at school and her grades showed that. She’d found confidence and independence that she hadn’t realized she lacked.
Her mother was dead, and yes, she was conflicted about that; sometimes she felt heartless because she was glad to be free of her. At other times, she felt… free. Like a bird that had been let out of a cage that flew away, free to sing and explore the world it had been denied.
The cage she’d lived in had been invisible; her mother’s hatred of her a cage she couldn’t escape. She’d tried but she’d failed. She’d been too weak back then, too afraid, to leave her mother to her own life. Someone could have come in to care for her mother, more PCAs perhaps, or she could have been put into a nursing home. But Marie had been afraid, afraid and hopeful. A small, childish part of her had hoped that her mother would come to love her. That her illness would soften her and make her see how devoted Marie was to her. But that hadn’t happened, and Marie had continued to live in that prison of hope and fear.
Now, though, she thought with a shake of her dark brown hair, she could do almost anything. She had a husband she loved and desired, she had a home, a life, a future. Even if she was on the path that had taken her mother’s life, she decided, she would live the time she had with happiness.
There was a smile on her face as she held up her hand to hail a cab. The green and black maxi dress she had on billowed around her legs as she waited, a triumphant figure that probably appeared to be nothing more than a woman hailing a cab to anyone else. But to her, she knew she was the perfect image of a woman that had truly become free at last.
Sure, she had some trauma to deal with, but there was help out there. And she had Matteo. He would be a rock for her, no matter what. She knew that as well as she knew that once he got over his need to wrap her away from the world, he’d see the logic and be the companion she needed.
She gave another address to the new cabbie and when she stepped out into the late spring sunshine, sunlight glinted off of her dark hair to create a red halo around her face. A woman standing at the curb gasped as she saw the effect.
“Marie, you really are beautiful, do you know that?” Trina came up to hug Marie and lead her to a café they’d agreed to meet at. “I can’t believe it sometimes, and then there you are in all your loveliness. How are you?”
“I’m good, a little tired, but it’s been a long day already. How are you?” Marie took a seat at one of the empty tables and picked up the menu. She looked over at Trina, though, to wait for her answer.
“I’m fine, as always, Marie. What are you having?” Sunlight gleamed from Trina’s dark gray eyes, made them lighter and glint with the shine of silver.
Marie’s smile stretched a little further. Trina was lovely, too, even if she didn’t think anything of it.
“I’m going to go for something healthy, maybe a salad.” She glanced down at the menu to study it.
“Why, you’re not pregnant are you?” Trina’s eyebrows were raised in a hopeful way, her face wreathed in a smile.
“No, but I’m a little… I don’t know how to say it. A lot has happened, and I’ve just been told I need to take some time to heal from it all. And I think that’s good advice. Step one is healthy, eating, right?”
“Right.” Trina nodded and looked at the menu. “I’m here for you, you know? I know I’m part of the family, but I’m not like them, okay? I think you’re great, and a good friend. I’m here if you need anything.”
“I know you are and thank you. The same goes for you.” Marie smiled, even if Trina couldn’t see it as they both stared at the menus they held.
Trina had never been pushy about information, she’d always listened, and though she didn’t know about Marie’s childhood, it was like she could sense there was a pain in Marie’s heart, and treated her with respect. That was all she’d ever asked for, to be treated with respect, so Marie gave the same to Trina.