Blended TML Ch 11

This is perfect. An hour or two ago, Piper was on the verge of having to reckon with important things that mattered. Now, she has a new project, and the reckoning is indefinitely postponed. With great power comes great responsibility, unless one keeps very busy and stays distracted, which is clearly the best way to go about it, yet not always feasible.

Piper moves quickly: first sending texts to let her friends know where she’s going, then packing her weekend bag.

The cabin is nice, and the lake itself is OK. There are several big resorts, lots of other rental properties, and plenty to do down there. Piper’s not into messing with boats, although she’s not opposed to trying out a jet ski one day. People love to jet ski on the lake. Depending on the situation, maybe this weekend’s the one where she gets to actually do it.

But this isn’t about her. It’s about Mary. If Mary goes down there by herself, she will stew in bitterness and resentment and drink too much. Mary can’t really be blamed for that, but that’s still not the best thing to do.

Piper doubts that Mary will vent to her. And Piper must remind herself that she is not even a therapist, let alone Mary’s therapist, and one should not act as a therapist toward one’s own family. But even if all she does is tag along, validate, and help Mary reframe, that will count for a lot. Having Piper around won’t stop Mary from chugging wine, but it will stop her from passing out somewhere on the floor surrounded by bottles. In fairness to her stepmother, Piper has never known her to do that, but if ever there was a setup primed for that outcome, it’s this. The mental imagery of Mary on the floor of a wrecked cabin is just too sad. Piper might not be undertaking this mission for the right reasons, but it’s definitely the right thing to do.

This brings Piper to the final question. Many people can agree on what the right thing is, although it’s not always black and white. The complicated part is how to go about the right thing. This is a source of endless conflict.

Piper leaves her backpack sitting open beside her weekend bag and goes to the door, then tiptoes down to the door of the master bedroom. The shower’s running in the master bath. Mary will clean up, put on comfy clothes, pack, and take off without delay. She’s upset, and likely not thinking at her absolute clearest, although that’s speculation on Piper’s part.

Inside everyone, there are two wolves. The black wolf sets its ego aside, considers the future and the needs of others, then behaves accordingly. The white wolf drives a sports car, is the first to dance at a party, and never hesitates to eat a whole pint of Haagen-Dazs because life is short and the future is uncertain.

The two coexist within Piper, although not always in harmony. The black wolf is typically dominant. While the white wolf has led Piper to some great triumphs, those always come at a cost.

Piper hesitates, her hand on the doorknob. She doesn’t know what the weekend holds, but the window is closing fast for packing and preparation. She has ideas, but are they hers? Or the white wolf’s? What is the purpose of this weekend? What is Piper trying to do? Answer: Prevent her mother from getting a second divorce. But how? What is the premise of Piper’s actions from this point forward? Supporting Mary or Cheering her up?

[ Note: I have given zero thought to what to use as filler while this is going on. Please be patient with me. We might just have to pull a few new confessions. I expect Blended to be back on Monday. Thanks for reading!! ]