Blended TML Ch 12

It’s worth the risk. Piper lets herself into the bedroom, takes what she needs, and retreats. It’s hard to come up with a firm plan when she’s not sure what they’re walking into. Mary says that the cabin is wrecked or trashed. Like for real, as though a tree fell on it? Or did someone just have a wild party and not clean up? That seems more likely, but Piper doesn’t want to bank on it.

BLENDED

Mary’s a little glazed as she dons shorts and a UFG Law shirt. She has to drive, so she hasn’t had even a sip of wine, but she’s so mentally exhausted that she can’t even be upset. That may be for the best. She packs her weekender with utilitarian essentials and nothing else. She can make a stop once she’s down there for treats. Piper always, often subtly, prompts people to change the way that they look at things. Mary tries to look at this as a valid excuse to indulge herself a little in ways that she won’t around the house. Being by herself at the cabin is a little sad, certainly, but she won’t have to wear a bra down there. And she can eat ice cream right out of the container. She can sleep in tomorrow. That’s worth something.

She knocks on Riley’s door.

The sliver of her daughter’s face that appears when she cautiously answers is pink.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, baby. I love you. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“OK.”

“Can I have a hug?”

Blushing hard, Riley opens the door and accepts the squeeze.

Mary lets her go. “OK. Behave.”

“OK.”

Mary heads downstairs, smiling despite herself. She’s glad that Riley has a job, but if she didn’t, she could come along. That might actually be really nice. It wouldn’t be that difficult to get Riley and Kayla down to the cabin; it just has a way of never happening. Pretty soon, that won’t be an option anymore. At least with Riley. She’s going to go pro, and her dream team is on the other side of the country. Kayla? She’ll spread her wings eventually, and it’s only a matter of time until she moves out. Then spending time with her daughters will be so much more difficult. They’re here now, and she’s at the office by herself or at the cabin by herself. It’s maddening.

She manages not to stomp her way downstairs, and swings into the kitchen to get a La Croix for the road. Maybe if she does get a moment of solitude down there, she can plan something. But then it’s like… how does she explain that to the Dunham crew? What about Bella? They’ll understand, but there’s no truly graceful or easy way to do anything.

She oozes dejectedly to the front door and lets herself out. Her bag seems to weigh a thousand pounds.

Piper’s car is pulled around to the front, engine running, headlights on.

Piper beckons. “Get in, loser. We’re going landlording.”