Page 91 of Must Love Flowers
The decision had come after the advice Lyle, Roy’s AA sponsor, had given Maggie. Lyle had suggested Roy’s daughter attend Al-Anon, a support group for those closely associated with alcoholics. After only a few meetings, Maggie decided she was fast becoming a crutch to her father’s sobriety. She’d done everything she could to help start Roy on the right path. The rest was up to him. At this point, his mind was set, and he was just as stubborn as Joan had found him to be. She believed he was capable of remaining sober.
Maggie was committed to loving and supporting her father, but not if it meant sacrificing her future plans to finish her schooling. She had her own life, her own goals. Knowing her father, Maggie realized he would use every opportunity to keep her with him. Convinced she had done all she could for him, Maggie realized that sooner or later, Roy would need to stand on his own.
Sitting now in her kitchen, a glass of iced tea in her hand and Edison at her feet, Joan reflected on how much her life had changed since her birthday. She was happy, when not long ago she’d been convinced she never would be again. Her life was full. She’d forged new friendships.
The grief counseling group had been instrumental in helping her to look toward the future. She’d become good friends with Mary Lou. They had a lot in common and often met outside the group for lunch and the occasional movie. Her friendship withPhil had progressed, too, as both he and his father had lent a helping hand with Maggie’s house.
When Joan’s phone chirped, she barely had the energy to pick it up and answer the call. Seeing that she’d left it on the kitchen counter, close enough to reach without major effort, she grabbed it.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Mom, it’s Steve.”
She grinned at the sound of her son’s voice. “Hey, yourself. What are you up to?” They communicated more often these days, and that pleased her. The deepening relationship with her children was another benefit that had come since May.
“What are you doing December fifteenth?”
She smiled at the question, thinking he was planning on sending her a Christmas surprise. Likely tickets to a show or something else he knew she’d enjoy.
“I don’t have a single thing on my agenda.”
“Good. How about flying into Phoenix for a wedding?”
Joan’s heart stilled. “A wedding?” The question was filled with hopeful anticipation.
“Yes. I asked Zoe to marry me again, and she accepted. We decided to set the date right away.”
“Oh Steve, that’s fabulous news.” The excitement in her son’s voice told her how pleased and happy he was. She swallowed hard at the lump of joy that filled her throat. Her son had come to his senses. He loved Zoe and was willing to commit his life to her.
“Nick’s agreed to be my best man, and Zoe already has her wedding dress picked out. Of course, she won’t let me see it, notyet. She wants me to wait for the wedding, which is fine. We put money down for a venue and are talking to a catering company next week.”
“Oh Steve, I’m so happy I feel like crying.”
“Don’t be silly. You should know I thought a lot about what you said earlier this summer. I knew I loved Zoe; I don’t know why I was acting like such a fool. Pride, I guess. When I heard she was dating someone else, it made me sick to my stomach. I was miserable and lonely and realized what you said was true. You’ll be happy to know I tore up that list.”
“I’m so pleased.” It was hard to hold back her excitement.
“It didn’t take me long to realize it didn’t matter how much money I had in the bank, or what my career goals were; if I didn’t have someone to share life with, they meant nothing. Thank you, Mom. I don’t know what made you reach out to me that day, but I’ll be forever grateful that you did.”
The call ended a few minutes later with Joan smiling so big her mouth hurt.
She barely had time to process the news when the front door opened and Nick and Maggie arrived.
Nick carted Maggie’s suitcase up to the bedroom while she announced their arrival.
“It’s good to have you back,” Joan said, hugging her close. Because they’d been together practically every day since Maggie had moved out, it didn’t seem that they’d been apart at all.
“It’s good to be back.”
Joan realized what a big day this was for Maggie and her father. “How’d it go?” she asked. The center had asked Maggie to attend a meeting with her father and she’d spent the morning with him.
Maggie looked pleased. “I got to see Dad for the first time since he checked in, and after the meeting, I promised him he could count on me to be there for any further family counseling sessions. He’s stayed sober this long.” This was said with both pride and a mixture of surprise. “I can only hope he learns the skills he’s going to need to maintain his sobriety.”
That was Joan’s hope, too. Already she’d seen a change in Roy in the three weeks since he’d taken his last drink. He’d helped as best he could with the work on the house. She didn’t expect him to show his gratitude for all those who’d stepped up on his behalf. To her surprise, right before he entered rehab, Roy had thanked them with tears in his eyes. Most of the time, he’d loudly complained and then made them iced tea. Maggie assured her this was her father’s way of showing his appreciation.
What Joan found the most gratifying was the change in Roy’s attitude toward Maggie. He actually showed his daughter affection. Limited to a fleeting smile or a nod in her direction, but still, it was there. Joan certainly noticed, and she was confident Maggie did as well.
“I didn’t set anything out for dinner,” Joan said, regretting that she hadn’t thought far enough ahead that morning before she left to work at Roy’s house.
