Maiden Rock by Mary Logue

Author:Mary Logue [Logue, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2007-02-24T05:00:00+00:00

***

4 p.m.

Meg stared down at her cousin Rachel, sleeping in her lap. The little girl had fallen asleep while Meg was reading to her from a favorite book. Rachel had only just turned three but,

because she was small for her age, she still fit in Meg’s lap. That wouldn’t be the case for much longer.

Earlier that day, Bridget had called to see if Meg could babysit for an hour or two. Rich, acting “en loco parentis,” said she could.

Meg knew that she could have gently moved Rachel to the couch and watched TV or something, but she just sat there with the child sprawled across her lap. Penance. Everything seemed like penance.

If I’m just good enough for the rest of my life, maybe I’ll make up for what I did to Krista, was the way she thought about it.

Just when she didn’t think she could sit still anymore, Bridget’s car pulled into the driveway. Meg stood up carefully and tried to settle Rachel into the couch, but the little girl stirred and woke.

“Is at my mommy?”

“Yes, indeed, it is.”

“You going home?”

“Pretty soon.”

Bridget came in hauling two bags of groceries. After depositing the bags on the coffee table, she hugged both of them at the same time. “My two favorite girls,” she said.

Rachel snuggled back into the couch, popped her thumb in her mouth and closed her eyes again.

“How’d it go?” Bridget asked.

“She’s an angel.”

“Hardly.”

“She was today.”

“I told her to be good, that cousin Meg was having a hard time.” Bridget carted her bag of groceries into the kitchen and Meg followed. “You have time for a drink?”

“Sure. Nothing too exciting waiting for me back home.”

Bridget grabbed two ginger ales out of the refrigerator and they both sat up on stools at the counter. “I haven’t talked to you since the funeral. How’re you doing?”

“I can see why people do drugs,” Meg said, partly to shock her aunt and partly because it was true. “I don’t want to be here and I don’t want to feel this way. I’d take almost anything to stop feeling so bad.”

“Yup, there are times when drugs do help. I wouldn’t have a job otherwise.”

“Have you ever done drugs, Aunt Bridget?”

“What do you mean by that? Have I ever taken an illegal substance?”

“Yes.” Meg realized she wasn’t sure how her aunt would answer.

Bridget took a long swallow of ginger ale, then tapped the top of the can with her fingernail. “I guess you’re old enough to know this. I did some speed many long years ago to help me study when I was in college. Wouldn’t recommend it. But that was a long time ago and I haven’t done anything since I got my Pharm Degree.”

“You did speed? But you’re nearly a doctor.”

“I am a doctor. But doctors can be bad substance abusers. Don’t tell your mom about this conversation. In fact, forget I even told you.”

“Did you like it?”

“Yes and no. It made me anxious and jittery, but I did get my work done.”

“What was it like?”

“Like chugging a huge pot of coffee.

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