Chapter 22 - THE FIRST REAL MEETINGMaisie’s fourth meeting with Lauren was the first without Dr. Price in the room.
Reid remained nearby.
They met at a park.
Lauren brought sandwiches.
Maisie brought questions.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
Lauren almost choked.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Thank you for the interrogation.”
Maisie smiled.
“Did you want another kid?”
Lauren went quiet.
“Once.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Life went differently.”
Maisie kicked her feet under the picnic table.
“Do you wish you had one instead of me?”
Lauren’s face changed.
“No.”
Immediate.
“Never.”
“Grandma said—”
Lauren stopped.
Then chose not to insult Cecelia.
“What Grandma said was wrong.”
Maisie nodded.
“Do you hate her?”
Lauren thought.
“I used to.”
“Now?”
“I don’t want to spend that much energy on her anymore.”
Maisie considered.
“Dad says being mad all the time is expensive.”
Lauren laughed.
“That sounds like something Reid would say after therapy.”
Maisie smiled.
Then her face became serious.
“Did you ever think about me on my birthday?”
Lauren’s eyes filled.
“Every one.”
“Did you buy stuff?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Lauren smiled sadly.
“Too much.”
“Where is it?”
“In a storage closet.”
Maisie looked fascinated.
“What kind of stuff?”
“Books. Dolls. A bicycle when you turned six.”
“You bought a bike?”
“Yes.”
“What color?”
“Purple.”
“I hate purple.”
Lauren laughed through tears.
“I had no idea.”
“That’s because you didn’t know me.”
The sentence hurt.
Lauren nodded.
“You’re right.”
Maisie looked surprised she did not defend herself.
“You really don’t know me.”
“Not enough.”
“Do you want to?”
“Yes.”
Maisie looked down.
“Okay.”
They spent the rest of lunch discussing facts.
Favorite color: green.
Favorite animal: horse.
Least favorite food: peas.
Favorite school subject: science.
Lauren wrote nothing down.
Maisie noticed.
“How will you remember?”
Lauren tapped her head.
“I’ll try.”
“Dad writes everything in his phone.”
“Your dad forgets his own coffee.”
“That’s true.”
Reid, sitting ten yards away pretending not to listen, raised a hand in protest.
Maisie laughed.
When the visit ended Lauren did not cry.
Progress.
Maisie hugged her briefly.
Her first real hug.
Lauren froze before returning it gently.
In the car, Reid said nothing for several minutes.
Maisie finally asked:
“You’re not going to ask?”
“Ask what?”
“How it was.”
“I assumed you’d tell me if you wanted.”
She looked at him.
“That’s new.”
“Trying something.”
She nodded.
Then:
“It was good.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
“She doesn’t know anything.”
“About you?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s why you’re meeting.”
“She bought me a purple bike.”
Reid laughed.
“That is unforgivable.”
Maisie laughed too.
Then:
“I think I love her.”
Reid’s chest tightened.
“That’s okay.”
“I’m still mad.”
“Also okay.”
“Both.”
“Both.”
They drove home.
Briarstone Manor appeared around the curve.
Maisie looked at it.
“Can Mom come there someday?”
Reid hesitated.
The house carried too much history.
Lauren.
Cecelia.
Conflict.
But it was also Maisie’s home.
“If you want.”
“Not yet.”
“Okay.”
Maybe one day.
No rush.
That was another thing Cecelia never tolerated.
Unresolved things.
May you like
But not every relationship needed immediate definition.
Some needed room.
