Maggie's Fork in the Road (Montana Bound Series Book 2)

by Bradley, Linda

  My phone rang. “Hello,” I whispered into it.

  “What are you still doing up at this hour?” John asked.

  “I’m not so sure you want to know.” I thought about Chloe reading in the moonlight, so glad she was reading on her own now.

  “I’m thinking I shouldn’t ask,” John said.

  I smiled. “Probably not, but everything is fine.”

  “I’m not mad at you. And, Maggie, not everyone is like you.”

  “Thanks, I think.” I nibbled at my thumbnail in the darkness.

  “Truth is—” He paused. “I’m not so sure Brook would have even consider it if you hadn’t called her. We’ve talked about this before, Brook’s not exactly a doting mother.”

  “Sorry,” I said.

  “Sorry for what?” John asked.

  “Sorry, for Chloe. To be honest, it’s not fair,” I muttered, feeling Chloe’s dilemma.

  “Maggie, you of all people should know, life’s not fair.”

  I chuckled. “You’re right about that. Hey,” I said, staring at Bradley’s old Batman clock beside my bed. If I couldn’t have him home, I’d have his favorite things scattered around. “What are you doing up?”

  “Obviously, Brook has no sense of time. Shocker. And Maggie—”

  “Yeah,” I replied, closing my eyes, thinking about how John’s skin felt against mine. His midnight voice seducing the memories. I swallowed away the knot at the back of my throat.

  “I’m really not mad. I may not understand at times, but we all have to move forward.”

  “That we do, my friend, that we do,” I whispered.

  “Maggie.”

  “Yeah, John,” I said, his name hot on my lips, his image alive in my head, his breath in my ear.

  “I hope you know, we’re more than friends,” John said.

  I closed my eyes tight, painfully aware that I was lying alone.

  “Maggie, are you still there?”

  “Yeah, John, I’m still here.” The words caught in my throat.

  “Sleep tight,” he said. “And let me remind you, you’re not an outsider.”

  “Right back at you,” I said, “See you soon.”

  “Yes, you will. I’ll be dreaming of you.”

  “Night,” I said as I ended the call. My head and my heart were at odds.

  Bones grunted and snuggled in against me.

  I patted his head. “Night, friend.”

  Chapter 9

  The phone rang at seven o’clock. I spit out a mouthful of toothpaste, wondering what trouble Chloe had found at such an early hour. I checked the number. School. I answered it without saying hello.

  The automated operator greeted me. “Due to a water main break, school has been cancelled for staff and students today.”

  Excitement prickled within me. This never happened. I turned off the bathroom light, undressed, put my pajamas back on, then crawled back beneath the covers. Light streamed in through the slats of the shades as I read my Jennifer Weiner novel.

  Bones barked relentlessly. I tried to ignore him, but he jumped up on the bed then nudged the book out of my hands. He dug his front paws into my stomach as he stood over me. “That’s just like you. I was almost to the end.” I grunted at him. He barked then licked my nose and I reluctantly crawled out of bed. “Come on,” I said as I made my way downstairs.

  Chloe stood at the front door ringing the doorbell. She was the only one I knew with a trigger finger that could make the chime continue without pause.

  “Coming,” I yelled, “stop ringing the bell.” The door stuck as I tried to yank it open. “What’s going on?”

  Bones’ tail waggled. He looked from Chloe to me as if he was urging us to open the door.

  “Is everything okay?” Chloe asked.

  “Uh, yeah. Why?” I asked, checking to see if my mother was on her heels.

  “Cause you’re home and you’re never home during the day. You never miss work,” she said.

  Peeking out at my Equinox, I cursed myself for parking in the driveway last night. “My school was cancelled. Water main break.”

  “Sweet. We can hang out now that I’m kicked out of school.” Chloe bounced as she spoke, her perky behavior scared me.

  “Um, I think you have work to do.”

  “I’m finished. I did most of it last night after dinner. I finished my math this morning,” she replied as I wondered where she got her energy. “Why are you still in your pajamas?”

  “I was reading in bed. Didn’t feel like wearing my teacher clothes all day.”

