Diplomacy

“Well, she’s crazy about Jack, too.”
    “I always knew he’d make an amazing father,” Maria stated enthusiastically, much to Lucas’s surprise. “But you said three kids? Did you adopt two more?”
    “No, no, they’re Liz’s sons. She’s a colleague from work. AnnElise is crazy about the boys and Liz needed a weekend without kids, so… well, she helped me out quite a bit before… Jack came back.” He didn’t know why he was so uncomfortable talking to her about the kids. Was it because he felt he had taken this part away from Maria? That if it hadn’t been for him coming along, she and Jack would probably have had kids by now?
    Maria looked up at him suddenly. “I’m glad you gave Jack the opportunity to be a dad. I never had the nerve.” Lucas looked away from her for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. “You’re okay with this?”
    She nodded. “It took me a long time to really understand, Lucas.” She sighed. “I truly hated you. For taking Jack away from me. For pulling the rug from under my feet. In one swoop, you took away my husband, my career and the life, which I’d spent twenty years building up.” She looked at Lucas intently, making him uncomfortable. “It took me two years of living among people who didn’t know where their next meal was coming from to realize it was all superficial. To realize that yes, I loved this man, but he didn’t love me back, not the way he loved you!” D i p l o m a c y | 195

    “He loved you too, Maria. He told me how hard it was to tell you about us. He kept putting it off. I’m sorry.”
    “No, you’re not,” she stated matter-of-factly.
    Lucas couldn’t help but chuckle. “You sound just like Jack. But... I am sorry. Not for loving Jack, I’ll never apologize for that again, but I’m sorry that we hurt you.”
    Maria smiled softly. “I can’t deny that. It’s hard to see the man you’ve loved most of your adult life fall in love with someone else. It took me a long time to understand I could have a life beyond being his wife and to admit to myself that I liked seeing him happy, even if it was with you. It wasn’t until I found my goal in life that I could see beyond my own jealousy.”
    Although deep down he still didn’t trust her, Lucas realized he was starting to like her. “Jack told me you work for UNICEF?” She nodded, smiling broadly. “Yeah, I coordinate relief teams. I just came back from Darfur. Sadly it was becoming so unstable there we had to leave, but we were building schools and setting up classrooms. You know, Lucas, I used to be a pretty good organizer, which made me every ambassador’s dream, but it was all about the show. The perfect gala dinner, reception, luncheon. Show your face here; make a little speech there. Now I’m actually doing things in the field, things that actually change people’s lives for the better, and I don’t have to get all dolled up in expensive designer gowns with perfect hair and make-up. So I should really thank you for stealing Jack from me. I would never have realized what was making me unhappy if the two of you hadn’t toppled my world.” Her eyes were wide and her face was shining. Lucas could tell she was genuinely happy with her life now. Maybe she was telling the truth; maybe she had forgiven them? Lucas was still not entirely comfortable though. Only time would tell if he could ever forgive her.
    The tenuous mood was broken when they both looked up as the front door opened.

    JACK walked in the door of his apartment to be met, as usual, by the excited chant of his name. He would never get enough of being greeted by AnnElise’s voice ringing through the house. The door had barely closed and he was still holding his keys when she sprinted right into his 196 | Z a h r a O w e n s

    arms, giving him a big hug and a smacker. No matter how tired he was after a day’s work, she could always make him smile. She told him about Emile and Charlie being there and Jack smiled as he knew all too well who was boss in that playgroup.
    He put his keys in the small bowl on the hallway cabinet and was hanging up his coat when AnnElise gave him a teasing smile. “There’s a girl to see you.” She giggled, obviously thinking that was a funny idea.
    “Her name is Maria.”
    He felt his heart stop. Poor Lucas. He could only hope Maria was nice to him.
    Then his lover called out, “We’re in the kitchen!” It didn’t sound strained or too desperate. Maybe she had only just