Page 77 of Maid in America

Maggie had grown up in the church, just as Chastity had. She recalled having the same sort of outbursts when she was a child. It was only when her beatings increased that she learned to numb herself, to disassociate from the feelings inside her, stuffing them down and locking them away where she could no longer feel them. She replaced them with an obsession todoright. Toactright. Toberight.

That lifestyle led Maggie on the path to Arnold and her daughter, to their beautiful home and a social status to be proud of.

Gone was the poor little child going to church with ratty shoes and second-hand dresses. She’d elevated herself to the kind of woman she would’ve looked up to as a child. Why her daughter refused to do the same, despite having every opportunity in life, completely baffled her.

Maybe Maggiehadbeen too harsh lately. How many times had the Apostles spoken about forgiving sinners? The Bible said, ’Seventy times seven.’ While she surely exceeded those numbers for her daughter, if God could love a prostitute, a drunkard, and the dead, she could surely find a path back to loving her own flesh and blood.

“Maggie,” a female’s voice hollered behind her.

Spinning in the chair, she saw Sue Thompson. The bleach blonde seemed like the perfect embodiment of desecratingGod’s temple with implants, injections, tucks, and extensions. Nevertheless, Sue tithed consistently and seemed to show a real interest during their sermons, even volunteering to help with an event here and there.

“You’re still here?” Maggie plastered on her most genuine smile, a fake expression she’d perfected over the years.

“Yeah, I was looking for my house key. I took it off my ring the other day to give to my housecleaning staff, and I think the darned thing fell out of my bag during today’s service.”

Maggie fished the key out of the pocket of her beige blazer and smiled. “It wouldn’t be a Sunday service if someone didn’t leave something behind.”

“Oh, thank God!” Sue slapped her chest dramatically, but her boobs didn’t move. “I thought I was gonna have to go back to Starbucks, too. Glad I stopped here first.”

Maggie handed it back. “How have you been?”

“Great,” Sue said, overenthusiastic as usual. She held up the key. “You know… funniest thing about this new cleaning service…”

“Do tell.”

“Well, Barrett, you know that handsome man who came over during Bible study? Well, he actually works there.”

“Oh, well, that makes sense.”

“Well,” Sue laughed and sat down in the next row, two feet from Maggie’s chair, “he actually worked there before you all gave him all those tips. Remember how he said he ruined some towels? Those were mine.” Her laughter resonated through the cavernous building. “He exploded my bath mat, too.”

“Oh, you’re kidding.” Maggie tried to hide a big smile.

“No. And between you, me, and that podium, he does it almost in thebuff.”

“What?” Maggie’s smile disappeared.

“Yeah, they’re like… sort of likeChippendales. You knowChippendales?”

“Oh, yes, Chastity used to love those cartoons.”

Sue barked a laugh. “No, notChip ‘n Dale. The male exotic dancers, silly. These men atMan Maid, they come and clean your house while they’re in sexy little costumes, sometimes wearing practically nothing.”

Maggie literally clutched her pearls, eyes drifting to the cross on the wall and back to Sue.

She suddenly remembered the stinging words of her daughter’s impromptu bible lesson. “Oh. Well, how he earns his money is hardly my business.”

“Well, I suppose it’s at least a little bit your business if he might end up being your son-in-law one day.”

Maggie was confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Well, him and Chastity, of course.”

Maggie still looked confused.

“Oh, don’t tell me in a town this small you haven’t heard.”

“Him and Chastity?” The revelation made her feel dizzy.

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