I asked her if she was joking. Her frown told me she wasn’t. “Every last penny, gone,” she said. “And that’s not the worst of it, she continued, leaning across the table, Lena has the map.”
I reached my hands through my hair, my chest felt tight and I swore the room was starting to spin, “She has no idea what she’s doing Marcie. If she tries to go after it alone, she could get killed.”
Marcie’s face twisted in anger, “You have to be joking.” she studied my eyes for a moment, then shoved herself away from the table.
“Seriously Paul? Lena just betrayed you! She stole every penny we had left and abandoned us in a foreign country with no way of getting back home.”
I stood to my feet and jutted a finger out at her, “You have no way of knowing that. Maybe something happened? Maybe she did it to protect us?”
Marcie’s eyes narrowed at me, her voice dripped with venom, “Protect us? Protect us! Paul, she’s been trying to get rid of you this whole time!”
“Wait just a minute-”
“No. No! You will not do this again! You chase after her like some lovesick imbecile and I’m left to pick up the pieces. Literally. You lost a finger in that explosion!” Marcie paced the tiny apartment, words flowing fast at each turn. “I put my neck on the line. I got you that fellowship. I backed your research. I got you out of that stupid jailhouse for Pete’s sake! I nursed you back from yellow fever. Me, Paul! I did that. And every time she called your name I was alone. You left me in that rat den in Petersburg because Lena needed rescuing. I-”
Marcie cut herself off, her voice strained in pain. I watched as tears fell from her eyes, my stomach twisted in on itself.
“I’m done Paul.” her voice whispered at last. “I’m done. Go on, go get Lena. Fulfill your death wish. I wash my hands of you.” Marcie turned to leave and I took a stuttering step toward her. “You said once that the world would stand in awe watching what I could do. But all I wanted was for you to see me.”