Chapter 39
NOW: DIANA
April went by in a blur of happiness and laughter, and well, scrambling to contain and eradicate the fireblight.
While it was serious and could easily wipe out an entire orchard, Diana had been through it enough times that she and her staff had protocols in place.
Still, she had downplayed the impact to Maggie.
Fireblight could wipe out an entire growing season's worth of produce. She knew Maggie felt terrible. It wasn’t that Diana didn’t want to tell Maggie that it was her trees that she hadn’t pruned enough, because she did mention to her girlfriend that the blight had started from her section of the orchard.
She just didn’t go fully into how bad the blight could be.
Diana firmly believed that success and failure were collective efforts, both spearheaded by the leader.
If they succeeded as an orchard they all did so together, led by Diana.
If they failed, well, they all did, also led by Diana.
That’s why leaders got paid the big bucks, in Diana’s opinion.
She couldn’t be mad at Maggie without being mad at herself.
Additionally, if she were being honest with herself, she would set the entire orchard on fire if it meant she could keep Maggie.
Lastly though, she recognized that Maggie was in a period of transition.
Well overdue, but a period of transition nonetheless.
They’d talked about it once, and Maggie had admitted that it had been her fault, and then they decided not to speak of it again.
The thing was, Diana could financially support Maggie moving forward.
Diana was aware that Maggie had been a primary caregiver for her family and didn’t have a good amount of professional work experience.
She was also aware that the woman was a disaster when it came to anything orchard or business related.
She had sat Maggie down just last week to go through the orchard’s books, let alone the rest of all her business properties, and had watched in real time as Maggie’s eyes glazed over.
Diana was aware that Maggie wanted, needed, something that was for her.
She knew that Maggie had given so much of herself and had hidden whatever was left over, to the point that what was emerging now was a woman who wanted something that was hers.
“So,” Maggie said to her one May afternoon, as they sat in Diana’s office.
Diana had just gone through some emails she’d sent to old family ties at various organizations.
Julia had recently secured additional property for a community center in the small town of Selene.
It had been a long discussion amongst her, Jay, Michaela, and Maggie, who had seemed to enjoy joining the conversations regarding the project more and more.
When it came down to opening the center in Burlington vs northern Vermont, it was Maggie who suggested everything live in Vermont, but that they also secure facilities in Selene bordering Julia’s retreat, as part of their facilities for nature and outdoor activities.
They might even be able to use the Selene property to host a summer camp and stay in session year round, an idea Michaela and Jay had liked very much.
“Any news?” Maggie asked from where she was sitting reading on the floor in front of the small chair in Diana’s office. Diana smiled at the sight. She knew she would have to help her girlfriend up in a minute. But Maggie preferred to spread out when reading.
“Yeah, Julia has everything she needs, and while there is a moratorium on accrediting new independent schools still in effect, there is no other school in the area that will meet the needs of what they’re proposing, so an exception might be made.”
“So all good news?” Maggie said, setting her book down.
“Yes, all good news so far, still lots of work ahead. While we have the framework nailed down, we need to continue to find folks who can help build that framework and be a part of it. Jay and Michaela are now looking for permanent housing in Burlington.”
“So they won’t be too far away,” Maggie said, and Diana was taken aback by the lack of coldness in her voice at first. But then it warmed her to think that perhaps all they had needed was to spend time together.
Maggie certainly was more involved in the day-to-day operations of the project than Diana these days.
“No, they won’t be,” Diana said, adding a tiny question to the tone of her voice.
“And I won’t be that far away,” Maggie said, her icy blue eyes meeting Diana’s from where she still sat behind her desk.
“Mags?”
“So I don’t know if you know, but I actually studied early childhood education and psychology when I was in undergrad,” Maggie said, and Diana could hear the nerves in her voice.
As if she felt silly. On the contrary, Diana had known, and in fact, it had been a big part of the reason Diana had been excited to have Maggie join the project.
Right now it wasn’t in an official capacity, but maybe that was going to change.
“I do know,” Diana said, and she watched Maggie’s mouth fall open slightly.
“You do?” Maggie said back.
“Mags, we shared so much in our emails, it didn’t take a genius to put together what you were studying or pursuing.
” Maggie let out a small laugh. “It’s why I wanted you to join this project in the first place, even though I know things have been tense in the past with Jay.
