I suppress a giggle. “That’s what kids drink at college parties, because it’s cheap.”
One brow arches. “We’re being frugal. That’s not a crime.”
“Good choice, then.”
She passes me a glass and sits across from me. Her cloth napkin snaps as she unfolds it and puts it on her lap. “You know, I managed to keep that one little iPad from the vultures when they cleaned us out and I turned it on today. I was able to browsesomany recipes online. I figured I’d better start with something easy. Today, spaghetti and meatballs. Tomorrow, beef Wellington.”
“Are you taking up cooking as a hobby?”
She sips her wine. “More like a necessity, Piper. Every woman should know how to cook for herself. You should, too. Why don’t you come over one night a week and we’ll cook something together? It will be a learning experience!”
My smile falters. I already know that Nate would never go for that. My stomach flips as I think about last night again. I swear I can still taste himin my mouth.
Clearing my throat, I try to banish the scandalous memories. “We’ll see.”
“I also started doing my own laundry,” she goes on. “It’s been…fun. Yes, fun. I didn’t know how easy it was, but you just toss all the clothes in and let the machine do the work.”
“What happened to the laundry service? Didn’t Susan and Doug say you could use it?”
Her friends that own the guest house had extended services to us that they already used, like the trash pickup, the bi-weekly housekeeper, and a laundry service. Initially, my mother had accepted without hesitation.
She looks away, then back to me. “I just…I can’t continue living on my friends’ generosity forever. Your father is most likely going to prison, and you’re busy with your life, so it’s just me now. I don’t need everyone to do everything for me.”
“Since when?” The words pop out before I can stop them. “I mean?—”
She sets down her wine glass. “It’s okay, Piper.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just surprised, Mom. That’s all.”
“The other thing is…well, there’s no easy way to say it. I’m leaving your father. So me being alone isn’t temporary. And I need to learn to stand on my own two feet.”
Picking up her fork, she assertively spears some lettuce from her salad and holds it by her mouth but doesn’t take a bite. My mouth hangs open. A tiny squawk comes from my throat, so I hastily drink a gulp of wine, but it doesn’t help.
“Mom—”
“To be fair, I’m only just thinking about it, but I’m pretty sure that I’ll go through with it. I know this comes asa shock, but there’s only so much a person can take from someone when they’re in a relationship.”
“It’s not a shock,” I quickly soothe. “I think you should have left him already, but you know that.”
She eats her lettuce. Chews slowly. I sit there pushing salad around my plate, still processing, because she really did shock me. Between last night and this, my system is totally overloaded.
“He’s humiliated me and left me destitute,” she continues after a few moments. “But that doesn’t mean I have to play the victim. I can start over, be my own woman. Be the kind of person who cooks nice meals, cleans their own house, pays their own bills. It’s going to take time to learn how to do all of that, so I figured I’d better start now.”
Softness towards her expands in my chest. “Homemaking is your new hobby.”
She smiles. “I guess so.”
We eat in silence for a while after that. The meal she made tastes good. Luckily, I like garlic, because I think she used an entire bulb instead of just a couple of cloves.
“You know, Piper, I’ve been thinking about your situation, too. And I’ve come to realize that I don’t want you to end up like me.”
Her meaning is clear. She doesn’t want me to end up at the financial mercy of a man who will ultimately screw me over and leave me penniless and flailing in midlife.
But I’m already on a trajectory to be married off to a man who likely won’t give a lot of thought to my overall future. It’ll be my responsibility to squirrel away what resources I can after I get married, in case things fall apart for me like they have for my mother. Nate should be able toword the contract to ensure that I’ll have enough money for Nana and some for myself, no matter what happens in the marriage, so there are no surprises or ugly court battles later.
“I wouldn’t mind ending up like you,” I tell her. “You’re reinventing yourself, Mom. I think it’s wonderful.”
Her mouth creases. “Thank you, but that’s not what I meant. I’m telling you that I don’t want you to be at a man’s mercy, Piper. High society marriages aren’t always worth it.”
