Page 79 of The Me I Left Behind

Maggie wondered if they were both telling her the truth. “Well, let me know if he calls or texts, okay?” She let go of a breath and then said more quietly. “Look, you all. I know it’s not a great thing to tell younotto be in contact with your dad, but it would just make things so much simpler if you wouldn’t. I knowhim. We all know him. And right now, he’s angry and he’ll try to manipulate us into getting what he wants.”

“And what does he want?” Jason peered into her eyes.

What he always wants. Having his cake and eating it too.“Basically, Jason, he wants it all. Us, his family in Australia, everything. But I do not agree with that, so here we are.”

After a moment, Carol asked, “He actually said that, Mom? That he wants both families?”

“He did.”

Jason mumbled. “That’s some kind of fucked up.”

Maggie didn’t know if she’d ever heard her boy drop the F-bomb before. “It is. But enough of all that. Let’s talk about something else.”

Chloe picked up a table knife and started buttering a piece of cornbread. “Let’s talk about my selfie project! I get to paint and use glitter!”

Maggie smiled.Indeed you do, darling.

Carol’s phone buzzed. She read the text, then turned her phone over.

Waiting a moment, Maggie said, “Everything okay?”

“It’s just Sophie.”

“Oh? I’ve not seen her around lately. How is she?” Ever since Logan came into the picture, Maggie had noticed her girlfriends were not hanging around as much. “You and Sophie have been friends a long time. She okay?”Are you two okay?

Carol tossed a shrug. “She’s fine. She wants me to come over tonight. I’ll tell her I’m helping you.”

But Maggie noticed she didn’t pick up the phone and text back. “Sweetheart, if you want to go to Sophie’s, that’s fine.”

“No. I’m good, Mom. Besides… Logan.”

“Oh, right.”

Chloe jumped down from her seat. “Done! Let’s paint!”

Looking down at her plate, Maggie realized she’d not taken a bite of her dinner, yet. In all honesty, she wasn’t hungry. “Let’s clear some shelves first.”

“Aren’t you going to eat, Mom?” Carol asked.

She smiled at her. It was nice when someone noticed such things. “I will later. You two join us when you’re ready.” She put out her hand for Chloe.

The doorto Max’s office had remained open since January. Maggie stood and stared at the thing, silently marveling that none of the kids had mentioned going into the room. She supposed it was because the notion was ingrained in them, the space was hands off—no kids allowed.

Even with the door wide open.

“Well, none of that now,” she whispered, stepping over the threshold.

The first thing she did after entering the room was tear down the heavy draperies hanging in the large window. Dust flew as the brocade fabric fell to the floor in a heap. Maggie stood back, a rather cathartic feeling rushing over her, and stared out the sun-streaked windows to the front yard.

The room faced the street and east. She’d put lighter curtains up soon—something airy and gauzy perhaps—to let in the sun and provide a bit of privacy. But for now, she wanted the depressing ugliness gone.

The morning sun would warm the space and allow in tons of light.

“Exactly what this room needs,” she muttered. There wasn’t a lot she could do about the equally dark wood bookshelves and Max’s massive mahogany desk at the moment, but she had plansto paint the walls and shelves as soon as she could spare the cash to do so.

“I wonder if there is paint in the garage?”

“Who are you talking to, Mommy?”