Nine Lives

Marsha kissed Cat and gave her a brief hug as Cat draped her coat over an empty chair.

The tension in Marsha’s body was unusual. Warning bells went off as Cat returned Marsha’s embrace.

“Sit, sit,” Marsha said, and waved toward a free chair. “I’ve already ordered some chips and queso. They’ll be here shortly, and that margarita is yours.”

“Yum,” Cat said as she sat, then took a quick sip of her drink.

Marsha’s smile was genuine. Impulsively, she reached out for Cat’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

“You look great, as always. So what’s new with you?”

Wilson McKay’s face immediately came to mind, but Cat ignored it. They hadn’t even had what would amount to a real conversation, so there was nothing to report.

“Nothing,” Cat said, then leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Spit it out, Mimi, and don’t lie. I’ll know if you do.”

Marsha blinked, then looked away as tears immediately pooled. The sound of her old nickname from her best friend’s lips was a painful reminder of a happier time.

“You are too smart for your own good,” she mumbled.

Cat felt sad. Seeing Marsha in such distress broke her heart.

“And you’re too gentle-hearted for yours. Who hurt you? Tell me and I’ll make him sorry.”

Marsha tried to smile through the tears. “Why would you assume it’s a man?”

Cat rolled her eyes. “Because they’re always trouble. Am I right?”

Marsha sighed, then nodded.

“Who is he?” Cat asked.

“It doesn’t matter. Besides, you can’t keep fighting my battles.”

Cat frowned. “I can and I will. Come on, Mimi… I don’t like to see you this way.”

Marsha shrugged. “It’s my own fault. I knew better, but I did it anyway.”

Cat knew there was more. Suddenly it dawned.

“He’s married, isn’t he?”

Marsha hesitated, then dropped her head without answering.

It was answer enough for Cat, although Marsha stayed silent.

Cat stared at her for a few moments, waiting for details. When they weren’t forthcoming, she began to think back over the past few weeks to the times when Marsha couldn’t meet her for dinner because she had to work late. As she did, suspicion grew.

“Is it your boss?”

Marsha didn’t answer, but she didn’t have to. Cat could see the truth in her eyes.

“It is, isn’t it? It’s that damned snake Mark Presley.”

Marsha covered her face with her hands.

Cat stifled another curse and lowered her voice even more.

“Mimi… I’m sorry. Talk to me, honey.”

Marsha dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, trying not to smear her makeup as she considered what to say, even though she knew she could never keep secrets from Cat.

“Oh, Cat, just let it—”

“No. I’m not letting it go. Talk. Now.”

Marsha leaned back, took a sip of her iced tea, then shoved it aside. “He fed me a big line that I fell for. There’s nothing else I can say.”

“Did the line have anything to do with, ‘I’m getting a divorce and I love you madly’?”

Marsha’s expression crumpled.

“Pretty much.”

Cat slumped. She couldn’t believe Marsha had fallen for that. Then it occurred to her that there was a reason why Marsha would even give that line consideration.

“Oh, Mimi…you were already in love with him, weren’t you?”

Marsha’s chin trembled. “Yes.”

“The pig. So he got in your pants. How’s he treating you now?”

“Like I’ve stolen the company secrets and he’s looking for a reason to fire me.”

Cat’s eyes narrowed angrily. “He can’t do that.”

“Well, yes, he can,” Marsha countered. “He owns the company, so he can do whatever he pleases.”

Cat’s instincts to protect were on point.

“Let me talk to him,” she said. “I’ll make sure he sees the light.”

Marsha’s eyes widened in panic. “No. No. No way are you getting in the middle of this. He didn’t hold a knife to my throat. I slept with him, and it’s too late to change what—”

Suddenly Marsha stopped talking, and the look on her face was no longer just sad. She looked scared.

Cat’s frown deepened. “There’s more to this mess than you’ve told me, isn’t there?”

Marsha nodded nervously, as she chewed on her bottom lip.