Magic in Our Hearts by Jeanne Mccann

obvious that she was still very much in love with Brett.
    That much Mrs. Camden knew. It pleased her no end.
    “Thank you.”
    “I owe you my thanks. My daughter is slowly killing herself, and I don’t have enough time left to help her. I know you can.” Taylor was hoping she could help both Brett and her mother. She would do everything in her power to improve things for both of them.

 
    CHAPTER 6
    Taylor saw the sign with her name printed on it in large, looping letters as soon as she exited the airport. A uniformed chauffeur helped her into the town car and loaded her luggage into the trunk. The rest of her things were being shipped later in the week. She sat anxiously in the backseat as the driver announced that the trip would take a little over thirty minutes and then fell silent. Taylor was beginning to panic as she reconsidered what she had committed to do. She almost missed the beautiful city that they drove through. The city was clean and businesses sprawled out in an inviting way, but it was the mountains in the distance that caught her eye. They were covered with snow and their jagged peaks were majestic. She could see why Brett had found skiing so appealing. The mountains had a way of calling to a person. The streets were wide and the majority of the cars on the road were SUVs with ski racks on top. Taylor counted four ski rental companies in a two-block section of town, several quaint restaurants, and a large shopping mall. After traveling for almost a mile out of town they turned into a suburb of high-end homes. The houses were large and sat comfortably on mani-cured lawns. Ten houses from the entrance, they pulled into the driveway of a colonial style white house with black shutters.
    “Ms. Aronson, I’m to pick up Ms. Camden and then we will we will have another twenty minute drive.”
    Taylor watched the chauffeur go to the door and then escort Mrs. Camden to the limousine.
    “Hello, Taylor, how was your flight?”
    “It was fine, Mrs. Camden. I like your city. It’s very charming.” 
    “It is unless it’s overflowing with weekend skiers. Just getting to the mall can take an hour. Are you ready to go to Brett’s house?”
    “Yes, I am.” Taylor shivered as she thought about Brett. She was also terribly nervous about confronting her again after so many years. She had been able to avoid her until this moment, and she knew the meeting was going to be painful.
    She also expected Brett to be furious.
    Taylor was dead right!
    “Get the fuck out of my house!” Brett slouched between her crutches, her hair long and shaggy, and her eyes dark, sunken pits in her face. The tee shirt she wore was wrinkled and soiled, hanging loosely on her frame. The sight of her former lover all but knocked the wind out of Taylor. She had to bite her lip to prevent herself from crying out loud.
    “Brett, Taylor is here to work with you as a physical therapist. She’s going to help you with your rehabilitation. “Brett’s mother had remained calm as she faced her furious daughter.
    “God damn it, Mother, how many times have I told you? I’m not going to get any better? Don’t you get that? There is no recovery; this is the best it’s ever going to be. And why her? I don’t want her here!” Brett railed at her mother. And then to Taylor, “Leave now! There’s nothing you can do here.”
    Taylor was too shocked by her first glimpse of Brett to do anything but stare.
    The photograph she’d been shown couldn’t compare to the actual sight of the woman. Brett was gaunt, her eyes dull, her hair filthy. She was wearing a pair of baggy, wrinkled sweats and a torn, dirty tee shirt. She leaned heavily on her crutches as her eyes shot bolts of rage at her mother and Taylor.
    “Brett, won’t you please try for me?” Mrs. Camden’s softly spoken plea shut Brett’s anger down completely.
    Brett’s eyes filled with tears as she walked awkwardly toward her mother, the crutches keeping her steady. “Mother, I would