Judy looked at her watch and was reassured to see it was exactly four o’clock. Ever since the museum gala Judy took a nap every day at this time. It wasn’t that she was tired; it was more a temporary melancholy that even shopping or time with her children couldn’t relieve. She had no desire to speak to a therapist or get a new prescription. She knew she had a damn good life and a very happy marriage. She began to walk up the stairs to her bedroom. She just needed a little escape every day.

Harley, the doyenne of Caribou, gave Albert and Judy a prime table at dinner. Judy was beside herself. In the room were pop stars, Hollywood names, and a veritable who’s who of American moguls worth over ten figures.

Waiting for the gravlax to arrive, Judy gossiped to Albert about everyone in the room. So-and-so is having an affair with so-and-so, so-and-so and so-and-so have lost all their money and are just putting up a front, so-and-so must have just had her face done because she looks so youthful, so-and-so had to sell his house in Paris.

She was even excited about the faces she didn’t recognize. “Albert.” She touched his shoulder. “I have to say, there’s something so liberating about being out west.”

Albert nodded and silently ate his first course, followed by the entrée.

“I thought we’d see Samantha Acton and Barry Santorini tonight. I ran into her in town the other day.”

For the first time during the meal Albert responded. “That’s the girl we had drinks with in Palm Beach? We had a dinner for her.”

“Yes, exactly. She’s here with Barry Santorini.”

Albert put his fork down. “I thought she was married to a doctor. That nice guy from Princeton.”

Judy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Honey, that was like two years ago. Don’t you ever listen to me?”

“I thought she was very bright.” He placed his silverware on his plate to signal that he was finished.

“You can’t have thought she was very bright!” Judy was agitated. What if things didn’t work out with Samantha and Barry. What if next Samantha went after Albert. She knew she had joked about it, but the truth was Albert would be a logical target. He was rich, decent, and unbelievably malleable.

“Albert, she’s a terrible person and a complete phony.”

“What can I say.” He put his napkin on the table. “I thought she was quite attractive and very bright. I liked her a lot.”

Judy reached for the bread. “Albert, why do you want to hurt me like this?” she asked as she had her first bite of bread in ten years.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he answered matter-of-factly. “You said you wanted me to talk more so I’m making an effort and talking.”