“Oh, brother. You really are a piece of work, aren’t you? Maybe you should have thought about showing up at 7:00 this evening instead of noon then.”
With that, she turned and headed back into the kitchen, leaving Maggie to sit in discomfort. Rhiannon never had much patience. She had always managed to get things out of Maggie regardless of her resolve not to tell. Maggie thought to herself how this was not the scene she had envisioned, but how it was probably the one she should have.
“Oh, Jacob, I wish you could be here with me,” she woefully muttered under her breath.
“I’m here, love.”
Maggie smiled awkwardly and mouthed the words, “Did you witness that?” with great exaggeration.
Jacob nodded, grinned, and shrugged his shoulders.
They both knew that there was nothing Jacob could do that could possibly remedy the situation. The strained relationship between Maggie and her first were going to be challenged and one of two things was going to transpire: they were going to become closer than ever before and Rhiannon was going to become a champion for Maggie; or, Rhiannon would somehow find that Maggie’s illness was attributable to her own choices and would adopt a “told you so” stance, complete with hands on hips, a wicked smirk, and a single raised eyebrow.
Rhiannon re-entered the living room carrying a silver tea service and a plate of cookies and set it down on the coffee table. She looked at Maggie and was just about to open her mouth and demand an explanation when the children bounced back into the room. The temperature dropped notably.
“You two come here right now and give me some loving!”
Maggie stretched out her arms and they quickly accommodated her. Light conversation consisting of trivial catching up ensued. They asked about the Austenian cats and Maggie drug out photos of them and told them stories about their challenging life and how hard it was to get their 20 hours of sleep a day. They chuckled in all the right spots and the afternoon was pleasurable with the exception of the dark cloud hanging over Rhiannon. She was growing more and more agitated as the hours passed.
Lawrence came home at precisely 5:15. He was a creature of the utmost habit and ran his life like a train schedule. He hugged her and though he told her how pleasant a surprise it was to see her, it was, nonetheless a surprise and not at all on his agenda for the evening. Maggie smiled a smile ignorant of his implications and continued her visit with her grandchildren.
Dinner was lovely and as usual could have been featured in a women’s magazine for both presentation and flavor. Rhiannon never did things carelessly. She and Lawrence really were a match made in heaven. Maggie just wished they would realize it for themselves.
After dinner, Rhiannon and Lawrence did the dishes and Maggie supervised baths and read bed-time stories. She realized how much she missed the routine of getting children to bed. As a young mother, she could never wait for bedtime and its reprieve from the chaos of the day, she found that she experienced a sort of sadness when the house was finally quiet. She couldn’t wait for the next day to begin.
Once they were tucked in, Maggie took her sweet time coming downstairs. She unpacked her suitcase. She brushed her teeth. She got out her laptop and set it up. When she ran out of menial tasks, she walked deliberately down the stairs only to find Rhiannon and Lawrence sitting in the recliners facing the sofa of inquisition in a posture that could only be described as militant.
“Sit down, mother.”
Maggie obliged.
“What’s going on? Why did you suddenly show up on my doorstep unannounced?”
“Just as soon as you relax those jaws and open your mind, I’ll have a civil discussion with you and explain everything.”
They made a lame effort to do so, but with little success.
“There’s only one way to do this with the two of you, so here goes. I’ve got lung cancer.”
You could have heard a pin drop and Maggie waited to see which of the two reactions she would receive. She didn’t have to wait long.
Rhiannon ran to her side and hugged her with genuine warmth, which reassured Maggie she would be cared for.
“Give me the details.” Warmth was pushed aside by pragmatism, and she knew her daughter was already making a game plan. She knew instantly that she would have to fight for control of her illness and treatment.
“I got ill over the winter and they ran some tests and that's what they found. I know it’s odd, since I haven’t smoked since high school, but there it is. I’m visiting each one of you and then going home to begin treatments. You must promise me that you won’t call the others. I want to intrude on their lives the same as I did you. I don’t want anyone tipping them off. Do you both understand me?”
“Forget about that. You’ve got to move in here. We have amazing doctors in the area. We have room. I’ll be there for you every step of the way. You shouldn’t have to do this alone.”
“I’m not alone. I have a few friends around, but you know what a hermit I am. I want to do this at home.”
“We’ll talk about this. There is time to sort things out.”
Rhiannon looked at Lawrence as she said this with great emphasis and he knew precisely what his role was.
“Yes, mother Maggie, you must come and stay here. We want you here.”
He looked over at Kathryn for approval.
It seemed to Maggie, though she could have been imagining it, that the statement was more of a question with him. Rhiannon must have sensed that as well because she sneered at him with utter exasperation.
“Look, you two have enough to deal with. You have those two lovely little hands full upstairs. You have your business and Lawrence has a very demanding job. Plus there’s your volunteer work in the community. I mean, it is ridiculous to even consider. I’ve already got things lined up.”
