Closest To My Heart

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Sit down, Margaret."

Maggie sank slowly to the edge of the chair, the joy she'd felt only moments before dissipating like steam from a mirror. She hoped that the trace of compassion she'd detected in her mother's tone would win out over the hints of ire and disappointment that were also present there, just waiting for the chance to unleash themselves.

"Mom, I—"

"What is going on with you, Margaret?" her mother cut in, and then segued on to the main point of her lecture before Maggie had a chance to answer. "I've been more than patient over the years as you've tried to find yourself, but my patience is wearing dangerously thin, young lady. You can't keep squandering your opportunities like this! First it was the violin, then law school, and now you've quit your job and your engagement to Kevin? Honestly, Margaret, I just don't know what goes on in that head of yours sometimes..."

"Nothing!" Maggie burst out, and then lowered her voice as she flopped back into the chair. "I mean, everything. I mean... oh, I don't know what I mean! But I didn't 'quit' my job, I was laid off. And I didn't quit Kevin. He quit me."

"Well, according to him, you were the one who stormed out of the condo over a minor disagreement..."

"A minor disagreement?" Maggie echoed, sitting bolt upright on the edge of the chair. "He accused me of being a gold-digger, Mother! He said that the only reason I was in such a rush to get married was because he's going to make partner this year, and that I wanted a 'piece of the pie', as he put it. Oh, and he also said that I'm needy, lazy, unambitious, and that it wouldn't kill me to lose a couple of pounds!"

The older woman's jaw slackened every-so-slightly, and she might have commented if Maggie hadn't plowed onward in her own defense.

"Oh! And I didn't 'storm out' on him, because he wasn't even home at the time! He was in Boston, and he said all those horrible things to me over the phone! And yes, after he hung up on me, I did leave the condo. I was upset and I went for a drive, and I ended up here at Sean's. It would have only been for that one night, except that Kevin dumped me the next day. Via text."

Maggie saw her mother wince, but her features quickly smoothed back into their usual mask of serenity and composure. While she vowed never to cave to the lure of cosmetic surgery, Cecelia O'Donnell fought a hard and constant battle against the aging process, and wincing was apparently akin to squinting, which was an action to be avoided at all costs.

"I see," she said, rising from her perch in one prim motion. "Kevin didn't impart those details to me. But it makes no difference now, I suppose. Just gather some clothes and enough essentials to last a few days, and we'll arrange for your brother to ship the rest of your things later in the week."

Maggie's chin drew back as she looked up at her mother in complete befuddlement.

"Ship my things? Where?"

"Why, to the Cape, of course," her mother said, as if it should be obvious. "Your father and I are headed back in the morning, right after breakfast. You can stay with us until this little tiff with Kevin blows over."

Maggie's mouth fell open in stunned disbelief of her mother's oblivion. After a brief hesitation, she sprang to her feet.

"Mom, weren't you listening? It was more than a 'little tiff', and it's not going to 'blow over'," she said. "Kevin and I are finished, and I'm not going to Massachusetts with you and Dad! It's time I started taking care of myself."