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I curled my fingers against Megyn’s shoulder, trying to keep my cool. I knew very little about this woman and had no idea at all about her background. She might well have been raised in an environment where such behavior as this was encouraged; though I’d have expected a grown woman to realize her errors, I had no idea of the life she’d led. Maybe she was privileged and didn’t know. I shouldn’t judge her.
“I am the most valuable thing Carter has,” Megyn said, voice sharp. She sat with her back stiff as a board, both hands clenched into fists.
Crystal laughed. “Of course you are. But really. Don’t you have an art collection?”
Megyn got up, shaking with a deep sort of anger I’d never seen from her before. “You can’t see it.”
“Really, Megyn. You’re being rude!” Crystal also got to her feet. “This isn’t your house. It’s Carter’s.”
“It’s my home,” she retorted. “I don’t appreciate you coming here just to snoop around and stick your nose in places where it doesn’t belong. You think I didn’t hear you when you first came in? You’re ‘here for Megyn.’ That’s what you said. Well I’m calling bull crap on that because you haven’t said a single meaningful thing so far. You’re here for yourself.”
Crystal looked stunned. With her defenses down, I saw her as the woman she was, confused and tangled up inside, rather than the monster she acted like. She recovered quickly, a sneer curling on her lips.
It was a shame. If she’d admitted to her terrible behavior, I knew Megyn would have given her a second chance. Doubling down like this would do her no favors.
“How dare you?” Crystal sputtered. “Making it all about you.”
I stood behind Megyn, my hand on the small of her back, letting her know I had her. I wouldn’t interfere in this argument. It wasn’t my place.
“You don’t like it when someone else does it,” Megyn said. Her voice shook. “It’s always been about you. You came into our lives. You took Dad away to California. It’s always been about you. But not this time. Not here in this house. You both abandoned me and left me with nothing. I d-don’t… I owe you nothing.”
“Left you with nothing?” Jeremy looked up at her, seeming honestly perplexed. I realized now why he had seemed familiar before. Megyn had gotten her hair and eyes and chin directly from him.
Crystal pounced. “That’s right!” She pointed one sharp-nailed finger at Megyn. “We left you with the house.”
Megyn’s lips twisted. She swatted Crystal’s hand away. “Don’t pretend that the house ever meant anything to you.”
Crystal swiped her hand on her dress, like she couldn’t believe Megyn dared touch her. “After we came all this way to see you. Such disappointing behavior.”
Jeremy approached his wife, putting his hand on her shoulder. She shook him off. He slumped and breathed a short little sigh. “Maybe we’re a little tense from the traveling. It was a long flight.”
The poor man. I wonder how often he has to try to diffuse situations like this?
I decided to choose the lesser of two evils and help the guy out. “Why don’t we go our separate ways for now and try again later?”
Crystal sniffed, her upturned nose in the air. “Fine. Where will we be staying?”
“The house?” Jeremy suggested.
Megyn shook her head. “It’s being worked on. You can’t stay there.”
“Well, then we’ll stay here!” Crystal announced. I frowned, thinking I detected a bit of true desperation in her voice. “Surely there’s a spare bedroom?”
Megyn looked at me, begging me with her eyes. I stroked her arm with my fingers and looked back at her parents. “I’m sorry. There are some cheap hotels over in Brooklyn.”
Crystal bristled, probably at the word ‘cheap.’ She whirled around and stalked to the door, shouting over her shoulder. “Come on, Jeremy! They clearly don’t want us here.”
Jeremy followed her with his head down and back bent, like an old dog that had been kicked a few too many times. He said nothing, and didn’t shut the door behind him.
I turned to Megyn as soon as they were gone and wrapped my arms around her. “Are you okay?” I whispered.
She nodded and leaned on me. “You know they’ll be back and it’ll be even worse.”
“I know.” I kissed her forehead and rubbed her back. “But we won’t spend too much time thinking about that. Did you finish your bath?”
Megyn shook her head. “I jumped out. I could use someone to wash my back though, if you’re interested in the job.”
A wet, soapy Megyn?