Page 48 of Red Mountain Burning
“Oh, look at that. You have a whole head under there. Hair and everything.”
Margot glanced at her future stepdaughter’s multiple earrings climbing up her ear: a sword, a black jewel, a pagan cross, and a skeleton. Now that Margot had broken through the ice, or at least chipped away at it, she wanted to ask Carly what her deal really was. But she had a feeling she’d done enough for the day.
As one last gesture, Margot said, “Tonight, all the women of Red Mountain are coming over to the inn. We’re making pizza. I’d love for you to join us. It’s the most laid-back, crazy bunch of women in eastern Washington. Think book club on steroids.”
Like Margot had just asked her to attend a knitting class, Carly said, “Yeah…probably not.”
Margot stood and put out her own cigarette, dropping it into the bottom of the pot with the rest of the butts. “Thanks for the smoke. Hey, you might really love it here if you give it a chance. The people are one of a kind. And though you obviously don’t like food, I make some of the best pizza you’ll ever put in your mouth.”
Carly stood and turned to go inside. “I don’t hate food.”
“That’s good to know,” Margot said.
Carly offered a very small wave and went back inside the house.
As Margot returned to the inn, she felt Carly’s loneliness like a hollowness in her own chest. How difficult it was to be a teenager working your way to adulthood.
Then she found Adriana in the kitchen and was reminded that the difficulties of life weren’t only reserved for teenagers.
“What’s wrong with you?” Margot asked.
Adriana looked stone-faced while cracking eggs into a stainless bowl. She turned to Margot as the bright-orange yolk fell. “You don’t even want to know.”
“Oh, I do. Anything to take me away from my own troubles.”
“Michael got in more trouble.”
Margot froze. “Oh God.”
Adriana picked up the next egg. “He stabbed someone in prison.”
Crack.
Margot processed the news for a moment. “Wait, isn’t this a good thing? Won’t he get more time?” As she tried to imagine what Adriana was going through, Margot realized that this meant Adriana wouldn’t be leaving. The sudden urge to pop a bottle of Champagne came over her. Then Margot scolded herself. What a selfish thought.
She approached her friend. “What are you thinking? How do you feel about this?”
Adriana dropped a shell into the compost bucket. “I’m all over the place. It’s the best thing that could have ever happened to us, but it’s really sad too. He is Zack’s father, after all.”
Margot’s bottom lip pressed out, and she forced Adriana into a hug.
“Why do you smell like cigarettes?” Adriana asked. “You’re not smoking, are you?”
“I just had one with Carly, trying to connect with her. Not my best idea, but I did get a smile out of her.”
“That’s good.” Adriana went back to cracking eggs.
Margot couldn’t bear seeing Adriana’s pain and rubbed her back. “What can I do for you? Why are you even here?”
“I’m not going to skip work. It’s fine.”Crack.“Actually, Carmen just texted me about a sleepover with Luca tonight. That will give me some time tonight to process it.”
“Carmen texted you about the boys getting together? Hmm. That’s really cool, butsooooun-Carmenlike of her,” Margot said. “Well, I hope this is the last of all your troubles. It just has to be. Maybe this is the universe closing the book on the past. It’s all sunny skies from here.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Crack.
