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“That’s neat, Dad,” I say “Christy, you need a drink Mom, can we leave Violet here for an hour or so? Dewey’s opens in ten minutes, and I think Christy and I should talk”
“Of course,” randchild
“Enjoy,” Christy snaps “You won’t be able to?”
“Shut up,” I say, dragging her forcibly from the room
We ride in silence to Dewey’s, Christy driving with sharpwheel She sto eye contact as we sit at a table in back The bar is nearly deserted?it’s four on a Sunday?and Dewey is still taking chairs down
“Dewey, can we get a couple of…what do you want, Christy?” I ask
“I don’t care,” she mutters
“Scotch, I guess, Dewey”
“Sure thing, girls,” he calls He pours us our drinks and brings theister
“So what’s your problem?” I ask my sister
“Our parents are acting like idiots,” she says
“What happened to all that nice co knocked up, abandoning her dreams…” I take a sip of my drink and instantly reht Colonel died I shove the thought aside
Christy takes a sharp breath, and her eyes fill with tears “I didn’t know she would leave, Maggie! How can she?and Dad’s going to becouy without her A stern out loud”
“But aren’t you a little bit…I don’t know, proud, in a way? That our parents are doing soed doesn’t mean their lives are carved in stone? I think it’s kind of neat” Christy shoots lare “A little neat, anyway,” I amend
“No,” she sulks “It’s not neat, Maggie Mo far” Her tears slip down her cheeks
“I know you’lldifferent, Christy She’s not obligated to stay around and watch our lives anymore”
My sister stares out thefor anothera uess I just feel abandoned And sorry for ie! And so will Violet She loves Mom so much” Christy’s face scrunches up in misery, and I reach across the table to squeeze her hand
“Here nohat’s this?” Dewey asks “Maggie, why are you crying, hon?”
“I’m not,” I say “Christy is”
“Oh, dear, dear No crying in irls apart will be a banner day, let me tell you” He pats her head and walks back to the bar
Christy gives me a watery smile “Man, I was such a bitch back there, wasn’t I?” she asks
“Yes,” I answer, sht bitch I’m so happy”
“Happy? Why?”
“Because it’s high tiood twin,” I say
“You You’re so funny” She senuinely now, and sie each other “Hey, what happened with Malone?” she asks, her head swiveling to the door My heart sinks like an anvil But no, it’s not Malone Just Mickey Tatum, the fire chief
“I broke up with hihtness in my throat that the scotch doesn’t alleviate
“What did he say about Chantal?” Christy asks
“Nothing We didn’t talk about it He didn’t say boo about her”
Christy sighs “Sorry, Maggie”
“Yeah, well, other fish to fry, right? Other eggs to scraot too…whatever” I don’t fool Christy; she shthe subject, “so on with Father Tim Have you talked to him lately?”
“No Why? What’s up?”
Dewey co of potato chips “For the beautiful weeping lady,” he says, handing them to me
“That’s Christy,” I correct, pointing across the table
“Of course For the beautiful weeping lady,” he repeats
“Thanks, Dewey,” she says “Just the ticket” She opens the bag and offers some to me, then takes a few herself “So Father Tim?” she prods
“Well, I don’t really know But sos that have sort of a double ”
“Like what?” Christy asks
“I don’t know I can’t remember exactly what he said?”
“That’s a first,” she interjects dryly
“?but just sort of…well Obviously I don’t quite know” I can’t bring et in the hard wooden chair “Do you want to go horovel in front of Mom and Dad now?”
Christy laughs “Sure You’ve been good twin long enough”
“That’s you in a nutshell,” I say, taking out a few bills and laying the my thunder”
Christy grovels, re-assumes her title and we all have apple crisp
On the way home, I pedal my bike toward the harbor It’s a windy day, and a Sunday to boot, so ly Anne Don’t go down there, Maggie, I warna few feet away on one of the wooden support posts, the wind ruffling its feathers but not its composure I envy that bird
And if Malone was here? I ask myself What then? What would I say? How’s Chantal? Are you happy that you’ll be a father again? That is, of course, if Chantal will actually go through with it…