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She climbed up on the stool beside me with a grunt. “Damn things are made for twenty year old gymnasts.” Finally settled on the bar stool, she turned to me with a slight scowl on her face. “I’m not too thrilled with you Sophie Worthington.”
“I figured.”
“It’s been almost what, two months, since you’ve been by to see me. Why?”
I opened my mouth to answer when I realized I didn’t have one. “Don’t know. At first things at TFL were crazy hectic and then, I don’t know, I guess I’m just a jerk. Sorry.”
Maggie laughed. “You are not a jerk, honey. Couldn’t be if you tried. But you are sorely misguided if you think your problems with my boy means anything for our relationship. Whatever is, or isn’t going on between the two of you, is your business. For now.”
I blinked at her in surprise, trying to figure out if some pod person had infiltrated her body. “So, you’re not planning to interfere? Or take sides?” That was definitely not the Maggie Lawson I’d known all these years. “What’s the catch?”
Maggie tossed her head back and laughed. “Oh, I have a side, and it’s the one that sees you and Stone settled and happy. Together or apart, though I admit that I’m hoping it’s together, because I love you both dearly, and because my boy has been pining after you for years. And you are the daughter I always wanted.” She took a sip from the beer glass Sage set in front of her with a wink. “But I’m giving you both time to figure it out before I start meddling.”
“Thanks for that,” I told her with a relieved sigh. “But I’m not so sure we will figure it out.” We were at a stand still right now and unless something changed, the impasse would remain.
“You will, and I think this break is just what the two of you need to shake you up.” She laughed at my look of surprise and waved a hand between us. “Your parents did a real number on you, Soph. How they treated you was wrong, dead wrong. But I need you to know that’s not love, and it’s not the roadmap you should be using.”
“It’s the only map I have, Mags.”
“Oh, bull,” she spat the words at me and took another pull from her beer. “Real love. True love. Family love, all of it, is about choosing to be there, not being there because you have to be. It’s found in friendships that last a lifetime, it’s in forgiving words spoken in anger, and it’s even in a young businesswoman stopping by to see an old lady just to say hello. Even in the way you bring me fancy face creams I’d never buy for myself.” She sighed and swiveled on the stool so we were face to face. “It’s putting in the effort even when it’s difficult. When it would be easier to walk away, the Stone’s father did. It’s staying even when you disagree. Even when you fight.”
That sounded like what love should be, but not what it was. “You don’t regret marrying Stone’s father?”
“Hell no! I love Stone to the moon and back. He’s the best thing that ever happened to me, even though his daddy broke my heart. Maybe I just wasn’t the love of his life and she was, or maybe he’s been running around on her for the past twenty years, I don’t really know and I don’t care.” Her words held the ring of truth that made me sit up and listen more carefully. “What I do regret is letting his bad behavior, his betrayal influence the last twenty years of my life. I gave him too much power, and that’s on me. He doesn’t deserve that kind of power, certainly not over my life. Especially after walking away from his own flesh and blood.”
“You think that’s what I’m doing, letting my parents’ actions and decisions influence the rest of my life?”
Maggie nodded. “Doesn’t take a college degree to figure it out. They gave you a warped view of love, sweetheart. I just hoped that maybe me and Stone had corrected it, just a little bit.”
Maggie’s words sounded sad, but not just sad, disappointed also, and that was like a dagger to my chest. I never wanted to have her disappointed in me.
“Maggie, you have. I swear it, but maybe I’m just too screwed up for love. Maybe that’s why I started Time for Love, to give me an up close and personal glimpse of real love.”
“Baloney. You’re hiding and running scared. The same way I did all these years. I’m done with it, and I hope that soon, you will be too.” Her green gaze held a soul searching look, but it was the new found peace in her eyes that I envied. “Thanks for tonight, Soph. Have a good night and don’t drink too much.” She slid off the stool with a grunt and gifted me with a peck on the cheek. “Love you, sweet girl.”
