Chapter Three

WEDNESDAY MORNING BENNIE PULLED the belt of her trench coat tight and pressed her back against the brick wall of the New Canaan train station, trying to stay out of the chilling wind that blew down the tracks. It was early and only a few commuters were boarding the train to Manhattan. Will had snorted on the phone when she insisted on taking the train in for the meeting with his lawyer rather than ride into the city with him. Even though taking the train would keep her away from her classes longer, Bennie couldn’t stand the thought of the hour-long ride each way alone with Will.

She arrived at Grand Central Station and took the subway to lower Manhattan where the lawyer’s office was located on the top floor of a cement and glass high-rise office building. The receptionist showed Bennie to a conference room where Will and his attorney, Mr. Bell, were waiting. The two men rose to their feet as Bennie came through the door. The room smelled of the antique law books that lined the room on mahogany shelves, and the plush leather chairs placed around a comically massive conference table. Bennie thought the room was designed to communicate substance to the client and to intimidate the adversary. Mr. Bell indicated a chair to his left.

Will held Bennie’s chair for her. “Hello, Bennie,” he said. He took his own seat, cleared his throat, and nodded to the attorney to indicate that he was ready to begin.

Mr. Bell facilitated a civil discussion about how assets would be divided, should they decide to go ahead with the divorce. Bennie expected this discussion to go smoothly. Will was a fair man, and she was confident she could count on his generous, even lavish, support of their daughter. She didn’t expect any spousal support. She inherited her grandmother’s estate, and besides, she cared little for the lifestyle she gave up when she and Will separated.

Will seemed aloof and almost bored as the lawyer went through a detailed plan for distribution of their joint assets. Then the attorney changed the course of the discussion.

“Now, there’s the question of custody of your daughter,” he said.

When Will’s eyes narrowed, a chill ran down Bennie’s back. Bennie thought that the tone of the discussion was about to change.

“There are some questions I need answers to before coming to any agreement about that,” Will said as he sat straighter in his chair.

Bennie clasped her hands in her lap. “What questions? What do you need to know?”

“Where you will live, for example. And with whom?”

Bennie glanced at the attorney, and, because of the look on his face, she suspected Will had told him about her affair with Alice.

“You know I’ll provide a safe and stable place for Livie. What’s this about?” Bennie wanted to force Will to put things on the table.

Will’s face flushed darker pink. “You know very well what it’s about. I want some assurances.”

The lawyer put a hand on Will’s arm.

“Let’s stop for today and take this up at our next meeting. That will give you more time to think about what’s best for the child,” he said.

Will and Bennie rode the elevator down in uncomfortable silence. Outside, it had begun to snow and the street and sidewalk were dusted with a thin layer of powder. A Salvation Army volunteer smiled at Bennie and nodded, his bell making a polite but insistent demand on her holiday spirit of charity. Bennie dropped a bill in the kettle. She expected Will to go on without her, but he stopped to fish several bills out of his wallet for the kettle, and then he turned to Bennie.

“Let’s go someplace for a drink,” he said.

Before she could reply, he took her arm.

“I can’t. I have to get back to school. One of the other teachers is covering my classes.”

He looked surprised and then annoyed. He hailed a cab.

“We need to make some decisions. You need to decide what you want,” he said as he held the door open for her. Bennie hesitated. “You’re going to the train station, right?” he said. “I’ll ride with you.”

“No need. I’ll take the subway,” she said.

Will shook his head, waved the cab away, and set off down the street.