parents into their bedroom. My mother picked up the phone and placed a person-to-person call to Grandma at her hotel. After a few minutes she said, "Hello, Sylvia… It's Barbara… Nothing's wrong… Everything's fine… Yes, really… Of course I'm sure… It's just that Margaret won't be able to visit you after all… Of course she's here… she's standing right next to me… Yes, you can talk to her-"
My mother held the phone out toward me. But I shook my head and refused to take it. So she covered the mouthpiece and whispered, "Grandma thinks you're sick. You've got to tell her you're all right."
I took the phone. "Grandma," I said, "it's Margaret."
I heard Grandma catch her breath.
"Nothing's wrong, Grandma… No, I'm not sick… Nobody's sick… Of course I'm sure… But I do want to come, Grandma. I just can't." I felt the tears in my eyes. My throat hurt when I swallowed. My mother motioned for me to tell Grandma the rest of the story. "I can't come to Florida because we're having company that week." Now my voice sounded very high and squeaky.
Grandma asked me, what company?
"My other grandparents," I said. "You know, Mom's mother and father… Nobody invited them exactly… but Mom sent them a Christmas card with our new address and now we got a letter saying they're coming and they want to see me… Well, I know you want to see me too. And I want to see you but Mom won't let me… '"
Then I started to cry for real and my mother took the phone.
"We're all sorry, Sylvia. It's just one of those things. Margaret understands. I hope you do too. Thank you, Sylvia. I knew you would… Yes, Herb's fine. I'll put him on. Just a minute." I ran upstairs while my father said, "Hello, mother."
Are you there God? It's me, Margaret. I'm so miserable! Everything is wrong. Absolutely everything! I guess this is my punishment for being a horrible person. I guess you think it's only fair for me to suffer after what I did to Laura. Isn't that right God? But I've always tried to do what you wanted. Really, I have. Please don't let them come God. Make something happen so I can go to Florida anyway. Please…
21
That week my mother went crazy cleaning the house, while I waited for something to happen. I thought it would be a telegram saying they weren't able to come after all. I was sure God only wanted to punish me for a little while. Not for the whole spring vacation.
"Cheer up, Margaret," my mother said over dinner. "Things are never as bad as they seem."
"How can you be glad they're coming?" I asked. "After all those stories you've told me about them- how?"
"I want to show them how well I've managed for fourteen years without their help. And I want them to see my wonderful family."
My father said, "You can't expect Margaret to be overjoyed when her plans have been changed at the last minute."
"Look, Herb," my mother said. "I haven't forgiven my parents. You know that. I never will. But they're coming. I can't say no. Try to understand… both of you… please."
My mother hadn't ever asked me to do that before. Usually it was me asking her to try to understand.
My father kissed her on the cheek as she cleared away the dishes. He promised to make the best of it. I promised too. My mother kissed us both and said she had the best family in the world.
On April fifth my mother and I drove to Newark Airport to meet them. My father didn't come. He thought it would be better if he stayed at home and greeted them there.
All the way to the airport my mother briefed me. "Margaret, I'm not trying to make excuses for my mother and father. But I want you to know that your grandparents have their beliefs too. And fourteen years ago… well… they did what they thought was right. Even though we know it was cruel. Their beliefs were that important to them. Am I making any sense to you?"
"Some," I said.
When they announced the arrival of flight #894 from Toledo I followed my mother to the gate. I knew it was them right
My mother held the phone out toward me. But I shook my head and refused to take it. So she covered the mouthpiece and whispered, "Grandma thinks you're sick. You've got to tell her you're all right."
I took the phone. "Grandma," I said, "it's Margaret."
I heard Grandma catch her breath.
"Nothing's wrong, Grandma… No, I'm not sick… Nobody's sick… Of course I'm sure… But I do want to come, Grandma. I just can't." I felt the tears in my eyes. My throat hurt when I swallowed. My mother motioned for me to tell Grandma the rest of the story. "I can't come to Florida because we're having company that week." Now my voice sounded very high and squeaky.
Grandma asked me, what company?
"My other grandparents," I said. "You know, Mom's mother and father… Nobody invited them exactly… but Mom sent them a Christmas card with our new address and now we got a letter saying they're coming and they want to see me… Well, I know you want to see me too. And I want to see you but Mom won't let me… '"
Then I started to cry for real and my mother took the phone.
"We're all sorry, Sylvia. It's just one of those things. Margaret understands. I hope you do too. Thank you, Sylvia. I knew you would… Yes, Herb's fine. I'll put him on. Just a minute." I ran upstairs while my father said, "Hello, mother."
Are you there God? It's me, Margaret. I'm so miserable! Everything is wrong. Absolutely everything! I guess this is my punishment for being a horrible person. I guess you think it's only fair for me to suffer after what I did to Laura. Isn't that right God? But I've always tried to do what you wanted. Really, I have. Please don't let them come God. Make something happen so I can go to Florida anyway. Please…
21
That week my mother went crazy cleaning the house, while I waited for something to happen. I thought it would be a telegram saying they weren't able to come after all. I was sure God only wanted to punish me for a little while. Not for the whole spring vacation.
"Cheer up, Margaret," my mother said over dinner. "Things are never as bad as they seem."
"How can you be glad they're coming?" I asked. "After all those stories you've told me about them- how?"
"I want to show them how well I've managed for fourteen years without their help. And I want them to see my wonderful family."
My father said, "You can't expect Margaret to be overjoyed when her plans have been changed at the last minute."
"Look, Herb," my mother said. "I haven't forgiven my parents. You know that. I never will. But they're coming. I can't say no. Try to understand… both of you… please."
My mother hadn't ever asked me to do that before. Usually it was me asking her to try to understand.
My father kissed her on the cheek as she cleared away the dishes. He promised to make the best of it. I promised too. My mother kissed us both and said she had the best family in the world.
On April fifth my mother and I drove to Newark Airport to meet them. My father didn't come. He thought it would be better if he stayed at home and greeted them there.
All the way to the airport my mother briefed me. "Margaret, I'm not trying to make excuses for my mother and father. But I want you to know that your grandparents have their beliefs too. And fourteen years ago… well… they did what they thought was right. Even though we know it was cruel. Their beliefs were that important to them. Am I making any sense to you?"
"Some," I said.
When they announced the arrival of flight #894 from Toledo I followed my mother to the gate. I knew it was them right
Similar Books
