His Other Wife Read Online Free PDF

reservations for them. Can you believe it?”
    It encouraged her because her friends looked as shocked as she felt.
    “As if you don’t already have enough to deal with,” Julie said, shaking her head. “The other wife.”
    “You can’t be expected to entertain that woman ,” Donna said, throwing her purse strap over her shoulder like she was donning a military weapon.
    It was Gina who stripped Hilary bare with her words, though. She was the friend who knew Hilary best of all. “What did you
     say? Did you tell her she’s got more gall than a bladder surgeon?”
    “Disgusting,” Kim said. Hilary couldn’t be sure whether Kim was referring to Pam’s actions or Gina’s bad joke.
    “What’s that Scripture?” Donna quoted something that sounded like it came from Proverbs: “ ‘The lips of an adulteress drip
     honey but in the end she is bitter as gall.’ ”
    “You would memorize something like that?” Hilary said.
    “Just sort of rolled off my tongue, huh?”
    “Don’t say it.” Those words made Hilary’s teeth clench. “I’ve gotten beyond that. Don’t mention words like ‘adulteress.’ ”
    “Guess I just believe in calling a spade a spade.”
    Gina gripped Hilary’s shoulders and made Hilary meet her gaze while, all around them the lunch rush began and people were
     jostling three deep at the counter. “Hilary, you’re only barely making your way through as it is.”
    Hilary took a stab at humor: “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Gina. I’m glad you think I’m handling my life so well .”
    “We’re your friends. Who’s going to look after you if we don’t?”
    “We’re not kidding, Hilary,” Kim added. “What are you going to do ?”
    “Invite her to dinner and cook my best sage-chive steaks with arugula salad when she comes. Or maybe I’ll run away. Set up
     a new identity in a new place. Which do you think would be easier?”
    “Setting up a new identity,” Kim said.
    “That woman is perfectly capable of making her own hotel reservations,” Gina said.
    Life never gets easier, does it, Lord? Hilary thought. Just when you think you’ve got everything under control, something else comes along.
    Why did she get the feeling that Pam was trying to initiate a competition between them? Hilary supposed that’s where it started,
     two women having a go at marriage to the same man. Pam had ended up with Eric, after all, so why would she have anything else
     to prove? But Hilary was the one who had also gone through a divorce with him. Maybe that meant she had the edge. Maybe that
     meant she knew Eric better.
    “You’ve got to come up with something more elaborate than steaks,” Donna suggested. “You’ve got to make girl food. Maybe Thai. Something with peanut sauce. Show her who’s got the edge in the cooking department.”
    “Having a Pillsbury Bake-Off is the last thing I want to do during graduation week.”
    Julie held the door open for Hilary. “I agree. You don’t need to do that. Just eyeball Eric and see how much he weighs. That’ll
     tell you who’s the better cook.”
    Donna couldn’t leave that one alone. “Or who’s making sure he gets the most exercise,” she commented.
    “Get out of here.” Hilary flung her purse in the general direction of Donna’s arm. “Don’t even say it.” And finally everyone
     started laughing, even Hilary.
    Donna wrapped her arm around Hilary’s shoulder and hugged her sideways.
    “See you at the hospital,” Gina called.
    “Thanks for everything,” Julie said.
    As Hilary waved good-bye to the others and steered the car toward Englewood General, where she worked, she prayed, Okay, God. Help me get through this in spite of myself.
    She’d done fine up until now. Still, she had to admit that the hurt had lasted a very long time. Pam’s phone call had reminded
     her of the struggles, the questions she’d asked, the long months when God didn’t seem to be handing out any answers.

Chapter 2
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