We're Not Related Anymore...

The Meddler

Lilian: A Few Hours After The Drive To The Airport

The garden has started to look worse for wear. The once blooming flowers that used to stand proudly upright, seem like they can barely hold up their own necks. I walk over to one, a white rose, and pick it from its bush. It's so weak that the petals fall to the ground as I gently twirl it in my grip. 

Keegan loved these flowers. After Maddie left, he made a conscious effort to maintain the garden. It didn't matter how busy he was: how many papers he needed to grade or how many lectures he needed to set, he'd make time for this garden. 

But now he's gone. And so is Maddie, back to the life she's forged out for herself. 

I smile as I remember her fire from earlier. All the time I've known her, I've always thought she took after Hannah: wild, independent, selfish without any thought of others. But she's not. There's a lot of Keegan in her too. She's fiery like he was. Stubborn. She won't back down from what she believes is right and fair. 

I take a seat on the bench that sits in the middle of the garden, still holding the now petal-less stem. I've been so caught up in my dislike for what Maddie represents to Jacob, that I've never taken a moment to see the girl for who she is. 

I hear a door open in the house and turn to peer through the windows. I spy Jacob pacing in the lounge and frown. He has to go back to school soon to write his last exam but something tells me his anxiety has nothing to do with college. 

I pick myself off the bench and enter the house. I go find him. When I see him, he has his phone pressed up against his ear, speaking too low for me to hear. 

"I'll call you later, Josh," he says, ending the call before I can ask what it's about. "Hey, mom. How're you doing?" He asks, after he spots me standing in the doorway, his voice is carefully gentle.

"I'm fine," I say, straightening out my skirt. "Did Maddie let you know she's back home yet?"

"No. She's probably still on the plane," he says, looking down at his phone distractedly. 

"What's wrong? Did Josh need something?" I ask, my eyes taking in his appearance. He seems... frustrated. His dark hair is all mussed up and his eyes are tight around the corners. Even his clothing seems disheveled. And if I had to guess, this has something to do with our little blonde guest. 

I even out the frown I know wants to pull at my face. As much as there is a desire in me to have Maddie become a part of this family, there will always be a part of me that is too worried to let that happen. 

She and Jacob can't seem to stay in their lanes when they're here together. I'd thought they'd put their affair in the past but even now I can see that whatever's between them is far from over. 

He's already stressed about her, or whatever interaction they had when he drove her to the airport. Is it so wrong that I don't want that for my son? I don't want him to have a relationship that takes his mind off of the important things. He's on his way to becoming an incredible young man. If he starts something up with that girl again, she'll be a distraction. 

"No. I just needed to ask him something but I'll do it later," Jacob says, setting down his phone on the mantelpiece next to one of the family photos. 

"Jacob!" One of the twins calls, and it's so unexpected that I almost jump out of my skin. 

"Shelley," I hiss when I spy her hanging over the stair's railing. "Please don't shout like that in the house." Ever since I got the call about Keegan's accident, anything too surprising makes me feel like my heart will give out. 

"Sorry," she says sheepishly, biting at her lip. "Jacob, please can you come up here? I accidentally knocked over Mary's music box and want you to fix it before she gets out of the shower," she explains, keeping her voice soft. 

"Why were you in Mary's room?" Jacob asks, already storming toward her, his conversation with me completely forgotten.

"I wanted to borrow some of her jewelry," Shelley explains, leading him to her sister's bedroom. 

"But you don't even have the same style," is the last thing I hear. The further they get, the more muffled his annoyed and her guilty voices get. 

The ever-present tiredness in my bones makes me want to sit down again. I'm heading for the couch when the sound of a phone notification rings in the lonely room. I check my own phone and find that it's clear of notifications. I look back at the mantelpiece, seeing the black of Jacob's phone catch my eye. 

Picking it up, I see it's a notification from Maddie. He has her name in his phone as Madeline Culkin and the formality of it all brings a half-smile to my face. 

Hey, I'm home safe and sound. 

I accidentally click on the notification, surprised to find his phone isn't locked. Since Maddie can see that I've read the message, I quickly type out a response. There's nothing wrong with that. I'll just tell Jacob that I responded for him.

I type back, thanks for letting me know. 

I close the phone but then it starts ringing in my hand. Because I wasn't expecting it, I swipe the decline button. Why'd she have to call him, I think, irritated. Now I feel like I've done something wrong. 

I take the phone to the couch with me. I place it on the seat next to me, eyeing it like it's some kind of Pandora's box. I pick up a Health and Home magazine that I keep under the coffee table but before I can read a word, the phone is beeping again. 

She's left him a message. It's not my business, I tell myself. I look down at the magazine but none of the words I read register. I'm too curious to know what her voice message is. She's told him she's home, they spent an entire trip in a car together, what more could there be to talk about? Unless... unless something happened in the car. 

Before I even realize what I'm doing, I've picked up the cellphone and played the message. 

"Listen, I'm sorry. I don't know why I felt the need to dump on you. I took out all my anger on you, and despite what happened between us, you didn't deserve that. Thank you for paying for my ticket." She pauses, and then in a soft, breathy voice says, "Goodbye." 

I don't know why I end up deleting the message but I do. And then I decide to delete the two texts from earlier, leaving everything a clean slate. 

I hear Jacob's heavy footsteps descend the staircase, and I know I've done something wrong because I rush to put his phone back where he left it. I feel like a naughty child. I put my face down feeling like I can't look him in the eye. He enters the room again looking frazzled. 

"Satan couldn't reach me so he sent me younger sisters," he mumbles. 

"What?" I question, still feeling guilty for what I've just done. I should've left it alone. 

"Nothing," he says and takes a seat next to me. "Is it too late for you to put those two up for adoption?" He asks, sounding very serious. 

"I think so. Um," I clear my throat. "Josh called me. He said Maddie said to tell you she was back home safely." I tell myself it doesn't count as a lie since the information is true. 

Jacob stands up again to check his phone. When he sees what must be no notifications, I see his face fall. I look away. I thought I could justify my actions but now I know I've just messed with something very precious to him. 

But I can't bring myself to say this to him. I've just lost my husband. I couldn't bear it if Jacob was angry with me. Right now, I need him more than ever. 

"Did my phone ring when I was gone?" He asks, holding his phone in such a tight grip I wonder if he's going to throw it. 

"No," I lie. "It didn't make a sound."