by Joy Fielding
Their mother has yet to put in an appearance.
“Typical,” Sean grouses to his wife. “Thinks she’s too good for the rest of us.”
“Hey,” Tyler calls to Leo, who’s been standing on the sidelines, watching. “You want to play?”
“Can I, Mom?”
“Of course,” Maggie tells her son. “Just be care— Have fun,” she says, looking around for Erin, who seems to have vanished.
As, Maggie notices, has Mark Fisher.
Ben Wilson immediately swoops in and slaps Leo’s arm. “You’re it!” he shouts.
“How was your workout?” a voice asks as the boys take off running.
Maggie recognizes the seductively smooth tones of Nick Wilson without having to turn around. “It was good,” she tells him, swiveling toward him. “Hopefully next time, I can convince your wife to join me.” Once again, her eyes search the small gathering. “I don’t see her. Isn’t she coming?”
Nick looks toward his house. “Still getting ready. She should be out soon.”
Maggie nods. “How’d you hurt your hand?”
If he’s surprised by the question, he doesn’t show it. “Oh, that. So stupid,” he says, barely glancing at his bruised knuckles. “I was upset about a patient’s diagnosis and I took it out on a wall in my office. Really dumb thing to do. Could have broken my wrist. Think I’d know by now that you can’t save everyone.” He smiles sheepishly.
Maggie finds it interesting that in proclaiming his stupidity, he’s still managed to pat himself on the back.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he says, still smiling, “I’ll go see what’s keeping Dani.”
“Of course.” Maggie watches him walk away.
“Hey,” Heidi Young says, quickly taking his place.
“How are you feeling?” Maggie asks, noting Aiden and his mother standing off by themselves at the curb in front of their house.
“Not great. I’m pretty much nauseous all the time. Sorry about the other evening.”
“No need to apologize. It was your lawn.”
Heidi manages a small chuckle. “In case you couldn’t tell, my mother-in-law isn’t exactly thrilled with the news.”
“Yeah. I kind of got that.”
Heidi takes a deep breath and lowers her voice to a whisper. “She wants me to have an abortion.”
“Oh? What do you want?”
“I want this baby.”
“Then that’s that. It’s settled.”
“Not really. She’s pretty much convinced Aiden that this isn’t the right time….”
“Nobody can force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” Maggie assures her. “Stick to your guns. Your husband loves you, Heidi. He’ll come around.”
“You promise?”
Maggie smiles and takes her hand. “Have faith,” she says. “It’ll all work out.” She takes a quick look around. “Have you seen Erin?”
“She was with Mark a few minutes ago. I think they went into Julia’s house.”
Great, Maggie thinks.
“Hey, everybody,” Sean calls. “I’ve got a bunch of hot dogs and burgers ready here. Who’s hungry?”
“Me!” yells Ben, making a beeline for the barbecue.
“Me, too,” echoes Leo, chasing after him.
“Me, three,” Julia says, grabbing a paper plate and holding it toward Sean.
“How are you feeling?” Olivia asks as the older woman is applying mustard and relish to her burger. “I understand you were in the hospital last week.”
“It was nothing,” Julia tells her. “I stood up too fast, got dizzy, and fainted. My grandson, bless him, overreacted and called 911.”
“Where is Mark anyway?” Maggie asks, joining them. “I haven’t seen him.”
“I believe he went inside to check on his apple pie.”
“Your grandson made an apple pie?”
“Only the best apple pie you’ve ever tasted,” Julia says proudly.
“Sounds heavenly. Do you mind if I go have a look?” Maggie asks.
“Be my guest. Door’s unlocked. Just follow your nose.”
Maggie walks up the pathway to Julia’s front door.
“Where are you going?” Leo yells after her.
“Be right back, sweetie.” Maggie pulls open the door and steps inside Julia’s sweet-smelling house. “Erin?” she calls, walking toward the kitchen. “Erin, are you in here?”
“Shit,” Erin mutters, pulling out of Mark’s embrace. “It’s my mother.”
“What’s she doing here?”
“Snooping. What else? Do I look okay?”
“You look great,” he says with a grin. “Your hair’s a little messy.”
“Shit.” She tries smoothing it down. “Now?”
“Better.”
“What’s going on in here?” Maggie asks from the doorway.
“Just checking on my apple pie,” Mark says, refusing to meet her gaze.
“It smells wonderful.”
“Something you want?” Erin asks.
“Sean’s starting to serve the food,” Maggie tells her. “I thought you might be hungry.”
“How considerate,” Erin says, although her tone and the look in her eyes say otherwise.
Maggie pretends not to notice either. “Shall we go get something to eat?”
“I’ll just take the pies out of the oven,” Mark says, “let them cool down.”
“Erin?” Maggie says, motioning toward the hall. “Are you coming?”
“I’ll wait for Mark.”
“I’m sure he can manage on his own. Can’t you, Mark?”
“Sure thing,” Mark answers. “You go. I’ll see you outside.”
“Honestly,” Erin snaps as she stomps past her mother. “You are such a pill.”
“Does he know you’re only sixteen?” Maggie asks in return.
“Wait. What?” Maggie hears Mark exclaim from the kitchen as she’s closing the front door.
