Bridge to a Distant Star - Carolyn Williford [8]
“I upset her?” she said in shock, spraying toothpaste across the mirror, which of course further inflamed her frustration.
“Please keep your voice down, Mo. Okay, bad choice of words. But I need to know you’ve got a plan to handle this.”
“She was rude to me.” Maureen jammed her toothbrush back into its designated slot. “Can’t you ever try to see things from my perspective?” She could feel tears of frustration threatening, but she blinked them back.
“I’m just trying to help you view all the angles, Maureen. As a doctor, that’s what I do. Help people. I’m just trying to help you, too.” Spoken in controlled, soothing tones. His doctor’s voice.
Maureen yanked open a drawer, rummaging through neatly folded nightgowns until she spotted the oldest one she could find. She began pulling off clothes, tugging the gown over her head with such jerking, magnified movements that she tore off a button. “Aubrey put her Rabbit in Colleen’s room. Colleen had a fit about it. I tried to help both see they were wrong. Does that make me such a terrible mother?” She paused a moment. “And the bluebirds have rejected my bird house … again.” Crumpling onto the bed, Maureen allowed a few tears to spill over. “I ought to just take the stupid thing down.”
“Good land, Mo, what do bluebirds have to do with anything? You and Colleen aren’t speaking and that’s what you’re crying about?” He stared at her in disbelief, taking in her red, runny nose, disheveled hair, nightgown askew because of the missing button. He shook his head in amazement, sudden pity dousing all irritation, and eased down onto the bed beside her.
“I was just trying to help you, honey.” Pulling her against his chest, Bill tucked her head under his chin. Maureen continued to weep silently, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Evidently this is some girl thing between you two that has to play out. Have you been praying about it?”
“Of course I have.” He could feel her stiffen.
“Then what’s the main issue here? What has you so upset, for cryin’ out loud?”
“She … she accused me of being a hypocrite.”
“A hypocrite? Why on earth?” He pulled his arms from her, shifting his body so he could watch her reaction.
“I have no idea. Something about a conversation she says she overheard. On the phone.” Maureen got up to grab a tissue from the bathroom, blew her nose. “I’ll try to talk with her more about it tomorrow, Bill, but right now I have to go to bed.” She began pitching decorative pillows onto the floor, pulling back covers.
“What’s on for tomorrow?”
“Vacation Bible School meeting and a lunch.” Maureen stopped a moment, considering. “My sense is that I can’t … I can’t rush this. And you can’t push a teenager either—especially not Colleen. You know that. Not until she’s good and ready.” She climbed into bed, anxious for the oblivion of sleep to come. To escape from the pressing worries, if only for one night.
Bill reached for the TV remote, started pressing buttons, flipping through channels at near lightning speed. Maureen pinched her eyes shut tightly; Bill’s nightly ritual annoyed her (How can he tell what’s on when he sees each channel for only a millisecond?), but she kept her opinion to herself.
“This hypocrite thing? You really need to find out what Colleen’s thinking in relation to that.”
Maureen moved to the far edge of the king-sized bed, curled up into a ball. Her back to Bill. She tugged the blanket up to her chin, finding childish solace in the soft, satin edging.
“Maureen?”
“What?” Distanced, as though she were far, far away.
“For the family’s sake, make it a priority to spend time with Colleen tomorrow if you can, okay? I’ll be praying for you.” Bill flicked off the television and turned his back to her, settling in. “It’s that important, don’t you agree?”
“Yes, Bill.”
“Oh, and hey, I’m really sorry about the bluebirds, too.”
Maureen unblinkingly stared out their bedroom window, following the light glow from the moon. It illuminated the lines of the windowpanes against the wall, framing the waving silhouetted fronds of a palm tree. She stared