“I see that you’ve made up your mind with no consideration for us, but that’s pretty typical of you. Just let us know if you need anything. How long will you be staying?”
Maggie shivered. That girl could turn on a dime and Maggie generally tried to smooth things over by finding something incredibly nice to say or placating her some other way; but not this time. This was a time for some enlightenment.
“Rhiannon, I will not permit you to make my disease about you. This is my fight. I reckoned there would not be a meeting of the minds on this. If I had kept this information from you, I would have been wrong. I chose my own treatment, I am still wrong. The only way to make this right with you is to allow you to have your way. I will not do that. This is not about you. It is about me. I am making the choices I want to make and you are welcome to be a part of it on my terms or you may once again retreat into your world at the same time you accuse me of retreating into mine.”
The silence was crippling, but Maggie would absolutely not give in to the emotional blackmail. The two women stared each other down until Rhiannon finally broke the grip and went stomping up the stairs to her room. Lawrence did as Lawrence always did. He apologized to me for something even he could not comprehend. He then hobbled off to his man lair in the basement, leaving Maggie to sit on the sofa alone and try to formulate her next move. It didn’t matter. She was through with being the doormat that used all of her energy deciphering the moods of those around her and then working to even them out.
Fully resolved to hold her ground, she began to tear up, mostly from complete and utter exhaustion. It would not be an easy road she was taking, but she owed it to her children to leave them with the knowledge that perhaps it was their turn to put her first.
“Sweetest?”
“Oh, Jacob, I almost forgot about you. I’m so sorry.”
“You’re not doing that, remember?”
“No, you’re right. Let me try again. Oh, Jacob, I’m glad to see you.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Don’t bait me. If I didn’t mean it, I wouldn’t say it.”
“Good girl.”
“I guess I should go and put myself to bed.”<
br />
She blew him a kiss, which he caught and held to his lips and then heart, and then she headed up the stairs to try to sleep. Strange bed, strange house, stranger situation—all of these did not make for sound slumber.
She brushed her teeth, slipped into her comfiest flannel nightgown, and slipped under the down duvet. Though she thought sleep would evade her, she was out before she knew it and the next thing she knew, two of the most ferocious wild things were jumping on her bed, coaxing her to get up and play with them.
“Hey, hey, hey, you scalawags! What is the meaning of all this? I come to visit and you try to chase me away? Come here, the both of you, and give me a gentle kiss on each cheek and let’s start this morning all over again.”
They chuckled with chubby little hands over their mouths and all manner of mischief in their eyes, but did as she asked.
“Now, be gone with you. I need to shower and dress for adventure. Be thinking about what you want to do with the day.”
They scurried out of the room, slamming the door behind them and she could hear the thunder of their feet running downstairs and into the kitchen. She smiled with contentment in the moment. It was thrilling to be able to do that now.
Chapter 20,
in which sad news is
exchanged for happy
As Maggie turned the corner into the kitchen, she found Rhiannon making waffles with all the panache that she did anything. They were Belgian, of course, and garnished with fresh fruit and there was piping hot real maple syrup on the table in a lovely little silver pitcher. There was a carved wooden box opened up displaying assorted herbal teas and an electric teapot with water at the perfect temperature to steep them. The table was set with fine china and real silver on Irish linen tablecloth and napkins.
Ian and Kathryn were politely eating their waffles with all the propriety of royalty. She had taught them well and Maggie knew that they would go on to do great things with great support from their parents. She only hoped that they would be able to form lasting relationships when the time came.
“Good morning, mother, did you rest well?”
“Yes, thank you, I slept quite soundly until my rude awakening by a couple of hooligans.”
Once again, the children giggled behind hands and looked proudly at one another for their cooperative morning coup.
“So, what have you two got in mind for the day. I hope we can do something quite out of the ordinary. Is there anything that you have wanted to do but haven’t been able to?”
Ian was the first to offer a suggestion.
“What about a hike? We could put granola bars and bottle water and a first aid kit in our backpacks and head up the hills and hunt for bears and deer!”
Rhiannon interceded and Maggie was most grateful.
“Grandma’s not up to a hike right now. Why don't you try to think of something else.”
Ian lowered his face a little disappointed, but continued to think.
“We could go to the children’s museum. They have lots of cool stuff to do there.”
This time Rhiannon didn’t interject, but rather looked at her mother for a “yay” or “nay” on the matter. Maggie nodded discreetly.
“That sounds like a perfect day!” Rhiannon was being quite civil and thoughtful. “Why don’t you two go dress and make up your beds and I’ll make sure grandma gets fueled up.”
They scampered up the steps to their rooms and put on clothes that had carefully been chosen and laid out for them.
