Chapter 11 Maggie
MAGGIE
“Try to get to the hairdresser once in a while, will you, MeMe?”
Mom pats the top of my head forlornly as if it’s got a personality of its own and it’s a wayward teenager.
“I’ll try.” I duck my head out of her reach and scoot around her to where Dad’s wrangling the suitcases. I give him a big hug, and we share a look.
“Take care of yourself.” His eyes are full of concern, picking up on the heaviness that’s settled on me.
“I’m going to take these to the car.” Dad wheels the suitcases out the door, and I’m left with Mom.
There’s a churning in my gut that I’ve felt all day. I did the lunch shift at work; Travis was surprised to see me, but no one turned down the extra help in the kitchen.
I met my parents in the afternoon and had to listen to Mom go on about how great Allan is and when we’ll be having babies.
This charade was supposed to get her off my back, but all I’ve done is make her more impatient for grandkids.
“Look after Allan, won’t you?”
She’s peering at me like she knows something’s wrong, and suddenly I can’t take it anymore. I’ve made a mess out of everything, and I’m done pretending.
“His name’s Arlo.”
Mom tilts her head and eyes me suspiciously. “I thought it was Allan.”
I shake my head. “No Mom. And he’s not my boyfriend either.”
Her mouth drops open.
“Maggie, what happened? I thought you were off today. Did you two break up? It’s not because we’re here, is it?”
I close my eyes and wait for her to stop talking while a headache forms behind my forehead. When she finally does, I speak.
“He was never my boyfriend, Mom.”
She’s quiet for a long moment, and for the first time in my life I wish she’d say something. Finally she sucks in her breath.
“Well, I thought you were acting strange.”
I hate the hurt on her face, but now that I’ve started telling the truth, it all comes out.
“I pretended he was my boyfriend because I wanted you to stop hassling me about having kids.”
Mom’s mouth drops open. “I do not hassle you.”
Typical of Mom to be so oblivious.
“You do, Mom. Every time I talk to you, you ask me when you’re gonna get grandkids. You keep talking about Layla having babies. I thought if I pretended I had a boyfriend, you’d stop harassing me.”
Her mouth opens and closes like a fish. “So, you’re telling me you don’t have a boyfriend?”
“No, Mom. And I don’t want one. My job’s too important to me.”
“Oh, honey, I know it’s important to you. I’m so proud of you. I never got to have a career. And here’s you, working at this fancy restaurant.”
It’s my turn to be surprised. I’ve never once heard Mom say she was proud of what I do.
“So you mean to tell me that Allan… Arlo was pretending all this time?”
I think about his lips crushing mine, the way his eyes light up when he smiles, and the taste of his dick in my mouth.
“Yes Mom, he was pretending. Sorry.”
She raises her eyebrows at me. “Well, if he’s been pretending, he should go to Hollywood, MeMe. There is nothing fake about the way that man looks at you.”
My breath catches at her words, and there’s a longing deep inside me.
“I know you want your career, MeMe. But a love like that only comes around once in a lifetime. You gotta grab it with both hands. If he loves you, you’ll figure out the work life balance.”
My mouth drops open. It’s the first time Mom has ever mentioned anything about a work life balance. All she’s ever talked about was how my career will ruin my family life.
“I’m proud of you, MeMe, and what you’ve done with your career. But please, don’t let that man get away. And I’m not saying that because I want grandbabies. I’m saying that because I want you to be happy.
“The way that man looks at you reminds me of me and your father when we were younger.” A faraway look comes into her eyes. “You know what we used to do… “
“No Mom.” I stop her before she can say something inappropriate. “I don’t want to know what you and Dad used to get up to.”
She chuckles, a throaty laugh. “Just as well, honey. You blush too easily anyway.”
“Are you ready, love?” Dad calls from the doorway.
Mom pats my cheek and smiles.
“Whatever you do with your life, MeMe, we’re real proud of you. And I promise not to mention grandbabies again.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “Really?”
Mom considers. “Well, I promise only to mention them once a week.”
It’s a start.
Mum clatters down the steps and gets into the car. Dad honks the horn as they pull away and turn onto the mountain road.
I go back into my apartment and shut the door, letting out a long sigh. The only sound is the ticking of the clock and the muffled sound of a television from the apartment next door.
In my too small kitchen, I find a leftover piece of chocolate cake in the fridge. I grab a fork and sit on the couch, spooning forkfuls of it into my mouth.
All my life I wanted something different than what Mom had. I’ve wanted to get away from her overbearing personality and smothering love. But all I’ve done is push away the one person I’ve ever felt anything for.
There’s a knock at the door, and I put the cake down. I cast my eyes around the room to see what it is Mom’s forgotten. But I can’t see anything. When I pull open the door, it’s not Mom, but Arlo, looking ruggedly handsome in his biker jacket and rough beard.
My heart skips a beat at the sight of him.
“Can I come in?”
I step back, letting him in, and he strides into my apartment, taking up all the space and reminding me how small it is.
“Do you want some cake?”
I grab him a fork from the kitchen, and we sit on the couch. He seems nervous, his foot tapping.
There’re so many things I want to say to him. I open my mouth to tell him that I might have made a mistake, but he gets there first.
“Maggie. I know you think you can’t have love and a career. But that is not true.”
He takes my hands in his, and then he sinks to one knee in front of me on the couch. The breath goes out of me when I realize what he’s doing.
“If you marry me, I will support you one hundred percent. I will not get in the way of your career, and I will help you in any way I can to achieve what you want to achieve. You’re an amazing chef, and I want you to have everything you deserve, and I want to be the support that will get you there.”
I go to speak, and he holds up his hand.
“I know you don’t want children, and that’s okay, if that’s what you decide.
You’re enough for me, babydoll. But let me tell you something.
All those male chefs that you compare yourself to, they have families.
Who do you think looks after the kids? There’ll be two parents in this relationship, Maggie.
And if I need to step up and be a full time dad so that you can achieve your dreams, then that’s what I’ll do. So, what do you say?”
He takes a ring out of his pocket It’s a blue amethyst surrounded by sparkling diamonds, a perfect little blueberry.
“Will you marry me?”
Tears sting my eyes, and my heart opens. He’s offering me everything I ever wanted, but I realize the thing I want most of all is him.
I see a future that I didn’t dare to dream of. But that’s not why I say yes. I say yes because the alternate future without him is too painful to think about.
“I don’t want to live without you, Arlo. Even if I have to give up cooking, I want to be with you.”
He smiles and cups my cheek in his hand.
“Babe, I don’t ever wanna hear you say that again. You aren’t giving up shit for me, alright? I’m gonna support you one hundred percent to be the best damned pastry chef in the state. So, what do you say?”
My eyes get lost in his, and my heart is full. “Yes!” I throw my arms around his neck. “Yes, yes, yes!”
Arlo slides the ring on my finger as he climbs over me onto the couch. He pulls me down, and I squeal.
“You just made me the happiest man alive.”
He pulls me close, and I grind myself against him.
“There’s only one thing that would make me happier,” I say.
He pulls back and looks me in the eye. “You name it, sweetheart, and it’s all yours.”
I bite my lower lip. “I had a taste of blueberry. Now, do you want some cherry pie?”