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“I’m not being mean. I’m just trying to understand….”
“You don’t have to understand. This isn’t about you.”
“Whatisit about?”
“It’s about me having a life again,” Maggie says. “You’re right. I’ve been a zombie the last eighteen months. And I’m not going to lie, I’m still terrified. But I can’t let that fear define my life any longer. It’s already cost me my career, my marriage, my identity! I can’t let it take anything else. I need to take back at least a semblance of control. Forallour sakes.”
“And dating Richard Atwood is going to help you do that?”
“I don’t know,” Maggie admits. “It’s part of it, I guess.”
Erin looks toward the floor. When she looks back at her mother, her eyes are filled with tears. “What about Dad?”
“What about him?”
“Does he know?”
Maggie almost laughs. “About my new philosophy on life? How could he? I’m just starting to figure it out for myself.”
“Does he know you have a date?”
“Oh.”Back to that. “No, of course not.”
“Are you going to tell him?”
“Why would I? It’s none of his business.”
“You don’t think he deserves to know?”
Maggie buries her head in her hands. “Let’s get something straight,” she says, slowly lifting her head. “I love your father, Erin. Believe me, his leaving wasn’t my choice. I pretty much begged him to stay. He’s the one who wanted out.”
“Because you were a crazy person.”
“Yes. I think we all agree on that.”
“So now…what? You dye your hair blond and suddenly you’re not crazy anymore?”
“I don’t know,” Maggie admits. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”
Erin sinks down onto the bed beside Maggie. “It’s just that I thought…”
“You thought what?”
Erin’s breath quivers into the space between them. “That you and Dad would get back together.”
Maggie nods, her arm reaching around Erin’s shoulders, drawing her daughter into an embrace. “So did I,” she admits. “But it doesn’t look as if that’s going to happen. Your father has moved on. And it’s time I did the same.”
They sit for several minutes in silence before Erin pushes off the bed and walks to the door. She stops, turns back around. “Wear the white pants and silk shirt,” she advises. “You look really pretty in pink.”
