bedroom and bath all to yourselves.” Still silence.
“We’ve decided to throw a party. We’re inviting friends down, and I thought it would be fun for you and Tom to come.”
Finally Meg’s mother spoke, squeaking up an octave as she did when she was nervous. “The thing is, honey, ever since the boys went off to college, your stepfather and I have developed the most active social life. You would be completely shocked. We belong to a bridge club, and a book group, and a dinner club, where each month someone hosts a dinner with a theme. Like Italian food and wine, or sushi. I have to say the sushi didn’t go over very well.”
Meg’s shoulders slumped. She’d guessed what her mother would say before she said it. Tom had never developed any kind of connection with Meg. Perhaps it was her fault. By now it shouldn’t matter. She was an adult. She didn’t need his affection. But she did want her mother’s attention and affection; she couldn’t help it, it was a deep, fierce craving. Perhaps that was why she favored
Little Women
so much, with the warmly maternal Marmee, who worshipped her daughters, all four of them; who spoke softly, gave moral instruction, was patient and even doting. Meg had actually wondered whether she preferred the book because the father wasn’t there, just as her own father hadn’t been there, just as, in her deepest, most selfish heart, she wished Tom had never been there to steal away her mother’s heart, to give her mother twin sons who took her devotion from Meg.
Cyndi said, “Meg, I’m so sorry, but we’ve got a party alreadyscheduled for the holiday. Tom will have to get back to work the next day, anyway, so we really can’t fit even an overnight trip in right now. Perhaps later in the summer?”
“Okay, Mom. Just thought I’d check. I’ll call you again to see when a good time would be for you both. Wouldn’t you like a nice little free holiday on the island?”
Cyndi sighed. “The truth is—I might as well admit it—I don’t think Tom would ever want to stay in Rory’s house. That’s just too—oh, I don’t know—strange.”
“But Dad
died
,” Meg protested.
“Yes, but he slept in that house. Probably in the master bedroom you’re offering us. I don’t think Tom would ever want to sleep in Rory’s bed.”
“Okay, I get that. But there’s a pullout sofa in the den,” Meg persisted.
“Still, it was Rory’s house. You need to be a little more sensitive, Meg, you really do.”
Meg felt as if she’d been slapped. It took a moment for her to get her breath back. “All right, then,” she said weakly.
“I’m sorry, Meg. It has nothing to do with you.”
“Tom has nothing to do with me,” Meg echoed.
“Don’t put words in my mouth. Honestly, Meg, I think you’re trying to pick a fight!”
Meg forced herself to back down. “I’m sorry, Mom. I don’t mean to. I just wanted to ask you and Tom down for a visit. But I can understand why you might not want to come.”
“Thank you for that, Meg. You know how I hate being caught between Tom and you. Listen, enjoy yourself. You’ve got the opportunity to spend the summer on the island. Then you’ll be able to sell the house and have a good nest egg to buy your own house someday. The weeks will fly. We’ll see you back in Boston in no time at all.”
“Right. Well, okay, then, say hi to the boys when you talk to them. Say hi to Tom for me, okay?”
“Of course, Meg. Good-bye, sweetheart.”
“Mom, how are you?”
“Jenny. Hi, sweetie. So good to hear your voice. The question is: How are
you
?”
“We’re all getting along fine,” Jenny assured her mother.
“I’m so glad. I really hope the three of you can bond, especially now that Rory’s gone. You’re all grown up, with your own lives. The past is behind us. It would be nice for you to have stepsisters you could share things with.”
“It’s a good thought, Mom. We’ll see how it goes. Listen, the reason I’m calling is
“We’ve decided to throw a party. We’re inviting friends down, and I thought it would be fun for you and Tom to come.”
Finally Meg’s mother spoke, squeaking up an octave as she did when she was nervous. “The thing is, honey, ever since the boys went off to college, your stepfather and I have developed the most active social life. You would be completely shocked. We belong to a bridge club, and a book group, and a dinner club, where each month someone hosts a dinner with a theme. Like Italian food and wine, or sushi. I have to say the sushi didn’t go over very well.”
Meg’s shoulders slumped. She’d guessed what her mother would say before she said it. Tom had never developed any kind of connection with Meg. Perhaps it was her fault. By now it shouldn’t matter. She was an adult. She didn’t need his affection. But she did want her mother’s attention and affection; she couldn’t help it, it was a deep, fierce craving. Perhaps that was why she favored
Little Women
so much, with the warmly maternal Marmee, who worshipped her daughters, all four of them; who spoke softly, gave moral instruction, was patient and even doting. Meg had actually wondered whether she preferred the book because the father wasn’t there, just as her own father hadn’t been there, just as, in her deepest, most selfish heart, she wished Tom had never been there to steal away her mother’s heart, to give her mother twin sons who took her devotion from Meg.
Cyndi said, “Meg, I’m so sorry, but we’ve got a party alreadyscheduled for the holiday. Tom will have to get back to work the next day, anyway, so we really can’t fit even an overnight trip in right now. Perhaps later in the summer?”
“Okay, Mom. Just thought I’d check. I’ll call you again to see when a good time would be for you both. Wouldn’t you like a nice little free holiday on the island?”
Cyndi sighed. “The truth is—I might as well admit it—I don’t think Tom would ever want to stay in Rory’s house. That’s just too—oh, I don’t know—strange.”
“But Dad
died
,” Meg protested.
“Yes, but he slept in that house. Probably in the master bedroom you’re offering us. I don’t think Tom would ever want to sleep in Rory’s bed.”
“Okay, I get that. But there’s a pullout sofa in the den,” Meg persisted.
“Still, it was Rory’s house. You need to be a little more sensitive, Meg, you really do.”
Meg felt as if she’d been slapped. It took a moment for her to get her breath back. “All right, then,” she said weakly.
“I’m sorry, Meg. It has nothing to do with you.”
“Tom has nothing to do with me,” Meg echoed.
“Don’t put words in my mouth. Honestly, Meg, I think you’re trying to pick a fight!”
Meg forced herself to back down. “I’m sorry, Mom. I don’t mean to. I just wanted to ask you and Tom down for a visit. But I can understand why you might not want to come.”
“Thank you for that, Meg. You know how I hate being caught between Tom and you. Listen, enjoy yourself. You’ve got the opportunity to spend the summer on the island. Then you’ll be able to sell the house and have a good nest egg to buy your own house someday. The weeks will fly. We’ll see you back in Boston in no time at all.”
“Right. Well, okay, then, say hi to the boys when you talk to them. Say hi to Tom for me, okay?”
“Of course, Meg. Good-bye, sweetheart.”
“Mom, how are you?”
“Jenny. Hi, sweetie. So good to hear your voice. The question is: How are
you
?”
“We’re all getting along fine,” Jenny assured her mother.
“I’m so glad. I really hope the three of you can bond, especially now that Rory’s gone. You’re all grown up, with your own lives. The past is behind us. It would be nice for you to have stepsisters you could share things with.”
“It’s a good thought, Mom. We’ll see how it goes. Listen, the reason I’m calling is
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