Her mother’s mouth curved into a slight smile, her eyes softening. “I’ve been renting an apartment. When I haven’t been at David’s.”
Mauve sat back in her chair. She was aware of the cold edge of the table under her palms. “David? Who’s David?”
Her mother didn’t answer immediately. She looked down at her hands, avoiding Mauve’s gaze. “He was my high school sweetheart.”
“And?” Mauve was growing impatient. “Just tell me what’s going on. Please.”
“He came to our high school reunion last summer. And well, to put it bluntly, we fell madly in love. Again.”
“Again.” Not a question, but one heck of a statement.
“Like I said, we were in love in high school. When we reconnected, it was like no time had passed. He’s wonderful. Charming and smart. So kind. Humble, even though he’s a world-renowned heart surgeon. You’d never know it to meet him that he saves lives every day.”
Mauve stared at this new version of her mother, feeling absolutely stunned into silence.
“He lives in upstate New York. I’m moving in with him, and we’re getting married. Which is why I’m here.”
“To invite me to the wedding?” She shook her head, continuing to stare.
“No, not that. Although I would love you to come. It’s that David insisted I tell you before we got officially engaged, not after. He’s at the inn, by the way. And I want you to meet him.”
“Wait. Did you leave Dad because of this man? David?”
“No, thankfully, the reunion was after our divorce was final. David would never have asked me out if I was still married. He’s very old-fashioned.”
“Does he have kids?”
“No. He wanted them, but his ex-wife didn’t.”
“I see.” She didn’t really see. She had no idea what was happening. Her mind was too jumbled with all of this new information to form a coherent thought. “How did you go from seeing him at the reunion to getting engaged?”All without telling either of your daughters,she thought to herself.
“We spent the entire weekend together, talking and talking. Reminiscing. But also expressing regret that we let the other one go. He told me he’d thought about me all these years. Just like I had.”
“You thought of him for years?”
“Every day, in fact.”
“Even though you were married to Dad?”
“That’s correct. I’m not proud of it, but I’m committed to telling you the truth. From now on.” She paused, picking up her mug of tea, blowing the steam into a shape that resembled a semi-colon. “He was accepted to college and I had chosen not to go … because of my mom. That was the first time she had cancer. So I stayed home to take care of her, and David kind of just disappeared. It was before email and all that, you know. Easier to lose track of a person back then. I met your dad and … my mother really wanted me to get married. So I did.” She set her mug aside without sipping from it. “In hindsight, my father wanted to make sure I never left so I’d be there to take care of my mother. He got what he wanted. Everyone did, it seems, except for me. I was miserable for thirty-six years. Finally, one day, I looked in the mirror and realized I don’t have that many decades of life before me, and I sure as heck didn’t want to spend one more day with your father. So I left him to his TV and his Miller Lite beer and started a new life.”
“All without telling me.”
“This wasn’t about you, but I am sorry. I just needed to figure it out without any input from you or Millie. I hope you can forgive me for that.”
Mauve put her hands flat on the table. “Is Dad okay?”
Her mother looked at her steadily. “I have no idea. But I imagine he is. Once he figured out that he could live on frozen dinners, he had no use for me.”
“Mom. Really? That’s what you feel?”
“That’s what I feel. He wasn’t good to me, honey. He never was. And I’ve been lonely. It was okay when you girls were still home. I could focus all my energy and love on you two. But after you both headed into your own lives, mine grew more and more unsatisfying. No, that’s not the right word. It became unbearable. I started to fantasize about a life on my own, and I just couldn’t let it go. I had to save myself. No one else was going to.”
“And this David—you’re sure about him?”
She smiled that same sweet smile from earlier. The smile of a smitten woman. “Oh yes. I’m sure. I should never have let him go. We have agreed that we should have fought harder to stay together. It’s a deep regret. Although, then I wouldn’t have you and Millie, and that’s unthinkable.” Her mother reached across the table and took Mauve’s hand. Her fingers were warm. “Are you all right?”
Mauve looked at her mother’s hand on hers and didn’t pull away. “I’m in shock.”
