Chapt 4

Garfield has learnt something new today.

It is not very comfortable sitting on a tree branch.

Call him desperate, but he had climbed a huge oak tree over-looking the street where Raven had met the man. All this just to keep an eye on her. Was this just a waste of time or -

Raven. There she was. Garfield sighed. He knew she'd be back.

She looked around, the sun glinting on her dark head. She was waiting for somebody.

Her somebody came.

Garfield gasped and nearly fell off his perch on the branch.

She kissed him. On the cheek.

Garfield just stared straight ahead, dumbfounded. He was right all along.

OK. I give up. Raven, you win. You win. I'll just stay here on my tree forever, mourning my broken heart -

Wait.

Wait.

She was getting in his car!

Garfield sprang down from the tree, surprising himself at how swift and graceful his landing was.

Then he was running. He didn't care how dumb he looked, running after a car.

The car suddenly pulled over. They were probably stopping to make out or something.

No. Wait.

They had seen him. Dumb. Of course they had seen him.

Raven got out of the car, her dark hair tousled, mouth in a surprised 'O'.

"What are you doing?!" she exclaimed. Garfield opened his mouth to answer, to tell her the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Then ... he came out of the car.

He put his arm around Raven. She shook him off, and looked at the ground.

Garfield saw red.

"What are you doing?!" he yelled. He started taking giant steps towards her. "Sneaking around behind my back ... no, it's alright, I'll call a lawyer, prepare the divorce papers myself ..."

"How dare you talk to Raven like that - oh. So you're the pretty boy husband. Hmm." the man suddenly looked very amused.

"Garfield," Raven said quietly. "We have to talk."

Soon

"He's your what?!" Garfield looked amazed.

"My marriage counsellor ... I really, really wanted our marriage to go well, so ... I found a counsellor." Raven looked embarrassed. "And I've been seeing him for the past month. Ever since we got married."

"But ... but why?" Garfield held her neat, petite hands in his. "You weren't happy the way our marriage is going?"

"I was ... and I wanted it to last. So ... I found a counsellor."

Garfield frowned. "Is he trustable?"

"Oh, yes, he's very good. They featured him in this magazine ..." Raven dug around in her large, blue bag. "Here. See?"

One of the brightest counsellors ever seen, has helped countless couples. Less and less people are applying for divorces ...

"Dr. Beringer!" Garfield exclaimed. The signs were there al along.

Raven smiled. "You know him, too?"

"Uh ... sort of?"

Garfield felt terrible.

"I wish I'd trusted you. I should have known you would never cheat on me."

"And I wish I'd told you about him."

Something was still bugging him though.

"Rae ... he's your counsellor, why'd you have to kiss him?"

Raven looked embarrassed. "Gar, he missed his little boy's birthday just for my session ... how could I not?"

Garfield was shocked. "Little boy?"

"yes," Raven replied, smiling. "He's married. Anyway, who would look twice at me?"

"Gee, Rae," Garfield murmured, staring at his beautiful wife. "I hope that question was rhetorical."

"It was."

Garfield and Raven gazed fondly at each other.

"OK.This calls for e celebration dinner," Garfield stated.

"Huh? Celebrating what?"

"Us." Garfield gave Raven a kiss. "Your call."

"Hmm ..." Raven looked thoughtful. "Taco Bell!"

"Your wish is my command!"

Garfield groaned inwardly. Taco Bell wasn't ... well ... special enough. But he did want to please Raven ...

Suddenly, he had an idea ... He started feeling more optimistic.

"This will be the best dinner of your life," Garfield boasted.

"It's just Taco Bell!" Raven laughed.

That's what she thought ...