting this It was as if he had no idea she’d ever been unhappy This was the only way she could explain his stunned expression Which went on for several seconds, as if he were seeing his life pass before his eyes He was such a narcissist, Pandy thought

And picking up her purse and slinging it over her shoulder, she realized she couldn’t even be bothered to hear his answer Yanking open the door, she shouted angrily that she was going to go stay with one of her “buddies” while he thought about it

She hadn’t gotten h it all off, he convinced her to come home

Where, sipping the wine she had poured hireed to see a therapist Pandy was so floored, she barely registered Jonny going back into the bathroom to make another call Then she realized that she needed to make a call as well Grateful that Jonny was in the bathroom, she went into the bedroom and, in hushed tones, explained every detail to Suzette

“This is ae can still be saved”