My Ex-Boyfriend’s Brothers (Ex Marks the Spot)

32. Maggie

32

***Maggie***

“ W hat did you just say?” I sank heavily into the chair closest to me and pressed my knuckles into my lips. A second call from Cara Conway in one day had made me think the absolute worst but the words that had just come out of her mouth shocked me more than anything I could’ve imagined.

“I said I’ve already started the transfer. It normally takes more time but we’re very motivated to get your mom here. We’ll start therapy and treatments as soon as she’s comfortable in her new home, Maggie.”

Sitting in the hallway outside of my room, I looked around me like the answers to the questions I couldn’t form would be there, waiting to step out for me. “I… I don’t understand.”

“I don’t know how you did it, Maggie, but you’ve secured a safe and healthy home for your mom that will guarantee improvements in her mobility. She’s going to flourish here under Doctor Vorres’ care.” Pausing, Cara seemed to be wrestling with her thoughts. “I was so worried you wouldn’t be able to do this. I see it happen more often than I care to admit that children can’t afford our facility and their loved ones end up stuck in less than amazing homes. I’m over the moon for you both, Maggie.”

Tears filled my eyes as I understood there’d somehow been a mistake. “I didn’t… I didn’t make the payment, Ms. Conway. This is a mix-up. A really painful, awful mix-up.”

Silence met me and stretched on for long enough that I worried she’d just hung up on me. Then she let out a quiet laugh and the emotion I heard in her voice made me even more unstable. “There’s no mix-up. I’ve double and triple checked. You must have a guardian angel, Maggie. Someone has taken care of everything.”

I gasped and dug my nails into my knee to make sure I was awake. “No.”

“Yes. Your mom is in good hands, Maggie. She has a home here with us for as long as she wants one.” After another beat, she rushed on. “Whoever did this must really, really care about you, Maggie. I’ll keep you updated about your mom’s transfer.”

I sat there with the phone to my ear for a long while after Cara hung up. I was slowly allowing myself to believe what she’d said. What it meant would take longer to sink in but the edges of my consciousness were starting to fizzle with awareness. I’d spent so much of my recent life in a state of panic over Mom’s care. How was it possible that all of that was just…gone?

Standing up, I aimlessly walked away from my room, in a state of shock. I’d only been doing Brad’s wedding because I needed the money for Mom’s care. If that was taken care of, did I still need to deal with him? I stopped walking. Leaving the wedding meant walking away from the guys. And Christina. I didn’t want to do that. I was staying.

There was a power that came from not having to stay to save Mom. I wasn’t desperate. Whoever paid Mom’s bills had given me so much freedom.

I let out a slightly crazed sounding laugh and then spun around to hurry back to my room. I needed to call Mom and I needed privacy because I knew I was going to cry.

I couldn’t stop pacing in my room as I waited for her to answer. As soon as she did, I lost it. “Mom?”

“Maggie? What’s wrong, honey?”

“You’re going to Waverly, Mom.” I heard her gasp and laughed through my ugly tears. “Someone paid it all, Mom. Ms. Conway just called me and told me they’re going to move you as soon as possible.”

“H-how?” She sounded as stunned as I felt. “Who did it? Did she tell you?”

“No. I don’t know for sure but I have a feeling.” I was afraid to say it out loud, afraid of what it meant.

“Is this because you slept with the Heath brothers? Are you that talented in the bedroom, Maggie?” She only sounded like she was half joking.

“Mom!” I couldn’t say no, though. Just earlier that day, Ryan had offered to pay Mom’s bills. Had he gone through with it? I couldn’t put it past Luke, either. Or maybe it was all three of them. They seemed to like coming together to take care of certain things when it came to me.

“You’re not denying it.” There wasn’t a judgmental tone anywhere in her voice. “I noticed you didn’t call me back last night. Were you busy?”

“We should be focused on what this means, Mom. You’re going to get better care. I won’t have to worry that no one is coming to make sure you get physical therapy. You won’t have to deal with whatever roommate they put you with day to day. This means that we’re going to get you back home, Mom.”

“I want that desperately, sweet girl. I miss you. You can start saving up for a deposit for a house now. Make sure I have my own suite, of course. Away from the primary suite, since it seems you’re going to be having company.” She laughed happily, sounding more like her old self than I’d heard her sound in over a year. “You better give those boys a proper thank you. That’s all I’m saying.”

“I’m not going to talk about that with you. Ever.” I bit my lip and then blew out a sigh. “If they did it, I’m going to spend the next week and a half thanking them as much as possible. But… It makes things weird, doesn’t it? If they just spent that much money on me? I’ve never had something like this happen and I’m not sure how to feel about it. I don’t want to feel like I owe them.”

“If they chose to spend some of their money on you, you don’t need to feel any kind of way about it. It was their choice, Maggie. You just let them do what they want, as long as they’re good to you. And good to me. That’s important, too.”

I sat on the edge of my bed and smiled at her antics. “I love you, Mom. Things are going to be better now, aren’t they?”

“They already are. Now, if we could just get me laid.” She let out a happy cackle. “Maybe my next physical therapist will be hot.”