Page 48 of Stealing It
“You can’t just steal my family,” Paul hisses, gaze darting anywhere except my face. “That’s not how it works.”
Instead of threatening him further, I back up, toward Magnolia’s bed. “It is exactly how this works. But you are right, I can’t just steal them. I didn’t have to steal them, Paul. You gave them to me. They’re pretty awesome. Thanks for that, by the way.”
“Fuck you!” Paul screeches, waving his middle finger in my direction like a deranged lunatic. He stutters, “Maggie, please. I need to talk to you.”
“He’s right,” Magnolia says, chiming in. “You lost me a long time ago, but Kendall can visit you if she wants and if her psychologist thinks it’s a good idea, but we aren’t your girls anymore.”
Magnolia squeezes my hand. When I look at her big blue eyes, I see gratitude and love. We haven’t discussed anything pertaining to our relationship while she’s been in the hospital. I told her to focus all of her energy on getting better. This is the first time hope blossoms in my chest. In this heated, uncomfortable moment I become aware that we don’t just look like family, we might actually be one. Formed of heartbreak. Of betrayal. Joined because of circumstances and forged by the choice of love.
I don’t kiss her to put on a show for Paul. I kiss her to tell her that I understand what she’s telling me by not saying anything at all. It’s gentle. Just her lips glazed in tears and my own with desperate relief in this confirmation. Neither of us close our eyes. They stay locked for the brief kiss. I pull away when I hear Kendall say, “If you had come in here and asked me what I wanted, I might have said I’d like to start spending time with you again. You went about this the wrong way. We’re getting over a trauma and you’re heaping more awful on the plate. Dad, please just go home to Pamela. I’ll call you. I promise.”
Paul isn’t looking at Kendall. He’s staring at Magnolia who is staring at me. My heart lurches at the scene. This is the moment where he finally feels the loss. Realizes what he gave up for selfish pleasure. “Let me ask you something Paul,” I bark.
He shakes his head while wearing a sardonic smile. “What?”
“Were you afraid?”
“Afraid of what?”
“Of losing them? When you were carrying on the affair, did it occur to you that you may lose Magnolia…Kendall, because of it? What does that kind of fear feel like?”
His face falls, he nods at Magnolia then at his daughter. “You tell me,” he fires back.
I quirk one brow.
“You’ve obviously felt that kind of fear. You’re feeling it now that I’m here trying to win them back.”
“Win them back?” Magnolia asks, voice loud. “Paul, please.” Kendall excuses herself in the guise of taking a phone call, but I know she’s feeling conflicted and uncomfortable, her tense body language says a lot.
After the door closes, Paul replies, “Yeah, Maggie. Doesn’t matter though, does it? You’re so over me, you’ve replaced me.”
“Is this the point where I’m supposed to feel sorry for you? That you cheated on me? Forgive me for being confused.”
He hangs his head, and I’d like to disappear into the hallway. “Pamela left. She was cheating with some kid and I kicked her out.” The whole story follows and by the time he finishes talking about the wedding cancellations and the return of all the wedding gifts, and the spray paint on his car and side of his house, I almost feel bad for him. Magnolia is eating it up, the ultimate karma. Paul tells us he’s checked into the local hotel and will leave tomorrow and when it’s finally time for Magnolia to respond to him, she wishes him a good day and shakes her head.
“Your affair is the reason I found true love, Paul. I won’t say I’m grateful for what I went through, because Kendall came along for the ride, but I’m grateful for the gift I was given because of it. Aidan is good for me. For us.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t have to rub it in. I gotta go. Nice to share my life story with a stranger,” Paul says, meeting my gaze. “As always, good to see you, Maggie. I hope you get better soon.”
Magnolia sniffles and confirms she’s set for release soon. After Paul leaves, closing the door, I sit next to her in the bed. She looks up at me, and I smile at her. Simplicity at its finest after an hour of unrelenting drama.
“That smile of yours. If I was sitting on a stool, I’d be falling on the floor right now,” she says, biting her bottom lip.
“If you were falling, I’d be catching. And looking at your black lace panties.”
“Spoiler alert, I’m not wearing panties. Hospitals force nude sexiness or mesh grandma panties.”
Taking her face in my hand, I bring my lips to hers again. “I don’t care what you have on, I’m just glad you’re mine. I meant what I said,” I say, mouth moving against her lips. “I want you forever.”
“I like that idea,” Magnolia says, wincing in pain when she tries to move her legs to change position to be closer to me. “Though it might be a while until you can unwrap your gift.”
“Good thing I’m patient.”
Magnolia pecks the tip of my nose. “Thanks for that. For standing up for us. For Kendall. Those things you said mean a lot to me and I know they mean a lot to her. Paul will come around. He’s not good with change.”
He’s not good at a lot of things and who the hell is good with change? Some people can pretend better than others. Paul can take his threats and his bad decisions and leave Magnolia alone. “Don’t thank me. This is us now. I’d do far more for you. I love you, Magnolia.”
“I’m glad you’re a thief,” she chirps. “I love you too, Aidan Mixx.”
She lays her hand on my chest, right in the center.
