Cora's eyes gave away her uncertainty regarding Marg's response, and her lips parted as if she were going to speak, but she quickly closed them again before lifting in a small grin. “Okay. I want you to know that if there’s anything the matter, you can talk to me.”
“I know,” Marg said and nodded. “Thanks, Cora.”
“Anytime,” her friend beamed. “I’m heading over to the restaurant for a late brunch with Jamie. Want me to bring you back anything?”
“A tuna salad would be nice. But you don’t have to rush,” Marg replied.
“Okay. I’ll be back in an hour or so,” Cora returned before exiting the laundry room.
Marg let out a sigh before slumping against the wall defeatedly. Ben would have called her by now to find out what she wanted to eat for lunch. She hadn't gotten a call like that in over a week.
She managed to pull herself off the wall and make her way over to the machine, which had, by this point, come to a stop. She removed the linens from the washer and stuffed them into the dryer. The rumbling in her stomach served as a reminder that she had skipped breakfast due to the argument she’d had with her mother. She made the decision to head to the compact kitchenette in order to brew some coffee for herself and investigate the possibility of locating some tea biscuits to nibble on.
She pushed open the door to the kitchenette and then made her way over to the counter where the coffee maker was located. She opened the top lid, then reached inside the cabinet, and pulled out a filter, which she then inserted into the basket. She then added some freshly ground coffee to the basket by reaching for the bottle of coffee, scooping out a sizable amount, and adding it. After that, she put the water into the reservoir, covered it, and started the machine. As the liquid began to percolate, the confined space was quickly filled with its heady scent. She went through the selection of tea biscuits in the small pantry. She ultimately decided to go with the British brand since she liked the malty, sweet, and crumbly snack more than the others.
After the coffee had completed brewing, she sat at the nearby table with a cup of dark liquid and some of the biscuits. She let out a mewl as she bit into the flaky food before taking a drink of her coffee, which was satisfying due to its tanginess and earthy undertones.
When she was finished, she left the room and headed for the laundry room that was adjacent.
“Marg.”
Marg stopped dead in her tracks before slowly turning to face the person who’d called her. “Brooke?” Marg’s eyes widened in surprise, and words left her. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in school?” she finally managed to ask, taking in the girl’s school uniform and the bag over her shoulder.
Brooke bypassed the question to ask one of her own. “What’s going on between you and Dad?”
ChapterFifteen
Marg inspected her reflection in the full-length mirror of the walk-in closet as she readjusted the tiny straps of the asymmetrical wrap dress she was wearing. The dress was expertly tailored to fit her figure, and the sweetheart neckline drew emphasis to her slender and elegant neck. Her tresses were pulled back into a high ponytail, and the tendrils that fell loose framed her face in an oval. Her calves were brought to the fore thanks to the three-inch silver heels, which also drew emphasis to her long legs. She walked over to the jewelry cabinet and pulled out the drawer revealing a few novelty pieces. She reached inside and removed a pair of diamond studded earrings, and slipped them on. She stepped back before the mirror to do the last check. Satisfied with what she saw, she grabbed her purse and headed downstairs.
“You look nice,” Alice complimented when she saw her.
“Thank you,” Marg responded cordially. “You don’t have to wait up for me. I’ll be back a little late.”
“I can’t sleep if you’re out,” Alice replied instantly.
“Oh,” Marg replied, surprised.
“I’ve never slept when you were out," Alice continued to say.
Marg widened her eyes slightly. She hadn’t realized that her mother had done that. "I didn't know that."
"I guess I'm not as heartless as you think me to be, huh?" Alice responded with a subdued smile.
“I didn’t say you were,” Marg refuted. “I’m grateful for all that you have done for me, Mom, and thanks for caring enough to wait up. It’s a nice thing to know,” she finished in an appreciative tone.
Alice merely cocked her head to the side while forming a faint smile on her lips. They turned their attention to the door when they heard the honking of a car outside.
“That must be them. I’m going to go. I’ll see you later.” Marg made her way to the front door and exited the house. She spotted Cora’s green SUV parked behind her car, and an instantaneous grin lifted her lips as she quickly made her way down the path toward it.
“Hi, ladies,” she greeted, spotting Andrea, Josephine, and Shelby in the back seat while Cora sat in the driver’s seat.
“Hi, sweetie,” Cora said while the others waved. The overhead light illumined her face. “You’re riding shotgun,” she informed her.
Marg responded with an "okay" before opening the front door of the vehicle and sliding into the seat next to Cora.
After backing out of the driveway, Cora made a brief stop by the curb and turned to face the group before asking, "Ready for a fun night?" Even in the dim interior of the car, her eyes were wide with excitement.
While Marg's own eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, she beamed broadly from ear to ear. After the day she'd had, she was more than ready to have this night just to forget about everything and have some fun in order to get some relief from it all.
