Poison Town A Novel (ARC) by Creston Mapes

Author:Creston Mapes
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: David C Cook
Published: 2013-08-18T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Pamela’s morning did not go as planned. Margaret awoke in pain soon after Jack and the girls left. She was certain it was one of her frequent urinary tract infections, so Pamela made an appointment for her to see their family doctor. The pregnancy test and talk with her mother about her drinking would have to wait.

Margaret was moving slowly, and by the time they got out of the doctor’s office, stopped at the pharmacy to get her meds, and grabbed some salads in town, it was well into the afternoon and getting colder.

“Be careful, it might be slippery.” Pamela held an umbrella over her mom as they walked from Tiffany’s along the wet sidewalk to her red Accord. This was the first time Pamela had ever felt the need to reach out and steady her mom, and she waited for Margaret to protest, but the older woman said nothing. The years and Benjamin’s death were taking their toll.

“This foul weather makes my arthritis so bad,” Margaret said. “I belong in a nursing home, I swear.”

“We’ll get you home and you can get your afternoon nap.” Pamela unlocked with the remote and walked her mom to the passenger door as the rain came harder, tapping the umbrella like sleet.

“I’m nothing but a burden,” Margaret said.

“Mom, you are not a burden. Just sit tight.” Pamela shut the door and walked gingerly around to her side. She noticed a man in a black overcoat seated in the driver’s seat of the car next to hers, reading a newspaper, and chastised herself inwardly for feeling suspicious. She’d been hypersensitive to everyone around her since Granger had invaded their lives.

It took forever to back out in the traffic. Once they were around the city square and heading toward home, the car got warm—and quiet.

Now was as good a time as any.

“Mom, can we talk about your drinking?”

Margaret turned and stared out the passenger window at the dark afternoon. “Here we go …”

“Well, I smelled it on your breath last night.”

Margaret wiped her nose with a wadded-up tissue. “It helps me sleep.”

“Mom, I’m concerned about you, and I’m concerned about the girls seeing you drink.”

“It was in the middle of the night. They were sound asleep.”

“Okay, I’m not bringing it up to argue. We just need to have some kind of ground rules while you’re with us.”

“Pamela, you make me sound like a child.”

She didn’t dare say what she was thinking: that her mom was exactly like a spoiled, self-centered child.

“I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, Mom. Look, why can’t you keep the bottle in the kitchen or in the pantry and just have a drink in the evening? You’re an adult. Jack and I are adults. There’s no reason to hide it. If the girls ask what it is, we’ll tell them you like your adult beverage in the evening.”

“You’re so religious … I didn’t think you’d want that.”

“Well, if you need to drink while you’re here, that might—”

“Let’s get something straight. I don’t need to drink.

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