I should have listened to him.
We met at a private dining room in an expensive restaurant downtown. Michael arrived in a tailored navy suit, looking as though the evening had been organized to celebrate one of his professional achievements.
Natalie sat beside him.
She was in her early forties, impeccably dressed, with a confident smile that never quite reached her eyes.
Karen was not there.
Michael had told Daniel she was too emotional to participate in a reasonable conversation.
That should have been our first warning.
The waiter had barely poured the water when Michael began speaking.
“I want us to move forward without unnecessary hostility.”
Daniel stared at him.
“You mean without Mom asking questions?”
Michael’s jaw tightened.
“I mean without turning a difficult situation into a public spectacle.”
“You had an affair for four years.”
Natalie shifted in her seat.
Michael lowered his voice.
“Marriage is complicated, Daniel.”
