Unfinished Business

by Roxanne Hensley

  But then again, he was the one who’d decided to cheat. He chose to seek comfort in the arms of someone else instead of working on things at home. Those were his choices to make, not hers.

  What about their vows? Did they mean nothing? They felt like empty promises.

  Pain coursed through her veins, and she took shallow breaths in a feeble attempt to calm her nerves. She needed to find a way to self-soothe and knew with time she’d get past all her wounds. She closed her eyes, wishing it were all a dream. The hum of the refrigerator lulled her to sleep.

  6

  A couple of weeks after being released from the hospital, Adrian felt restless from house arrest. She wondered how much longer she’d be sentenced to imprisonment, sharing a cell with Brad’s shadow: his laundry, a bottle of his favorite craft beer in the fridge, smiling photos from their wedding day, and a few stray clippings from his electric razor around the bathroom sink. Death would have almost been easier, but every day, the pain subsided little by little, both physically and emotionally. She felt ready for parole, longing to establish a new form of normal without the ghosts.

  She’d felt mixed emotions at his funeral a few days earlier. Paul and Rhonda waited until Adrian was physically able to attend a memorial for their son, and Laura acted as her physical and emotional crutch. The service was closed casket, and Adrian gave silent thanks for that small blessing. She didn’t think she could hold it together seeing his lifeless body peacefully sleeping.

  The memorial service felt like a weird dream. A blur of people came up to her, sharing their condolences, and she felt bile rise in her throat at the mention of Brad being a devoted husband. Despite it all, she couldn’t bring herself to defile his memory and kept his infidelity swept under the rug. She’d scanned the room, searching for the other woman, but if his mistress was there, she hid her identity well. At least their vows stayed intact: ‘Til death do us part.

  Laura texted, saying she was on her way over with dinner. She’d been a complete angel, shuttling Adrian to doctors’ appointments in between taking care of her husband and son. She offered to help Adrian sort through Brad’s things as well, when she felt up to it. Adrian considered taking her up on that, at least for an hour here and there. Besides, she’d grown tired of vegging in front of the television and needed to channel her energy into something productive.

  Her mind felt idle since she hadn’t received clearance to return to work yet. She longed for the distraction of helping her staff with deal cycles, achieving victory one sale at a time. However, the idea of going back to a corporate job felt empty somehow. Since her brush with death, she’d put her life under a microscope, moving everything into sharper focus. Knowing firsthand how fragile life was, what did she want to do with whatever time she had left? She hadn’t quite figured it out, but she knew whatever it was probably had nothing to do with sales.

  Regardless, she still had to make the donuts, so she called her boss to check in. “My doctor said I could probably return part-time in about three weeks or so.” She shifted on the couch. Finding a comfortable position post-accident was still a challenge. When Simon didn’t respond, she continued, “He recommended I start back part-time and see how I handle that for a couple of weeks before clearing me to return full-time.” Dead air from the other end. “Simon?”

  He sighed. “Look, there isn’t an easy way to put this.” Adrian’s stomach dropped, anticipating the blow. “With the launch of version 3.0, we really need all hands on-deck, and the board is growing concerned about your ability to perform and lead a team during a very critical time in our business.”

  Her pulse raced. “What are you saying?”

  “If you can’t return full-time starting next week, we have no choice but to seek a replacement.”

  A replacement? He couldn’t be serious. Who would be more dedicated than her? She’d poured her heart and soul into building her team, sacrificing her relationship at times for what she called the bigger picture. And what good had it done?

  When she didn’t answer, he continued, “We’re prepared to offer you six months of severance pay if you’re not able to return.”

  “Six months? That’s it?” What a slap in the face.

  “I’m sorry, Adrian. My hands are tied.”

  She sighed. After everything she’d done for the company, it was all for naught. And six months was an insult. But she’d played the game from the other side too many times not to know it wasn’t negotiable. “I guess I have no other choice, do I?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Me too.”

