Maggie's Turn (16 page)

Downstairs, the back door opened and closed, and footsteps pounded on the staircase. Andrew looked out his bedroom door as Kyle appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Hey buddy, you're finally home," Andrew said, keeping his voice light. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was a little after nine o'clock. "Did you do anything fun tonight?"

Kyle frowned as he stared at his dad. "Not really. Just hung out with Ashley and a couple of the guys."

"So, how is school going?" Andrew asked.

Kyle shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

Andrew sighed. Getting Kyle to talk to him was like pulling teeth. "So, what are you majoring in at school? I talked to Russ down at the pub tonight, and he said his son was majoring in business."

"I haven't declared a major yet. I'm just doing my general education right now. I haven't really found anything that I'm interested in."

Andrew grinned. "Well, maybe you should try a business or communications major like your dad."

Kyle shook his head. "I don't think so, Dad. I'm not really into that stuff." He started backing away toward his bedroom. "I need to get some homework done before tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning."

Andrew took a step toward Kyle. "It's after nine, and you don't have your homework done yet? You really should come home earlier at night so you can get it done. You spend too much time working down at the motorcycle shop. You need to concentrate on school more."

"Dad," Kyle said, making it clear by his tone that he didn't want to talk about this.

Andrew, however, wasn't going to be put off. "Listen, Kyle. You need to think about your future more and do better in school. Sure, cycles are a lot of fun, but there's no future there." When Kyle only stared at him, Andrew grew angry. "I don't understand why you don't like college. I loved going to college, and your mom did, too. I'm sure she'd agree with me that you need to have a good education."

"Like you know what Mom thinks," Kyle said softly.

Andrew's brows furrowed. "What did you say?"

"Forget it, Dad. I'm tired, and I have homework to do. Goodnight." Kyle turned and headed into his bedroom.

"Fine," Andrew said curtly. "But I want you to come home earlier at night and spend more time on your homework and less time messing around town."

Kyle didn't answer him. He just quietly closed his door against Andrew's words.

Chapter Sixteen

Andrew wasn't in any better of a mood the next morning. He tried talking to Kyle again, but all he got were grunts in return, so he gave up.
Spoiled kid
. He headed out to his car.
He doesn't appreciate anything.

The day was sunny, and the trees that lined the neighborhood streets were beginning to turn vibrant yellows and reds, but Andrew didn't notice any of it. He was too angry.
How would you know what Mom thinks?
Kyle had asked last night. Andrew wondered what his son had meant by that. Did Kyle know what happened between him and Maggie? Did Maggie tell him? That thought really infuriated him. What happened between him and Maggie was between them, and there was no reason to bring the kids into it.

Since he didn't have to drive Kaia to school this morning, he headed directly to the office and started work early, like he used to before Maggie left. It felt good, working early in the morning before the office became busy and noisy. He had his own office, since he was the lead advertising associate and needed the privacy to talk to clients. But that didn't stop the noise from filtering in as the rest of the staff talked to customers on the phone or people grouped together, gossiping in the hallways. Today, he was able to complete a load of work by coming in that extra hour early.

A little after noon, the bookkeeper came in and dropped off the daily deposit for the bank. Andrew had been taking the deposit to the bank every day for years. Since he usually left the office to talk to clients, it saved a trip for the bookkeeper, so he didn't mind doing it.

He'd had a productive morning, and it felt good. As he slipped on his suit jacket and headed out to his car, his thoughts turned once more to Maggie. He decided it was time to stop acting defensively and to just talk this out with her. He didn't want to fight anymore. He wanted to just get past everything that had happened between them and move forward. Tonight, when he got home, he'd call her and have a long conversation with her about their future. He hoped the conversation would end with her coming home.

Andrew headed into the bank and dropped off the bank deposit with one of the tellers. He had been banking here his entire life, since he was ten years old and had saved money by mowing lawns and shoveling snow for neighbors, so he knew almost everyone who worked here. He'd either gone to school with them, or he knew them through his parents. He even knew some of the young tellers because Kyle had gone to school with them. It was a comfortable place for him to come to, and he waved and smiled at employees as he walked past them toward the door.

