Liz looked at the sandwich in front of her and picked at it. Truth be told she wasn’t hungry, she was just glad to be home. She wanted bed more than anything.
She had watched the exchange between Maxine and Bob. She’d chosen to sit across from him because he hadn’t really given off the signal he wanted her beside him, and to see him offer that to Maxine tugged at her heart. As he spoke, she smiled sadly.
She had put them in this position, put him in the spot he was now.
She felt like his eyes lingered over Maxine, and coupled with the other woman’s closeness to him, it was all Liz could do but smile. She understood he said he loved them both, but she felt like the underline, the words not said, indicated something else. She smiled at Maxine and Bob.
“I think we all want one common thing love, and that is for you to be happy.“ She smiled brightly at the two, Maxine’s hand resting under Bob’s as she picked up her sandwich.
“Thank you for the food, I think I am going to go watch the late news on the TV, and then go to bed. Maxine, you should take Bob upstairs, he’s had a long day, and like needs his rest as badly as anyone.”
Liz knew what she was doing, throwing them together, alone, but tonight, it wouldn’t be her sharing his bed, that had been clear as soon as they had gotten home. Though part of her was sad for that, the look of joy on Maxine’s face as the other woman leaned in and whispered in Bob’s ear was affirmation enough, she’d made the right choice in sending them off together.