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“I’m about to crack open some rhubarb and peach wine to celebrate. Might be ready by now,” Jim says.
“Maybe get a normal bottle instead,” Maggie says quietly. “Something we bought from the liquor store.”
“Okay,” Jim says, unoffended. “Walker did say I should probably leave it a few more weeks, anyway.”
“So, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Maggie asks Tom as she climbs onto the stool next to Elliot.
“Well, I feel a bit silly saying it after that happy news.” His forehead is furrowed, and I realize there are deep dark circles under his eyes. “Maybe I’ll call you tomorrow, Aunt Mags. And tell you then.”
“Don’t be silly,” Maggie says. “It’s just us family here. There isn’t anything we can’t say in front of each other. Go ahead.”
I lean on Elliot’s shoulder as we all stare expectantly at Tom.
“Okay. I won’t get into the details now. I’ll just tell you the big picture.” He takes a deep breath and runs his fingers, most of which are adorned with chunky silver rings, through his chin-length hair. “I was wondering if I could come and stay for a while.”
“Oh, my darling. Of course.” Maggie just about bounces in her seat. “You haven’t visited in forever. When? For how long? Will you stay on after Max and Polly’s wedding? Would be so lovely to have you here for Christmas.”
“No, I’ll just be over for forty-eight hours or so for the wedding. I have to get right back here for the holidays—there’s a lot of work stuff going on. I was thinking of coming back a few days after New Year. And I’d like to stay for a while. Like, maybe two or three months. If that’s okay?”
“Is that okay?” On the verge of exploding with joy, Maggie obviously considers it very much okay. “Of course! You hear that, Jim?” She turns to her husband as he walks back into the room clutching a bottle of wine. “Tom’s coming to stay for a few months.”
“And Louisa?” Jim asks, opening a kitchen drawer and pulling out a corkscrew.
“Well, that’s what I wanted to tell you about.” Tom pauses and rubs his stubbly chin.
“Oh, dear,” Maggie says with a mother’s instinct. She might not be his biological mother, but she loves him just the same.
Elliot pulls me tighter against him.
“Long story short for now,” Tom says. “We broke up. We’re already divorced. Everything’s done and dusted. All the financial stuff, everything.”
Maggie clasps one hand to her mouth and reaches toward the screen with the other as if she can soothe him. “You’ve been going through all this and never mentioned it?”
“I didn’t want to worry you. And I wanted to do it fast. So I thought I’d wait to tell you when it was all done.”
“Wow, man,” Elliot says. “Sorry to hear it. You all right?”
Tom nods but says nothing.
I know full well the guys have never been able to stand Louisa, so they won’t be sorry to see her go. They will be worried about how upset Tom is, though.
“Have you told Walker yet?” Elliot asks.
“He’s my next call,” Tom says. “And I’ll see you all at the wedding next month.”
“Tom. Darling. My heart breaks for you, it truly does.” Maggie dabs her eyes. “Oh, but here’s a fun thing I almost forgot again. You’ll never guess who?—”
She pauses for a second and gazes silently at Tom’s melancholy face. “You know what, never mind for now. I’ll tell you about it when you come to stay.”
