CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Thatcher
A few months later, I stared at Carrie across the room.
She looked so beautiful. I vaguely remember hearing that pregnant women had a glow about them, and that they looked healthy and gorgeous a lot of the time.
I’d thought it was some bullshit thing people say to make them feel better for all the weight they had to gain in order to grow a human.
Now I knew it wasn’t pure crap. Carrie was always a pretty woman.
Beautiful, even. But this was above and beyond what she usually looked like.
I looked at my ex-wife and couldn’t help thinking that I’d only seen her look this gorgeous a handful of times in our lives.
One of the times was at our wedding, but that was too painful to think about now.
I winced inwardly when I thought about how my feelings for Madison had clouded even that happy day.
If only I’d realized that I had the woman who should have always been my first choice right beside me at the altar that day.
Instead, I’d allowed an old, toxic relationship to color everything about my life.
I had extreme regrets.
“Thank you so much for having me,” I heard my mom say.
I looked up, watching her like a hawk. She’d wanted to host an elaborate shower in Atlanta that would do more to celebrate herself as a grandma than the baby.
I’d laughed and told her to go ahead and host it but that neither Carrie nor I would attend.
She was only here today because Carrie had agreed she should be able to come to one baby shower.
She’d stipulated that none of Mom’s friends, not even Bitsy Moreland, would be invited or welcome.
She’d also said Olive, who was making a surprisingly good social media director for Caldwell Financial, could not bring any of her friends, either.
I’d warned Mom that if she made Carrie or her family feel bad at all that I was going to make her leave. I think she thought I wasn’t serious.
She had no idea how serious I was.
“This is such a homey little house,” she said to Mrs. Crenshaw, whose smile froze on her face.
“I don’t know how you can make such a small amount of square footage work for you,” she laughed.
“I really don’t. If I ever think of downsizing, I’ll have to call you for advice,” she said putting her hand on Mrs. Crenshaw’s arm and leaning towards her like she was saying something really friendly and nice.
She was so ridiculous. The Crenshaw’s home was basically a mansion. It was three stories with a finished basement. It had a pool, outdoor kitchen, a pickleball court, a guest house, and extensive gardens. She was being mean on purpose, as usual.
I glanced at Carrie, hoping she hadn’t heard. But her eyes were trained on our mothers, and I saw a pink flush stain her cheeks.
I stood up and walked over to the two women. My mom looked up and realized I was coming over to her. She looked mildly uneasy.
“Mom, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
She stared at me, her mouth dropping open. “W… What?”
“You heard me. I told you that if you couldn’t come and be pleasant that you’d have to leave. You’ve been here,” I looked at my watch, “less than fifteen minutes and already insulted Mrs. Crenshaw. You’re not needed at the shower any longer.”
“Thatcher! I can’t believe you thought I was being unkind.” She turned to Mrs. Crenshaw, planning on her good manners to save her from me. “You don’t think my comments were…”
“Bitchy?” Mrs. Crenshaw asked with a biting voice.
“Why, yes. I absolutely do. And do I think you meant to be unkind? Again, I certainly do. The front door is that way,” she gestured towards the front of the house.
“Since you think my home is so tiny, I’m sure you don’t need anyone to show you the way out. ”
Mom stood there looking both dazed and horrified.
Her face turned blazing red from embarrassment as she looked around the room.
Too late, she realized almost the entire town of Indigo Falls was represented in some way at the shower.
And they were all staring at her with contempt.
She’d alienated the hometown of her grandchild.
She glanced at Carrie, as if she might possibly save her.
Carrie cocked an eyebrow and gestured towards the front just like her mother had.
“Don’t bother picking up the parting gift on the way out.
It’s just full of locally made treats that someone like you would think was beneath you.
It’s too bad, though, that you’ll miss out on the hand-decorated sugar cookies from The Falls bakery.
They were featured on a Food Channel show recently.
Sugar cookies are your favorite, too.” She shook her head, a fake sad look on her face.
“It’s sad that you’re just too good for our town. ”
She heaved herself up from her chair and walked towards my mother, fire in her eyes.
I hurried to move them towards the edge of the huge room where the shower was taking place.
I didn’t want this to ruin Carrie’s baby shower.
Even if she was going to have about twenty of them, I knew this one was probably the one she’d been most looking forward to.
This one and the one Blair was throwing for her the next week.
I reached them just in time.
“I have never been so insulted in my life!” Mom snapped at Carrie.
Carrie laughed. “Really? Because you insulted me worse than that every single time I stepped foot on your ‘estate,’ Karen.” She leaned closer. “And multiple times at every visit.”
“You’re just overly sensitive…”
“Mom!” I stepped up, startling her. She hadn’t realized I was there.
“No, I’ve got this,” Carrie said. She looked at me. “Seriously, thank you for standing up for me, but it’s a lot easier to do this now that she’s not my mother-in-law. Thank God.”
Well, that stung even though I knew it was most likely directed at my mother instead of me. This time. I knew I deserved it, though.
