Marissa was first aware of a flurry of activity with Donna straightening up and Robert coming half out of his chair. Robert quickly sat back down. Donna self-consciously smoothed her short skirt toward her knees and adjusted a string of pearls around her neck. Her hair, which she usually wore in a chignon, had partially come undone on the side.

Stunned, Marissa stared at her husband. His tie was loosened and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone. His sandy hair, usually so neatly combed, was mussed. On the carpet by Robert’s desk, Marissa spotted two high-heeled shoes.

The scene was so trite, Marissa didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Maybe I should wait outside for a few minutes,” she said at last. “It’ll give you two time to finish your dictation.” With that, she started to back out of the office.

“Marissa!” Robert said. “Wait! This is not what you are thinking. Donna was merely rubbing my shoulders. Tell her, Donna!”

“Yes!” Donna said. “I was just rubbing his shoulders. He’s been so tense.”

“Whatever,” Marissa said with a false smile. “I think I’ll be leaving. In fact, I’ve just reconsidered that idea I mentioned last night. I think I’ll be going to Australia for a few days after all.”

“No!” Robert said. “I forbid you to go to Australia!”

“Oh, really?” Marissa said.

With that, Marissa spun on her heels and walked out of Robert’s office. She heard him call after her, insisting she come back immediately, but she ignored him. The receptionist looked up at her with a quizzical expression, having heard her boss’s cry, but Marissa merely smiled and kept moving. She went directly to the elevators and punched the Down button, refusing to so much as glance back at Robert’s office door.

Inside the elevator, Marissa was glad to be alone. In spite of her rage, she felt a few hot tears slide down her face. “Bastard!” she muttered.

Crossing School Street, Marissa ducked into the Omni Parker House and used a pay phone to call the airlines. Then, after picking up her keys from the doorman, she made a loop through downtown Boston and headed out Cambridge Street. She parked in the parking lot of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and went into the emergency area.

After checking both eye emergency rooms, she found Wendy helping a junior resident with a procedure in one of the minor surgical rooms.

When Wendy was through, Marissa took her out by the emergency room desk.

“Are you still up for the Australian trip?” Marissa asked.

“Sure!” Wendy said. “You look kind of tense. Everything okay?”

Marissa ignored her question. “How soon could you leave?”

“Pretty much anytime,” Wendy answered. “When do you want to go?”