Page 7 of The Banned Books Club
“It’s only been two days since I agreed to come! I was in a hurry, trying to take care of things so I wouldn’t leave Eric in the lurch. I had to prepare my condo for the winter, pack my bags and get a ride to the airport in Spokane. Every time I thought about calling them, it was night, and then I was afraid they’d be in bed asleep. It’s an hour later here than in Idaho, you know.”
That was sheer avoidance, and Margot knew it, but she didn’t care. Reinforcements had arrived. That was all that mattered. “Why didn’t you have Eric fly you over?”
“Because it was a lot easier to catch a commercial flight. I didn’t want to take up his time when he’ll be filling in for me as it is. And our helicopter only flies three hundred miles on a tank of gas, which means he’d have to find several places to refuel.”
“Makes sense,” Margot said.
“So...do you think Mom and Dad are going to be upset having me drop in on them?”
“Of course not,” she replied. “I’m sure they’ve been wondering why you haven’t come home before now.”
Her sister grimaced. “You’d think they’d know.”
Margot gripped the steering wheel tighter. “What’s going on is bad enough, G,” she said in the same placating tone she had to use with Sheldon. “Can we just...leave the past in the past? Please?”
Gia shot her an aggrieved look. “I’mperfectly willing to do that. It’s them, not me.”
“Even if that’s normally true, their minds are on something else these days. And I, for one, am relieved to have you.”
Loosening her seat belt, Gia twisted to face her. “The question is why, Margot? Why were you so determined to have me come home right now? In less than a month, my business will be closed for the winter. You don’t think Mom’s going to make it that long?”
Margot wished she could tell Gia the truth, but she was afraid of what her sister would do if she learned what Sheldon had turned into. She had no doubt Gia would confront him. She didn’t know how to be anything but direct, and Margot couldn’t see where challenging Sheldon would end well. “Maybe not. That’s the problem. They need you.” She glanced over to see how her words were being received. “And so do I,” she added more softly.
Gia must’ve heard the honesty in her voice, or something else defused her sister’s antagonistic feelings, because she seemed resigned when she responded, “I can’t imagine any of you need me, especially you. You’ve always done everything right.”
It was true. Margot had gotten good grades, graduated from college and chosen a man her parents approved of—someone she’d known in high school and then dated in college. A lot of women had wanted Sheldon, but she was the “lucky” girl he’d chosen. So how was it that she found herself in a marriage that seemed to be burning down around her and felt so miserable and hopeless all the time? “Shows what you know,” she muttered.
“What does that mean?” Gia asked.
Margot checked the clock against her speedometer, and succumbed to the pressure she was feeling by giving the vehicle more gas. “Just...help me out by taking care of Mom and Dad for a while, okay? You have to admit it’s your turn.”
At least Gia had the good grace not to argue that point. Margothaddone a lot more for their parents. She was the one who’d stuck around for the past seventeen years while Gia had run off on her wild adventures. “That’s what I’m here for,” her sister said matter-of-factly and straightened in her seat.
When they reached their parents’ house, Gia was surprised Margot didn’t want to come in and say hello. She stopped just long enough to let Gia grab her suitcase before tearing out of the drive. Gia knew she had to pick up the boys, but would being five minutes late bethatbig a deal?
Maybe Margot wanted to avoid the awkwardness Gia herself was dreading as she approached the sliding glass door that looked in on the addition her father had built when they were kids.
She could see her parents sitting at the table eating dinner as she reached for the door handle—and braced for the moment they saw her. Part of the reason she’d been putting off coming home was facing her mother’s illness. It was one thing to hear about what Ida was going through; it was another to look her in the face during these final months, weeks or days. The reality of the situation hit Gia like a right hook as she noticed her mother’s dramatic hair and weight loss. Ida had never been a big person, but to see her so diminished...
A lump rose in Gia’s throat, threatening to choke her. It didn’t matter how difficult and complicated their relationship had been; seeing her mother like this was even worse than she’d anticipated. She realized she’d been stoking the fire of her anger and resentment as a defense mechanism to ward off the pain of Ida’s illness—but by doing that, she’d abandoned her mother to face cancer without even the limited support she could give. A very brief trip now and then just wasn’t enough.
“Dammit,” she muttered, squeezing her eyes closed and hanging her head. Her sister was right. She was a terrible person, had let them all down—and it was because she couldn’t bear to see what was happening.
Her father glanced up and the next thing she knew he was walking toward the slider with a shocked expression on his face. “Gia?” she could hear him say through the door.
She yanked on the handle to open it and forced a smile. “Hi, Dad.”
“What are you doing here?”
The lump in her throat would not recede no matter how many times she swallowed. She blinked, trying to hold back the tears that were filling her eyes. “Just...decided to come home for the winter.”
“For thewinter?” her mother echoed. Ida was moving more slowly, but she was now on her feet, as well, and coming to the door.
Gia had planned on saying she’d only be home for a week or two. She’d wanted to set their expectations low, so she’d have an escape if she needed it. But the sight of her parents, who’d aged more than she’d realized, and just the smell of home, had changed her mind. In that moment she knew she’d stand by her family until the bitter end, no matter what it cost her. “If you don’t mind me moving back into my old room,” she said with what she could manage by way of a chuckle.
She tensed as she waited for their response. There was a chance they wouldn’t want their lives disrupted at this vulnerable time. But her father seemed relieved to have her home. No doubt the past two years had been a nightmare for him, watching the slow demise of the woman he loved. Her mother just seemed grateful.
“Really?” Ida said. “Well, isn’t that nice! IfI never dreamed you’d be able to do that.”
