Easy Like Sunday Mourning

by Jennie Marts

  Did he? Was he thinking about the fact that he used to make her this happy? If he did, it was so long ago, she could barely remember. In fact, she couldn’t recall a time that she had felt such utter bliss.

  Chad took a cup from the cupboard. “At least let me get in a cup of coffee before you hit me with the happiness stick. And if you keep singing, I’m afraid some little birds and mice will show up and start sweeping the floor and sewing you a dress.”

  She took a deep breath, determined not to let Chad’s remarks ruin her day. She did feel a bit like Cinderella and that she was in a fairy tale. Only her Prince Charming wore thick-rimmed glasses, spoke computer-ese, and had a Star Wars poster in his master bathroom.

  Dishing up the scrambled eggs, she put them on the table and turned back to Chad. “Don’t rain on my happy parade.”

  “Well, somebody has to.” Chad sipped at the coffee. He always took it black, claiming cream and sugar were for sissies. “Listen, Maggie-May, it’s not that I don’t like to see you happy. I do.” He stepped closer to her and ran his hand lightly up her arm. “In fact, I love seeing you like this. I forgot what a gorgeous smile you have.”

  What was he playing at? Maggie pulled her arm free and put the pan in the sink. She squirted a stream of dish soap into the skillet. “Maybe that’s because you didn’t give me much to smile about.”

  He grimaced. “Ouch. Okay, I deserve that. But this whole experience has changed me. Made me see life from a different perspective.”

  Yeah. From the perspective of a younger woman’s bed. “You brought that experience on yourself, Chad. You’re the one who left me.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’ve ever even told you that. But I truly am sorry for what I did to you. For how I hurt you and the boys.”

  She looked at him and believed she saw actual pain and regret in his eyes. Geez, one near-death experience and she was giving everyone a second chance. “I appreciate that. But it’s over now. I’ve moved on.”

  Chad moved a step closer to her, his body almost touching hers. “I know. But I’m not sure that I have. I know that I made a stupid mistake. I will never forgive myself for leaving you and the boys. But these past few weeks, being back in the house, here with my family. Here with you. I feel like I’ve been granted a second chance.”

  A second chance? With the kids? Or with her? “I don’t know what you mean.”

  He picked up her hand and ran his thumb along her knuckles. “I think you do. I’ve been trying to show you how I’ve changed. How I am trying to be a better man. Being here the past few weeks has shown me what I’m missing out on. Spending time with the kids. And with you.”

  She didn’t know what to say. What exactly was he telling her?

  Moving in front her, he slid one hand under her arm and pinned her between his body and the counter behind her. He reached up to touch her hair. “You are so pretty. How did I not see how gorgeous you were? We’ve known each other since we were kids. I feel like we grew up together, and you were just always there. I guess I took you for granted, stopped seeing you.”

  He brought his hand down to caress her cheek. “I’m seeing you now, Maggie. I see how you’ve changed. What a strong woman you are. How beautiful you are.”

  “Beautiful” was Jeremy’s word for her. Chad had never told her she was beautiful. He had never talked to her like this at all. Maybe if he had, they could have had a chance. A chance to make it work. She had loved him once. He was her first love, and she would have done anything for him. She had always loved his eyes. She looked into his eyes now and could still see a glimmer of the young man that she married.

  Chad leaned into her, his chest brushing against hers. His hand left the counter and gripped her waist. “I know we could make this work. You’ve changed. I’ve changed. I know I could be the man you need me to be. Just give me a chance.” He dipped his head and pulled her to him, crushing her lips in a passionate kiss.

  Give him a chance? What was he talking about? She had given him a chance. More than one. And more importantly, she had given him her heart. Which he had taken, then stomped on, and handed back to her in a Hooters take-out bag.

  She pushed him away, wiping her mouth with her fingers. “Chad, stop it! What are you doing?”

  He held his ground, his hand still holding her hip. “I’m doing what I should have done a year ago. I’m fighting for you. I want you back. I want us back.”