From the corner of his eye, Andrew saw Charles Larson, one of the bank's loan officers, hurriedly walking toward him with a folder in his hand. Andrew sighed and slowed down his pace, wondering what Charlie wanted. Charlie stopped next to Andrew, breathing heavily from the exertion of walking faster than his short legs and large belly allowed.

"Hey, Andrew. I'm glad I caught up with you. Figured you were here to sign the loan papers," Charlie said, looking up at Andrew with a smile.

Andrew frowned. "What loan papers?"

"For Maggie's new car. She said she'd come in when she came home and sign the papers, but I figured you might as well since you're here. Can't say I wasn't surprised when Maggie called from Tahoe saying she was changing over the loan, but I can't blame her. This car's a beaut." Charlie opened the folder and handed Andrew a picture of the red Mustang convertible that Maggie had purchased. "The car dealer sent me this photo and the car stats for the paperwork. Of course, I'm sure you've already seen it, but you can't look at a car that fabulous too much, eh, Andrew?"

Andrew stood in the bank's lobby, staring at the photo of the cherry red Mustang convertible. It was all he could do not to let his mouth drop open in shock. He looked up to see Charlie still smiling at him, his eyes crinkled behind his big eyeglasses. Andrew collected himself as best he could, not wanting Charlie to realize that he knew nothing about his wife's purchase.

"You're right, Charlie. It's a beautiful car. I was so busy at work today, I almost forgot about it. You know, I have to get back to the office. Do you mind if we sign those papers later this week?"

"No problem at all," Charlie said, closing up his folder. "I'm not worried about it. I know you and Maggie are good for it. Besides, she's just replacing the loan on the van for the Mustang, so the money's already been approved." Charlie looked at Andrew curiously. "You know, I didn't expect to see you here today. Figured you were in Tahoe with Maggie."

Andrew looked up from the car picture and saw Charlie's eyes sparkle with anticipation. He could tell that, like everyone else in this small town, Charlie wanted a juicy bit of gossip to spread around. "Maggie's on her way to see her cousin in Seattle," Andrew lied as casually as he could. "She's been wanting a car like this for a long time, so when she saw it, we both agreed it would be fun to buy." Oh, God. When is all this craziness going to end?

"Well, it was a smart purchase. That car suits Maggie better than that mom van. Hope she enjoys it."

Andrew just nodded, wondering what Charlie meant by that. Geez, did he have a crush on his wife, too? What was wrong with the men in this town? He started to walk away when he realized he still had the picture of the Mustang in his hand.

"Mind if I keep this photo?" he asked Charlie. "You know, to show the kids."

"Sure, no problem. Catch you later."

Andrew stepped outside into the sunny day and just stood there, dazed. A Mustang convertible? A
red
Mustang convertible? What the hell was Maggie thinking?

***

Maggie got up early the next morning and headed out to take a few more photos of San Francisco before driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and connecting with Highway 1 along the coast. Eventually, she'd have to cross over to Highway 5 for a quicker route to Seattle, but for now, she wanted to enjoy the calming view of the ocean, the small, seaside towns, and the feel of the salty air touching her cheeks as she rode the winding curves with the car's top down.

Oh, how she missed the ocean. Living far north in the middle of the country, she always forgot just how inspiring ocean views were until she was back here on the West Coast. Before she married Andrew, he had made it clear he wanted to go home, back to Woodroe, to live, work, and raise a family. At the time, Maggie hadn't minded. Being a child of a Navy serviceman, she'd moved often and had lived all over the United States. She didn't mind moving to Minnesota, as long as she and Andrew were together. But oh, when she was here by the ocean, feeling the breeze and taking in the majesty of the cliffs, beaches, and frothy water, she felt more at home than she ever did in Minnesota.

Maggie stopped several time to take photos along the way. She took one of an elderly woman who was selling fresh fruit and vegetables at a roadside stand, with the cliffs and ocean as a backdrop. She stopped again to take a photo of a tired, run-down gas station, with rusted old pumps and an old 7Up clock in the dusty window. These were slice-of-life photos that showed America as it was and as it still is, and Maggie loved being able to capture these moments for all time with her lens.

