Jane:
Hi, my name is Elisa Monroe. I need you to email me back or call me at 202-555-0170. Please make it at a time when you will have complete privacy. It is of utmost importance that you call me, Mary Jane; I have to ask you to trust me on that.
I'm Dominique Flame's ex-wife.
Mary Jane clapped her hand over her mouth and grimaced at the computer screen. She didn't even stop to think for a second before moving the cursor to the "delete" button. Elisa Monroe. Of course. The woman who had ruined not only her life, but Dominique's and the two little boys who she now loved. What could possess that woman to contact Mary Jane for any reason?
"Not a chance," Mary Jane muttered under her breath.
***
When another month passed, Elwood began to see the signs of an early and harsh winter. Early November, and snow already blanketed the ground, and swirled from the sky each morning as she dragged to work. The bad weather increased business in the diner, as people stopped taking their lunch breaks in the park, preferring the cozy heat. But at home, tensions continued to rise as the children were unable to play outside as much.
Dominique required all the boys to participate in local sports programs and their evenings were spent shuttling four boys here there and everywhere for basketball, karate, and wrestling practices. Any other scant moments had to be spent on homework as Dominique also demanded perfect marks in school from all the children. And then each night Mary Jane was expected to maintain their rigorous sex life. She didn't know how Dominique managed it all. She was exhausted. She dragged at work, and began to lose weight. She often skipped makeup and prettily styled hair before work in the mornings because she was too tired to get out of bed in time for extra primping. And days when she elected for the plain and natural look, Dominique made sure to let her know that he didn't approve.
Mary Jane began to think she'd made a big mistake, even before the first snow flew.
The approach of Thanksgiving had Mary Jane on edge. There would only be a small gathering; her parents, and Dominique's mother. Her parents had been over several times, and she sensed they weren't entirely pleased with Dominique. Mary Jane just wanted them to like him and think everything was fine… Even if it wasn't.
And his mother was the only member of his family that he had anything to do with. From what she'd gathered through the rumor mill, he did have a father, and a sister who was married with a family that lived somewhere fairly nearby. Yet he was estranged from them all. His mother on the other hand, he loved dearly and spoke of often. But she lived out of state so Mary Jane had yet to meet her. Thanksgiving would be the first time. Mary Jane knew Dominique would accept nothing less than perfect for the Thanksgiving dinner, and the fact that his mother would be in attendance made her an absolute nervous wreck.
When Thanksgiving finally arrived, she rose at four in the morning to begin preparing the lavish meal. Mary Jane loved to cook, and had always been a thrifty shopper who could feed her family healthy and delicious foods while still managing to save money. But even she had never prepared a dinner like the one Dominique demanded. At ten a.m. when Mary Jane ran crazily around the kitchen, Dominique announced he'd be leaving to make the hour trip to the airport to pick up his mother. She asked if he could take at least some of the kids with him, if not all of them, so that she wouldn't have to manage all he children while preparing the meal. She assumed his mother would be eager to see her grandchildren, and to meet Mary Jane's as well.
Instead of agreeing he smirked, patted her on the rump and said, "I think you'll manage."
With a sigh, she watched him stroll out the back door heading for the garage.
***
Several hours later Dominique returned and all the kids
Hi, my name is Elisa Monroe. I need you to email me back or call me at 202-555-0170. Please make it at a time when you will have complete privacy. It is of utmost importance that you call me, Mary Jane; I have to ask you to trust me on that.
I'm Dominique Flame's ex-wife.
Mary Jane clapped her hand over her mouth and grimaced at the computer screen. She didn't even stop to think for a second before moving the cursor to the "delete" button. Elisa Monroe. Of course. The woman who had ruined not only her life, but Dominique's and the two little boys who she now loved. What could possess that woman to contact Mary Jane for any reason?
"Not a chance," Mary Jane muttered under her breath.
***
When another month passed, Elwood began to see the signs of an early and harsh winter. Early November, and snow already blanketed the ground, and swirled from the sky each morning as she dragged to work. The bad weather increased business in the diner, as people stopped taking their lunch breaks in the park, preferring the cozy heat. But at home, tensions continued to rise as the children were unable to play outside as much.
Dominique required all the boys to participate in local sports programs and their evenings were spent shuttling four boys here there and everywhere for basketball, karate, and wrestling practices. Any other scant moments had to be spent on homework as Dominique also demanded perfect marks in school from all the children. And then each night Mary Jane was expected to maintain their rigorous sex life. She didn't know how Dominique managed it all. She was exhausted. She dragged at work, and began to lose weight. She often skipped makeup and prettily styled hair before work in the mornings because she was too tired to get out of bed in time for extra primping. And days when she elected for the plain and natural look, Dominique made sure to let her know that he didn't approve.
Mary Jane began to think she'd made a big mistake, even before the first snow flew.
The approach of Thanksgiving had Mary Jane on edge. There would only be a small gathering; her parents, and Dominique's mother. Her parents had been over several times, and she sensed they weren't entirely pleased with Dominique. Mary Jane just wanted them to like him and think everything was fine… Even if it wasn't.
And his mother was the only member of his family that he had anything to do with. From what she'd gathered through the rumor mill, he did have a father, and a sister who was married with a family that lived somewhere fairly nearby. Yet he was estranged from them all. His mother on the other hand, he loved dearly and spoke of often. But she lived out of state so Mary Jane had yet to meet her. Thanksgiving would be the first time. Mary Jane knew Dominique would accept nothing less than perfect for the Thanksgiving dinner, and the fact that his mother would be in attendance made her an absolute nervous wreck.
When Thanksgiving finally arrived, she rose at four in the morning to begin preparing the lavish meal. Mary Jane loved to cook, and had always been a thrifty shopper who could feed her family healthy and delicious foods while still managing to save money. But even she had never prepared a dinner like the one Dominique demanded. At ten a.m. when Mary Jane ran crazily around the kitchen, Dominique announced he'd be leaving to make the hour trip to the airport to pick up his mother. She asked if he could take at least some of the kids with him, if not all of them, so that she wouldn't have to manage all he children while preparing the meal. She assumed his mother would be eager to see her grandchildren, and to meet Mary Jane's as well.
Instead of agreeing he smirked, patted her on the rump and said, "I think you'll manage."
With a sigh, she watched him stroll out the back door heading for the garage.
***
Several hours later Dominique returned and all the kids
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