Chapter 55
Maggie stirs, slightly disoriented for a second, then sees Kyle’s face. The realization that she’s still in Ingrid’s house hits her like a bus.
“Maggie? How you feeling?” he asks, handing her a cup of tea. “You thirsty?”
She looks over at Teresa. “What happened?” she asks.
She tries to get up, but Teresa tells her to take it easy.
That she’s fainted. God, how embarrassing.
This day just gets better and better. Teresa hands her a large glass of water, and Maggie doesn’t know what to drink first—the water or the tea. She picks the tea.
“Where’s Ingrid?” she asks, sipping the tea slowly. The honeyed warmth soothes her cracked lips.
“She had to go to an event.” Kyle sits down next to her.
“Did we…?” Maggie asks.
“Finish the transfusion?” Teresa asks. “No…”
“I meant the script,” Maggie says, still trying to figure out why she fainted exactly. The last thing she remembered was coming out of the bathroom. “Did she make me write more?”
Teresa and Kyle exchange a confused look. The nurse excuses herself to go into the kitchen to call Dr. Hayes.
“You hungry?” Kyle asks, taking a seat next to her on the couch. “You want something to eat?”
Maggie shakes her head. She just wants to go home and throw a blanket over her head and forget this whole ridiculous day. The teacup in Maggie’s hand rattles slightly.
“What’s wrong?” Kyle asks.
Maggie stares down at her reflection in the tea.
“It’s OK…you can talk to me. Is it the movie? Are you feeling too much pressure?”
Maggie shakes her head. “It’s not the pressure. I can handle the pressure. It’s—” She stops herself.
“Is it Ingrid?” Kyle guesses softly.
At Ingrid’s name, Maggie’s chin quivers, and everything comes pouring out. She tells Kyle about Ingrid making her write in front of her. About her hostile emails. The round-the-clock texts. She tries to stop herself—he’s Ingrid’s husband for Chrissake—but she can’t keep it in anymore.
“I’m trying so hard. But it feels like torture.
I don’t know why she would make me write in front of her.
It feels like she’s punishing me. Every time I try to follow my own instincts, she’s furious.
” Maggie puts her tea down and covers her face with her hands.
“Oh God. Please don’t tell her I told you any of this. ”
“I won’t,” Kyle says. “And I would definitely trust your own instincts about it.”
Her head jolts up. “Really?”
Kyle nods, looking down. It is both comforting and gutting that Ingrid’s own husband just confirmed that she’s a sadistic egomaniac. Maggie feels so sorry for him, to be married to her.
“Just remember, you’re very talented…” he says.
Maggie snorts. “I don’t know about that.”
Kyle holds up a finger. Before she can say anything, he jumps up and disappears upstairs. He comes back with a bunch of papers, which he drops on the coffee table. “I’ve read your novella. And the first draft of your script. Ingrid left it on her nightstand. They’re both incredible.”
Maggie truly doesn’t know what to say. “You read my writing?”
“Loved it,” he says, his brown eyes smiling. “Every word! Your writing is fresh and hilarious and breathes new air into the world.”
“That means so much to me. I’ve been feeling like such a loser.”
“The way you describe the guilt of the young woman pursuing something for herself for the first time…There’s a direct connection between that and the father who tried to be a rock of support for his family, even though he felt so emasculated…God, you had me sobbing. You are an incredible writer.”
Maggie’s chin quivers again. He doesn’t need to be so kind to her.
“Be strong. I know Ingrid can be very intimidating, but she picked you for a reason.”
“She didn’t actually pick me,” Maggie mutters. Maybe that’s the problem.
“Doesn’t matter! You’re here now,” Kyle says, patting her hand. “This is your script. If you like it, you should just turn it in to the studio. You don’t need Ingrid’s approval, or anyone’s.”
Maggie’s eyes go wide. It hasn’t occurred to her that that’s an option.
He’s so right! She has the power to stop this torture.
It crosses her mind briefly to ask Kyle about the anonymous post about Ingrid.
Maybe he knows other writers she’s done this to!
But she doesn’t want to push it with Kyle.
He’s already been more than generous. She thanks Kyle profusely, tears welling in her eyes as she hugs him, and walks out.
Once outside, she pulls out her phone.
That’s when she sees a DM on Instagram from someone named Prisha.