For everything that felt right, there was also something that felt completely wrong. Martin had been trained to look for irregularities in everything, and to trust himself when something felt off. Needles pricked at his skin- someone was watching him, but every time he turned to see where it was coming from, he couldn’t find anyone or anything remotely suspicious. He decided that he was nervous, and tried his best to ignore it.
"So, umm..." Anita flushed. "You mentioned before that you have a wife." She stopped there as she regretted the decision to ask about it, and then looked away.
"We were students at the same high school in Los Angeles. In those days we were only acquaintances, but we knew each other well enough to keep in touch over the years. After I graduated, I went to New York to become a cop and joined the FBI, and she remained in LA to pursue an acting career," he paused when the waitress came for their orders, but promptly resumed when she went. "Simply put, her career didn't end up as planned, and when I was done with my training, I was transferred to Long Island. Around the same time she came there to start a new life. Some of her family used to live here."
He stopped to think about his wife, wondering what she would think about his sharing their story with another woman. For some reason he got the impression that she wouldn't care at all. Before she told him that she wanted a divorce, Martin thought that they were very happy. Sure, she told him that she wanted kids, and that she wanted to wait a bit longer before doing so, but otherwise nothing seemed wrong. He didn’t have a problem with that; he would have done anything to make her happy. In the end, it probably turned out that she wanted to put it on hold so she could leave him for someone else without the burden of children. She never told him.
He knew she wasn’t someone who held any sentimental value on stories.
"We met again for the first time in years, fell in love, and got married. I guess that's all there is to it," he shrugged.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be asking you this," Anita said, looking down at the table.
Still, Martin, though not bothered about Anita's unusual curiosity into his life was having a look of abysmal concern in his eyes.
"Tell me Martin. What else is it bothering you? And I know it is not our present situation". Said Anita. It was as if Anita's words were an echo of a thought that bothered Martin to no end.
Without preamble, Martin began to answer. Perhaps, discussing it with Anita would give shape to that ethereal and elusive thought.
(To Be Continued Tomorrow...)
[The complete Book ‘MAN FROM TOMORROW’ can be downloaded at amzn.to/2MSf1ng]
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