Page 51 of The Charming Checklist
Ava’s neck swiveled back. “Excuseme?”
“That’s right. However long it takes.”
“Wh-what about your patients?”
“I haven’t taken a real vacation in twenty years. That insufferable partner of mine owes me. I cover for him every time he gets married. Now it’s my turn.”
“But, Mom, youhateCharming. The humidity. The rain. The heat. It’s so much worse down here.”
“Honey, that’s Texas. Besides, you have air-conditioning.”
“But—”
“I mean it. Obviously, my example ruined your worldview of a professional woman. And I want to know why. All of your brothers imitated your father’s example. You should have followed inmyfootsteps.”
“This is ridiculous! You didn’t doanythingwrong. Just because I don’t want to deliver babies doesn’t mean that you did something wrong. I’m simply my own person.”
“I appreciate you not blaming me, honey, but I’m willing to see my mistakes for what they are. And to simply come to an understanding of where, and how, I went wrong.”
This was so typical of her mother. She’d made it all about her.
“For what? So you can do better with yournextdaughter?”
“No, so that I can learn and grow. Isn’t that what the therapists are always yammering on and on about? This will improve me as a physician, and as a wife, too.”
How could Ava argue with self-improvement? She just wished it could happen anywhere else but in her little home.
“Mom, if you and Dad are fighting, I don’t think a separation will help.”
“We’re notfighting.”
“Well, negotiations. Whatever.”
But Ava felt stuck. On the one hand, her mother was finally willing to accept the choices Ava had made. But as always, it came with a caveat.
She took a deep and unsteady breath. “You might as well find out. The BMW is not in the shop.”
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning, Ava woke with a start. Outside, a lawn mower had roared to life. Her central air conditioner hummed lazily. Last night, after the tense conversation that ensued with news of the nonexistent BMW, she and Mom had called a truce. Both agreed they wouldn’t tell her father. Mom, because that would cause additional problems she didn’t want to deal with at the moment. Ava, because she didn’t want to hurt her father’s feelings.
Next, they’d argued more over sofa versus bed, Ava eventually winning the argument.
But her mother taking the bedroom meant Ava wasn’t quite as insulated from the morning wake-up calls. Outside, the neighbor kids were playing basketball, the ball thudding loudly on the concrete driveway. Kicking the covers off, Ava walked slowly to the bedroom to peek in on Mom. She slept, wearing her black eye mask. By all appearances, she slept soundly, meaning she probably also had her earplugs in.
Ava showered and dressed. She made coffee, then quickly straightened up her living room, folding her sheets and stuffing them, and the gorilla, in her hall closet.
Finally, she called Valerie. “Hey, there. Can you and Cole drive my car back to me, please?”
“Hmm, I was wonderin’ about you,” Valerie cooed. “So, it was one ofthosenights.”
“Max would have taken me back to my car, I’m sure, but my mother showed up and wanted to take me home.”
“She showed up at Max’s house?” Valerie screeched.
“No, no, to the Salty Dog. We were there, having breakfast.”
“Of course you were.” Valerie had a smile in her voice. “Care to give me any of the details of the night?”
