Our Fatal Ambition by Mark Ayre

Author:Mark Ayre [Ayre, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-07-18T23:00:00+00:00

26

A chain of people made their way along the path through the park. First came the dog-walking couple, who took a left at the larger playground and proceeded towards the trees. Next came Donald and Xander, who broke from the path and returned to the picnic table where they had met before going on their walk. The woman behind them picked up speed as they left the track, rushing towards the exit, her hood drawn over her head despite the weather, as though she suffered from hay fever and thought she might be able to hide from the pollen.

Her hood came down only once she was back at her car. There were tears in Maggie’s eyes and a lump in her throat. Fearing the lump might force its way out of her mouth and become a scream, Maggie scrambled for her car’s door handle, yanking several times in silent frustration before realising it was locked. Out came her keys. She threw open the door and dived in, only releasing the lump once enclosed by steel walls.

Turned out it was a scream.

When the sound died, she slumped across the front seats and sobbed. No doubt the baby was to blame for this outrageous emotional response. After all, what had she learned that was so bad? Okay, so her father had not only cheated on her mother a couple of decades ago with Ivy but with a waitress much more recently. There were doubtless other women. Oh, and the two most important men in her life had lied to her face.

And, of course, she had a sister.

A sister.

It seemed phenomenal. Ridiculous. Outrageous.

As a child with an older brother she often could not stand, Maggie had spent many hours wishing she had a sister to play with. On one occasion, she even asked if her mother would be so kind as to have another daughter. Maybe the child could be Maggie’s birthday present.

Elizabeth Murray had laughed. Two kids is enough for your dad and me. Besides, you’re the apple of Daddy’s eye. You wouldn’t want competition, would you?

Lying across the front seats, Maggie laughed at how ridiculous this statement now seemed. The laugh quickly became almost maniacal. Anyone looking through the window would be tempted to call the men in white coats.

Two children might have been enough for Elizabeth. Not so for her husband, who had given Maggie a sister she had never known. He’d had no relationship with this girl, yet had looked out for her all her life.

But not very well.

The laughter stopped.

Maggie didn’t have a sister. She’d had a sister. A sister she would never meet. How had she gone through life with only a brother yet ended up with two dead siblings? Was that fair?

Forcing herself to a sitting position, Maggie glanced back into the park. There sat Dad and Alex at a picnic table. Chatting. To passersby, they no doubt looked as thick as thieves. It was impossible to tell they hated one another. That their relationship was built on coercion and blackmail.

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