Page 63 of Never the Best

“I didn’t mean to,” Maddie’s voice trembled, barely audible. “I swear, Aunt Hattie, I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“I know, darlin’.”

My ears perked up.

“Are you angry with me, Rhett?” Maddie’s voice was tremulous, and I didn’t like that at all. I wanted to get up, go out, and protect her. But Rhett was there, I told myself, he’d take care of her like I would.

“Like Aunt Hattie said, Maddie, it’s not your fault.” I heard his voice climb up a notch on the sharp barometer. “But you have to be careful about what you say about whom in the future. You really, really have to because words are powerful, and they have consequences.”

“She’s just a child, Rhett,” Hattie interjected, her tone firm but calmer. “She made a mistake.”

“I know I made a mistake!” Maddie’s voice cracked. “But Josie was being awful about Aunt Pearl, talking about her weight, and I just lost it. I was defending Aunt Pearl.”

She sounded like she was crying now, and I closed my eyes tightly. I didn’t have the strength to be there for her when I could barely be there for myself. I felt even more ashamed of myself.

“Shh! It’s okay, Maddie.” I heard Rhett soothe her.

“I told her about Aunt Pearl.” Maddie sounded so sad. “I told her about…about the anorexia. I wanted her to stop making fun of Aunt Pearl. I didn’t think she’d tell anyone, Rhett, I swear. I just wanted her to stop being so mean.”

“How did you even know about this?” Aunt Hattie asked.

There was a long pause, the kind that felt like it stretched across years. My heart thudded painfully in my chest, my hands clenching the blanket tightly as I waited for Maddie’s answer.

“I overheard her talking to you, Aunt Hattie. It was a while back and….”

“Damn it, Maddie,” Rhett sounded weary.

I wanted to rage at him, tell him to stop guilting my niece. It wasn’t her fault her aunt was a frail, fragile basket case, was it?

I pushed up from the couch, ready to go and defend Maddie no matter what. Sure, she made a mistake, but she was only trying to protect me the only way she knew how.

“Can I see Aunt Pearl?” Maddie asked.

I stiffened.

“Sweetheart, I promise the minute she feels better, I’ll make sure you see her,” Rhett soothed. “Now, why don’t you go back to the house? Missy will take care of you.”

“Will you tell Aunt Pearl that I’m sorry?”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Rhett replied. “Now, don’t worry about anything, okay? It’s all good.”

There was silence for a moment, and I heard Rhett growl. “Damn it!”

“She didn’t mean any harm,” Hattie soothed. “She’s a child, Rhett.”

“A child who just blew up Pearl’s life,” Rhett snapped. “Josie humiliated her, Aunt Hattie. She weaponized her trauma. What kind of person does that?”

“You were engaged to her, you tell me,” Aunt Hattie remarked saucily, and my lips curved despite myself.

“I extricated myself from that shitshow, so give me credit for that, will you?”

Aunt Hattie chuckled. “It’s probably because you ended the engagement that Josie went on the attack.”

“Oh God! You’re right. This is my fault.”

“No,” Aunt Hattie said firmly, “not yours, and not Maddie’s. This is Josie’s lack of decency. Who makes fun of someone who almost died because of an eating disorder? A vile and horrible human being does that. You can’t be held responsible for her actions.”

My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes.

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