Page 66 of Two Couples
“Too late for what?”
“For me, obviously.”
“It sounds like there might be a miscommunication between you and your mother.”
“Stop telling me what’s going on in my life! You don’t know me.” She lurched to her feet, splashing tea out of her mug.
“I’m not trying to—”
“Stop, stop, stop lying. Stop being so aggressive. Stop sticking your nose into my business! You don’t know anything about what my life has been like.”
“I was trying—”
She raised her voice, almost yelling. “You weren’t. What you were trying, was to manipulate me.”
“I wasn’t. I truly want—”
“You are such a fucking liar! All of you. Lies, lies, lies.”
“I’m not. We’re not.”
“Oh my God!” She was screaming now. “Stop talking. Take all your shit and leave me alone. And don’t explain it.” She slammed the mug onto the table and turned toward the front door.
As she did, the door opened. “What’s going on?” Linda asked.
“Nothing,” I said. “I was just—”
“It didn’t sound like nothing,” Linda said. “Are you okay?” She put her arm around her daughter in a way that made my heart ache.
Jordan shoved her away and stumbled into the house. She slammed the door so hard, the window to the left of the door rattled in its frame.
“What did you say to her?” Linda asked.
“I was just trying to get to know her. And she—”
“You said something to upset her. She wouldn’t react this way if you were having a nice conversation.”
It wasn’t worth the effort to try to explain. Explaining just made things worse.
“You need to leave. And tell your husband to stay away from my daughter.”
FORTY-SEVEN
SAMANTHA
“Patrick hasn’t been anywhere near Jordan.” I immediately regretted my tone of voice, but it took shape because I’d spent the past twenty minutes having my character attacked. Had Jordan poisoned her mother toward us? Linda had been warm and friendly, an open and welcoming person before this. This accusation made me think Jordan was seriously disturbed. It could be the result of having little to no interaction with normal society for most of her life.
“You’re wrong,” Linda said.
“All he did was help her bury the rabbits.”
“You’re naïve.” Linda shook her head.
“I’m not naïve.”
“I don’t want that man anywhere near Jordan. Is that clear? Can you do that for me? Can you control him?”
“He doesn’t need controlling!” I shot back. “He didn’t do anything. And he’s a respectful—”
