As was customary for her to do, Emily Chandler put a call through to the country club where she'd maintained a membership to determine if her ex-husband's current wife was to be in attendance. It was a practice she had taken up as a means of avoiding Binky at all costs. If Binky was not expected to be there, Emily planned to book a lunch reservation for herself and Elizabeth Richards, with whom she'd become very friendly after the marriage of Don and Susan. Being informed that she need not worry about the current 'Mrs. Chandler', Emily proceeded with her plans.

After seven years, Emily still felt a pang of sadness every time her thoughts happened to drift to the subject of her less-than-amicable separation and divorce from Charles. Nearly forty years of marriage, and he'd somehow become infatuated with someone new, someone younger – a 'Trophy Wife'. The almost debilitating state of depression she'd sunk into as a result had since passed, and Emily had in a sense, moved on with her life. Still, she felt incomplete. Seven years of being apart, and she had to privately admit she still loved Charles, even though he had hurt her so deeply.

Once, a few years ago in a less infuriated mood, she had been speaking to Susan, who had been very supportive and a real lifeline in Emily's darkest moments. Susan had tried to get her mother to articulate her feelings towards Charles in a more positive way, to try to remove the negativity she felt.

"If you had asked me to do this even a year ago, Susan, my response would have been different," Emily had said. "But if I were to express my feelings now…do you remember that album you used to always play years ago when you were still living at home and in law school? I think it was Sadé. There was one song, and the words went something like: 'I won't pretend that I intend to stop living/I won't pretend I'm good at forgiving/But I can't hate you, although I have tried/I still really, really love you/Love is stronger than pride.' "

"I remember," Susan had said. "Is that the way you truly feel about Dad now?"

"Honestly, Susan, it's nearly impossible for me to forgive him for what he did to me – what he did to the family…I hate what he did, but I can't hate him."

            "If Dad decided to return to you, today, what would you do?" Susan had asked gently.

            "Do you mean would I take him back? No… well, I don't know. I couldn't take him back and pretend like nothing had happened. He would have to be very convincing. He'd have to earn my trust all over again, and I can't even begin to imagine how he could do that. He broke our marriage vows…as if the unbreakable bond between us and God meant absolutely nothing."

Susan had nodded in understanding.

Set up by a friend, Helen Evans, Emily had tried dating again about three years ago, going on a blind date she found she enjoyed. A few others followed, though she never considered them to be romantic, nor had she really been looking for a serious relationship. Then had come the unfortunate business with the man who had called himself 'Eric Norton'. Even though he was somewhat younger than she was, and claimed to be a widower, he'd seemed handsome, charming and sophisticated enough to warrant seeing him on more than one occasion. But he'd certainly raised some warning bells in Susan's mind, for which Emily was grateful.

 She had spent only a short time admonishing herself for not seeing that he was only interested in her money, because she realised two things: One, she was not truly emotionally attached to him, and most certainly not in love with him; and two, many people fall victim to very intelligent con artists who make a career out of their illegal activities.

'Eric' had vanished when Emily announced she would not help finance his 'business opportunity', but she had filed a formal complaint with the proper authorities. She was also prepared to testify against him in the event that he was ever apprehended. Susan had told her that a lot of con artists actually get away because no one presses charges against them. Emily wasn't about to see this criminal get away scot-free.

After that rather sour experience, Emily had stopped dating, and almost resigned herself to the fact that if Charles was actually happy with Binky, she herself would remain single for the rest of her days.

            Bringing her thoughts back to the present, Emily phoned Elizabeth and let her know their plans for lunch at the country club were on.

            "So 'The Trophy' isn't going to be there, I take it," Elizabeth joked, using the disparaging term Emily had coined for her rival.

            "No, thank God," Emily said fervently. "I made the reservation for one o'clock. With all the snow that fell last night, the roads are going to be a mess. Is that enough time for you to make it down?"

            "It should," Elizabeth responded. "In fact, it even gives me an opportunity to do a little painting, and Carmen a break from preparing a meal." Carmen was Elizabeth's live-in housekeeper, whose sister, Rena, had been Don's housekeeper after Kathy died. After he married Susan, Rena had returned to Jamaica to help care for her ailing mother.

            "It must be so nice having live-in help," Emily commented wistfully.

            "Em, why don't you hire someone? It's not like you can't afford it," Elizabeth responded.

            "Oh, I know," sighed Emily, "maybe I will one of these days. Rena and Carmen don't have a third sister somewhere, do they?"

            "Not that I know of," Elizabeth laughed. "I can't imagine what I'd do without Carmen. I sometimes get so engrossed in a painting I forget to eat! If it weren't for her, I'd have fallen down dead from malnutrition by now." The two laughed, and then ended the conversation, re-affirming the arrival time at the country club.

            Emily hung up the phone and walked into her spacious bedroom and into her walk-in closet. "Now," she said to herself, "what am I going to wear?"