Chapter 13 #2
Her mother’s expectant expression immediately turned sad. “She was. She was so kind to me.”
“Mom,” Shannon began, “you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I wish that was true, but let’s not talk about it. Any interesting news from your lunch?”
“Not really. Oh, she showed me a bunch of pictures of you two together, when you were pregnant. I hadn’t seen any of them
before. You were a kid, Mom. I guess I forget how young you were. She said she’d give me some of them if I wanted.”
“She kept the pictures?” Cindy sounded surprised. “After all these years? I wonder why.”
Shannon thought it best not to mention the lace dress and the onesie. “She said she has all these memory boxes, and one of
them is about, um, me. Well, I guess about both of us.”
Her mother looked away. “I hadn’t realized. But you had a good time?”
“It was interesting. We don’t know each other, and we don’t have anything in common. The house is nice, but you knew that from when you used to hang out there.”
“Are you going to see her again?” Cindy asked, not quite meeting her gaze.
“What? No. Why would I? To be honest, I don’t know why she wanted to have lunch.”
Her mother seemed to relax. “I’m sure she was curious. It was a difficult time for everyone, and she would want to know how
you turned out.”
Shannon had a little trouble following her mother’s assessment but thought maybe she understood what her mom was trying to
say.
“I guess, but it’s done now. I don’t think I’ll hear from her again.”
“You’re probably right. Okay, I’m going to get back to work.”
“Me, too.”
Her mother smiled, then left. Shannon checked her work emails and started answering them, but in the back of her mind was
the lingering sense of not having all the answers. Not about herself and her future, not about why Ava had wanted to meet
with her. As the afternoon wore on, she couldn’t shake her mild unease. As Aaron had said several times, nothing was different.
She was exactly who she had always been. The chance encounter with Ava and her family was just one of those strange things
that sometimes happened. Better for her to focus on figuring out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, other than
marrying Aaron. And speaking of that, she really did have to tell her mom about the engagement. She’d promised Aaron that
she would.
As to what to do about her future—she had to get on that.
She’d had a wake-up call with the whole actuarial table report, and she knew herself well enough to know it was often easier for her to simply go along rather than take action.
She wished she was stronger that way. A person who did and went, like Victoria. She seemed fearless.
Impulsively Shannon grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts, stopping when she got to Victoria’s name. Before
she could talk herself out of it, she started texting.
I keep thinking about our random meeting and the dinner. I guess I don’t know where to put it all emotionally. Are you okay
with it or do you feel the same?
She waited, but there were no dots, so she forced herself to go back to work. But about ten minutes later, her phone chimed.
Totally the same, Victoria answered. You’re the chosen one, and that makes me feel weird. And me saying that makes you feel weird, which isn’t what I mean.
No, I totally get that. It’s like everything is different, but it isn’t.
Victoria sent back a wide-eyed emoji. My mom’s claims that everything is fine is total sus, but if I call her on it, then we have to talk about it. I don’t want
to talk to her about anything.
Shannon wasn’t sure what to say to that. She and her mom talked about everything. Okay, not the engagement, but everything
else.
Want to talk to me? Maybe we could help each other. We’re kind of the only ones who get it.
I’m in. Want to have dinner some night?
Shannon pulled up her calendar. Love to. How’s Thursday?
Perfect. I’m still not that mobile. Want to come here?
They set up a time. Shannon ended with See you then.
As she put down her phone, she drew in a breath and felt herself relax. Maybe talking to Victoria would answer whatever questions
she couldn’t seem to define. Or explain the vague sense of unease. Or maybe it would just be a fun evening with someone she’d
like to get to know better. Either way, she was looking forward to the night.
7. EXT: OUTSIDE OF A STABLE.
Margarite preps for her ride across the plains. She is checking the saddle on her horse. She is obviously nervous but determined.
Danny, another stuntperson, walks over.
DANNY
You okay?
MARGARITE
Go away.
Danny grins at her.
DANNY
So you’re nervous. You get cranky when you’re nervous.
MARGARITE
I’m always cranky. It’s a state of being where I find my safe space.
DANNY
I’ve seen you ride. You’ll do great. Your character doesn’t have any falls. Just stay on the horse and look pretty.
Margarite rolls her eyes.
MARGARITE
You didn’t just tell me to look pretty. I’m the stunt double. My job is to look good on the horse and not gain any weight.