  When they hung up, Adrian stared at her phone’s blank screen. Six months of pay wouldn’t get her very far, especially with the mounting medical bills for both her and Brad. She wasn’t in any condition to job hunt at the moment either.

  But maybe she wouldn’t have to.

  She remembered Brad had a small life insurance policy from his job, which would probably cover their medical expenses with a little bit left over. Was the Universe actually conspiring in her favor, pushing her toward what she’d always wanted to do? If there was ever a time to do it…

  “Hey, beautiful, dinner is here.” Laura walked through the front door. She balanced a bag of food under one arm and her nine-month old son Dylan in the other. She placed the bag on the kitchen island and saw Adrian sitting motionless on the couch. “What’s wrong?”

  “I just talked to my boss. If I’m not able to return full-time next week, they’re going to hire a replacement.”

  “What? No way. I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” Laura sat next to her. “Are they at least offering you severance?”

  “Six months.”

  Dylan whined.

  “My sentiments exactly, kid.”

  Laura found his pacifier and put it in his mouth. “That’s all?”

  Adrian nodded. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do.”

  Laura paused. “What about selling the house? I’m sure you have a decent amount of equity, right?”

  “I’d been thinking about that, actually.” Selling the house would certainly take some pressure off. She and Brad had opted for mortgage insurance in the event of a death, so she’d own the house free and clear soon enough. And she was tired of living with ghosts. “Good thing I know a good realtor.” She winked.

  “Aww, shucks.” Laura smiled. She offered to look into comparable sales and run some numbers later that evening. “Hey,” she said, grabbing Adrian’s hand. “You’re going to get through this. We will get through this.”

  “I know. It’s just a lot of change at once.”

  “If anyone can handle it, you can. You always find a way to come out of a shitty situation smelling like roses.”

  “Not in front of the baby.” Adrian gasped, placing her hands over his tiny ears. They both laughed.

  “Have you called your mom yet?”

  Adrian cringed. “No. I should probably rip that Band-Aid off too.”

  “I think this little dude might need a diaper change,” Laura said, getting up from the couch. She walked with Dylan toward the staircase. “See? Now you can call your mom.”

  “Great.” Adrian stared at her phone. She remembered telling her mother she would call, but for some reason, had hesitated every time she went to dial the number. Margaret obviously knew Adrian didn’t die from the accident. Did she really need any further update?

  But you told her you would call her. The nagging voice squeaked from the back of her mind. Being a woman of her word, Adrian took a deep breath as she prepared to—

  Her phone rang. The caller ID said Mom.

  “Good to know you’re still alive.”

  “Sorry I didn’t call sooner.”

  “You didn’t call at all. I called you.”

  “Okay…” Adrian trailed off. “H-how are you?”

  Margaret sighed. “Not good.”

  “Look, I’m really sorry I didn’t call.”

  “It’s not that.”

  Adrian’s pulse raced.r />
  “Look, this is not the call I wanted to make, but I thought you had a right to know that my doctor says I have cancer.”

  Adrian’s body stiffened. Her mother dropped the cancer bomb like it was something totally ordinary, like a rainstorm blowing in off the Gulf or forgetting to buy laundry detergent at the store. The casualness of it all caught Adrian completely off-guard. “What? How?”

  “He found two tumors in my lungs during a routine checkup appointment. He took a biopsy to be sure. I got the results and sure enough, it’s cancer.”

  A pit formed in Adrian’s stomach. Cancer, really? She didn’t know what to say. She could hear a television humming in the background. Apparently, the forecast in Florida called for partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 80s all week. She swallowed a lump in her throat. “What does that mean?”

  “It’s really not a big deal,” Margaret said, recounting what her doctor shared. Adrian only heard the words stage four, unknown prognosis, and positive outlook from what her mother said. When she finished, they were silent, a commercial for denture cleaner in the background. “Okay, I better go.”

  Adrian didn’t know what else to say, the weight of it all still floating on the surface. “Thanks for letting me know.”

