Chapter 17 - LAUREN COMES BACK INTO THE STORYThe meeting room looked intentionally ordinary.
A couch.
Two chairs.
A low table.
Markers.
A box of tissues placed discreetly enough not to announce disaster.
Maisie arrived with Reid and Dr. Price.
She wore a cream sweater and jeans.
No dress.
She had chosen her own clothes.
Lauren waited in another room.
Dr. Price asked:
“Ready?”
Maisie shook her head.
“Want to leave?”
“No.”
“Then we can be not ready and still continue.”
Maisie nodded.
Lauren entered.
She looked different from the photographs.
Older.
Hair shorter.
Nervous.
Her hands shook.
Maisie stared.
Lauren stopped several feet away.
“Hi.”
Maisie whispered:
“Hi.”
No one moved.
Lauren’s eyes filled immediately.
She looked down.
“I promised myself I wouldn’t cry instantly.”
Maisie almost smiled.
“You failed.”
Lauren laughed softly.
“Apparently.”
The tension changed.
Lauren sat.
Maisie stayed close to Reid.
Lauren did not ask her to move.
“You can ask me anything.”
Maisie looked at Dr. Price.
Then Reid.
Then Lauren.
“Why did you leave?”
Lauren took a breath.
“Because I was not healthy.”
“Sick?”
“In a way.”
She glanced at Reid.
“I was drinking too much.”
Maisie frowned.
“Alcohol?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I was sad and angry and I used something bad to avoid feeling it.”
Maisie processed.
“Did Dad make you sad?”
Reid almost spoke.
Dr. Price subtly signaled no.
Lauren answered.
“Sometimes.”
Reid accepted it.
“And I made him sad too.”
Maisie looked at Reid.
He nodded.
“Did you leave because of me?”
Lauren’s face broke.
“No.”
She said it carefully this time.
Not dramatically.
“No.”
Maisie’s eyes filled.
“Grandma said—”
“I know.”
Lauren stopped herself.
“I know she told you that.”
“Was she lying?”
“Yes.”
Maisie stared.
“Did you want me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you come back?”
Lauren’s breathing changed.
This was the harder question.
“I tried for a while.”
Maisie waited.
“Then I stopped trying enough.”
Reid looked at her.
Good.
No excuse.
Lauren continued.
“Grandma made it harder.”
Maisie looked at Reid.
“That’s true,” he said.
“But she did not make it impossible.”
Lauren’s eyes filled again.
“I got scared.”
“Of Grandma?”
“Of failing you again.”
Maisie looked confused.
“So you failed me by not coming?”
Lauren’s face tightened.
“Yes.”
Silence.
Dr. Price did not rescue anyone from it.
Maisie looked down.
“Okay.”
Lauren whispered:
“I’m sorry.”
Maisie asked:
“Can I be mad?”
“Yes.”
“Even if you’re sorry?”
“Yes.”
“Can I still want to see you?”
Lauren began crying again.
“Yes.”
Maisie looked at Reid.
“Everybody cries too much.”
Reid laughed unexpectedly.
Lauren did too.
The room softened.
They talked forty minutes.
Favorite foods.
School.
Lauren’s job.
Maisie loved horses.
Lauren was afraid of horses.
Maisie thought this was unacceptable.
At the end Lauren stood.
She did not ask for a hug.
“Thank you for meeting me.”
Maisie nodded.
Lauren moved toward the door.
Then Maisie said:
“Wait.”
Lauren stopped.
Maisie walked forward.
Not a hug.
She took Lauren’s hand.
Just for a second.
Then let go.
“Next week?”
Lauren’s face crumpled.
“If you want.”
“I do.”
“Then next week.”
Outside, Maisie was quiet.
Reid asked:
“How was it?”
“Weird.”
“Bad weird?”
“Some.”
“Good weird?”
“Some.”
“Want to go again?”
“Yes.”
She looked out the car window.
Then:
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Grandma really lied.”
Reid swallowed.
“Yes.”
“I thought maybe she was right a little.”
“About what?”
“That Mom didn’t care.”
Reid looked ahead.
“She cared.”
“She still left.”
“Yes.”
“Both.”
He smiled sadly.
“Both.”
Maisie nodded.
“Nobody is one thing.”
May you like
“Annoying, right?”
“Very.”
Related Stories
