Читать книгу The Consequences - Colette Freedman - Страница 22

CHAPTER 15

Friday, 27th December

Toni and Matt accompanied their daughter to the airport.

Madison’s Dane County Regional Airport was just eight miles away, and Stephanie was thrilled she had managed to get the last available seat on a Delta flight to Detroit. The idea of spending another hour and a half in the car driving to Milwaukee with one of her family members suffocated her, and she had opted instead to fly out of the smaller airport, despite the ridiculously long layover she would face in Detroit. Still, she needed to get back to Boston and preferred a quiet overnight in a Detroit hotel to another claustrophobic night in her childhood home.

She saw her mother’s head turn and, even before the words were out of her mother’s mouth, Stephanie knew what she was going to say.

“Are you sure you have to go, Stephanie?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“But you barely got here.”

“Well, I did say it was a quick visit. And we did get to spend Christmas Day together.”

“Leave her alone, Toni,” Matt said.

Stephanie caught a glimpse of her father’s eyes in the rearview mirror. He was watching her closely; he alone of all the family knew the real reason she was returning to Boston.

Her mother turned away to stare out to where the fields were giving way to houses. She surreptitiously—but very obviously—brushed tears from her cheeks. “And how are you feeling?” she asked, slightly emphasizing the last word.

“Fine, Mom.” Stephanie had thought long and hard about telling her mother the truth about the test, but in the end had decided to keep it a secret for the moment. No doubt her mother had already told the entire family that she suspected Stephanie might be pregnant. She knew that her sudden reappearance home for Christmas had already been one of the main topics of conversation. She needed to get out of this environment, talk to Robert, make some decisions. Only then would she tell her mother, present her with the facts and the decisions.

“I wish you’d stay another couple of days,” Toni grumbled. “I was really looking forward to spending New Year’s together.”

“Well, I’ve bought tickets,” Stephanie said mildly, unwilling to argue.

“Could you change them?”

“The girl’s going home, Toni,” Matt said quietly.

“Her home is here.”

“She’s thirty-three now; she’s lived away from us almost longer than she lived with us. Boston’s her home now. But she knows she can always come back here. Always.”

Stephanie saw her father’s eyes in the rearview mirror again, and she nodded. He was speaking to Toni, but talking to her.

“Maybe you can visit me. Boston is beautiful in the summer,” Stephanie suggested.

“Oh, where would we get the money?” Toni said instantly.

“I’d pay for the tickets.”