Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter
Bowen
“Un-freaking-believable,” I muttered as Mom, Dad, Uncle Holden, and I strode across the Seddledowne Family Medicine parking lot. “Like how awful do you have to be to fail Magnolia—of all people—the day after we bury Sage?”
Dad looked battle-worn. We all were. But he still had enough fire to clench his jaw, ready for the fight that was coming. “For some reason, funerals seem to empower Billy and make him want to cause people even more pain. I swear, the man has a death wish,” he ground out.
Holden chuckled, slapping a legal folder against the leg of his suit pants. “I think maybe Si should wait out here.”
“Not a chance,” Dad said. “Clem is not stepping inside that office without me.”
But Mom didn’t look like she needed protecting. Just like Holden, she had a folder of her own—manila colored. “Don’t you worry about me.” She made eye contact with each of us and shook the folder. “I’ve got this.”
My phone vibrated with a text. I pulled it out.
Love of My Life
Things are already hard enough for your family right now. I don’t want to cause more drama. It’s okay, really. No big deal.
Though Topher’s manipulations had died out two weeks ago, Billy had pulled Magnolia into his office yesterday—her last day at Seddledowne Family Medicine—to announce that she’d failed and would have to repeat the rotation. She’d cried on my shoulder off and on all evening.
They’re your family now, too. And it’s a huge deal. You don’t deserve to fail because Topher is a manipulative twit. We’ve got this. Relax and enjoy your pedicure. Can’t wait to see your toes. Love you.
Knowing we were heading down to handle the situation, Magnolia had been a nervous mess.
She couldn’t eat breakfast or sit still even. Thankfully, Sophie, Charlie, and Juliette were on it and took her to get a pedicure.
Love of My Life
Okay. Love you too.
The four of us stalked up the handicapped ramp. I yanked the staff entrance door open and they followed me inside.
“Excuse you,” Billy said haughtily, waiting at the end of the hall. Probably saw us coming on the security cameras. “No Duprees allowed,” he declared, but the slight shake in his voice told the truth. He knew exactly why we were here.
Topher peeked over the top of the nurses’ station, face pale, like we were a mob of gangsters come to gun them down.
“You are not excused,” Mom said, jabbing her finger at her ex. “Billy Eugene Adams, you and I are going to have a little talk. Would you like to do it out here or somewhere private?”
He gulped, eyes bulging. “I don’t have to talk to you.”
“I mean, you don’t have to.” Holden waved the legal folder. “But I think you’ll want to.”
“Uh, what’s in there?” Topher asked, voice barely a tiptoe.
“Plan B.” I smirked. “But we won’t need it. At least you'd better pray we don’t.”
Topher shot to his feet and scampered across the room to hide…in the custodial closet.
What a moron.
Billy nodded, voice low, “Okay, Lem. Follow me.”
“That’s Lemon to you.” Dad cocked an eyebrow, tone threatening.
Billy’s lip curled over his teeth, like a chihuahua too dumb to realize it was barking at a pit bull. But he said nothing. Just turned on his heel and headed for his office.
Mom followed him, but Dad grabbed her hand, pulling her back. “Clem,” he said, voice tight. “I think I should go with you.”
“I’ve got this, babe.” She pecked him on the mouth, one hand against his cheek. “Don’t you worry.”
Dad watched her go, eyes proud and a little dazed from the kiss. Even after all these years, he was stupidly in love with Mom.
Dad, Holden, and I huddled outside the door to Billy’s office, eavesdropping.
“I already know why you’re here,” Billy said. “And I’m sorry, but she failed. Fair and square. The rubric doesn’t lie.” There was a moment of quiet and then he exploded. “I can’t believe you just tore the rubric!”
“Believe it,” Mom said, acid in her tone. “It’s a stupid piece of paper that you made up. It’s not binding.”
“What’s next?” Billy huffed. “Are you going to slash my tires?”
“Maybe. It was pretty cathartic last time.” Mom laughed maniacally. But then it died, and her voice turned cold and controlled, “You’re going to pass Maggie because her efforts were sabotaged, and you know it.”
“By who?” He scoffed. “Topher? Maggie already tried that load of—”
“Stop your blabbering,” Mom seethed, “and let me say what I need to say.” There was heat in her voice that said, Don’t mess with me, Billy.
Not today. “I don’t have time to go round and round over that selfish, entitled prick of a manchild you raised.
Not when my son,” her voice trembled, “the kindest, most selfless, mature young man you will ever meet, is at home right now, body busted, heart destroyed from losing his soulmate.” Her voice dropped so low I almost couldn’t hear, but there was no mistaking the intensity of her next words: “A woman whose death you are partially responsible for because you failed to diagnose her the entire time she was your patient.” I wished I could’ve seen Billy’s face right then.
