AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you.” Mary’s cheeks went a little pink. “I don’t go out much, so it’s the only nice dress I’ve got. I prefer to be in sweats at home, even when I’m working.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“You’re going to think I’m silly when I tell you.”
“Try me.” Max moved to sit on the couch, careful not to be too close to her. “You don’t know until you try.”
“Well…” Mary hesitated. “I’m a writer. I write romance.”
Max hadn’t expected that.
“Really?”
“Yes. I’ve been doing it since college.”
“And how’s that going for you?”
“Pretty good. I get very good advances for my books, and they sell really well.” Mary shrugged. “I like my own company, so interacting with people by email and working from home is perfect for me. I don’t have to get dressed up every day running around for other people, and the only person I can blame for anything is myself.”
Max had thought she was going to say something else. He had picked out being a teacher or some sort of job with kids. Romance writer had not been there.
“What does your family think about it?”
“Dad supports me. He sees how happy I am, and he’s proud as hell to see my name in bookstores.” Mary giggled. “He’s banned from reading them, though. I don’t think I could look him in the eye if he read something of mine. My aunts read my books, and while they praise me up and down, they do have a problem looking me in the eye for a bit.”
“Saucy stuff, then?”
“You could say that.”
Max found himself more intrigued. He had not thought that this was what she would do for a living. It was quite refreshing.
“And what about your mother and sister? What do they say about it?”
Mary sighed.
“Mom says I shouldn’t be so focused on a hobby, and I should get myself a proper job. I think she has a feeling I’ll be coming to her asking for handouts when things take a slump. Olivia…well, she calls me sad because I write, in her words, dirty books. Neither of them is particularly supportive, even when others ask about me. They just talk about it in an offhand sort of way.”
After what Max had seen from Delia, he wasn’t really surprised. He was beginning to really dislike the woman.
“Your mother is really something. Being disparaging about your work, condoning cheating, forcing you into the water when you don’t want it…this is like you’re telling me you’re not the favorite child without telling me.”
“I never thought of it like that, but I suppose you’re right. Olivia and Mom are very alike, so it’s no surprise that my sister would be favored.” Mary snorted. “She cheated as well. Dad found out and I went with Dad after the divorce.”
“Your mom cheated as well?”
This was really turning into like mother-like daughter situation. Mary nodded.
“Maybe that’s why she’s okay with Olivia hijacking what I worked hard for. She sees nothing wrong with it. Just like she saw nothing wrong with Olivia being the reason I’m scared of water.”
“I did mean to ask: why are you scared of the water? What happened?”
Mary glanced away, fiddling at the lace on her skirt.
“I was sixteen, Olivia was eleven. She dunked me under the water when we were at the local pool and held me down. I almost drowned.”
* * *
Mary could feel the shock coming off Max. She didn’t look at him, focusing on the stray thread coming off her skirt. Why had she spoken about that? Normally, when someone asked why she was scared of water, Mary would say she almost drowned. But she never said how it happened. Much as she hated her sister, she didn’t want to discuss her part in it.
