A Life More Complete(64)
I’m stunned into silence. I had no idea that she felt that strongly about me or my opinion of her. It’s almost embarrassing how highly she regards me, because let’s face it; I’m just as messed up as she is. The same parents with the same terrible genes, and we all lived through the same closed off miserable childhood. I want to hate my mother for forcing me into the role of parent, for allowing us to grow up alone and most of all, for making Maizey feel like she was unworthy of my love and understanding.
“I can’t believe you think I wouldn’t want to know if you were safe regardless of what you were doing. It never mattered. I love you and that’s unconditional. I am proud of you and always have been.”
“That really means a lot to me. I love you more than you will ever know. You can’t even begin to imagine the number of times I wanted to call you.”
We hug again and she briefly fills me in on her life over the last three years. She tells me how when her inheritance money ran out Kevin left her, but before that they moved to Charleston, South Carolina and lived off of it for a couple of years. He left her when she was just twenty, which still seems to bother her, but I think that’s because she took him back. It ended for good near her twenty-third birthday. When the money ran out for good he was gone, too. She was working at a bar in Charleston, waitressing and bartending when she met her husband, coincidentally his name is Kevin, too, yet nothing similar exists. He’s a lawyer, airline crash litigation, for Delta Airlines and works of out of their Atlanta offices, which is where Maizey now lives. Kevin happened to be in town dealing with some legal issues that arose from a plane that skidded off the runway. He ate at the bar every night and was completely smitten with Maizey.
“I think he borderline stalked me, but it was so endearing I couldn’t say no,” she says, beaming. “We talked every night and after six months I moved in with him. A year and half later we were married. It was at the courthouse. No one was there, not even Rachel, so don’t go getting all jealous on me.” She rolls her eyes as she links arms with me. “We’d better get back to our dates before they leave us. They must be bored out of their minds.”
“Oh, I sincerely doubt that. Both lawyers. I’m sure they have a ton to talk about.”
“Your date’s a lawyer, too?” she asks, obviously unaware of who he is. Neither of us got a good look. We were both so wrapped up in our own thoughts. “Where’d you meet him?”
I laugh slightly and reply, “Naperville North High School.”
“What?” She’s thoroughly confused now.
“It’s Tyler. He’s the lawyer for one of my clients. We got back together recently and things are really good.” I show her my ring and I’m pretty sure she nearly trips over her feet.
“Holy shit! You’re marrying Tyler?” I nod my head as she stops walking. “Are you kidding me? This is crazy! And that is some ring! But what else would you expect from Tyler?”
She knows him well. He spent more time with my sisters and me than anyone else. Sitting next to us at the movies, getting us beers at parties, driving us home from school when my car wouldn’t start. He was as present in Maizey and Rachel’s life as I was. He was even around more than our mother. Maizey was in the back seat when Tyler rolled his Jeep Wrangler after it slid on some black ice on Naperville-Plainfield Road on the way home from an away basketball game at Bolingbrook High School.
“I know. It’s all a little crazy, but the good kind,” I say. We start walking again and out of nowhere Rachel runs up screaming and nearly plows us over. She’s all tulle and lace, her blonde hair loose and flowing behind her. She hugs us both and screams a little too loudly for our close proximity.
“Oh my God! You brought Tyler as your date? What the hell are you thinking? I knew something was up when you didn’t answer my text.”
“We can talk about it later.” I say dismissing what I know to be a reprimand at the hands of Rachel. “This is your wedding and you look amazing. I’m just happy I’m here with both of you. Let’s make sure that from this day on, no more secrets, no more missed phone calls. Let’s make this right in spite of everything, in spite of our mom.”
“Definitely,” Maizey says smiling. “Not just in spite of her, but because of her. Let’s honor the fact that we all escaped her virtually unscathed.”
“We’ll toast to it,” Rachel says. “Irish whiskey, anyone?”