Close to Destiny (A Magical Love Story)

Chapter 40

May 13, early in the morning

For the first time since Blanche left, I answered the phone. Mom. I knew it would be her. The messages had been piling up, and I hadn't returned a single call. I guess I could have let the game continue. It's not as if she would show up on the doorstep. Even if I dropped dead, she wouldn't move her ass out of Stamford. But I was getting tired of that ringing and the same old message over and over.

"Katherine, what's gotten into you?"

Nice opener. I pushed away my pile of pillows and propped myself up on one elbow.

"Well?" she said.

"There's nothing like saying hello first."

"I'm not in the mood for sarcasm, young lady."

I snorted and shook my head. Yes, I was still 15 years old sometimes.

"Why didn't you show up at the station? And why haven't you returned my calls? What's going on with you?"

"Nothing, Mom. I felt it was more important to spend time with Blanche on her last weekend in New York."

"And you couldn't have told me that? So I didn't have to sit there wondering where you were?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Don't treat me like a fool, Katherine."

"How exactly am I supposed to treat you? When you refuse to take a step forward into my life or Blanche's life. We're always the ones who have to take a step back to who we were a long time ago, to that life we led back there. Everything is different now. Why can't you accept that? There's nothing wrong with change."

"You're not making any sense."

"Yes, I am, and you know it." I sat up and pounded my fist into a pillow. "Ever since Dad left us, your center of attention has been soap operas and your dog. Maybe Blanche has always been too polite to say it, but I'm not. Maybe Blanche is able to swallow it up, and that's why she's always been your favorite."

"You're wrong."

"Oh really? Then prove me wrong. Come here to Blanche's place for a visit. That would prove me wrong."

"You're being ridiculous."

"Think whatever you like."

"Katherine, have you been eating? I'm worried."

"I've been doing perfectly fine, thank you," I said, between gritted teeth.

"Mimi, come here honey..." Her voice trailed off.

"Listen, Mom, I have things to do."

"That means you're too busy to talk with your own mother?"

"Whenever you want to talk, you know where to find me. Hop on the train."

Before she could say another word, I slammed the phone into its cradle.

I was tired of her, that stupid house in Stamford and everything about suburban life. Maybe Dad had his reasons for leaving us. But I didn't want to think of that. I had pushed him out of my mind for so long that I wasn't about to let him back in now.

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