Chapter 25: Cindy's Decision

Chapter 25: Cindy’s Decision

In a taxi on her way to the airport, Cindy Bakersfeld leaned back and closed her eyes. She had a lot to think about.

Her marriage to Mel was over. They had been growing slowly apart for a long time, and now Cindy realized that they had reached the end. Early in their marriage they had had the wonderful social life that she wanted, but now Mel seemed to have only one interest in life - the airport.

The trouble had really begun at the time when Mel met President Kennedy. Cindy had hoped for invitations to the White House, and had dreamed of calling Jackie Kennedy her friend. It had never happened. After President Kennedy’s death Mel put everything into his job. That left Cindy with nothing. She knew that she was not a very clever woman, and now her chief aim in life was for her daughters to become great social successes.

This was something that Lionel would be able to help her with. As Mel had guessed, Cindy had found a lover. Lionel came from an old and respected family, and had plenty of money. He had left his wife, and now he wanted to marry Cindy. He was ready to act as a father to Roberta and Libby.

True, he was not young or attractive, as Mel had been when she married him, but Cindy could see that there would be a lot of advantages in being married to such a man.

She did not like making decisions, and she could not help remembering that she had once been happy with Mel, but she knew that the time for action had come. They could not go on living together.

She paid the taxi-driver and hurried to Mel’s office. There was a badly dressed middle-aged woman in wet clothes waiting outside the office. Her eyes were red from crying. Cindy did not take much notice of her, but went into the office and sat down to wait for Mel.

When he came in a few minutes later, he seemed surprised to see her there. He had not really expected her to come, and wondered exactly what she wanted. She looked very beautiful tonight. He noticed it, but it no longer seemed to touch him.

‘Why have you come here?’ he asked.

‘Why do you think?’

‘I think you want a fight. Don’t we fight enough at home, without starting here?’

‘You don’t spend much time at home these days.’

‘I would if it was more pleasant there.’

It seemed that they could not talk to each other for a few minutes without quarrelling.

‘You pretend to be so busy here,’ she continued.

‘Tonight I am.’

‘Tonight! What about all the other times?’

‘I admit it,’ Mel said. ‘Sometimes it has been more pleasant to stay here than to come home to a fight with you.’

‘You’re being honest about it for the first time!’

‘And when I do come home,’ he went on, ‘you always seem to want to go out to some stupid party.’

‘Stupid party!’ Cindy shouted angrily. ‘So you never intended to come to the party tonight. I knew you wouldn’t come! You’re nothing but a liar!’

‘Calm down, Cindy’

‘I won’t calm down!’

What had happened to them? Mel wondered. Why were they behaving like two children?

‘I’m not a liar,’ he said, ‘although I am sometimes glad that my work here keeps me away from home. I really am busy tonight. For a start, I must see that woman who’s waiting outside the door. She’s in trouble.’

‘Your wife’s in trouble,’ Cindy said. ‘That woman can wait.’

‘All right.’

‘Mel,’ she went on,‘this is the end for us, isn’t it?’

He did not want to agree with her, but he had to face the truth. ‘Yes, I’m afraid it is. Neither of us will ever change enough to please the other.’

‘I’ve been thinking about this,’ Cindy said slowly,‘and I think I want a divorce.’

‘Are you sure? It’s a big step to take.’

‘Yes, I’m sure.’

‘So am I,’ Mel said sadly. ‘I think it’s the right decision for us to make.’

There was no anger now. They were both very calm.

‘I’m sorry,’ Cindy said,

‘I’m sorry, too.’ Mel was close to tears at the thought of losing his daughters. They would remain with their mother. He knew that he would miss his talks with Libby very badly. Earlier this evening she had asked him for a ‘map of February’. Well, now he had one.

There was a knock at the door.

‘I’m sorry to interrupt,’ Ordway said.

‘That’s all right. What is it?’

‘The Meadowood people are here to see you.’

He brought six representatives of Meadowood into the office. They were followed by Elliott Freemantle and three reporters. Cindy remained where she was, silent and angry at the interruption.

Through the open door, Mel saw that the woman who had been waiting was standing now. When he looked again a moment later, he noticed that she had gone.