Do You Miss It?
by Phoebe Roberts
MARY SWANN, secret society avenger
ARTHUR SWANN, her husband and a police officer
~~~
ARTHUR: By Jove, Mary! You are a wonder!
MARY: Not bad, then?
ARTHUR: Not bad? Sometimes I wonder how I got on without you.
MARY: I wonder what your brother officers would say, if they knew.
ARTHUR: If they knew how much help you were to me, they’d make you an inspector yourself.
(Pause.)
ARTHUR: Do you miss it? Working cases, helping folks the way you did.
MARY: Oh, I’ve far too much to do now for that.
ARTHUR: That isn’t what I asked.
(MARY sighs.)
MARY: I suppose I do. I was terribly pleased when we managed to be of real service to people in need. And there’s something so very satisfying about picking apart a real puzzle. I’d become ever so good at it then.
ARTHUR: You’re ever so good at it still. But… that isn’t the lot of it, is it?
MARY: Arthur.
ARTHUR: It’s all right if you miss her too.
MARY: It was the right thing to do. I couldn’t stay there anymore.
ARTHUR: Might be so, love. But that doesn’t change how hard it was to leave her.
MARY: I suppose. But there’s no going back. So why talk about it?
ARTHUR: Righto. I only hate to think you’re unhappy.
MARY: I’m not, love.
ARTHUR: But you might be happier still.
MARY: Well. If that’s the case, I shall have to manage it from the place I am now. Nothing to do but move forward.