She’d clearly shamed him into silence. “Maggie is the one who figured out what was wrong with Sage. Not you, in case you forgot. You will not be failing her.”
“Lemon, I’m sorry for your loss.” Billy treaded carefully, as if he were diffusing a bomb. “You know I am. I sent flowers to the funeral home.”
“I think you meant to say your wife sent flowers,” Mom said.
“Same thing,” Billy said.
“Not hardly. Whose idea was it?” Mom asked in a knowing tone.
“Fine,” Billy snapped. “It was Mindy’s, but that’s not important. You’re not being fair. Sage’s heart sounded normal. It could’ve slipped past anyone,” he said, like Sage was just some random patient, and not someone we'd never get over losing.
“Stop disrespecting Sage’s memory with your sorry excuses!
If you had an ounce of humility, you’d say, ‘I’m so sorry I didn’t catch it.
I could’ve done better,’ and actually mean it.
Lucky for you, I don’t have time to talk about all the ways you let my boy and his newborn daughter down.
The way you let a-all of us down,” she choked.
“Nor do I have the emotional stamina! I’m here for one reason and one reason only.
To discuss your imbecilic, jackass decision to fail Bowen’s beloved Maggie. ”
Billy snorted. “That’s funny. I thought she was Griffin’s beloved.”
“Shut up!” Mom yelled so loudly it made my neck prickle. I’d never heard her this upset in my entire life.
“Clem, do you need me to come in?” Dad asked, his tone as careful as Billy’s was a moment ago.
“No, baby,” she said sweetly, like she hadn’t just lost her crap on her ex. “We’re wrapping things up. Billy’s about to do the right thing. Now,” she threatened.
“Lem,” Billy said. Dad’s fists curled. “Sorry! Lemon!” Billy corrected as if he could feel Dad’s anger through the door. “But I can’t pass Maggie. I have a system.”
“I don’t care about your system. You can pass her and you will,” Mom said simply.
“And what happens if I don’t?” he mocked.
“Funny you asked,” Mom said.
My entire body went stiff as I pictured what was happening on the other side of the door.
Mom sliding the folder across the desk. Billy’s eyes widening.
All the blood leaving his face as he stared down at the naked pictures Mom took of him and the woman he’d cheated with the day Aunt Sophie was buried.
Right on cue, he bleated, “You kept the pictures? You told me you deleted them!”
“I did,” Mom said, with diabolical exuberance.
“But I didn’t!” Dad bellowed, followed by a delighted, heh, heh. “She took them on my phone, remember?”
Billy swore.
“Hashtag karma,” I said.
Holden chuckled on Dad’s other side. “Man, I love justice.”
“It’s simple,” Mom said. “Pass Maggie, and I won’t upload these to Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Nor will I send them to Mindy and your mother.”
“You wouldn’t,” Billy said. “You don’t have it in you. If you did, you would’ve done it years ago.”
The laugh Mom unleashed was downright terrifying. “That’s where you’re wrong, bucko. I’m not the young, scared, beaten-down girl I was when you broke my heart to pieces. Now, I’m a confident, well-loved—”
“Damn straight,” Dad whispered proudly.
Mom finished, “—menopausal woman. And right now? I’m pissed at the world. That’s what happens when you watch your son bury his wife at the age of twenty-five.”
It was silent for a few seconds. Then Billy sputtered, “Wh-what’re you doing? Put your phone away. Lemon, Lem—”
“Hey, Mindy,” Mom said solemnly. “Oh, thank you, friend. Yes, we’re trying.” Short pause. “Look, I'm down here at—”
“Fine,” Billy said, almost a squeal. “I’ll pass Maggie. Just hang up. Right now! Hang up!”
“What was that?” Mom asked, a smile in her voice. “Oh, sorry. No, that’s just the TV playing in the background. Sophie is watching some over-the-top K-pop drama.”
Dad chuckled.
“You don’t have to do that,” Mom said, softer.
“I can’t believe you remember that? Yes, that is still James’s favorite.
I’m sure he would love chicken and dumplings.
” Mom sounded on the verge of tears. “Oh, right. I was just saying that I’m down here at the Downward Dog and I wanted to let you know we restarted that Yin Yoga class you love so much.
” Mom giggled. “I know, girl. Trust me. You need all the stress relief you can get, being married to Billy.”
“Seriously?” Billy muttered.
“Yes, ma’am,” Mom said. “Mhmm. Peyton is the instructor. Right? She’s so good. I’ll let her know. Tuesdays and Thursdays at seven p.m. See you then. Buh-bye.”
A moment later, the door flew open, and Mom strutted toward us, a smug smile overtaking her face.
Dad pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Proud of you.”
“Thanks, baby,” she murmured, eyes sparkling.