Maggie crossed over the Oregon border, and right before dark, she found a quaint bed-and-breakfast to stop at for the night. She decided that tomorrow morning, she'd cross over to Highway 5 so she could be in Seattle, at Cassie's house, before nightfall. As she sat on the bed in her cozy room, loading the latest photos into her computer, her phone buzzed. It was Andrew. Tentatively, she answered with a soft, "Hello".

"You bought a Mustang!" Andrew's voice came over the phone loud and clear as he yelled at her without so much as a hello.

"Hello, Andrew. How are you? I'm fine," Maggie said sarcastically, knowing it would piss him off but not caring. How dare he just start yelling at her?

"Don't act smart. Did you think I wouldn't find out about you buying a car? Charlie Larson at the bank couldn't wait to corner me and tell me about it. What in the world were you thinking? You traded in our brand new van for a useless convertible? Do you realize how senseless that is?"

Maggie took a deep breath to hold back the anger that was building inside her. There was no reason for both of them to yell. "First of all, stop yelling at me, or I'll hang up. Second, you drive a convertible sports car. Remember? And it's more expensive than the one I bought."

There was a pause before Andrew answered in a calmer voice. "That's different. I need a car that looks good to my clients. My job depends a lot on perception. A nice car makes me look successful, and people spend more on ads if I look like I know what I'm doing. But you don't need a flashy car. You're a mom. You need a car to drive people and groceries around in, not a car to pick up men with."

Maggie laughed. "Are you kidding me? I don’t drive kids around anymore. The kids are grown up. The only person I drive around is Kaia, and I'm sure she'll fit into this car. And pick up men? What men, exactly, am I picking up?"

"What about that Bobbi guy you picked up in Reno? Yeah, Kaia told me you were out one night at a bar with him. What were you thinking, picking up some random guy, going to a bar, and then telling our fourteen-year-old daughter about him?" Andrew's voice had risen again to a high pitch.

"Bobbi? You think I was out with some guy named Bobbi?" Maggie laughed again. This conversation was so ridiculous that she couldn't help herself. "Bobbi is short for Roberta. I was at a hairstylist convention's banquet with a woman I met in Reno named Roberta. Honestly, Andrew. Do you really believe I'd go out and pick up some random guy?"

"How the hell was I supposed to know this Bobbi person was a woman?" Andrew sputtered. "And what am I supposed to believe anymore? You run away, you go out and trade in our minivan for a Mustang. A
red
Mustang. I honestly have no idea what you're capable of anymore."

"Don't be ridiculous. So, I traded in the van for a cute car. I agree, that isn't something I'd normally do, but what's so wrong with it? After all, the loan for the Mustang is less than what we owed on the van, so I even made a little money on the trade-in. The guy at the dealership said he could sell that van in a heartbeat, so he gave me a good deal. I've been doing everything for everyone for so long. What's wrong with me having a fun car of my own for a change?"

There was a long pause, then Andrew changed the subject. "How are you able to afford all this running around? Where is the money coming from? You can't possibly have saved enough money from your small paychecks to go running around the country."

"Don't worry, Andrew. I know how much you love your money. I wouldn't dream of using the family money frivolously," Maggie said, her anger rising. "And yes, I have saved some of the money from my paychecks over the years. Believe it or not, I don't throw away money the way you think I do. And have you forgotten that I inherited the money from my father and from the sale of his house?"

"That couldn't have been very much money, considering you had to share half with your sister," Andrew said.

"If you'd pay attention to what I tell you once in a while, you'd know how much it was. The house sold for over four hundred thousand dollars, and the mortgage had been paid off years ago. By then, Amy knew she had cancer, so she told me to keep the money in my name. I spent almost one hundred thousand of it on her living and medical expenses that weren't covered by insurance before she died. Other than that, I've only used the money for Kyle's college expenses. So, basically, I have enough money to travel for months if I want to."