Chapter 4 - MARGARET CHOSE A SIDE
Christmas Eve arrived like an insult.
Lights everywhere.
Music.
Families carrying gifts.
My marriage collapsing beside a tree I had decorated two weeks earlier.
Daniel still did not know Vanessa had spoken to me.
Margaret insisted we keep it that way.
“He thinks she’s protecting him.”
Robert frowned.
“This is starting to feel like espionage.”
Margaret looked at him.
“Our son forged his wife’s initials.”
“Allegedly.”
She stared.
Robert corrected himself.
“Very allegedly.”
Despite everything, I laughed.
Christmas Eve dinner had always been at Margaret’s house.
Daniel came.
Late.
He brought wine.
No Vanessa.
He kissed his mother’s cheek.
Tried mine.
I stepped back.
He noticed.
Margaret pretended not to.
Dinner was surreal.
Robert discussed football.
Margaret discussed cranberry sauce.
Daniel acted as though his wife had not caught him with another woman four days earlier.
Finally, he said:
“Emily and I are working through some things.”
Margaret cut turkey.
“Are you?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Yes.”
I remained silent.
He continued.
“I think we both made mistakes.”
Robert put down his fork.
I saw anger.
Margaret touched his arm beneath the table.
Not yet.
Daniel said:
“I haven’t felt appreciated in a long time.”
I stared.
He looked almost sincere.
That was the frightening part.
People can practice lies until emotion joins them.
“I met Vanessa at a bad time.”
Margaret asked:
“For whom?”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“A bad time for whom?”
He sighed.
“Both of us.”
“You were married.”
“I still am.”
“Yes.”
Margaret looked at him.
“That is generally the problem.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Mom, I need you not to judge me.”
“I am your mother. Judging you is included.”
Robert coughed to hide laughter.
Daniel turned toward me.
“I want us to start counseling after the holidays.”
Interesting.
He wanted counseling after the refinance.
I asked:
“Have you ended things with Vanessa?”
Silence.
“I need time.”
“No.”
He blinked.
“What?”
“You don’t need time to decide whether you’re married.”
His expression hardened.
“This is why we can’t talk.”
I almost smiled.
There it was.
My reaction.
Always the problem.
Then Margaret stood.
“Daniel, help me in the kitchen.”
He followed.
I stayed.
Five minutes later, shouting.
Not loud.
But enough.
“I know about Ashland,” Margaret said.
Silence.
“What?”
“The townhouse.”
Daniel said something too quiet.
Then:
“Who told you?”
“Wrong question.”
“Mom.”
“Did you take money from your father for it?”
No answer.
Robert stood.
Margaret continued.
“Did you use Emily’s savings?”
“It’s joint money.”
“Did Emily agree?”
“It’s joint.”
“That is not what I asked.”
Daniel’s voice rose.
“You’re supposed to be my mother.”
Margaret answered:
“I am.”
Then quieter:
“That is why I refuse to help you become worse.”
Silence.
I closed my eyes.
Margaret emerged first.
Daniel followed.
His face was red.
He looked at me.
“You told them everything?”
“Not everything.”
That scared him.
“What does that mean?”
I stood.
“Merry Christmas, Daniel.”
Then I left with Robert driving me home.
Margaret stayed behind with her son.
Later she told me what happened.
Daniel cried.
Then blamed Vanessa.
Then blamed me.
Then blamed stress.
Then finally admitted he had been seeing Vanessa since September.
September.
A month earlier than I knew.
Margaret asked him one question:
“Are you in love with her?”
Daniel answered:
“I don’t know.”
Margaret said:
“Then you destroyed your marriage for something you don’t even understand.”
He cried harder.
She did not comfort him.
Sometimes love sits beside someone.
May you like
Sometimes love leaves them alone with themselves.
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