  “I felt I owed it to you. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Mom?” She wasn’t ready to hang up.

  “What?”

  “It’s good to talk to you.” Adrian twisted the hem of her over-sized music festival T-shirt.

  She heard Margaret breathing on the other end of the line and sensed she wasn’t the only one not wanting to break the connection. “Yep, you too. Okay, bye-bye.”

  Adrian stared at the black screen on her phone after she hung up. Had her mother gotten choked up, or was that her imagination? The cancer bomb left her feeling shell-shocked. She clenched her stomach as a wave of nausea washed over.

  “What is it?” Laura asked.

  “My mom has cancer,” she blurted. Even saying the words out loud didn’t make them seem more real. Was it all a dream?

  Laura’s face contorted into expressions of surprise and sympathy. She sat next to Adrian, gently grabbing her hand. “What did she say?”

  “She had biopsies on two tumors in her lungs, and the doctor said they’re cancerous.” Adrian stared straight ahead while recounting what her mother told her, unable to make eye contact for fear of breaking down.

  “I’m so sorry, hon.” They were at a loss for words, cancer hanging heavy in the air. “What is she going to do?”

  Adrian sighed. “I don’t know. I forgot to ask.”

  “Who does she have in Florida?”

  “I don’t think she has anyone.” Adrian’s father passed away three years earlier, and she didn’t have any siblings. Her mother had a few close friends, but she needed more than friends for a cancer diagnosis. She needed family, and the only family she had left was her daughter. An abyss grew in Adrian’s stomach, the echo of the little girl’s warning on the other side, Your mother needs your help, ringing in her mind.

  Since Adrian was practically jobless, she knew what to do. The Universe was all but shoving her in that direction. “I guess it’s all on me.” She shrugged. “Is it just me, or does my life now resemble a sad country song?”

  Laura chuckled. “If anyone can handle your mother, it’s you.”

  “You sure about that?” Adrian raised an eyebrow. They both smiled.

  Adrian’s mind protested, memories flooding to the surface in an attempt to drown out the thought of going. Her mother certainly wasn’t the easiest person to live with. She peppered Adrian with criticism, and nothing she ever did was quite up to Margaret’s impossibly high standards. She heard her mother criticizing her care already. Use the sponge with more force when you give me a bath, would you? No, rub the ointment clockwise, not counterclockwise. Forget it, I’ll just do it myself. Adrian shuddered. “I don’t know if I can do this. My life hasn’t been all that bad without her in it.”

  Laura looked at her sideways, calling her bluff. “Whatever, Adrian. Honestly, could you be at peace knowing your mother was dying all alone a thousand miles away?”

  “When you put it that way, I’d be callous for saying yes.” Adrian pouted like a petulant five-year old.

  “I know you better than that. Regardless of the past, you would feel terrible knowing you didn’t make some kind of peace with her before she dies.”

  Laura had a point. Adrian couldn’t live with herself knowing she did nothing to help her mother. “You’re right. I need to do this for me, as weird and selfish as that may sound.”

  “It doesn’t sound too selfish,” Laura teased. “But I know what you mean. You’re making the right choice”

  “I guess I should call her back and tell her I’m coming to stay with her.” The words sounded so surreal leaving her lips.

  “Do you want some privacy?”

  “No, stay. This probably won’t be long.” She re-dialed her mother. “I think I should come stay with you for a while,” she said when Margaret answered.

  “Why?”

  Like she didn’t know? “To be honest, I’m about to get laid off from my job, so I thought it might be nice to come visit for a little while.”

  Margaret hesitated. “Okay.”

  Adrian knew by her mother’s lack of interest in lecturing her about losing the job that Margaret’s situation might be more acute than she’d led on. Adrian told her she’d have to get clearance from the doctor and tie up some loose ends over the next few weeks but would let her know when she was heading that way. Margaret agreed, and they hung up.

  “What did she say?”

  “She said okay. I guess I’m moving back in with my mother.” Adrian grimaced.

