Duplicity - A True Story of Crime and Deceit by Paul Goldman (surface ebook reader txt) 📗

we just had differentexpectations about these things. I mean, Audrey was married twicebefore, so maybe the emotional aspect of sex had lost some of itsmeaning. I was determined not to let it bother me as I focused onour engagement. Images of our imagined life together filled mythoughts. There were so many things to consider, to plan for. Iwished Audrey had let me stay the night. We could have stayed upall night talking about our future. But since I was spending thenight alone, I had time to think. I decided that I wouldn't pressher again to make love before the wedding. Maybe waiting until thewedding would have been the right idea. We would start again assoon as we were married, when everything would be perfect.

With the morning’s sunrise, I awoke to sharethe news with Johnny. Not sure how my four year old might react, myelation over my imminent wedding was heightened when he asked withexcitement, “Can I call her mommy too?” I grabbed him andpractically suffocated him with my embrace. We laughed, and chasedone another around the house, until I managed to tackle him ontothe couch. We were in hysterics when the phone rang. It was my newfiancé.

“Paul, I was justthinking, where are we going to live? You know my kids can’t staytoo much longer at my parents’ condo. With all the new work beingdone by contractors, it’s actually gotten a little dangerous. Wehave to get out of here soon.”

My concerns over her living arrangementsreturned. How had her parents allowed her and their grandchildrento remain in a place that they themselves felt was uninhabitable? Idecided to save that question for another day as I wanted nothingto dampen my spirits. Instead, I assured her that there would benothing to worry about; I’d have a solution soon.

At first I consideredhaving Audrey and her kids move in with us. However, since my house was forty miles south of where Audreyand her kids were living, and since they attended one of the bestprivate schools in Palm Beach County, that didn’t seem the bestoption. It wasn’t fair to take her kids out of a great school, Iconcluded, nor would it be comfortable for Audrey to drive fourhours a day dropping off and picking up her kids there. Besides, myBoynton Beach home didn't have enough bedrooms for my newfamily. Since the Internet had helped mefind Audrey, I turned to it again to help find us a new home, withat least four bedrooms. After its purchase, I would sell my Boyntonone. Within a few short hours, Realtor.com had provided me with asolution. I immediately phoned Audrey.

“Honey, I want you tocheck out a listing I’ve found online. I’m emailing it to you rightnow and it seems perfect. It’s got five bedrooms, four bathrooms,and it’s right on a golf course. Are you on your computer?” I wasso excited to share my news with her, I could hardly containmyself.

“Yes, send it,” she said,her tone revealing little. I would have to get used to hercontrolled emotions; either that, or temper my own a bit. Ilistened as her computer turned on and she typed in her password.Her breathing was steady. I waited for a response. “It does lookgreat,” she finally said. “How soon can we move in?”

“I’ll call a realtorfriend of mine, Tony, and set up an appointment to see it. If it’sas great as it looks, we can make an offer right away and try toclose in thirty days. Problem solved,” I announced triumphantly,basking in the role of knight in shining armor.

“That’s a great idea. Callhim right away and let me know.” Then, with a quick goodbye, theconversation was over, leaving me alone to handle our first realstep toward becoming a family.

As expected, my friend Tony was more thanhappy to help and in a few short days, Audrey and I went to viewthe house. Unlike many listings that invent creative ways todescribe and photograph a house to enhance its strengths, thishouse was exactly how it appeared online. It was perfect. Evenbetter, I was finally getting a real, emotional reaction fromAudrey.

“I love this house, and Ilove you, and we will be so happy here,” she practically sang. Ihad never seen her so effusive and any doubts I had about herfeelings equaling mine diminished. “Look, I’ve made a chart of thebedrooms. Each of our kids gets their own room. We, of course, willbe in the master.” The mention of “our bedroom” stirred a visceralreaction in me. I turned to Tony.

“Why don’t you pull thecomps and we’ll figure out what we want to offer.”

“Sure, Paul,” heresponded, smiling at Audrey. “I’ll email you the comps and thepurchase paperwork tonight. After you fax it back, I'll forward itto the listing agent.”

Later that evening, thepaperwork arrived. I called Audrey and told her we could have lunchtomorrow and sign the paperwork together. Elated by the emergingreality of my new life, I could no longer contain my excitement. Ihad to call my brother, Dave, and share my good news; though what Ireally felt like doing was taking out a full page ad in thenewspaper. I spoke with Dave at length about our parents, the kids,and work before I decided to break the news.

“Hey, I’m engaged,” I saidcasually, curious to see how he would react. I had been walkingaround my home office as we spoke, looking out the window, pickingup papers, and rearranging some pictures. I picked up a picture ofme with my father and brothers taken a number of years ago atDave’s wedding. I really hadn’t changed that much.

“Uh, excuse me?” hereplied, without sounding completely surprised. “How long have youknown this girl?” he asked.

“Only a few months, but weboth want the same thing, and I’m not getting any younger, youknow.” I could hear the defensiveness in my own voice. Dave wasquiet for a moment. I knew what he was thinking.

“Well, congratulationsthen. Just be careful. I mean, you really don’t know her verywell.” Even if he attempted to, Dave couldn’t mask his skepticism.I tried to look at it through his eyes, knowing I’d be saying thesame thing if the roles were