  “Yeah, I can see why. You gonna open the door for me?”

  I rolled my eyes at her. “Don’t even say it,” I said, unlatching the screen door.

  “Okay, I won’t, but it’s not nice to roll your eyes. I think we’ve been over this,” she lectured.

  “Bad habits die hard,” I said.

  She scrunched up her face at me.

  Mom trotted across the yard waving a piece of paper. “Chloe,” Mom sang, “you have chores.”

  Mom held the rail as she climbed the stairs to the porch. She appeared older today, but then again weren’t we all? Silver threads beamed in the sunlight that washed over her, fine wrinkles seemed more defined. My mother was growing older, and I didn’t like it.

  Chloe’s shoulders drooped. “Come on,” she said with a whiny intonation. “I already did my work.”

  Stepping out onto the porch, Chloe gave me the stink eye.

  “What? I didn’t do anything to you, you did it to yourself,” I reminded her.

  “Thanks for being on my side,” Chloe mumbled.

  My left eyebrow shot up. “I’m more on your side than you think,” I said, Brook’s words still fresh in my mind. John’s comment about being more than friends, even fresher. I ruffled her hair. “What’s on my mom’s list?”

  Mom caught her breath. “Boy, I’m not as spry as I used to be.”

  Chloe wrinkled her nose when she didn’t understand or pretend not to understand. “Spry? You sure do use a lot of weird words.”

  I tucked a long strand of Chloe’s hair behind her ear remembering how it felt to be a child. “You know, young, in shape,” I explained.

  “Whatever?” Chloe relied. “Yeah, Glad, what’s on the list?”

  Mom peered over the rim of her yellow reading glasses speckled with orange flecks. “Don’t get sassy with me, young lady.”

  Chloe and I gazed at each other in surprise.

  “Sorry,” Chloe said.

  A thin smile crossed my lips as I watched Mom and Chloe spar. It was nice being a wallflower, but after yesterday’s interference, I was putting myself in danger of becoming much more than that.

  Mom handed Chloe the list.

  I peered over Chloe’s shoulder as she read the chores aloud, “Laundry, empty the dishwasher, clean under your bed, and pick up dog poop.”

  Good one, I thought, hiding my grin.

  Chloe glared at Mom. “Pick up dog poop. Yuck. I’m not the one with a dog.”

  “But you want one and you’re with Bones much of the time. Get going, young lady.” Mom put her hand on her hip as she leaned against the rail. “Maggie has a shovel and a bucket in the garage. You’ll see it.”

  “You mean I’ll smell it.” Chloe stomped down the front stairs.

  “Probably,” Mom said as she sat on the porch swing.

  I sat next to her, caressed her hair, and inspected the dark circles beneath her eyes. “You look exhausted.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  I smiled. “More than you expected?” I knew what Mom was feeling.

  “Uh, yeah,” Mom answered. “You can wipe that smile right off your face Marjorie Jean. She is much more difficult than you ever were.”

  I nudged the porch floor with my foot to get the sway of the swing started. “You’re welcome,” I said smugly.

  “Thanks for walking her home last night,” Mom said.

  “How did you know she was up?
” I asked.

  “I heard her go downstairs then I went into her room. I used her binoculars and watched her from the window. You know you can see right into your backyard from up there?”

  “Apparently, you can see everything from up there.”

  “I figured she wasn’t going far so I watched for a bit then read my book until I heard your voices outside. She was kind of noisy climbing back into bed.”

  “I told Chloe I wouldn’t tell. Told her not to do it again. She’s going to be some teenager.” Mom stared at me.

  “Why are you home? You’re not sick again, are you? And if you are, you better be honest this time. I don’t want any daughter of mine going through cancer or anything else by herself.”

  Her eyes scorned me. “Um, no, water main break at school. And why are you barking at me? I wasn’t the one who got in trouble at school or kept you up all night.” Mom narrowed her eyes and scowled at me. “Not this time, anyway,” I added, giving her an exaggerated toothy grin.

  “I had it easy with you. You were a good girl.”

  I grunted. “Yeah, that’s me, the good girl, always trying to please others by doing the right thing.”

