A Clueless Woman by T.B. Markinson

A Clueless Woman by T.B. Markinson

Author:T.B. Markinson [Markinson, T.B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: T. B. Markinson
Published: 2015-11-24T02:00:00+00:00


Chapter Thirteen

Meg texted me several days later, asking for money. I knew I shouldn’t have agreed, but I couldn’t say no. For once, Ethan had other plans at our usual time, so I didn’t tell Sarah and, instead, arranged to meet Meg at Frankie’s in a small town north of Fort Collins, in the hope no one would see us. I didn’t need any more rumors swirling about Meg. The past few years, with everyone thinking they knew everything, had been torture enough.

“Next time, maybe we could meet in Cheyenne,” Meg said as she took her seat across from me.

How many more next times would there be?

“Sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. She was the one who always insisted on cash. I didn’t have PayPal or anything, but I’d set up an account in an instant if it meant not seeing Meg ever again.

Meg’s beguiling green eyes bored into me. Her fake scarlet hair was swept into a ponytail. Her smile was false. I tried to remember whether her smile was always false.

“How are you?”

“You mean am I drinking?” She fiddled with a fork. “From what I saw that one night, you can’t criticize. Never again.”

I sighed.

“Your girlfriend is pretty.”

“Thanks.”

She cleared her throat. “So, you two are dating?”

I nodded. It was no use denying it. I feared if I did and Meg discovered otherwise, she’d make me pay through the nose.

“That’s good. I’m happy for you.” Her eyes told me the truth.

“What about you? Dating anyone?”

Meg snorted. “Nope.” She looked away. “Just having fun and making ends meet.”

Her demeanor set off alarm bells. “Having fun and making ends meet”‌—‌I didn’t even want to fathom what that meant. Who else was she blackmailing?

I stifled a sigh. How was it that years ago I’d been with this woman and now we couldn’t get through the basic pleasantries that arise when seeing someone after a long absence?

“I have your …” I placed the envelope on the table.

She didn’t move to take it.

“You’re different.”

I covered my mouth. Through the cracks of my fingers, I asked, “How so?”

“You seem happy. At peace.”

I wish I could have said the same about her, but it was clear that angst controlled her.

I smiled awkwardly. “Thanks.”

Meg didn’t reply or move a muscle. It was unnerving.

“Have you spoken to Dr. Marcel yet?”

She tapped her manicured nails on the table. That was new. I’d never seen her wear nail polish … and it was the black nail polish Janice mentioned. I almost laughed out loud thinking of Janice’s outlandish thought that Meg was turning tricks. “Not … yet.”

I couldn’t imagine what that conversation with Dr. Marcel would entail. “I think it’s great you want to move forward.”

Meg stared into my eyes and then looked down at my hand. “Move forward? Is that what you call it?”

I flinched as though I’d been zapped.

“What do you call it?”

“I don’t know what else to do with my life.” She half shrugged.

“You’re brilliant. No one can take that away from you.” I had no idea why I was giving her a pep talk.



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