  “There is no ‘us.’ You destroyed ‘us’ when you decided to leave me for another woman.”

  Chad shook his head. “I know I did. And I said I’m sorry. But I’m back now.”

  He’s back now? And what? That’s supposed to make everything okay? Make all the hurt and pain that he caused her just go away. Was he kidding? Who did he think he was? Who did he think she was? Showing up on her doorstep, playing dutiful dad and husband for a few weeks and thinking she would just welcome him back with open arms. Forget all that he had done to her?

  She pushed against his chest, breaking the connection and taking a step back from him. “Are you serious right now? You left me. For another woman. And when that didn’t work out, you show up here thinking that I’ll just take you back? You think you can unload the dishwasher, go to a few soccer games, make some waffles, and that makes everything all right?”

  The time she had spent with Jeremy had taught her that she was worth more than this. She was smart and talented and deserved to be loved for who she really was. Flaws and all. He had taught her that good men did exist. Men who appreciate a woman who thinks for herself, who has opinions, and who isn’t afraid to share them.

  She had lived under Chad’s thumb for too long. Letting him make decisions, even bad ones, without saying a word. Trying to bolster his ego through his role as head of their household. Watching their finances seep away as he purchased new toys and electronics. Well, guess what, buddy? He wasn’t in charge anymore.

  Chad ran his hand through his hair. “I know it’s not going to be easy, but I’m making the effort. You have to see that I’m trying.”

  “It’s too little, too late. You said it yourself. I’ve changed. I’m not the same woman you were married to. You did that.” She pointed at his chest. “You destroyed me. Left me in a simpering pool of heartache and bitterness. But I pulled myself out of that pool. Dried myself off and came out tougher. I had to. Because I didn’t have time to wallow in that cesspool of loneliness and anger. I had two kids to take care of. Two boys who still needed to be fed, and driven to school, and to soccer, and to football practice. Who still needed one of their parents to be there for them, to listen and to hug them, and to tell them it wasn’t their fault that their dad had left.”

  Tears were coursing down Maggie’s cheeks. She swiped them away with the back of her hand. She didn’t care if he saw her cry. He needed to hear this. “What you did was selfish, Chad. You were only thinking of yourself. And you still are. You got tossed out on your ass by your new girlfriend, and suddenly I look a lot better. Suddenly a stable income and spending time as a family holds more appeal than a fake pair of tits.”

  Chad’s face held a look of shock. She knew he wasn’t used to hearing her speak to him like this. He must have thought that she would fall back under his spell and back into his arms with some flowery words and the old Chad-charm.

  That wasn’t happening.

  She was finally happy, damnit! It had been a long time since she had felt this good. Since she had woke up in the morning and been excited about her day. And that was because of Jeremy. He had given her back her strength. Helped her to believe in herself. And she had taken her life back. She had finally let go of that bitter front that she wore like a shield of armor.

  She had let a man into her life, and he hadn’t let her down. He had seen the real Maggie and liked her anyway. And she let herself trust again. Opened her heart and let herself feel.

  She drew on that strength now. She wrenched every ounce of courage from deep inside of her. Sh
e lifted her chin in steely resolve. “I think it’s time for you to find your own place. For real. I need you to move out.”

  Chad’s eyes widened, and he held up his hands. “Hold on there, Maggie. You can’t mean it. Things have been good since I’ve been here. We haven’t been fighting. I’ve been spending time with the boys. Look, we can take it slow. There’s no need to rush things. All I’m asking is for you to think about it.”

  Maggie shook her head. “There’s nothing to think about. I appreciate that you’re spending time with the boys, and I hope that doesn’t change. They need you in their lives. But I don’t. I’ve moved on and found someone else. And I’m actually happy.”

  The look of desperation on Chad’s face turned to a sneer. “Is that what this is really about? Some nerdy rich guy who takes you out to dinner and pays you a few compliments? He throws around some money, and you drop your panties for him, and now all of a sudden you’re happy?”

