The Trouble With Angels Page 0,96

could only hear what Karen said, but it sounded like, oh, I don't know, like he planned on showing her a wonderful Christmas."

Thom was silent for a time. "This worries you?"

"Of course it does. Don't you see? Brian's the type of man who only thinks about one person, and that's himself. If he's being good to Karen, there's a reason."

"People change, Maureen."

"Not Brian. The man is - " She bit off saying a choice word. "He's going to take Karen away from me. The more I analyze what's happening, the more I realize what he's doing. If he's looking to get back at me, there's no better way than through Karen."

"Why don't you ask him?" Thom suggested. "If you're that worried, and clearly you are, then call him right now and ask. Wouldn't you rather deal with the truth than suffer with speculation?"

"Ask Brian?" she repeated. It was probably the most dangerous thing she could do. "I can't do that. If he isn't already thinking along those lines, why give him the idea? You don't know my ex-husband. If he even suspects something would worry me, he'd play up on it and make me as miserable as possible."

"Maureen, you've been divorced a long time."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Brian's remarried."

"Yes, and he has a son, too, but that doesn't mean anything."

"I think it must. He's supporting a wife and his son and supposedly Karen."

"I sincerely doubt he's supporting anyone. Wanna bet he's home with the baby while wife number two brings in the paycheck?" She sounded cynical and bitter, but with damn good reason.

"Maureen," Thom said, dragging out her name in that thoughtful way of his, "have you given any more thought to what I said the other night?"

"About what?" She was stalling, not wanting to admit his words had hounded her ever since.

"Forgiveness."

"I don't believe it's possible, Thom. I have thought about it, almost constantly. But you have no way of realizing how much Brian hurt me and Karen."

"But I do," he countered. "I see it in your eyes when you speak of him. I look at Karen and wonder how any man could turn his back on his own daughter."

Maureen felt tears stinging the backs of her eyes.

"Where does it stop, Maureen?"

"What do you mean?"

"You phone the attorney about him with a list of wrongdoings. He contacts his attorney about you. Who suffers in all this?"

Maureen already knew the answer to this. She'd faced it that evening. "Karen," she said in a small, weak voice.

"You're hurting, too, but you need to realize that most of that pain is self-inflicted. Don't forgive Brian because he deserves it. Don't do it because he's asking you to pardon him for all the ugly, hurtful wrongs."

Maureen wouldn't live to see that day. "Don't worry, it'd never happen."

"Do it for you," Thom advised softly. "And for Karen."

"I'll try," she promised. He made it sound so easy, as if all she had to do was let nearly fifteen years of accumulated resentments roll off her back like rainwater off a mallard.

"Now if Karen's going to be with her dad, what are you doing Christmas Eve?" Thom asked.

"Nothing much." For a time she'd thought she'd join her parents, but they had already made plans with longtime family friends. They'd invited Maureen to join them, but she didn't want to intrude. She'd made an excuse, and they'd accepted it.

"Would you like to come out to the ranch?" Thom asked. "Paula and I would love to have you."

The offer was by far the most tempting one she'd had. "I'd like to, but..."

"What's holding you back?"

"I'd rather be close by in case Karen phones." Maureen didn't anticipate any trouble between father and daughter, but she wasn't taking any chances.

"You're sure?"

"Yes," she told him reluctantly, "but thanks for the invitation." The way it looked, she'd have a peaceful evening home by herself. That was fine. She could bake sugar cookies and decorate them for Christmas Day. If she got really ambitious, she just might whip up a batch of fudge.

They spoke for a few moments longer, and when Maureen hung up, she thanked whatever it was that had caused her to dial Thom's phone number instead of her mother's.

She knew she'd live through the horrors of the damned the minute her daughter drove off with her ex-husband if she didn't have some peace of mind on the subject. She reached for the phone book and looked up Brian's number. A woman answered. Maureen hadn't met Brian's new wife.