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“Good morning,” he said, kissing her. “Harvey’s seeing clients this morning, so I’m taking it slow with my girlfriend.”
“Good morning, Tina,” Maggie said, kissing her.
“Mama.”
“I haven’t gone to sleep before ten since I was eight years old, so when I heard her this morning, I’d had more than enough sleep. I tried to get her before she woke you up.”
“I didn’t hear a thing. Do you want coffee?”
“Sure, if you’re making some.”
“You have applesauce in your hair,” she said, laughing.
“I gave her a squeezy for breakfast.”
“I’ll make egg sandwiches. Will you have one?”
“I’d love one,” he said.
“Bye,” Tina called out when Maggie turned to leave.
“Bye-bye, baby,” she replied, waving, and Tina waved back.
In the kitchen, she placed muffins in the toaster and broke eggs into a frying pan, then filled the coffeemaker with water, a new filter paper, and ground coffee, all the normal things she had done for the past two years, taking care of Justin and now their baby as well. How would marrying him make it any different?
Suddenly, she trembled, and her heart raced. “You’re having a panic attack, girlfriend,” she mumbled into the air.
Why did working out problems in a relationship seem insurmountable? In marriage, would it be worse?
Her phone beeped; it was Annie.
“I got the weirdest text just now,” she said.
Maggie laughed. “Was it from Justin?”
“Yes. I’ll put you on speakerphone since I’m talking on the same device he sent the message on, so I can read it. It says, ‘Annie, will you be my shrink? Justy.’”
“That’s hysterical. Do you want the backstory?”
“Yes. I’ll get it from him, too, but I want your version.”
Maggie told her how Justin and Dave had been summoned to the lodge and Vic told them their mother had died by suicide.
“Oh, how awful. Are you sure you want him to talk to me? Maybe he needs a real psychologist.”
“He asked for you, Annie. I said he should talk to a therapist, and he suggested you. Knowing Justin as I do, that says a lot. He’ll feel comfortable spilling his guts with you. If he talks about Amber, record it.”
“You’re not serious.”
“I’m dead serious,” Maggie said. “She continues to be a thorn in my side.”
“You know I can’t tell you what he says.”
“Ugh, I know. But what if he confesses a deep and undying love for Amber?”
“Maggie, get real. Maybe you’re the one who needs therapy.”
“Ha! I’m sure I do. I’m making breakfast. Can I talk to you later?”
