4.
Riverton.
I'd just gotten out of the car, still working out what to say to my mother when I saw her.
A woman came toward me from across the street, a bag of groceries in her hand, her whole face lighting up at the sight of me.
"Bea!"
"It really is you!"
She came right up and looked me over.
"All this time, no word, and you've gotten even prettier."
I glanced up, gave her an awkward smile, and was about to move on.
Then she called out toward the roadside stall at the corner.
"Hey, your daughter Beatrice is back!"
I followed her gaze, and my eyes met my mother's.
She was in the middle of haggling with a vendor. When she saw me, she froze for a second, then hurried over.
"Bea, why didn't you tell me you were coming? Look how thin you've gotten."
"Come here, let your mom get a look at you."
Tears were welling in her eyes.
In that instant the divorce, the online attacks, the accusation about the car, a whole chest of grief all jammed up in my throat, and I couldn't get out a single word.
"I had a business trip nearby, so I figured I'd stop by and see you."
"I leave tomorrow!"
"So soon?"
Her voice went soft, threaded with disappointment.
I drew a breath, leaned into her shoulder on purpose, and put on a little whine.
"Oh, Mom, I'm here now, aren't I?"
"I can spend the whole day with you today. Aren't you happy about that?"
"I'm starving. Let's hurry home!"
"You!"
At that, my mother couldn't help but smile at me.
Back in my room, nothing about the layout had changed. It was still exactly the way it had been before I married.
The books I used to read all the time before the wedding were still there on the desk.
I ran my finger lightly over the surface and found not a speck of dust.
My mother had clearly been cleaning it, again and again.
The thought of it, and the tears came sliding down once more, out of my control.
After dinner.
I went to the park for a walk and found they'd built a running track, with a big lake sitting inside the loop.
Time really did move fast.
Before I'd even noticed, six years had gone by since I married.
I was still lost in all of it when my phone rang. An unknown number.
I hesitated a moment, then pressed answer.
Before I could get a word out, a familiar voice came through the receiver.
"Beatrice, are you ever going to stop causing trouble?"
"You smeared Daisy online, and she didn't even come after you for it, and now you've got the nerve to hire someone to run her down with a car."
"If I hadn't gotten her to the hospital in time, the doctor said she'd have lost the use of her leg."
"Isn't she supposed to be your best friend? All I did was spend a couple of days with her, and you want her dead over it?"
"How did I never see how cruel you are?"
"Get to the hospital right now and apologize to Daisy, or I'll never forgive you!"
I could picture the look on Alex's face on the other end.
But I couldn't be bothered to argue with him. A man who couldn't even tell right from wrong wasn't worth the breath.
So I cleared my throat, raised my voice on purpose, and said it out slow and clear.
"Go yourself if you want. I will never admit to something I didn't do!"
"You!"
"Fine, that's just great!"
I'd pushed him over the edge. Even his voice was shaking now.
"Beatrice, you remember what you did today."
"You vicious woman. How was I ever blind enough to marry you?"
"I'd love to see how a divorced woman gets by without me!"