  Mom patted my knee. “Nothing wrong with that.”

  “Some days—” I put my finger up in jest. “Most days now that I’m older, I’m not so sure.” Maybe Chloe knew something about being a kid I never did. “Where’d the list of chores come from?”

  “Me. John said he’d deal with her when he gets home.”

  I smiled.

  “Marjorie Jean, why don’t you just admit you’re sweet on the man?”

  If only Mom knew. “I’ve got some chores of my own to get to,” I said, stretching.

  “Fine, avoid the subject,” she replied.

  “Okay, I will,” I said, giving her another exaggerated toothy smile.

  “You’re not funny.” She narrowed her stare.

  I patted her head then pressed my lips to her forehead. She smelled like vanilla and love. “You’re doing a good job. Don’t let Chloe give you any crap,” I whispered in her ear. When she chuckled, her soft cheek brushed mine.

  “I’d better go check on the juvenile delinquent,” Mom said.

  “Hey, I’m not a juvenile delinquent,” Chloe protested, scrambling out of the bushes.

  I peered over the railing. “See, bad habits die hard,” I reminded her, waggling my finger in her direction. Her hair stuck to the fine branches that hid her. Glancing back at my mom, I scowled. “Like I said before, you’re welcome.”

  Mom sighed then tucked Chloe’s hair behind her ears. “Let’s go, kiddo. You know what I meant. I was just trying to be funny.”

  “Well, it’s not funny.” Chloe planted her hands on her hips in protest.

  “Maybe not to you, now let’s get to picking up dog poop.”

  “Some days it’s smellier and thicker than other. Have fun.” Chloe didn’t think my shred of wisdom was funny so I went inside to answer the phone. “Hello,” I said, checking myself out in the foyer mirror.

  “Hi, it’s Brook.”

  Bothered by her tone, I headed upstairs for privacy. “Hold on one second,” I said, trotting toward my bedroom. After closing the door behind me, I went to the window.

  Chloe searched the perimeter of the backyard for dog droppings. Bones followed her with a tennis ball in his mouth. Mom yanked weeds out of the garden. The blinds opened wide as I pulled the string to get a better view of the yard.

  “You still there?” I asked reluctantly, not sure what she could possible want.

  “I’ve been thinking about this career fair thing.”

  “Uh-huh. Did you call Chloe?”

  “No. She doesn’t have a phone.”

  “John still has his landline.”

  “Oh, I forgot,” she said.

  Yeah, you did.

  Chloe put the poop bucket down. Mom gestured for her to join her in the garden. At the rate Mom was going, John wouldn’t have much left to do in the way of punishment. Chloe stood with her hands on her hips then plopped down beside Mom. Mom pointed to the different plants. Chloe blew hair away from her face then lifted her chin to the sun. Mom handed her a silver pail then Chloe started plucking weeds.

  “Anyway, I was wondering if you could do me a favor.” Brook paused. “Well, I need something.”

  I’m sure you do. I wanted to be outside baking in the sun with Mom and Chloe even if it meant dirt beneath my nails and a sore back from bending over weeding the garden.

  “Can you tell Chloe I won’t be able to make it to career day after all?”

  “What? Are you serious?”

  “It’ll be better coming from you.”

  “What?” My heart pounded with rage. “Call her yourself,” I urged. “You can’t—”

  Brook interrupted. “Yeah, I can’t, and John’s not around.”

  “He’ll be around tomorrow,” I said.

  “I want you to tell her.”

  “Listen, Brook. You can’t possibly be serious. Be a mom and tell your daughter the truth.”

  “This is not my decision. I have to work. You know how it is? At least you get the holidays and the summers off.”

  I pressed my lips together holding back harsh words. She was not going to make this about me no matter her misconception. What did she know about staying after school to check papers, making lesson plans, making phone calls to upset parents, and putting the world back together one child at a time? “Yeah, Brook. I know what it means to have demands. And your daughter is demanding your presence. I’m not going to do your dirty work.”

  “Sorry,” she said, “I didn’t mean to make you angry. I just thought you could help me out. I promise I’ll call her after you tell her.”

