“Mom, what’s happening?”
“It’s a bit of a story. Could we have tea? And talk?”
“Yes, of course.” Mauve led her over to the couch.
Her mother stopped in front of the tree. “The ornaments I sent. You hung them?”
“That’s right. I haven’t had a tree since … Chris. So the timing was perfect.”
“They look nice.” She brought her hands to her face, eyes glistening. “Your grandmother loved choosing them for you. Every year. Mostly from the Hallmark store. Your father used to make fun of them. Called them overly priced and cheesy. One time he made her cry. I hated him for that.”
Hated him.
“Your home is beautiful, Mauve. I’m proud of you.”
She needed more information than that. “Mom, have you left Dad?”
“I’m afraid I have. Which is why I’m here. I’d like to tell you about it. All of it.”
She’d left him? How was this possible?
“You better come into the kitchen,” Mauve said. “Sit. I’ll make the tea.”
Mauve filled the kettle and set it on the burner. Her mother sat at the small table, hands folded in her lap as the kettle began to tick. Mauve got down two mugs and chose two bags of Earl Grey from her stash. Her mother loved Earl Grey, but she never had it at home. Will Callahan didn’t believe in any tea except Lipton black. Every time Mauve had a cup of Earl Grey she thought about her mother, at home, drinking her inexpensive tea.
The kettle whistled. Mauve poured the boiling water into the mugs and joined her mother at the table.
“Oh, how lovely. I adore Earl Grey. David bought a case of it for me.”
“Who is David?”
Her mother looked at her across the table and drew in a deep breath. “Yes, right. I’m getting ahead of myself. Your father and I are divorced. I left eighteen months ago. Divorce was finalized six months after that.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No, honey, I wouldn’t joke about something like that.”
“Mom, I know. It’s a figure of speech.”
“I wanted to tell you before now, of course.”
“Why didn’t you?” Mauve asked.
“I couldn’t think of how to say it. I picked up the phone a hundred times, but always chickened out.”
“Does Millie know?”
“She does now. As of two days ago anyway.”
“What?”
“Your sister was quite supportive.”
“How could you keep this a secret for eighteen months?”
“It wasn’t a secret. I just didn’t know how to tell you.”
“Where have you been living?” Mauve asked.