  “Maybe it won’t be that bad.”

  Adrian shrugged. Laura obviously didn’t remember much about Margaret.

  Margaret pulled a pan of brownies out of the oven and placed them on a cork trivet to cool. She knew instinctively her friends would arrive any minute for their version of afternoon tea. She scanned her humble home for anything out of place, deciding they needed some background music to keep them company.

  She turned the television from Fox News to a music channel playing old favorites and flashbacks from her youth. Oh, what the hell? She lit a sandalwood-scented candle. Satisfied, she returned to the kitchen to put on the kettle.

  The doorbell rang, and Margaret greeted her friends Gilda and Bev. Gilda, a statuesque beauty with short red hair, and Bev, a stout brunette wearing a blue-knitted cap, had quickly become Margaret’s version of family not long after she’d moved to Shady Acres a few years back. They’d met each other at one of the community’s social events and were thick as thieves since. They’d supported one another through the loss of husbands, cancer diagnoses, arthritis and even boyfriends who’d come and gone. Gilda and Bev, survivors of melanoma and breast cancer respectively, vowed to support Margaret through her battle. It was her turn to survive cancer, just like the two of them had.

  “You’re looking well,” Gilda said. “Have you started treatment?”

  “Do I smell brownies?” Bev’s eyes lit up.

  “It wouldn’t be tea without something sweet,” Margaret said, avoiding Gilda’s question.

  They made their way to their usual seats at Margaret’s round kitchen table, Margaret in the middle, Gilda on her left, and Bev to her right. They made small talk, allowing their tea to steep.

  “So, when does Adrian arrive?” Bev asked.

  “Tomorrow,” Margaret replied. She folded and unfolded the corner of her napkin. A cacophony of emotions played in Margaret’s anticipation of Adrian’s arrival. While she didn’t like the circumstances in which she and her daughter were reuniting, there was excitement at the opportunity to forge a better connection while she could. With age usually comes wisdom, and she’d had a lot of time to sit around and think about how she could have handled things differently.

  “How many times
have you checked things in her room?” Gilda asked.

  “Oh, only about seven.” She’d rearranged photos on the dresser three times, made and remade Adrian’s bed twice with different sheets, and double-checked there were enough hangers in the closet.

  “It’s going to go well.” Bev squeezed Margaret’s hand.

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “How could she be wrong?” Gilda said.

  “I’ve made mistakes in the past, and I—”

  “Who hasn’t?” Gilda cut her off. “No one is perfect, Margie.”

  Margaret sipped her tea, drinking in Gilda’s words. She’d had plenty of time to think about the mistakes she made in the past, but she knew it wasn’t healthy to dwell there either.

  “Except Harold.” Bev winked.

  Margaret blushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Oh please,” Gilda said. “You two are like giddy teenagers when you see each other. Just ask him out already.”

  Margaret sat up straighter in her chair. “A lady doesn’t ask.”

  Gilda’s eyebrow raised. “Since when are you a lady?”

  Margaret playfully slapped Gilda’s hand. “You’re one to talk.” They all laughed. “Okay, who wants a brownie?”

  7

  A sun-faded sign welcomed Adrian back to the Sunshine State. Kudzu suffocated the trees flanking the highway, and her throat constricted. She’d forgotten how humid Florida was. The concept of drinking air summed it up. When she’d moved to Austin three years earlier, she’d vowed to never make the drive again. Never say never.

  What transpired in the last three months had been referred to as a miracle on more than one occasion. Being an overachiever, she’d recovered faster than anyone expected, earning many figurative gold stars in physical therapy. Dr. Barnes said her immune system would be compromised the rest of her life, and she should expect some complications if she were to ever get pregnant. Not that that was high on her list of priorities anymore.

  A lot of people were shocked to hear that she was doing such a long drive alone after nearly dying in a crash, but Adrian was a survivor, not a victim. She was determined to make the best of her circumstances, although she wasn’t leaving much behind.