  “When’s the last time you spoke to Chloe?” I asked. “You owe it to her to call. You owe it to yourself.”

  “It’s just like you to say something like that.”

  Silently I listened to her jest without hesitation, my nose practically pressed against the windowpane watching Chloe and my mom work side-by-side. I unlocked the window and pushed it open. The spring breeze carried their words up to my bedroom as Brook rambled on about herself. Would she ever realize it wasn’t about her? Brook said my name. “What?” I said quietly.

  “Do you understand where I’m coming from?” she questioned.

  I swallowed away my hopes for Chloe knowing the ache I felt for her wouldn’t make it any less. “Yeah.”

  “Great. So you’ll tell her. I knew I could count on you. Chloe really looks up to you.”

  What just happened here? Brook ended the call. I stared at my phone screen in disbelief. Bones craned his neck, his eyes looked through me from below. His bark filled the air. “Shit,” I said to myself. “This is turning into some day off.”

  Flipping up the covers, I pretended that I actually made the bed. “Who cares?” I said to myself. “You do,” I scolded. I couldn’t even have a one sided conversation with myself. “Shit, shit, shit.”

  I fastened my walking sandals and tied my hair up. Chloe met me at the front door. Pissed off, I stormed out with my camera in one hand and my car keys in the other.

  “Hey,” she called after me.

  I hurried to my car.

  “Hey,” she yelled louder. “What’s wrong with you?”

  I unlocked the car. With one hand on the door handle, I turned to face the girl following in my tracks. “You don’t even want to know.”

  “Must be bad. Your forehead is one big wrinkle.”

  “Thanks,” I said, getting even more perturbed. Chloe tugged on my arm. Her eyes filled with worried curiosity. Frustration boiled. “You really want to know?” I knew better. I stopped myself.

  “You’re scaring me,” Chloe said.

  “Nothing can be scarier than my mom and a list of chores,” I said. “Chloe, your mom is irritating.” Her emerald eyes grew dark like a spring storm on the edge of summer.

  “What did she d
o to you?” Chloe asked.

  I glanced down. Brook’s attitude bothered me beyond belief. “Nothing. She didn’t do anything.” I opened the car door. “Actually, she did do something. And it wasn’t very nice. And I’m not going to discuss it with you.”

  Chloe shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. Her eyebrow arched as she scrunched her face up at me. “What?” I huffed.

  “Now you know how I feel,” she said. “She does it to me all the time.”

  Chapter 10

  While Chloe was back home being ordered around by Glad, I stewed at the beach. Staring out at the water, I snapped a few pictures, boring pictures. It was quiet, too quiet. My thoughts pounded in my head. What could I do to make this better? Or what could I do to disturb Brook just enough to make her feel guilty about abandoning her daughter? Nothing.

  I scrolled through the contacts on my phone then dialed Brook’s number. I tapped my foot waiting for her to pick up. Just as I lowered the phone to end the call I heard Brook’s voice say hello. “Hi, Brook, it’s me, Maggie.”

  “I know. How did it go with Chloe?”

  “It didn’t. I told you, I wouldn’t be breaking your bad news to her, but I do want to let you know that she is at home today because she punched another girl in the face because of you, but maybe you already know that.” I took a deep breath. A freighter drifted by on the horizon.

  “What?”

  “Let me repeat myself. She got expelled from school because she punched another child and gave her a black eye. She was trying to convince the girl that you were her mother. She had your picture,” I explained. “Chloe carries your picture around. She misses you. Can’t you just do this one thing for her?”

  “Why do you care so much?”

  Because that’s who I am. That’s what I do every damn day. Because Chloe is part of my family now, too. Because she’s John’s daughter and I love him regardless of his decision to move to Montana.

  “Because I just do,” I said, rubbing my forehead. Brook’s heavy sigh filled the airway. I stared at the rock where she and Chloe stood last summer, the place Chloe sat and sobbed her eyes out after her mom left without her. “You know what, Brook? Never mind. Go ahead, break her heart.” I didn’t wait for Brook’s comeback and ended the call.