as you could be?” her mother prodded.
“Is anybody?”
“Some people are.”
“I don’t see what religion has to do with my happiness.”
Ed raised his hands in surrender. “I didn’t mean to start a holy war, ladies.”
“Don’t worry. You didn’t start anything, Ed. This is an ongoing skirmish,” Maeve said. “My daughter doesn’t think much of my spiritual quests.”
“Maybe I’d think more of your spiritual quests if they didn’t always end up with a new wardrobe and a six-figure book deal.”
They were all grateful when Gwynn floated back into the room carrying two plastic vases overflowing with Ed’s very expensive flowers. Gwynn herself overflowed with funny stories and observations, all tailored to amuse her father and remind him that his firstborn still needed his attention too.
Kate couldn’t help but wonder when Gwynn planned to drop the Andrew bomb on poor, unsuspecting Ed.
Then again maybe Ed wasn’t half as clueless as she had been and was prepared. His emotional radar had always been more well developed than hers. He had known she wanted to leave him before she was willing to admit that the marriage had run its course. She doubted he would be as blindsided as she had been by Gwynn’s news.
Kate pretended to doze as conversation washed over her. All of this emotional Sturm und Drang was exhausting. Her heart attack had made everyone else just the slightest bit crazy and they were wearing her out.
She finally convinced Ed that she wasn’t going to have a relapse and that he should go home to his family and catch up on his sleep.
“You should eat something first,” Gwynn said. “Why don’t we go get something in the courtyard before you go?”
Ed hesitated, but something in his daughter’s eyes and tone of voice persuaded him to go with her. No surprise there. Kate had chosen the father of her only child very well. Ed was a terrific father, and her only regret was that they hadn’t been able to grant their daughter’s greatest wish: that her parents would stay married.
“He’s good with her,” Maeve said after Ed and Gwynn left. “She’ll listen to what he has to say.”
“Ouch,” Kate said. “That hurts.”
“She’s a daddy’s girl, sweetie. Always was, always will be. There’s nothing you can do about that.”
“Do you think he can persuade her to go home and get back to work?”
“I hope so,” Maeve said. “She’s on the phone with Andrew from the moment we get to your place until we leave the next morning.”
“A slight exaggeration, Mom?”
“She sleeps with her cell phone on the pillow so they can breathe for each other.”
“Oh God. I thought we left that behind when she turned eighteen.”
“She’s a romantic. Some of us never leave it behind.”
“And how about you?” Kate asked. “You should get back to your book tour.”
Maeve looked surprised. “And leave you to fend for yourself?”
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I’ll be going back to work next week.”
“I thought Dr. Lombardi told you to take three weeks off.”
“I don’t know where you got that from. He hasn’t mentioned anything like that.”
Maeve tapped her earrings with her index finger and set them dancing, the way she did whenever she was about to make a big announcement. “I cancelled my tour, honey. I’m going to stay right here and take care of you until you’re back on your feet, no matter how long it takes.” She leaned over and kissed the top of Kate’s head. “It will be like a mini-vacation for both of us.”
Was forty-one too old to run away from home?
Four
Friday meetings could go either way. Sometimes it was standing room only, everyone looking to stockpile support against the uncertainties of the weekend ahead, while other times it was the leader and a handful of longtime members who found strength in routine, not numbers.
Mark had been leading the group for almost a year and he’d grown used to the ebb and flow.
“Is anybody?”
“Some people are.”
“I don’t see what religion has to do with my happiness.”
Ed raised his hands in surrender. “I didn’t mean to start a holy war, ladies.”
“Don’t worry. You didn’t start anything, Ed. This is an ongoing skirmish,” Maeve said. “My daughter doesn’t think much of my spiritual quests.”
“Maybe I’d think more of your spiritual quests if they didn’t always end up with a new wardrobe and a six-figure book deal.”
They were all grateful when Gwynn floated back into the room carrying two plastic vases overflowing with Ed’s very expensive flowers. Gwynn herself overflowed with funny stories and observations, all tailored to amuse her father and remind him that his firstborn still needed his attention too.
Kate couldn’t help but wonder when Gwynn planned to drop the Andrew bomb on poor, unsuspecting Ed.
Then again maybe Ed wasn’t half as clueless as she had been and was prepared. His emotional radar had always been more well developed than hers. He had known she wanted to leave him before she was willing to admit that the marriage had run its course. She doubted he would be as blindsided as she had been by Gwynn’s news.
Kate pretended to doze as conversation washed over her. All of this emotional Sturm und Drang was exhausting. Her heart attack had made everyone else just the slightest bit crazy and they were wearing her out.
She finally convinced Ed that she wasn’t going to have a relapse and that he should go home to his family and catch up on his sleep.
“You should eat something first,” Gwynn said. “Why don’t we go get something in the courtyard before you go?”
Ed hesitated, but something in his daughter’s eyes and tone of voice persuaded him to go with her. No surprise there. Kate had chosen the father of her only child very well. Ed was a terrific father, and her only regret was that they hadn’t been able to grant their daughter’s greatest wish: that her parents would stay married.
“He’s good with her,” Maeve said after Ed and Gwynn left. “She’ll listen to what he has to say.”
“Ouch,” Kate said. “That hurts.”
“She’s a daddy’s girl, sweetie. Always was, always will be. There’s nothing you can do about that.”
“Do you think he can persuade her to go home and get back to work?”
“I hope so,” Maeve said. “She’s on the phone with Andrew from the moment we get to your place until we leave the next morning.”
“A slight exaggeration, Mom?”
“She sleeps with her cell phone on the pillow so they can breathe for each other.”
“Oh God. I thought we left that behind when she turned eighteen.”
“She’s a romantic. Some of us never leave it behind.”
“And how about you?” Kate asked. “You should get back to your book tour.”
Maeve looked surprised. “And leave you to fend for yourself?”
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I’ll be going back to work next week.”
“I thought Dr. Lombardi told you to take three weeks off.”
“I don’t know where you got that from. He hasn’t mentioned anything like that.”
Maeve tapped her earrings with her index finger and set them dancing, the way she did whenever she was about to make a big announcement. “I cancelled my tour, honey. I’m going to stay right here and take care of you until you’re back on your feet, no matter how long it takes.” She leaned over and kissed the top of Kate’s head. “It will be like a mini-vacation for both of us.”
Was forty-one too old to run away from home?
Four
Friday meetings could go either way. Sometimes it was standing room only, everyone looking to stockpile support against the uncertainties of the weekend ahead, while other times it was the leader and a handful of longtime members who found strength in routine, not numbers.
Mark had been leading the group for almost a year and he’d grown used to the ebb and flow.
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