I thought you’d have a lot to offer.” Maggie stared back at her for a beat, and Diana watched as her cheeks flushed. “Does that surprise you?”
“A little bit?” Maggie shrugged.
“Why?”
“Well, I guess it has been a long time since I have thought of myself as someone who could contribute. I mean the one other time I tried recently, I nearly killed your entire orchard.”
Diana laughed, because fireblight was serious, but it was not the first time she and her staff had dealt with it, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. “Mags, you didn’t almost destroy the entire orchard.
Sure it would have set us back a little, but do you think this is the first time we have ever dealt with fireblight?
Or had to figure out a contingency around an unexpected occurrence? ” Diana raised an eyebrow.
Maggie shrugged and then laughed slightly.
“Look, okay, either way, I think I have been looking for something that I can get involved in and when I was back in school, I really loved the idea of education, and truthfully, love the idea of a school where tolerance and understanding is at the core of everything they do, especially today. A school that also breaks the mold of traditional education. Jay and Michaela have really fantastic ideas and I would love to contribute in any way I can.”
“You should,” Diana encouraged.
“Yeah? It wouldn’t be weird, because like, you’re my girlfriend and your family is bankrolling this whole thing?”
Diana laughed again; she couldn’t help it.
This whole time she had been worried about the fact that Jay was attached to the project, and instead, Maggie was concerned about the ethical implications of their romantic relationship and the project.
It was a fair concern, but it was still a huge relief to Diana that that was the concern.
“I mean, yes, certainly there are things we’d need to be careful of and clear about, boundaries-wise, but I’m not going to feel bad about this.
You wouldn’t be doing anything you’re not licensed or qualified to do, and on top of that, considering there are bros getting jobs every day because of their families who aren’t qualified, I am not going to sweat it.
Not this, not when we are trying to do something socially good. ”
Diana watched Maggie consider her point and then she nodded her head and smiled.
“Fair point, and that takes me to my next point. While I have a bachelor’s in early childhood education and psychology, I do want to go on to get my master’s I think, and I will need to work toward several certifications should I want to teach and really be an instrumental part of the project. ”
“That sounds great, would you—”
“I would stay here, wouldn’t go far or maybe find something online. But I would want to pay for it myself, and to do so, well, I was thinking I could sell the house eventually.”
Diana stood up from her chair and rounded her desk. She slid into the chair Maggie was sitting in front of and relished the way Maggie turned and rested her head on her thighs while still looking up at her.
“Are you saying what I think you are?”
“I mean, I practically live here anyway and I don’t want you to—”
“Yes. I mean it’s a little unconventional, asking to move in with me, but yes, hell yes.”
Maggie’s face split into a wide smile that Diana knew she’d live and die by for the rest of her life. “Move in tomorrow,” Diana said, and Maggie started laughing.
“I still need to talk to Maya,” Maggie said, and with her words, the complications of the loose ends of their relationships seemed to permeate the space. Lily and Maya were graduating in a week’s time, and then they would both be coming home to Maplewood.
“When do you think you’ll—” Diana started, but she didn’t finish.
This had been a tenuous conversation for them, one that was easy to ignore when the girls were at school and they were here.
But now that they were coming home, Diana knew they were going to have to confront the fact that Maggie still didn’t seem ready.
Diana knew she was working with her therapist weekly, and didn’t want to rush her, but she never lied to Lily, not about her dad leaving and not about anything.
She had always prided herself on allowing Lily to be her own person, and had always been transparent with her, no schemes or arranged partnerships like her mother had done to her.
No pressure to take over the business. No secrets.
“I don’t know, I think I would really like to have some time to just be with her, you know? We haven’t really had time since the divorce, except the holidays when I was a mess. I just need some more time, okay?”
Diana’s mouth went dry, this was it. The very last thing she was afraid to push for fear that she’d still spook Maggie.
Maggie who wanted to move in, who had a tattoo about them on her skin.
Still, this was the final piece of the puzzle of their future life together that Diana needed to slide into place.
She knew Lily wouldn’t care, but she didn’t know Maya at all, not really.
“Well, good thing she’s coming home to Maplewood this summer,” Diana said, because she didn’t know what else to do.
“Yeah, I was honestly surprised.”
Diana smiled at that. “Hmmm, not sure it’s Maplewood she’s coming back to.”