“Mom, are you sure you’re up for this?”
“Oh, yes, I’m fine at the moment. It will be fun. Thank you for letting me abscond with them.”
Rhiannon brought a plate of waffles over to Maggie, set them down and wrapped her arms around her mother.
“Mom, I’m so sorry. I was being so selfish last night, but in my defense, it was a lot to spring on someone. This is so unexpected. You’ve always been so healthy. Can you forgive me?”
Maggie turned and embraced her first-born and kissed her forehead.
“I’ve already forgotten it.”
“You were always so good at that. I always hang on to things and chew on them far too long.”
“Oh, little girl, you don’t even know how I used to hang on to things. I am just recently learning to let go.”
“You’d never know that. You never seemed to show any resentment. It was almost creepy.”
“I kept it secreted away where only I could take advantage of it. I didn’t share with anyone. You kids were never the problem; why should you have to deal with all that misery from me?”
“Wow, I had no idea.”
“Anyway, that was then; this is now. The time is long overdue for some fun. Will you be joining us for our outing?”
“I think it would be good for you to do this with them alone. I want them to have memories to cherish that don’t include me harping on them for some insignificant thing or the other. Just don't tell them anything about what's going on with you. We want to do that another time when we're better prepared.”
“Wise thinking. Thank you so much for the lovely breakfast. I’m going to go and get ready now.”
“Sounds good. May I share something with you before you go?”
“Sure, honey, what is it?”
“We’re expecting again.”
“Excuse me?”
“We’re pregnant.”
“Oh, honey, that’s wonderful! Congratulations.”
Maggie's face did not match her words. Tears streamed down her face.
“That’s what I was hoping to hear, but it's not what I see. I wasn’t sure whether to spring it on you now or not, with all you have to deal with at the moment.”
“I can’t think of a better time! I'm just feeling a lot. It isn't sadness, necessarily. Maybe a little. Just hopeful that I will be able to be a part of this little one's life.”
Maggie hugged Rhiannon so tightly she could barely breathe. It was a moment more genuine than either of them could remember sharing.
The day with the grandchildren went better than expected and Maggie was blessed with an inordinate amount of energy to equal their rambunctiousness. They returned home to an Italian feast and spent the evening playing board games. Maggie told them before bed that she would be leaving the next morning to go and visit Rachel and her family in Virginia. There were moans and groans, but Rhiannon did a brave job of smoothing things over with the children, although no placating was needed for Lawrence. He was perfectly comfortable with the idea of their lives getting back on schedule.
Maggie took advantage of the opportunity to get the children to bed. This time, rather than read to them out of some contemporary children’s book, she chose rather to tell them a Grimm fairy tale. She chose The Princess and the Frog because it was one of the lesser-known tales and she performed it with all the vigor of an auditioning starlet. Her expressions and passions for the story kept them rapt and they reacted perfectly to all the highs and lows. Prior to the storytelling, she told them about Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. She was sure the twinkle in her eye when she spoke of Jacob would tip them off, but how could two innocent children possibly conceive of such a story as Maggie was living. No one could.
She kissed them and tucked them in and told them she would see them at breakfast the next morning. Then Maggie made her way downstairs and spent a couple of hours speaking intimately with Rhiannon and Lawrence. She talked of her wishes and dreams and hopes, but only after she allowed them to speak of theirs. It was the best time she had ever spent and she was hoping for the same sort of experience with Rachel and her clan.
Maggie slept well once again until the bouncing brigade hit her bed.
“What am I going to do with you two? Wait, I know. I’ll miss you like crazy!”
“We love you, grandma!”
They hugged and then Maggie got her things together and had Ian carry them down for her. The family enjoyed a nice breakfast of crepes together and then it was time to hit the road.
“Mom, I’m so glad you dropped in like this. It was so much better not knowing you were coming, but next time, let me know.” Rhiannon laughed comfortably at her own joke and Maggie was so thankful for the visit and what she learned about her daughter and herself.
Hugs and kisses and tears led her down the road to Virginia to visit Rachel and her family.
Chapter 21,
a hectic chapter, in which the trip and writing are recommenced and an attack is fought off in a strange way
Maggie had immensely enjoyed her stay with Rhiannon and her family, but had very much missed spending time with Jacob, so it was with butterflies that she called his name out as she entered the highway.
“Are you there?”
“Margaret, you should know by now that you have to actually say my name.”
“Oh, right, sweetie-pie, are you there?”
“So it’s going to be that kind of day?”
Maggie snickered.
“How was your visit? Did it improve after the first night?”
“Oh, so very much. It was lovely and now I can’t wait to see Rachel and her family.”
Maggie recounted the time she had spent and Jacob listened with his complete attention, something she had not had the privilege of in previous relationships.
Grimm's Last Fairy Tale Page 10
