Page 32 of Forever My Soldier

Before she could enlighten me, Greta came back and interrupted, “Is there anything else you need from me, Mrs. McAllister?”

My mother’s gaze turned steely. “Don’t you see my daughter and I are having a conversation?”

“Yes, but I’m supposed to pick my son up from school and take him to a doctor’s appointment today, so I wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything before I left.”

“Yes,” she said in her usual matter-of-fact way, “I need you to stay.”

Greta frowned. “You told me this morning I could leave early.”

“That was this morning, Greta. This is now and things have changed. I have an event to plan and I’m really going to need you to stay.”

Having considered her word final, she looked away, back in my direction.

“It’s just—“ Greta started, head shaking in complete confusion.

At her words, Mother turned back around and eyed her. “Now what?”

Greta stood her ground, though. “I’m sorry. I have to leave.”

I wanted so badly to stick up for Greta, but it wasn’t going to do either of us any good, so I kept my mouth shut, as I did many times before around my mother. It was better that way, I knew.

“Then you’re fired.” My mother crossed her arms. “You don’t need to return when you’re done and you can do whatever you like this afternoon.”

Greta looked horrified. “Please. I need this job.”

“Obviously not enough.” Silence filled the air for a little too long for my mother’s liking because she demanded again, “Leave. You’re no longer welcome in my home.”

Greta tilted her head down and walked out.

“Did you have to be so harsh?” I asked, getting up, ready now more than ever to leave.

“She has a job to do and she wasn’t doing it.” She looked quite satisfied with herself and her decision.

“No, Mother, she was leaving early to pick up her son for a good reason.”

She scoffed. “That doesn’t make a difference. If you don’t do your job, you get fired. That’s how these things go.”

I couldn’t believe this. I couldn’t stand sharing the same air with her for one more second. “Well, this has been fun, Mother,” I lied, “but I really do have to be going.”

“You’re leaving?” she asked as though she was shocked I’d want to leave.

I exhaled and rubbed my forehead. “Yes. I have to go.”

“Don’t you want to finish our conversation?”

Ah, yes. Her brilliant idea.“What is your idea?” I asked, remembering where we left off. “You might as well just get on with it because I need to be going.” Need, desperately wanted to, what difference did it make?

“Bring Deacon to the event.”

My eyeballs nearly popped out of my head. When I found my tongue again, I insisted, “No, that’s not necessary.”

Her expression was unchanging. “I’ll be on my best behavior. I promise.”

Even her best behavior wasn’t good enough. “Why do you want him to come to a DAR event anyway?”

She shrugged. “If he’s going to be in your life, then it’d be nice for him to see all of your life, don’t you think?”

I knew that was a rhetorical question, so I didn’t answer, just turned around to actually leave this time. “I’ll think about it.”

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