Julie Ch. 18

Julie felt like at any moment, if her self-control lapsed for even a second, she would start shaking uncontrollably. She was poised on a razor's edge of nerves and emotions. It would be all too easy to let go... let herself come apart at the seams. Spend the next three or four days in bed with the covers pulled up over her head, crying.

But Julie's willpower held her together. Whatever dynamic existed between her and Greg in the bedroom, Julie was still a strong and determined woman. She gave up control when she chose to give it up. Not because circumstances became too much for her.

Of course, in spite of her self-confidence and resolve, Julie found herself craving the comfort of Greg's arms around her. She wanted to go to sleep tonight wrapped safe and warm in his embrace. Was that a weakness on her part? If it was, it was completely independent of the strength Julie could muster to face Gary, their impending divorce and whatever compromising pictures he had of her.

Her PC chirped as a new email arrived. It was from Greg, she saw with relief.

"Call me."

Julie briefly considered using her cell phone, but quickly rejected the idea. The bill would go to the house—to Gary. The last thing Julie needed to deal with was Gary getting his hands on Greg's cell number. Looking back, Julie was so glad she had never, in a moment of weakness, called Greg from her cell. She had avoided that mistake thus far and had no intention of making it now.

"Ash, can I use the phone?"

"Sure, no prob, kiddo." Julie knew Ashlee was well aware of why Julie couldn't use her cell phone, and she was grateful that Ashlee didn't make a point of it.

Julie dialed the number from a piece of paper that she had hidden in her wallet. As the phone began to ring, a good feeling came over her. It wasn't exactly excitement, just a sense that it would be good to hear Greg's voice. It would somehow help her fight off the shadows that had been gathering in her thoughts.

"Hello?"

"It's me," Julie answered.

"That was quick," Greg replied. "So what's this about you were followed?" There was something in his voice. Concern? Anger? Some mixture of the two? It was difficult to tell.

"I think the reason he had me meet him at the house was so that he could follow me when I left," Julie explained. "I guess he wanted to see if, you know... I was still seeing you." Julie had no intention of telling Greg that Gary, or someone acting on Gary's behalf, had actually seen them last night and again this morning. And had documented their actions with a camera. Knowing that Gary was aware of Julie and Greg's continuing affair was enough information.

"How do you know?"

"He called me and told me," Julie lied. "He said he knew where I went and that it wasn't my girlfriend's place, where I said I was staying. And," she added, "he's filing for separation."

"Are you sure he didn't just say that to get your reaction? Get you to admit it?"

"No, no," Julie answered quickly, trying to think of a way to skirt the issue of the pictures. "He told me the address. He knew."

"Are you okay?" Greg asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Yeah, I think so," Julie said, taking a deep breath. "I really want to see you," she added. Julie didn't know why she said it. The words just popped out of her, almost before she realized what she was going to say.

"Well, why don't we meet for a drink or something?" Greg suggested, almost as if he hadn't heard her tell him that Gary had followed her.

"What about Gary?"

"Do you really think he's following you?" Greg asked. He didn't sound like he thought it was likely. Julie didn't really want to tell Greg that she was worried that it wasn't Gary following her, but rather, someone Gary had hired. A private investigator or something.

"I don't know," Julie said, surprised by how whiney her voice sounded. Was she really that worried, confused?

"Okay, here's what we do," Greg said after a moment. "Tomorrow, you drive to the Clover Hill mall and park by the food court entrance. That's at the one end on the second floor. Then you walk to the other end of the mall and down to the first floor and go out the door by the arcade. I'll wait for you there. If anyone's following you, they'll have to go all the way back to the other end of the mall to get their car. We'd be long gone by then."

Julie rolled Greg's plan around in her head. It sounded so paranoid to go to such lengths. Was that really what her life was becoming? On the other hand, it was a simple thing to do. And it would let her see Greg without concerns about being followed, photographed. Not that she was about to do anything compromising, under the circumstances. But even driving around with Greg was more than she wanted Gary to have a picture of.

"Okay," Julie said, after just the slightest hesitation. "What time?"

"Five-thirty good for you?" To get to the mall, park and walk to the other end Julie might have to leave work a little earlier than usual. But only a little.

"Sure," she agreed.

"Okay, I'll see you then," Greg said. Then, after a brief pause, he added, "I wish you could be here tonight."