The actress is the pretty one. Now, go away so I can focus.
Danny nods at the tall, black gelding.
DANNY
He doesn’t like going into a canter. He likes to trot better. You’re going to have to pull back and really kick him to get
him moving. Otherwise he’ll blow the shot.
Margarite looks from the horse to Danny and back. When she speaks, her tone is grudging.
MARGARITE
Thanks.
Margarite walks over to the stunt coordinator. Camera follows her closely. We see her hesitate, then speak.
MARGARITE
I want a practice ride across the field so I know exactly where I’m supposed to get the horse to canter.
STUNT COORDINATOR
Sure thing. Let’s do a run-through now.
Victoria stared at the clock on the bottom right of her computer screen. She’d made progress today, and that was what mattered.
She saved her work and shut down for the evening. Shannon was coming over in a bit.
She walked into her kitchen, figuring they would get takeout for dinner, although she suddenly found herself fighting the
strangest urge to get out the good dishes and make finger sandwiches—not that she had the ingredients, but the need was strong.
Her mother’s influence, she told herself, and therefore something to be ignored. Besides, she didn’t need to impress Shannon.
They were going to spend some time together, hanging out. There was no pressure, no goal beyond maybe getting to know each
other. At least that was her assumption. Shannon had mentioned having too many emotions.
“She should try being me,” Victoria grumbled, heading back to her living room where she’d picked up her backpack and hoodies
to make the place more presentable. She’d already put a fresh hand towel in the guest bath. Her mom would be so proud.
Right on time, someone rang the bell. Victoria used her crutches to make her way to the small foyer and let Shannon in.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hi.”
Shannon stepped into the condo, and they stared at each other.
Victoria had no idea what to say, so she went with the obvious. “It’s like we’re distant cousins or something, forced to spend
time together because it’s Christmas, only we don’t know each other.”
Shannon smiled. “And we’re not related.”
“Agreed, but it seems like we are.”
Shannon nodded. “You look better. Like you’re healing. How do you feel?”
“Pretty good. I’m bugging my doctor for a walking cast. So far he’s unimpressed by my arguments. In our last email exchange, he told me that when I’d completed my orthopedic rotation in medical school, I’d get a vote. But until then, I was just background noise.”
Shannon grinned. “He sounds like a fun doctor.”
“He is. He’s known me since I was a kid.” She waved a crutch. “Shockingly this isn’t my first time with a broken bone. I was
kind of an active kid, and well, shit happens.”
Victoria paused to take in Shannon’s appearance. Her clothes were work-worthy: slim black pants and a pretty sweater. But
what most caught her attention was how much the other woman looked like Ava. They were about the same height, with similarly
colored blue eyes. Even the shape of their faces was eerily alike. The blond hair was just one more thing in a list of Hey, this is the kid I wanted.
Victoria forced herself to turn away. “Sorry,” she said. “I was thinking how much you look like my mom. It’s strange.”
“For me, too.”
She led the way into the living room where she had a bottle of white wine waiting.
“I was thinking Chinese,” she said. “There’s a great place that delivers.”
“Sounds good.”
They agreed on a menu, and Victoria tapped on the app to place the order. When that was done, she poured them each a glass
of wine, then looked at her guest.
“So tell me about growing up. You never knew you were almost adopted?”
“I didn’t have a clue,” Shannon admitted. “My mom didn’t say anything, and I had no reason to ask. I guess my grandfather
knew, but he never hinted.”
“Once she decided to keep you, the information wasn’t relevant,” Victoria said, wondering what it must feel like to know there were two families who had been desperate to have you as their daughter. “But she never had other kids.”
“No, and she never dated or anything. Not until recently with Luis. I know she struggled financially when I was little. I
wasn’t aware of it, of course. She never said anything.” Shannon paused. “Sometimes, when I was being a brat, my grandfather
would sit me down and tell me all the things my mom gave up to be there for me. He talked about how hard she worked and stuff.”
She looked at Victoria. “I always felt so bad then and promised to be on my best behavior.”
“Which lasted two hours.”
“About that.”
“You were a kid,” Victoria pointed out. “You did the best you could.”
“I did. I knew she loved me more than anything. We did stuff together all the time. It was nice.”
Nothing Victoria could relate to, she thought sadly. She loved her mother and knew Ava loved her, but they’d never had that