The Trophy Exchange Read Online Free PDF

room.
    The children ’ s muted giggling drifted into the room. She felt relief and a keen sadness – tears coursed down her checks. She didn ’ t want to be so angry. She didn ’ t want to lash out at Ted. But she was no longer in control – not since the baby died.
    When she first started dating Ted she knew he still carried a picture of Lucinda in his wallet. That was okay . She didn ’ t hold on to any pictures of her first love but she still thought of Mark often. In the beginning, she ’d even fantasized about him when she and Ted made love.
    Time passed, her relationship with Ted grew serious and Mark faded from her mind. The only time his memory resurrected was when she ran into an old high school friend and she ’ d wondered if she ’ d ever bump into Mark at Wal-Mart before they were both too old to remember.
    She didn ’ t expect Ted would ever run into Lucinda. When Ellen and Ted married, they ’d settled down in her home town, not his. She assumed Lucinda had drifted out of Ted ’ s thoughts, too. She had no idea that they were both working in the same police department until the day a shotgun blast tore through Lucinda ’ s face.
    Ellen shot to her feet and paced around the perimeter of the bed. I should go out to the table. I should smile like nothing happened. Joke with the kids. Flirt with Ted. Her hand wrapped around the bedroom doorknob then jerked back as if a jolt of electricity shot through the brass and into her flesh. I can’t do it. I can’t pretend I’m happy. I can’t walk around pretending I don’t believe something is going on between Ted and Lucinda.
    She paced again thinking about the day she learned of Lucinda ’ s continued presence in Ted ’ s life. He ’d told her about the injury , the loss of her eye. Ellen had recoiled at the sound of the other woman ’ s name but was too stunned by the revelation to ask any questions. Then, it became too awkward as she said nothing week after week with Ted coming home recounting tales of Lucinda ’ s recovery, rehabilitation and her return to active duty. She ’d kept trying to brush her concerns away. After all, Lucinda was a hot topic on everyone ’ s tongue at the department ’ s Christmas party that year. Ellen had employed logic in an attempt to banish her fears but still they would not stop haunting her sleep.
    On Christmas Eve , after they ’ d put the presents under the tree and were preparing for bed, the question had finally crossed her lips: “ Why didn ’ t you tell me you were working with Lucinda before? ”
    “ Before? ” Ted asked , turning his face away from her to rummage in a dresser drawer. “ I ’ ve been talking to you about her for months. ”
    “ Not until she was shot. How come you didn ’ t mention it before then? ”
    “ I didn ’ t think it mattered. ”
    “ It didn ’ t matter? You ’ re working with your old girlfriend and it didn ’ t matter? For the last few months, you ’ ve been obsessed with her. ”
    “ Oh, Ellen, ” Ted said as he turned around and crossed the room without looking her in the eye. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “ Don ’ t be jealous. Sure, I ’ m obsessed with her . . . ”
    Ellen squirmed trying to push off and get free.
    Ted just tightened his grip and planted a kiss on top of her head. “ But so is everyone else. It ’ s what she went through – a cop ’ s worst nightmare. She was shot in the line of duty and we ’ ve all been pulling for her. You ’ re my wife, Ellen. I come home to you every night – to you and the kids and the warm home you ’ ve created for all of us. This is where my heart is. ”
    She wanted to believe him but with her head against his chest, she couldn ’ t see his face. She couldn ’ t scan his eyes for hidden lies. Still , she relaxed and they stood together in quiet reflection. She lost herself in the comfort of familiar arms and inhaled the scent she knew so well.
    Ted pulled back and looked down