  Maggie gulped, swallowing against the burn of the bile and anger rising in her throat. This was the Chad she knew. The real Chad. The one who didn’t get his way and fought back with poison and venom. “It’s over, Chad. We’re not getting back together.”

  “Because some guy pays attention to you? You don’t even know him. You finally get some and now you’re confusing afterglow with happiness.”

  “We’re done here. Pack up your stuff. Tell the boys goodbye, then I want you to leave.”

  “You’re making a mistake, Maggie. If I leave, I’m not coming back.”

  His threats and guilt had no power over her. She didn’t need him. She was strong enough now to stand her ground. “That’s fine.”

  The anger poured from him, almost visible in waves of red surrounding the air around him. “You’re gonna regret this. You’re throwing away a chance at having our lives back for a guy who could be a murderer.”

  She watched his temper rise. This was all too familiar. But now she was different. As his anger grew, hers subsided. She refused to take his bait, and felt herself become calmer. More focused. “You don’t get it, Chad. I have my life back. Regardless if Jeremy is in it or not. This is my life now. And I’m proud of it. I’ve been taking care of myself and the boys and doing a great job. I don’t need you anymore. You broke my heart, but now I’m over it. I’m over you.”

  She turned away and gasped as she saw Drew standing in the doorway of the kitchen. His eyes glistened with tears. She wondered how much he had heard.

  He took two steps and pulled her into his arms, crushing her in a bear hug. His voice was hoarse with emotion. “I love you, Mom. I’m proud of you.”

  When had she blinked and her son had turned into a man? Thank goodness he understood. She squeezed him back, proud of both of them.

  Drew looked at his father, his voice now low and controlled. “I love you too, Dad, and I hope we can hang out some before I leave for college. But for now, how about I help you pack?”

  ##

  Maggie sat on her back deck the next day and sipped a cup of coffee, her favorite vanilla creamer swirled in to turn the black brew to a creamy caramel color. She loved Sunday mornings, getting up early and enjoying the peace of the house before the boys got up and requested breakfast.

  Her backyard was an oasis, her deck furniture covered in shades of blue and green fabric, soft pillows tucked in the corners. The boys had helped her string twinkle lights along the railing last summer and various candles and outdoor lanterns sat on end tables and the deck rails. She had planted a truckload of annuals earlier that spring, and her flower gardens exploded with colorful pansies, snapdragons, and petunias.

  She sighed as she leaned back into the cushions. The morning air was cool, and she could almost smell a hint of autumn in the air. Time for a change.

  She felt as if her very existence was changing. Drew was leaving for college. She had stood up to Chad and kicked him out. And she was in love.

  She couldn’t help but smile as she thought of Jeremy and the night they had spent together. On the sofa, in front of the fireplace, on the floor. A blush accompanied her smile as she felt her cheeks warm thinking about how brazen she had been with him. And how much fun it had been.

  She felt like a new chapter in her life was starting. An exciting chapter. She could do change. Right now, she felt like she could do just about anything.

  A huge weight felt lifted from her shoulders. A five foot ten grumbling ex-husband weight. Chad was not happy about it, but he had packed his things up and moved out the night before. A friend of his had a converted garage apartment and offered to let Chad stay there in exchange for helping him put an addition on his house. Seemed like Chad could have moved out weeks ago. But at least he was gone now. Maggie could move on.

  Move on to the next adventure in her life. And her love life. Now if she could just prove that her nerdy new boyfriend was innocent of murder, she would really be happy.

  The doorbell rang. Her heart leapt as she hoped it was that nerdy new boyfriend now. She would love to share her Sunday morning ritual in the backyard with him.

  She opened the front door. Not her cute new boyfriend. Still cute, just not her boyfriend. Officer McCarthy stood on her doorstep wearing a handsome grin and holding her purse.

  “Hey Mac.” She pulled the door wider and gestured for him to come in. “Nice purse. It matches your shoes.”

