“Hi,” I said, opening the door.
“I didn’t mean to show up unannounced,” she said quickly. “I just couldn’t stop thinking about you.” She crossed the threshold without being invited inside.
“Excuse my appearance,” I said, waving my good arm in front of my robe.
“Hey, I wouldn’t even be upright if I were you,” Sheila said, a tear forming in the corner of her eye.
Walking toward the kitchen, I beckoned for her to follow. “Come in.”
Her curious gaze took in the open floor plan of the sprawling first floor, the cheery canary-yellow walls a direct contrast to the lives lived inside them. She walked behind me to the kitchen, bakery box in hand.
“Have a seat,” I told her as she handed me the goodies.
“Scones and muffins,” she said. “I thought Priscilla may like some.”
I smiled. “She’s asleep, but I’m sure she will.”
Sheila slid onto one of the barstools at the breakfast bar, clasping her hands nervously on the counter. “Margaret ...”
Glancing at her, I caught my breath. “Let me make another pot of coffee first. Before we do all of that.”
She nodded, and I busied myself with the coffee maker.
While it was brewing, I said, “I’m sorry you had to see all that last night.” I stared at the tile floor, afraid of what I’d see in her eyes.
“Margaret, I’m sorry we didn’t pick up on anything. I mean, we’re not close friends. At least, we weren’t, although now we’re becoming closer. But the girls? Priscilla never said a word, but the way she didn’t want anyone to come over to your house, I just ... I don’t know. I’m smart, and I should have realized.”
“Don’t. Please. I didn’t ask you to be a detective, and I didn’t want anyone to fix anything for me. I was trying, but I made a mess in the process.”
The coffee maker beeped, signaling it was done.
“How do you take it?” I asked Sheila while moving toward the Subzero.
“Half-and-half, if you have it.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Oh, I do.”
“What’s that all about?” Sheila asked, cocking her head to the side.
Taking out the half-and-half, I poured some into my grandmother’s cow-shaped creamer. It was one of the only family heirlooms I had left. Tommy had wanted to fill our house with all new stuff, but I’d sneaked this little relic in. This morning, its presence was giving me a boost of strength.
“It was one of the many fights Tommy and I had. He needed his half-and-half, and if I didn’t make sure we were stocked, it ... it always turned violent.”
After setting a steaming mug in front of Sheila, I placed the cow next to her and then opened the fridge for my milk.
“That’s ... that’s not normal, Margaret. You know that, right?”
I nodded, sitting across from Sheila, my mug in front of me. “In fact, that’s how I met Mick. I was nursing my bruised self-esteem and a sore wrist over a glass of wine by myself, something I’d never done before, and he sat down next to me.”
The story came out in bits and pieces as memories rushed back.
“I want you to know, meeting strange guys ... that wasn’t something I ever did before. I don’t want you to think I’m that woman. The adulteress. But I guess I am.”
“Shhh.” Sheila reached out and took my hand. “You aren’t that woman. As far as I’m concerned, Tommy broke your vows when he hurt you. You deserve happiness, and I want you to get it soon. Grab all of it.”
Thinking, I stared at my coffee. “Although, Tommy gave in too easily. I don’t think bullying me was his only skeleton in the closet. I’m just glad we hadn’t ... you know ... in a long while. In fact, that’s what this last fight was about, before I’d gone out and Priss got hurt. He wanted sex,” I sputtered, feeling like a fool.
“It’s okay,” she said. “You don’t owe someone intimacy who isn’t kind to you.”
