CHAPTER 2
Mary sat upright in the bed that she and Matthew shared. She stared at the screen of her phone for what seemed like an interminable moment re-reading Edith's text messages.
Well, their parents were divorced for five years. It really is no business of theirs now whoever their parents chose to spend their life with. She only wished that should her mother outs herself completely with Mr. Bricker to the family, she would do it one step at a time and with much sensitivity to her father.
It took so much effort from family members to get their parents into a somewhat friendlier terms three months ago. How they co-exist in one house in relative peace these days is an entire work of miracle. She would not wish this still fragile amiable relationship between her parents to be upset by the revelation of the blooming dating life of her mother.
A year ago, her father went to New York to represent the family business in a meeting with their partners and investors. Dead beat after the day, her father came rushing back to the New York Plaza Hotel to get some rest when he bumped into a man in the lobby. He happened to be Uncle Harold, just coming out from a meeting himself and was rushing out to catch up a dinner appointment. In his excitement at meeting his English former brother-in-law after a long time, Harold dragged Robert to this dinner and out of respect to his ex-brother-in-law, Robert allowed himself to be dragged by Harold only to have the shock of his life, as he preferred to describe it to Mary later, when he found out that Harold's dinner appointment included Martha and Cora.
Of course, her papa did not tell her that night's whole story. He was trying hard to laugh it off only to give himself away. Judging from the way his Adam's apple moved every time he swallowed his words while recounting that night to Mary, she guessed correctly how deeply it hurt him.
She was hurt, too. How come two people who used to love each other deeply, bound by three daughters—two alive and one dead, two grandchildren, two son-in-laws, a house in London and a grand manor in York, and almost 30 years of being together were now reduced into two people who are shocked at the sight of each other?
Six months ago, her mother came to London for some business and for that surprise dinner with them together with a certain Mr. Bricker. To be honest, half of her was not convinced that her mother was in love with that man as she was with her father. She saw interest, respect, and admiration glinting behind her mother's eyes every time Mr. Bricker spoke for, indeed, the man was very intellectual. There was no spark of magic. But then, how does love start for some people but from interest, respect, and admiration? Their mother could be one of those.
Talking her mother into staying at their London house with her father was one of those hardest tasks that she had to deal with—as hard as dealing with Sybil's death and her parents' eventual divorce. On the phone and in her emails, her mother sounded like she didn't want to have anything to do with her father. She would stay in a suite at a five-star hotel during her indefinite stay in London. Mary is being downright ridiculous. Her suggestion is preposterous. No one lives with their ex-husband in one roof. The house is solely Robert's after the divorce. Cora never ran out of counter-arguments.
Mary could only appeal to her mother's logic on the grounds of practicality. Which, on hindsight, did not really make sense. One, Cora is wealthy and does not need to be practical all the time. Two, Mary was not really being logical in suggesting that her mother move in with her ex-husband upon her arrival.
After a series of negotiations, it was Edith, cool and level-headed, who sealed the deal for Mary during their last face time conversation. "Mama, some ex-wives actually do live with their ex-husbands. You don't have to mind papa. Besides, both of you will be out of the house most of the day. And that doesn't mean that you have to stay with him permanently, only while you are here for work." Edith paused for a moment and continued. "If my opinion counts, perhaps it's time to be friends with papa again."
From their ipad's screen, Mary and Edith saw their mother looked down, swallowed something they could not quite figure out. Pride? Past pain?
In a defeated tone, Cora replied: "Well, if this is okay with your father..."
Mary jumped right in. "We already talked to him and he sounded amenable." Mary, with Edith's support was the main promoter of this idea to which Tom and Rosamund had agreed; Matthew had agreed but with reservations. Granny Violet was the one to point out the odds—"I don't see how this would do them any good seeing as they cannot even tolerate each other these days", but realizing how determined the rest of the family were, left the decision to Mary. "Well, then, I'll leave you to it. Just leave me out of the blame if something bad comes out of it."
A week later Cora arrived in London, picking up work thereafter. Noticeably, her parents' regard for each other has improved over time though they are not really on complete good terms. But that is enough for her, for the family.
A yawn escaped from her mouth and Mary slid down the bed careful not to wake her husband. Her determination to help ease her father slowly into accepting that her Mama is now with Mr. Simon Bricker etched on her face.