Chapter 6 - Margaret Had Mistaken Being Needed For Being Chosen
Daniel canceled the wedding venue three days later.
Not the engagement.
The venue.
Margaret heard about it from Daniel, not the planner.
That mattered.
She came to his apartment that evening.
He let me decide whether I wanted to be there.
I did.
Margaret entered carrying no flowers.
Good start.
She saw me.
“Claire.”
“Margaret.”
The bruise from my slap had faded.
The wine stain on my dress had not.
I had kept the dress.
Not for symbolism.
The dry cleaner said the silk was ruined and I was too angry to throw it away.
Daniel sat.
“We're postponing the wedding.”
Margaret’s face changed.
“Because of me?”
“Partly.”
She looked at me.
I said nothing.
Daniel continued.
“Also because we discovered both families have been using our relationship to finish arguments that started before we met.”
Margaret lowered her purse.
“Robert is coming back.”
“Maybe.”
“And Susan—”
“Stop.”
Margaret did.
Daniel looked at her.
“You don’t get to make Claire’s mother the explanation for Dad leaving.”
“She helped him.”
“Yes.”
“She hid him.”
“For six nights.”
“She knew where he was.”
“So did you.”
That landed.
Margaret’s jaw tightened.
Daniel continued.
“You found him.”
“Yes.”
“You told me nobody knew where he was.”
“I said—”
“No.”
She stopped again.
“Don't give me the lawyer version.”
Margaret looked down.
“I was humiliated.”
Daniel waited.
She continued.
“Everyone knew Robert had left the house.”
“Not everyone knew why.”
“Exactly.”
Her voice tightened.
“I had people calling to ask if we were all right. People who had never once asked whether I was happy in thirty years of marriage suddenly wanted details.”
“So you gave them one.”
“He had another woman.”
Margaret nodded.
“It was easier.”
She looked at me.
“I knew Susan was not sleeping with him.”
That surprised me.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Robert told me.”
“And you still let Daniel believe it?”
Her face tightened.
“I never explicitly told Daniel they were having an affair.”
Daniel laughed.
“That’s the lawyer version.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
She had said enough.
Robert has someone helping him.
He planned this.
He didn’t want our life.
He chose somewhere else.
A twenty-three-year-old son supplied the rest.
Margaret never corrected him.
“Why?”
Daniel asked.
She looked at her son.
“Because you stayed close to me.”
Simple.
Daniel’s face changed.
Margaret continued before he could speak.
“You were furious with him. You called. You came home. You checked whether I had eaten.”
Her voice broke.
“And every time you hated him, I felt less abandoned.”
That hurt because it was understandable.
Then:
“So I stopped asking whether what you believed was fair.”
There was her line.
Not the wine.
Not the handbag.
Twelve years earlier.
She had learned that Daniel’s anger toward Robert made him more loyal to her.
She let it grow.
Daniel looked toward the window.
“When Dad called six years ago…”
“I was terrified.”
“That I'd choose him.”
“Yes.”
“Over you.”
“Yes.”
“So you decided for me.”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
No shouting.
Worse.
Margaret looked at me.
“And when I realized who your mother was, I thought it was happening again.”
“What?”
“Someone was going to take Daniel into a life I didn't control.”
I stared.
“You understand how insane that sounds.”
“Yes.”
“Now.”
“Yes.”
Good.
She swallowed.
“I threw the wine because I wanted you out of the room.”
“I know.”
“I dumped your bag because I wanted proof.”
“Yes.”
“I called you trash because I knew class was the easiest place to hurt you.”
That was new.
She had noticed.
Of course she had.
Margaret knew my mother had catered weddings.
Knew I went to public schools.
Knew exactly what insult would make everyone hear social rank before they heard anger.
“You chose it.”
“Yes.”
“Not because you lost control.”
“No.”
Her voice dropped.
“Because I wanted control back.”
That was the apology underneath the apology.
I nodded.
“I appreciate you saying it.”
“Do you forgive me?”
“No.”
Her face changed.
“I don't know if I will.”
She nodded slowly.
“That’s fair.”
I almost told her not to say fair.
Instead Daniel said:
“And whether Claire forgives you is not going to determine whether you see me.”
Margaret looked at him.
“What does?”
“Your behavior with me.”
That was new for both of them.
“You don't get access to me by getting Claire to approve you.”
Margaret’s eyes filled.
“Okay.”
“And Dad doesn't get access to me by making you the villain.”
Margaret looked surprised.
Daniel continued.
“You both get your own relationship with me.”
He sounded exhausted saying it.
Probably because it should have been obvious.
Margaret stood to leave.
At the door, she looked at me.
“I’m sorry about the dress.”
I looked down.
“It was ugly.”
Her mouth twitched.
“I thought so too.”
I stared.
She realized.
“Oh God.”
I laughed despite myself.
The first genuine sound either of us had made around the other.
Margaret laughed too.
Then stopped because neither of us was ready for that to mean reconciliation.
Good.
She left.
Daniel looked at me.
“Still ugly?”
“The dress?”
“Yes.”
“Objectively.”
“You wore it to our engagement dinner.”
“Your mother chose the restaurant.”
“Fair.”
I pointed at him.
“Don’t.”
He frowned.
May you like
“What?”
“Nothing.”
