Maryanne and Richard pulled up to her childhood home. She hadn't been there in years and preferred it that way. "Richard, I don't know if I can do this."
"Sweetheart, you'll be fine. I'll be right beside you."
The couple got out of the rental car and walked to the front door. Maryanne tried to turn and run, but her fiance stopped her. Richard knocked on the front door. A short, blonde woman answered. "Oh my God, Teresa?"
Richard looked at Maryanne confused, "it's Maryanne, mother."
The woman hugged her daughter, "Frank! Look who's here." Marie ushered the couple into the house.
Maryanne hugged her father and turned to Richard, "this is my fiance, Dr. Richard Thrope."
"Isn't that the name of your ex-husband?" Frank asked.
"Yes, but this man's name is also Richard Thorpe."
"Isn't your ex-husband a doctor?" Marie asked.
"Yes, but Richard is a veterinarian."
Marie got the couple settled before calling her sons and telling them and their families to come over for a big dinner that night.
The Barone brothers arrived and greeted Maryanne. Robert was one year older than Maryanne and Ray was three years younger than her. Marie was the only one who called her daughter by her birth name.
"So, Maryanne, when are you two getting married?" Debra asked.
"We're having a small wedding at my house next week."
"Next week?" Marie asked, "how long have you been engaged?"
"About a week."
"Why so soon?"
"Well, and this isn't why Richard proposed. In fact, he showed me the bill of sales for the ring, and it showed that he had bought it a week before I told him."
"Told him what?" Marie asked suspiciously.
"I'm pregnant," Maryanne was finally able to tell her mother. The room was silent because everyone was waiting for Marie to react. Eventually, Maryanne got up and ran to the bathroom with Richard right behind her. When they returned, Marie wasn't at the table. "Where's ma?"
"Kitchen," Robert said.
"Damn," Maryanne turned and walked into the kitchen. Marie was sitting at the kitchen table, "ma, why don't you just say what you're thinking so we can move on?"
"I don't think I should say what I'm thinking to my daughter." Maryanne walked away and her mother decided to follow, "why haven't you been home?"
Maryanne turned around, "what?"
"Why haven't you been home? Or called? It's been years."
"I've just been going through a lot and I didn't want to hear you blame or criticize me."
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you always do. That's what you did when you found out that Dick and I had eloped."
"My only daughter got married without telling me!"
"I was never good enough. I don't cook or clean or do any of the many things you think I should be doing."
"Now you're just being dramatic. What did you think I would blame you for?"
"My divorce," Maryanne yelled.
"How can I place blame on anyone if I don't know what happened?"
Robert tried to diffuse the situation, "maybe this isn't the best time."
"Not now, Robert," Marie said before turning back to her daughter, "I didn't raise you to be a tramp."
"Marie!" Frank yelled.
"Now, why did you break up your family?"
Richard sat there unsure of what to do. He felt terrible for Maryanne and knew why her marriage had ended. "Richard, get our things. We're leaving," the man didn't hesitate to do what Maryanne said.
"All because I asked you why your marriage ended?"
"No, because you asked why I broke up my family. You are insinuating that I am to blame by saying that."
Richard ran and took their things to the car before returning for his fiancee. "Teresa, you are overreacting, but that's not unusual."
"I overreact?! You overreact more than anyone! If things aren't exactly how you want them, then you tell us in an overly critical way. It's as if you are the only one who knows how to properly do anything in this world. Oh, and it's Maryanne." The woman turned for the door but stopped when she reached it, "you know why my marriage ended? Dick walked out on me. One day he told me that he didn't love me anymore and that our marriage was over. I looked the other way every time he cheated on me and then he left me. Are you happy?" With that, Maryanne turned and left her childhood home once again.