The First Lady's Choice

Chapter Seven

"Look Megan, I will not sit here and explain my vision. I am doing this for me and you. For the church..."

"And what exactly are you doing for us besides enjoying a vacation away from home? From the sounds of things when I called, enjoying a late night with another woman that is not your wife."

"I will not sit here and listen to your jealous rant. If this isn't an emergency that calls for my immediate attention, I will talk at you later."

"..."

The level of disrespect I felt coming from him was unbelievable. Was I being unreasonable by accusing him of being up to something other than what he claimed to be doing? Choosing not to mention that conversation to either of my friends because I was unsure of what the response was going to be. Instead I chose to throw myself into seeing about my parents.

Several family members started to trickle in and show their faces throughout the days I have been in town. They all had the same questions, 'where was my husband?' Always feeling like everyone was looking at me with a critical eye of disapproval, I just made up a legitimate excuse for him to not be by my side. No one knew outside of Vette how terrible I felt lying through my teeth. Thankfully Tre left before they could lay eyes on him, for it would surely hit the gossip line all wrong.

A couple days after our terrible disagreement, William showed up on the doorstep like the concerned companion. Ready to act the part but deep down I knew something was indeed different. He was distant unless others were in eye or ear shot but as soon as the audience disappeared so did his compassion. Our relationship was officially strained and for the life of me, I didn't know why. Was it me? Is it my attitude?

Like I suspected he left Saturday night to make the lengthy trek home to prepare for church. That wasn't a surprise, surely he wouldn't appoint one of the associate ministers to step up in his absence. That would be too much like right. It seemed like a logical solution but what did I know? I knew nothing about running a church, at least that is what William shouted to end the pending argument we were bound to have.

If that wasn't enough, getting the pictures from the Gala was the icing on the fragile cake. Not only did she receive them via email from a 'concerned' member of their church, Vette had called to inquire what was going on as well. Everyone in her immediate family started to speculate the reasons for him not being there as they were separated. There he stood with his arm around a younger version of Lady Grayson. He was smiling as if his life depending on it.

Even I had to admit they made a dazzling couple but so had we. Or so I thought we did. This was all news to me because only then did he have a response for the many pictures in the High Society section. If the picture itself didn't make her feel some type of way, the fact that they were matching from head to toe definitely hurt. Although there could have been a reasonable explanation, it seemed too much of a coincidence.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, ma, I'm fine." I lied as usual. It was becoming easier by the minute.

"Since when was it alright to lie to your mother?"

"Ma," I started but stopped to think of my response. "Have you ever questioned your marriage?"

"Of course not!" She all but shouted.

"Lately I have been. Things are not what they used to be."

"You young kids always want to throw in the towel when things aren't going your way. Don't think I didn't notice the tension between you and William."

"Has it ever occurred to you that I'm not the problem? That possibly, the great William Foster isn't at all who he makes himself out to be. That maybe, he could be mistreating me in any way."