Page 42 of Breathe Again

“Yes, he’s quite a step down from what she had before, isn’t he?”

Ice hit me center mass and expanded. “Pardon me?”

“All those tattoos, hair needing a good cut weeks ago, laborer too if I’m not mistaken. What was her husband’s name? Jack? He was a professional, wasn’t he? So well-bred, well-groomed, a real gentleman.”

“Rhys is a good guy, the best actually.”

“Better than Jack?” Her voice was sneaky.

This question irritated me. She knew Jack had been a beloved friend.

“Just as good as Jack.” I replied firmly. “I don’t compare them, they are their own people, but I love Rhys, and I love Rebecca, and more importantly they love each other so I couldn’t be happier.”

“I suppose so. He has children? Those two kids are his?”

“You saw the twins? Aren’t they adorable?” I latched onto this topic. My mother loved kids. She was sure to be positive.

“They are! So cute, little blond heads. They look like the best kind of trouble.” Her tone changed to one of warning. “But I’ll tell you this, I would not want to take on the raising of someone else’s kids.”

I had the uncharitable thought that she hadn’t wanted to take on the raising of her own two kids. I’d called her wanting comfort, but I could see myself soon joining Olivia on the couch with a headache.

“Mom, I’ve got to go now, check on Olivia.”

“Why? What could she possibly be doing? That child barely moves on the best of days, and you just said she’s sleeping. And, anyway, when are you going to come see me?”

Some days I felt pulled in too many different directions. “How about Friday?”

“Tomorrow would be better.”

“I can’t come tomorrow, Olivia has plans.”

“She can’t come tomorrow, but you can.”

“I can’t visit tomorrow either. Would you like us to visit on Friday?”

“I just don’t know. I’ll have to check my calendar,” she stalled.

I strove for patience. “Would you like to do that now?”

“No, I’ll check later. I don’t see why you can’t come tomorrow. She can miss one week; I’m sure Willa will give her a week off.” She snorted.

“Gotta go, Mom. Love you. Talk later.”

“Okay. Well, call me when you have time for me. Bye, dear.”

I ended the call and leaned forward, pressing the heels of my hands against my eyes, feeling the beginnings of my own headache.

A minute later my cell phone dinged with a notification. It was my mom.

‘Thanks for always being there for me, Mara. You’re a good listener,’ splashed on the screen, underscored with several heart emojis.

I sighed to myself. No wonder I was so messed up, that woman made my head spin. I had too many other things to worry about, I had nothing left in me to devote to figuring out what was going on in her head. At least I did a good deed for the day.

Bird in a Cage

Mara

Olivia woke up early Thursday morning, excited about going to the animal shelter. The whole week had been a write-off as far as school was concerned, but the social stuff was just as important, more so, or so I kept telling myself. I was ecstatically happy she wasn’t going to miss today.

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