Informed Consent Read Free Page B

position she associated with her dead grandmother’s reaction to a bad
smell?
      “We’ll talk about the legal aspects, of
course.”   Samantha hadn’t noticed
Denise’s reaction.“Remember, we have a relationship forbidding me to discuss
your business with anyone.   You
don’t have to worry about me telling Andrew. Or Neil, for that matter. We can
let it go at the legal stuff, if you want.   Or we can cut the shit and talk about how freaked out you
are to discover Andrew expects you to accept domestic discipline.”
    Finishing her sentence,
Samantha dropped her purse and briefcase into a nearby chair, and gestured at a
sofa.   “Shall we sit?”   She didn’t wait for an answer but let folded
herself gracefully onto an overstuffed couch.
      A flush burned its way up Denise’s
cheeks.   She sank into a low chair,
crossed her arms over her stomach, and rocked forward.  
    “What did he do?   Discuss me with the whole freaking
family?”   Oh hell, she’d started to
cry again.   “Did he call to announce
he’d spanked me as a pre-nup?”
    Samantha leapt up and
moved across to Denise, resting a hand on her head.   “It’s not like that Denise. It isn’t gossip.   Neil is Andrew’s big brother and he’s
married so yeah, Drew is going to look to him for advice.   That’s the kind of relationship they have.
    “Look, what I’m trying
to tell you is this -- Andrew’s a Cross.   Neil’s a Cross and I married him. They’re all alike. I can help you. Or
not.”
      No more gentle tear drops; Denise
dissolved into a torrential river of tears.   A gasket sprung loose from something major.   Unable to stop, she buried her face in
Samantha’s lap.  
      Samantha’s hand stroked Denise’s head.
That made Denise’s heart ache even more. “I wish I’d never met him.”
      Samantha said nothing.   She stuck to patting.
    When Denise’s finally looked
up, her face streaked with tears, she said, “I don’t get it!   How could you let someone treat you
like that? You’re gorgeous.   You’re
obviously smart; you’re a lawyer for god’s sake!”  
    “What’s that got to do
with it?”
    Well, that was
annoying.   Pretending she hadn’t
asked a perfectly reasonable question.   Denise dashed at the tears on her face.
      “I’m sorry I lost it.” Her voice wobbled
so she left the room, muttering about needing a tissue, and walked toward the
kitchen.
    “Something to drink?”
She called back into the other room before she stuck her head under the cold
water faucet.  
      “Sure.   Anything.   Now
answer my question.   What do looks
and professions have to do with anything?”
      Denise yanked open the frig and bent
over, peering in.   “I have soda,
mineral water and juice.   Or do you
want something hot?”
      “God no.   It’s hot enough outside.   I can help you. Quit avoiding.”
    Denise moved back into
the room her hands full of bottles.   She sighed and sat down across from the other woman.   “I’m a mess.   I flunked out of school, I have no job and I can’t drive. My
parents died. I have no idea where my mother got this bizarre idea to make my
marriage to Andrew part of her will, but she did. Now my brother’s depend on
me.   So I had no choice.   Otherwise--forget it. No offense, but I
wouldn’t have married Andrew for a billion bucks.”
    Samantha looked at
Denise for a moment, evaluating.   “Your parents knew Andrew, right?”
    Denise nodded.
    “Did they like him?”
    Denise shot the woman a
disgusted look.   “They thought he
walked on water.”
      “Maybe that’s why they did it
then.”   It was a statement, not a
question and Denise scowled.
    “I can’t believe they
even made a will.   My parents
barely paid enough attention to pay the bills.   Suddenly they decide to make a will?”
      Samantha looked at Denise. “You kinda
wonder where they got the idea, eh?”
    “If I ever find out I’ll
kill the person.   I suppose one