* * *
—
“So, what’ll it be, ladies?” Sean asks as Maggie and Erin approach.
“Hamburger for me,” Maggie says. “Erin?”
“I’m not really hungry.”
“You gotta eat something,” Sean urges. “Come on. It’s a celebration.”
“Fine,” Erin says grudgingly. “I’ll have a hot dog.”
“Speaking of celebrations,” Maggie says as Sean lifts a hamburger off the grill, places it inside a bun, and deposits it on her plate, “I understand congratulations are in order.”
Sean looks confused.
“Your new job,” Maggie says.
Sean glances sideways at his wife. “Of course. I didn’t realize Olivia had told anyone.”
“Well, it’s not exactly a secret, is it?” Olivia leans over to ask. “I’m just so proud of you. I want to shout it to the world.”
“Yeah. Let’s hold off on that awhile, shall we?” Sean reaches over to grab another beer from the cooler. “Give it a few months, let the dust settle, see how everything goes. Assuming all is going well, then we can let the whole world know. Hey, there, you guys,” he calls to Aiden and his mother. “Come and get it.”
“You know you have a clone,” Erin tells Sean as he’s lifting her hot dog off the grill with his tongs.
“A clone?”
“A double,” Erin explains. “I could have sworn I saw you at the beach on Monday afternoon.”
“What? No! No way!” Sean’s grip on the tongs loosens and Erin’s hot dog drops to the pavement, bouncing toward Olivia’s feet. “Whoever you saw, it definitely wasn’t me. Shit! Where’d that damn thing go?”
Erin laughs as Olivia stops the errant hot dog with the toe of her sandal.
She isn’t laughing.
Chapter Forty
Dani is sitting on her bed, staring at the far wall, when she hears the front door open and her husband’s footsteps on the stairs. Get up, she tells herself. Get up and get moving. At least change your shirt. She can’t very well go downstairs wearing the one she has on, not with the blood covering it still so fresh.
But when Dani tries to move her feet, they collapse under her, and she’s forced back into her previous position. She knows Nick will be angry when he sees her. He gave her explicit instructions to get herself cleaned up, apply ice to her injury, and put on a happy face for their neighbors. He’ll accuse her of deliberately trying to make him look bad. Just as he accused her earlier of trying to undermine his authority with the boys over…God only knows what.
“Dani?” she hears him call. “Dan…”
She feels him staring at her from the doorway.
“Dani?” he says again. “Sweetheart, are you all right?”
Dani can scarcely believe her ears, let alone respond. Can he have forgotten what transpired barely an hour ago? Forgotten that he struck her with his fist over some perceived minor transgression, catching the side of her nose, and unleashing a torrent of blood down the front of her white blouse? Is such a thing possible?
Slowly, gingerly, Dani turns her head toward him, careful not to move too fast lest the sudden motion cause the bleeding to start up again.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Nick says, walking into the room and kneeling at her feet. “Have you been sitting here all this time?” He reaches up to touch her cheek. His fingers move cautiously to the side of her nose.
Dani instantly recoils.
“Hold still,” he tells her, pressing down gently. “The good news is that it’s not broken. Just a little swollen. You obviously didn’t apply ice, as I suggested….” He withdraws his hand. “When will you learn to trust me? I’m a doctor, remember?” he says, with a smile.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbles, fresh tears filling her eyes and dripping down her cheeks to mingle with the dried blood at her chin.
“Yes, well, it’s too late now. You’ll probably end up with a black eye.” He pushes himself to his feet. “Which could have been avoided if you’d only listen to your husband once in a while. Come on,” he says. “Let’s get you out of this shirt.” He undoes the blouse’s delicate white buttons and slips it off her shoulders, trapping her arms at her sides as his fingers trace the lace outline of her bra, also stained with her blood. “Better get this off, too,” he says, undoing the clasp at the back of the bra and sliding it down over her breasts.
His hand moves to her neck, and Dani finds herself holding her breath, not sure if he means to caress her or choke the life out of her.
Given the choice, she’d choose the latter.
The front door opens. “Mom? Dad?” a small voice calls up the stairs.
Nick’s hand moves to cover Dani’s lips. His index finger wiggles into her mouth. “What is it, Ben?”
“Mr. Grant said to tell you the food’s ready, and you want to get it while it’s hot.”
“Be right there, buddy.”
“Mom, too.”
“We’re coming.” Nick slowly withdraws his finger from Dani’s mouth as the front door closes. He walks to the dresser and tosses Dani a lime-green T-shirt and a change of bra. “Get yourself washed up,” he instructs. “Put these on, apply some concealer under that eye, and get your ass downstairs. Wear sunglasses. If anyone asks, tell them the truth—you had a nosebleed.” He walks to the bedroom door and stops. “And hurry up. Don’t make me have to come back again.”
* * *
—
“Well, there you are,” Sean calls as Nick rejoins the party. “What’ll it be, Doc? Hamburger or hot dog?”
“Hamburger with the works.”
“Here’s your burger.” Sean drops a hamburger onto a paper plate and hands it to Nick, then points to the condiments on the next table. “Help yourself to the works.” He looks toward the Wilson house. “Will the Mrs. be joining us?”