“Karen,” she said, not even bothering to smile, “I hope you enjoy holding all that money you love so much. Because that’s all you’ll have to hold after you insult me or my family one more time.
You won’t be holding your grandbaby, I can tell you that much.
” She took a step towards her, and my mother backed up.
“Let me say this where you can’t possibly be unclear about my meaning.
If you can’t act like a decent human being, you will not come within five miles of my child. Do you understand?”
Mom looked upset for the first time. “You can’t mean that…”
“I mean every word. Are you saying that it’s so hard for you to act anything other than hateful that you’re afraid you can’t do it?
That you’re sure to screw up and lose access to your grandchild?
Because I can go ahead and make an appointment with my lawyer to change certain terms of the custody agreement.
He’s already told me that it won’t be hard to add a clause that you’re not allowed access to the baby at any time, even during Thatcher’s time with our child. ”
“But I’m the child’s grandma and a Caldwell, for goodness’ sake! There’s not a judge around who would agree to that clause.”
“Yes, there is,” Carrie said confidently. “I have plenty of proof that you did everything you could to sabotage my marriage to Thatcher.”
“That doesn’t mean I’d be dangerous for my own grandchild to be around,” Mom said, scoffing.
“It does,” Carrie continued. “You showed a shocking lack of regard for the sanctity of the marriage of that grandchild’s parents.”
The color drained from Mom’s face. It was like she realized for the first time that she’d already hurt her grandchild by ensuring he or she would never know what it was like to have both of their parents under one roof.
“I…” Mom swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I’ll do better.”
“You should be sure that you do,” Carrie said, ushering her the rest of the way out of the room.
“I will,” Mom said, seeming to choke on the words. She gave me one last look before turning to leave the house she’d insulted. She was looking for a friendly face, someone who would back her up.
She wouldn’t find that in me.
“Olive,” she finally said, her voice shaky but loud enough to carry, “we need to leave.”
My sister, who was sitting next to Celia and had barely said a word since she’d been there, shook her head “No, Mom. I’m going to stay.”
Olive, who’d been remarkably human since taking the position at work, had made it clear to anyone who would listen. She wanted to be part of my child’s life. It had surprised all of us, most of all my mother.
Mom stared at her as if she’d never seen her before, then turned and left the room.
Carrie took a moment before she’d meet my eyes after Mom left. Then she looked up. “You know, when you said you would never let her treat me terribly again, I didn’t believe you. But you were being honest.”
I nodded. “I’m so sorry that I ever let her treat you like you weren’t good enough for me or my family. The truth was always that we weren’t good enough for you.”
She bit her lip and looked away. “Thank you for saying that.”
“I’m not just saying it. I mean it. You’re too good for me.
Too good for every member of my family. I was a fool, Carrie.
” I wanted to grab her hand so badly, but I restrained myself.
“Now come on back to the party and try not to think about anything negative that’s happened.
You deserve to have a fun, happy shower. ”
She smiled at me then. It was a real smile, and I sucked in my breath. It had been a while since I’d gotten one of those from her.
“Thanks,” she said and turned to walk back to the party.
“Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll fix you a plate of food.”
She glanced at me. “Um… well, okay.”
I beamed, pleased to do the slightest task for her. “Let me help you to your chair.”
“I might be pregnant, but I can still walk, you know.” With that she hurried away from me.
I sighed. Baby steps. If I hoped to ever win her heart again, I would have to take baby steps.
Later, after most of the people had left and only the closest friends and family remained, I cleared my throat.
Everyone turned to look at me. I could tell they were wondering why I was still there, but no one wanted to be the one to tell me to leave. “I wanted to give you your present,” I said to Carrie.
She looked confused. “You gave me the Cadillac of strollers,” she protested.
I shook my head. “That was for our baby. This is for you.” I walked over and handed her a gift box.
“You didn’t need to do that,” she said, looking a little nervous.
“I wanted to.”
She opened it and gasped as she read over it. “What does this mean?” She pulled out the itinerary and reservations I’d printed out and wrapped.
“What is it?” Blair moved in closer to her.
“It’s reservations for the Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate,” she said, looking up at me. “For a week? A block of eight suites? That’s sixteen guests.”
“I thought you deserved to have a really nice babymoon. I know you can’t fly anymore, but Asheville’s not all that far away.
You can take your mom, your aunts, your cousins, and Blair, Sadie, Melinda, and Natalie.
If you need more rooms, I can get them. Just let me know.
And I’ve already reserved tours, spa days, massages, and the best restaurants.
I left a card on file so that any and all charges are covered. Consider it all-inclusive.”
“Thank you,” Carrie breathed, her eyes excited. “This will be… wonderful.”
I nodded. “You’re most welcome.”
I backed out of the room as the ladies broke into excited chatter. I paused one moment before leaving. I took in the sight of Carrie laughing and talking to everyone and smiled. That’s what I’d done this for. To make her happy.