Chapter 5 - Six Weeks Became Eight Months
Jenna’s marriage ended when she was thirty-four.
Her husband, Caleb Collins, was not violent.
They simply destroyed each other financially.
He spent too much.
She spent too much.
Both hid things.
They separated with:
two maxed credit cards,
a leased luxury SUV,
a condo they could barely sell without losing money.
No children.
Jenna called me crying.
“I need somewhere for six weeks.”
I said:
“Take the cottage.”
I meant:
temporarily stay there.
I was spending most weekdays near Los Angeles for work anyway, and Eli came mainly on designated weekends.
Jenna asked:
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“No rent.”
“You need to reset.”
She cried harder.
“Daryl, thank you.”
Then I said the sentence I would regret.
“Stay as long as you need.”
Not:
six weeks.
Not:
through September.
As long as you need.
Jenna heard:
permission.
I thought she would understand:
temporary.
Six weeks became:
three months.
Then:
Christmas.
Then:
spring.
She did eventually rent an apartment closer to work.
But the cottage remained:
her second home.
She kept:
the key.
Clothes in one closet.
Wine in the refrigerator.
Cosmetics in the guest bathroom.
She invited:
friends.
Once, a man she was dating stayed there while neither Jenna nor I was present.
I found out because the security system sent me:
a door alert.
I called her.
“Who is at my house?”
She said:
“Don’t be weird.”
That should have been the end of her key.
Instead we argued.
She apologized.
I kept:
the arrangement.
Because Mom called.
“Daryl, she’s been through enough.”
There.
May you like
Again.
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