“Should be down momentarily.”
“Hey, Dad,” Tyler calls. “Can I show Leo my fish?”
“Later, Goldilocks.”
“How come he calls you Goldilocks?” Leo asks. “That’s a girl’s name.”
“Your sister says it’s a…a term of endearment.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s supposed to be a good thing.” Tyler shrugs. The shrug says he isn’t so sure. “Race you to the end of the street.”
Maggie watches them run, grateful that her son seems to have found a friend, only moderately surprised it’s turned out to be Tyler and not Ben. “Tyler’s the sensitive one,” she remembers Erin telling her.
She looks around for her daughter, dismayed that once again, she is nowhere to be seen.
She hears footsteps approaching from behind and turns to see Aiden’s mother. “Lisa Young,” the woman says, extending her hand. “I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced.”
“Maggie McKay.”
“I’m staying with my son for a few weeks while my kitchen is being renovated.”
Maggie notes Lisa’s deliberate exclusion of Aiden’s wife. “Kitchen renovations are a big job.”
“Yes, but some things can only be put off for so long. I like what you’ve done with your hair,” Lisa adds, as if one thought naturally follows the other. “The blond suits you.”
“Thank you. I love your blouse,” Maggie feels compelled to add. Although the long-sleeved violet silk shirt doesn’t strike her as the most appropriate of choices for what is, after all, a simple neighborhood barbecue, especially in this heat. “And your shoes,” she says of Lisa’s equally inappropriate four-inch heels.
“You can’t go wrong with Louboutins,” Lisa says.
Maggie nods, feeling suddenly dowdy in her no-name sandals, beige capris, and plain white T. She spots Aiden and Heidi at the barbecue, loading up their plates. “You’re not eating anything?”
“Hamburgers aren’t really my thing.”
“You’re sure? Everything’s delicious.”
“I may treat myself to a piece of the apple pie I understand is coming.”
Maggie looks toward Julia Fisher’s house. Is it possible that Erin has gone back inside?
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” Lisa says.
“Oh?”
“Yes. It’s about the other evening.”
“Oh?” Maggie says again.
“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t say anything to anyone else about…the situation.”
The situation, Maggie repeats silently. “If you’re referring to Heidi’s pregnancy,” she says pointedly, “I wouldn’t dream of it. I understand it’s very early days, and that they would probably prefer to wait a few months before telling people—”
“That’s not the point,” Lisa interrupts.
“I’m sorry. What exactly is the point?”
“The point is that we’re not altogether sure that a baby at this particular time is a good idea.”
“Really? Heidi seems quite excited about it.”
“Yes. The poor girl is quite delusional about the joys of motherhood, I’m afraid. I was hoping you would talk to her.”
“Me?”
“Well, she obviously feels comfortable enough to confide in you. So maybe she’ll listen to you. She certainly won’t listen to me.”
“Just what is it you want me to say to her?” Maggie asks.
“That she should terminate this pregnancy.”
Maggie takes a step back. “I can’t do that,” she says. “I won’t.”
“Look. We all know this marriage was a mistake, and the last thing my son needs is to be saddled with a child. If I’m being honest, we’re not even sure the child is his….”
> A loud gasp fills the surrounding air.
Maggie turns to see Heidi, her skin ashen, her mouth open in disbelief. Aiden stands a few steps behind her, a similar expression on his face.
“Please don’t make a scene,” Lisa says, her voice icily calm.
“How could you say such a terrible thing?” Heidi demands.
“Oh, please. Don’t play innocent with me. You forget I walked in on you getting very cozy with one of the neighbors.”
“What are you talking about? You mean Mark? I told you, he’d been helping me make dinner.”
“In the den? On the sofa? The whole house stinking of marijuana?” Lisa scoffs. “God only knows what happened before I got there.”
“Nothing happened!” Heidi swivels toward Aiden. “I swear, nothing happened.”
“You have to admit that the timing of this pregnancy is very suspect,” Lisa says.
“You miserable bitch,” Heidi whispers.
“Well, I certainly don’t have to stand here and be abused.” Lisa straightens her shoulders and turns toward Maggie. “If you’ll excuse me…” She starts walking away, then stops, turns back toward her son. “Aiden? Are you coming?”
Maggie finds herself holding her breath. Hadn’t she used that exact tone with Erin earlier? She makes a silent vow never to do it again.
Aiden’s eyes dart between his mother and his wife.
“Please don’t go,” Heidi says.
Don’t go, Maggie repeats with her eyes.
“Can’t catch me!” Ben suddenly hollers, cutting between them, Leo and Tyler on his heels.
“Aiden…” his mother beckons.
Aiden sways toward her.
“Don’t go,” Heidi says again. “What your mother said about the baby…it’s not true. You know it’s not true.”
Aiden watches Leo, Ben, and Tyler running increasingly noisy and narrow circles inside the small cul-de-sac and feels the pavement beneath his feet crumble and turn to sand. His eyes scan the shadows of the nearby palm trees for signs of insurgents. He sees an enemy soldier emerge from Julia’s house, carrying what appears to be a bomb….