“Dearest Publilia,
how are you?” Aemillia asked loftily as she glided into
the lavish atrium. She lightly hugged
Publilia.
“Fine, as
always. How do you fare?” Publilia
started to lead Aemillia through the formal hall, heading for the private
corner seat of the garden.
“I’m doing well.”
“And your family?” They reached the ring of columns at the edge
of the inside garden.
“They are all
fine. “
“I’m so glad to
hear it.” Publilia sat on the bench in
the garden and shook her head at her slave’s silent offer to bring refreshments
for her guest. Understanding, the slave
left the garden.
Seeing the slave
leave, Aemillia relaxed her shoulders and earnestly demanded, “How are you really? Is Cicero really gone?”
Publilia visibly
deflated. “Yes, he is. He has hardly even looked at me when Tullia
died three weeks ago. He grew agitated at
all my attempts to console him or tell him of my grief for his daughter or my
prayers for her.” She sat upright and indignantly
declared, “And then he just left!”
“I’m so
sorry. He didn’t say anything? He just left?” Aemillia inquired curiously. She knew Cicero was not a man of a few
words. He always had many things to say
whenever there was an opportunity.
“He explained to
me that he needed to be alone, and that he would return as soon as he was able. He told me not to try to contact him until I
heard from him. He said that his pain
was too great. Too great to talk to his
wife?”
“Well, you know
he was unusually attached to her. By the
gods, that girl could do no wrong in his eye.
He still shouldn’t ignore you. I
thought after being marriage awhile things would get better. That he would get more interested in you.”
“He hasn’t. I told my mother and she arranged to visit
Cicero with Publilius, hoping that I could come along and visit him as
well. She helped me write an eloquent plea
to let me come.”
“What did it say?
”
“Oh, you know,
how I missed him and longed to be by his side to help him through this trying
time. Anyway, it was useless. I got word yesterday that I can’t go.”
“Why don’t you
get a divorce? I know Cicero is in
Caesar’s good graces now, but who knows what will happen?”
“Cicero is
powerful. There’s no way he’ll be
foolish again. Mother says I need to
stay married to him, and see what happens.”
