Martha’s crumpled face adds to my shame. Her distress is palpable because I never shared this side of my relationship with Jared. I knew he wasn’t her favorite person and there was no point in making him look worse.
She reaches out to comfort me. “It’s not your—”
“Does it mean there is something wrong with me? Jared’s mom thinks so. Am I not good enough?”
My own mother thought so and gave me up just days after I was born. My lip wobbles and I can’t unsay the words which bring Martha closer, squeezing me to her side. She mumbles into my hair and her reaction is so on-brand.
“That bitch. She’s about as useful in this world as a moose in a knitting circle.”
She leans away and holds me by my slumped shoulders.
“It means he’s not it for you. The one who loves and cherishes you as you deserve,” she says in a serious tone. “Don’t let what happened with Jared make you doubt yourself.”
“Alright,” I say, my smile a bit unsteady.
“Now. I’ve been sitting on this for a while. But since the great douche is finally out of the picture…” Martha rises to her feet with a slap on her knees. She rummages through a drawer behind me and returns with a thick folder in her hands and a satisfied grin.
“I want to make this official,” she says, pulling out a stack of papers, and I wait with bated breath. “My only requirement is that you get Sam out of my hair from time to time. I love the man to death, but it’s healthier for everyone involved if he spends some hours fishing once in a while.”
I skim the first page of the document and it dawns on me it’s the deed to Sam’s shabby cabin. This is not an inside joke anymore and my mind shifts into overdrive.
“You know that’s not why I came, right?” I say, with a hint of panic.
Martha’s eyes crinkle at the corners and a warm smile tempers my worry.
“We don’t have kids and I don’t want it to go to that awful cousin on Sam’s side. We haven’t spoken to her in twenty years.” The disgust on her face makes me giggle. She smirks, flipping the pages until she reaches the last one and points to the dotted line. “You’re the closest thing we have to a daughter. Your name belongs here.”
A rush of affection pushes me into Martha’s arms, and I hold on tight.
“I’ll forever be grateful to have you two in my life.”
She dabs at the wet spots under her eyes and clears her voice, removing invisible lint from her green-striped pants, giving us both time to pull ourselves together.
“I promise it will be the prettiest fishing cabin.” I sniffle while signing my name. “I’ll get Sam a recliner for his afternoon nap and a small fridge outside for his beers.”
“I know you will,” Martha says through her watery grin. “We trust you with it because you’re so talented.”
“Don’t exaggerate—”
“I know it’s just a hobby for you. But you did so well with the Miller cabin.” She stops my protests and continues. “Which brings me to the next order of business.” She pulls out a smaller envelope from the file and the confusion on my face must be obvious. “I know why you had to quit.”
“How did you find out so fast?” I screech, bewildered.
“Oh please. I knew by lunch. I hope the creep didn’t give you any grief.”
I can’t look at her and I’m nauseous remembering how Carl acted.
“Eliza—” Her warmth is my undoing.
No chance to hide anything from her. It’s why I chose to share the space with Carter, the embodiment of a metal ice scraper in sub-zero temperatures, rather than come here.
“He threatened to hold my last paycheck,” I tell her with a sigh.
Martha’s eyes bulge. “That good for nothing…I’ll call his mom, she’ll set him straight.”
“Please, no!” I grip her arm, holding her in place. “I’ll fix it, but I don’t want to make waves. Especially now.” I’mnot strong enough to deal with the fallout of ending my relationship and quitting my job. I’m unsteady as an old house about to crumble.
“Fine,” she says, her tone making it obvious she disagrees. “Then this comes at the best time.”