  “Thanks. I try to stick with basic black.”

  She laughed. “How in the world did you get my purse?”

  He stepped into the living room and set her purse on the coffee table. He opened it and pulled out a bag of rice, the tip of her cell phone poking out of the top of the bag. “We don’t see a lot of this kind of excitement around here. The divers and the wrecking crew were there bright and early yesterday and we spent most of the day pulling your boyfriend’s SUV out of the lake. We recovered your purse and a few tools that were still in the car, but that’s about it.”

  “I can’t believe you got my purse out. And my phone. I haven’t had a lot of luck with phones lately.” She gestured to the bag on the table. “What’s with the rice?”

  “They say if your phone gets wet or dropped in water, that you can stick it in a bag of rice. It absorbs the moisture from the phone, then it works again. I had a bag of rice at home so I threw your phone in there last night. It should be dry by now. No guarantees that it will work, but you can pull it out and try it.”

  Maggie tugged her phone out of the rice and put it back together. She turned it on and waited for it to power up. “Do you know anything more about who did this?”

  “Nah. There’s a big scrape on the driver’s side of the car where he must have rammed into you and a dent in the back bumper, but that’s about all we’ve got. I wish you could have gotten a look at them or a license plate number.”

  “Me too. Believe me, I’m as anxious as you are to find out who’s behind all this. Do you think we’re still in danger?” At Maggie’s question, her phone chirped and buzzed several times as texts and missed calls appeared on the screen. What do you know? The rice worked. She glanced at the display, noting a message from a blocked number.

  “Oh no. Mac, look at this.” She held her phone up, and he pressed against her side, leaning in to see the tiny screen. The message freaked her out, but not enough for her to ignore the hard muscles of his body next to hers or the musky aftershave that he wore. She was still a woman.

  Mac read the message aloud: I told you to leave it alone. Next time you’ll get more than a big drink of water. He looked questioningly at Maggie. “What are they talking about? What did you do?”

  Maggie shrugged. “Nothing. We did all those Google searches, but no one could have known about that. I did tell Jeremy.”

  “Do you really trust this guy?” Mac looked at her, as if searching her eyes for the truth. “Because it sure seems to me like there’s more going on than meets the eye.”

  She nodded. “I do trust him. I really don’t believe that he could kill someone. He
did tell me he had a staff meeting yesterday and told his employees that the police were getting closer to arresting someone. He was trying to flush out the killer.”

  “What? Idiot. Why would he do that?”

  “He saw it on Law & Order, and it worked.”

  “Well, I saw a knife that cut through a pop can on TV and it worked, but when I got it home, it was a piece of junk. You can’t always believe what you see on television.”

  “He was trying to help.”

  Mac grunted. “Maybe he should form a club with your friend, Edna. The Amateur Detective/Crime Show Watchers Club.”

  Maggie laughed, despite the insult to both her friend and her boyfriend. “They have good intentions.”

  “Yeah, well, good intentions can get somebody hurt.” He touched the scraped side of her arm where she had grazed it against the broken edges of the windshield.

  She shivered from the light touch of his hand and the memory of her terrifying ordeal. “So, what should we do? Just sit around and wait for them to send more threats or do something worse than try to run us off the road? They could have actually killed one or both of us that night.”

  “I am well aware of that fact, Maggie. And I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He winked at her. She wasn’t sure if he was flirting or just trying to lighten the situation. “I’ve grown quite fond of you.”

  Quite fond of her? He sounded like a lawman out of an old western. But usually those lawmen were pretty hot, so maybe she should try a different train of thought.

  “I think you’re nice too.” Oh, my gosh. Who had the lame line now? She looked around for anything to save her from the direction of this conversation. “Thanks for bringing over my purse. You didn’t have to go to the trouble. That was really thoughtful. I appreciate it.” Just stop talking. Now.

  “Plus, it gave me a chance to check on you and make sure you were all right.”