-sticking around for the sake of the kids and other inconveniences-

Overture:

It's another of those eventful evenings.
the orchestra opens to brooding melody.

Scene 1.
the night before:

he tosses the 24 carat gold cufflinks into the shallow
alabaster bowl sitting on the dresser with a muffled clink;
she releases the clasp of the Mikimoto strands from behind her neck,
drapes them into the velvet-lined repository.

dinner plans, for whatever reason, are set aside for the sake of discussion;
a discussion as formal and definitive as the articles of surrender.

Scene 2.
the previous week:

his dentist prepared the inoculation

in order to “numb the area”.

Scene 3.
the eventful evening:

an accident ahead.

the cop waves him through.

a late model red Cadillac Escalade's involved.

his wife drives a late model red Cadillac Escalade.

pausing his brain from rehearsing

the confession regarding his infidelity,
he proceeds with conflicted caution.
it’s not her Cadillac Escalade.

Scene 4.

his infidelity is best confessed after he's digested a late supper at home.

he remembers his phone-call to her as he gathered himself
to leave the Harvard Club for the night.–– she said:
"I don't know, dear. Anthony's preparing Duck a l'Orange or something".
                                                                                  

Curtain.