The video call window blinked to life on Maggie’s laptop, and there she was: Dr. Elowen’s serene office, all soft sage and warm lamplight. Even over Zoom, it still managed to look like the set of a very gentle television show about feelings, not a room where Maggie had cried dozens of times over the past six months, both virtually and on that stupidly soft greige couch.
Maggie sat rigidly in her chair, arms crossed so tightly they were starting to go numb. Her mouth was tight. Her jaw ached. Her camera was slightly tilted, casting shadows across her face, but she didn’t fix it. She didn’t want to look polished. Not today.
Gwen’s square popped into place a few seconds later. She looked freshly showered, hair still damp and pushed back, the silvery strands at her temple highlighted against her dark locks. Ugh, Gwen even made aging look good.
No. Focus. Stay mad, she told herself.
Pete’s voice at the brewery still echoed in Maggie’s ears.“Guess who just agreed to come to Vegas?”
And there it was. The rage.
Dr. Elowen gave her usual soft greeting. “Good morning, Maggie. Gwen. I’m glad you both made time this morning.”
Gwen nodded. “Good morning.”
Maggie didn’t say anything.
“Maggie,” Dr. Elowen said, not unkindly, “you look like something’s sitting heavy. Want to start today by sharing what’s there?”
She let out a short breath. “Gwen is crashing my friends’ bachelorette party. She said yes. To the bachelorette party. Last night, on a call with everyone. Didn’t even hesitate.”
Gwen shifted in her square. “I didn’t want to be the one to tell them the truth about us. I didn’t want to make a scene.”
Maggie turned, eyes sharp. “Youwerethe scene.”
Dr. Elowen’s eyebrows raised. “All right, let’s unpack this from the beginning. Gwen, would you like to start?”
As Gwen recounted being invited to the brewery, then peer-pressured into agreeing, Maggie couldn’t help rolling her eyes.
Dr. Elowen’s pen paused mid-note. “Gwen, tell me what motivated that decision.”
“I panicked. I didn’t want to derail the whole group. They all started in about how we’re their favorite married couple, and I just felt so complicit in this lie. I didn’t want to be the one to break it open.”
Maggie let out a bitter laugh. “There were plenty of other choices here, and you skipped straight toward the most difficult one.”
“Isn’t that what you’ve been doing?” Gwen’s voice was quiet but steady.
Maggie’s jaw dropped, and Gwen held her stare even through the screen. “Wh?—”
Dr. Elowen held up a hand. “Let’s pause and recenter. Maggie, what was it about Gwen’s choice that felt so upsetting?”
Maggie blinked fast, like that might slow the heat rising behind her eyes. “Because I was blindsided.”
Dr. Elowen nodded. “So there’s anger in being surprised from both sides. Justified, I think. And underneath it, maybe hurt?”
Maggie didn’t answer, but her throat tightened. Angry tears welled in the corners of her eyes.
Dr. Elowen shifted. “Maggie, what did it feel like when Gwen said you made her complicit in a lie?”
Maggie exhaled slowly. She briefly considered crossing her arms and not answering at all. Instead, she twisted the edge of her shirt in her hands. “I don’t know. I’m still considering that.”
Dr. Elowen looked between them. “You’re both holding a lot of silence right now. But silence has its own weight. Whatwould it mean to be honest with the people around you? With your friends?”
Maggie’s heart thudded. “I haven’t told them because if I do, it’ll take over everything, Danica’s and Pete’s wedding planning, Izzy and Kiera just got engaged. I was going to tell them, eventually. I just don’t want to be the sad subplot in their big weekend.”
Dr. Elowen made a sound of acknowledgment. “You’re worried about inconveniencing your friends, yes, but also their perception of you. What do you think is your friends’ real perception of you?”
“You heard Gwen. They were all talking about how they look up to us as their favorite married couple.” Tears streamed down Maggie’s cheeks in earnest now.
