The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides [103]
“It means you need to grow up.”
“I think you’re the one who’s refusing to grow up,” Madeleine said.
Alwyn’s eyes grew slitty. “Why, when I do something, is it always crazy Ally? Crazy Ally moving into a hotel. Crazy Ally abandoning her children. I’m always the crazy one and Maddy’s always the sensible one. Yeah, right.”
“Well, I’m not the one messengering my mother’s milk!”
Alwyn gave her a strange, fierce smile. “There’s nothing wrong with your life, I bet.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“There’s nothing crazy about your life.”
“If I ever have a baby and take off, you have my permission to tell me I’m acting crazy.”
Alwyn said, “What about if you start dating somebody crazy?”
“What are you talking about?” Madeleine said.
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“Ally,” Phyllida said, turning around, “I don’t appreciate the tone you’re taking with your sister. She’s just trying to help.”
“Maybe you should ask Maddy about the prescription bottle in the bathroom.”
“What bottle?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
“Did you snoop in my medicine cabinet?” Madeleine said, her voice rising.
“It was right out on the counter!”
“You snooped!”
“Stop it,” Phyllida said. “Ally, wherever it was, it’s none of your concern. And I don’t want to hear one word about it.”
“That makes total sense!” Alwyn cried. “You come out here to see if Leonard’s husband material, and when you find a serious problem—like that he’s maybe on lithium—you don’t want to hear about it. Whereas my marriage—”
“It was wrong of you to read the prescription.”
“You were the one who sent me into the bathroom!”
“Not to invade Maddy’s privacy. Now, both of you—enough.”
They spent the rest of the afternoon in Provincetown. They had lunch at a restaurant near Whaler’s Wharf, with fishing nets hung on the walls. A sign in the window informed customers that the establishment would be closing in another week. After lunch, the three of them walked silently down Commercial Street, looking at the buildings and stopping into the souvenir shops and stationery shops that were still open, and going out onto the pier to see the fishing boats. They went through the motions of having a proper visit (even though Madeleine and Alwyn would barely look at each other) because they were Hannas and this was how Hannas behaved. Phyllida even insisted on having ice cream sundaes, unusual for her. At four o’clock, they got back into the car. Driving to the airport, Madeleine stomped the gas pedal as if squashing a bug, and Phyllida had to tell her to slow down.
The plane to Boston was on the runway when they arrived, its propellers already spinning. Happier clans, seeing people off, were hugging or waving. Alwyn joined the waiting passengers without saying goodbye to Madeleine, quickly striking up a conversation with a fellow passenger to show how friendly and agreeable other people found her to be.
Phyllida said nothing until she was about to pass through the gate.
“I hope the winds have calmed down. It was a little bumpy coming in.”
“It seems calmer,” Madeleine said, looking at the sky.
“Please thank Leonard for us again. That was awfully nice of him to take time out of his day.”
“I will.”
“Goodbye, dear,” Phyllida said, and then walked out across the landing strip and up the stairway of the commuter plane.
Clouds were gathering in the west as Madeleine drove back to Pilgrim Lake. The sun was already beginning its descent, the angle of its light turning the dunes the color of butterscotch. Cape Cod was one of the few places on the East Coast where you could watch the sun set. Gulls were plunging straight down into the water, as if trying to bash in their tiny brains.
Back at her apartment, Madeleine lay on the bed for a while, staring up at the ceiling. Going to the kitchen, she heated water for tea but didn’t make it, and ate half a chocolate bar instead. Finally, she took a long shower. She’d just gotten out when she heard Leonard come in.
She wrapped a towel around herself and went out to him, putting her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she said.
“For what?