AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Thirty-three
Maggie watches Dani’s caruntil it is out of sight. There are things she knows, and even more things she doesn’t, but one thing she knows for sure is that Dani Wilson didn’t get that bump on her temple from accidentally banging her head against her car’s steering wheel.
Which leaves only one other possibility, an alternative almost as hard to swallow as the lie Dani told: that Dani’s husband is responsible for the bump on her head, as well as the bruises she saw earlier on her face and arm; that the first-class oncologist, Dr. Nick Wilson, is also a first-class wife beater.
“Shit,” Maggie says. “What do I do now?”
Youdon’t do anything,she hears Craig say. Youstay out of it. This is not your problem.
I can’t just sit by….
You can and you will. Have the past two years taught you nothing?
“Everything okay?” a voice asks, interrupting the argument in her head.
Maggie looks up to see Mark Fisher ambling toward her. “I’m sorry. What?”
“Just wondering if everything is okay,” he repeats. “You’ve been standing in the middle of the road for a while now, and your face has been going, like, a mile a minute.”
“What? My face…?What?”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” he says quickly. “I should mind my own business. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” The words sound as false to Maggie’s ears as Dani’s earlier disclaimers. “How’s your grandmother doing?” she asks, changing the subject.
“Much better, thanks.” He laughs. “She just overdid it a bit with the gardening.”
Maggie nods, recognizing yet another lie in a morning full of them. You don’t spend a few days in the hospital because you planted too many impatiens.
“I’m just heading over to Publix to pick up some things for Saturday night’s party. Can I get you anything?”
Maggie is about to ask what party, then remembers Olivia Grant mentioning something about getting the neighbors together this weekend to celebrate the Fourth of July. “And my husband’s new job,” she’d whispered. “Although we won’t tellhimthat.”
More secrets,Maggie thinks.More lies.
Although she was obviously wrong about Sean, she concedes silently, picturing him leaving for work this morning, clean-shaven and looking quite dapper in his stylish linen jacket.
“You need anything?” Mark asks again.
“What? No. No, nothing. But thank you. It’s very sweet of you to ask.”
“Anytime.” He offers a slight wave as he walks toward his grandmother’s garage. “Say hi to Erin for me.”
“Will do,” Maggie says, although she has no intention of doing so.
Her front door opens as she’s reaching inside her purse for her key.
“What were you talking to Mark about?” her daughter asks, waving to Mark as he backs his grandmother’s car out of the garage and onto the street. She stands back to let Maggie come inside.
“Coming?” Maggie asks.
“What were you talking to Mark about?” Erin repeats.
“I asked him how his grandmother was doing.”
“And?”
“He said she’s doing much better.”
