Significant Others by Marilyn Baron

argued.
    “That’s the only drawback. Donny visits a lot”—I guess she didn’t have to say, “And you don’t”—“and I’ll be making frequent trips back to Atlanta.”
    “Mom, I told you about the national TV spots I planned for Donny. Here, I have some sketches for you to look at.”
    Dee Dee examined the contents of the folder and handed it back to me.
    “It’s brilliant, really, Honey, but all this is not for me. I’ve had my time. I’m in a different place now. The future is for you and Donny.”
    “But Mom, that’s exactly my point. If you sell, there is no future for Donny and me, or for Hannah. I think she wants to come to work for Palladino Properties after she graduates.”
    “You can still work in the real estate field. Mr. Reddekker is offering me a small fortune. You and Donny will be getting part of that.”
    “Mom, I know you’re not making this decision based on the money. Daddy left you well provided for. But do you think he would have wanted you to give away his company?”
    “I’m not giving it away,” Dee Dee argued. “I think I’m making a smart business decision.”
    My mother looked over at me and sighed. “You’re mad at me, aren’t you. That’s really what this is all about. That’s why you took time out of your busy schedule to come all the way down here.”
    “I’m not mad,” I denied quickly, but the minute the words tumbled out of my mouth I realized they weren’t true. I was furious with my mother.
    “I never thought you would do this to Daddy or to us,” I said, lifting my chin.
    “I’m disappointed in you, Honey,” my mother said. “Don’t you think I know how much that company meant to your father? And I know how much it means to you. But I don’t have the capability to run the business on a national scale. I think the best way is to sell outright. Your husband agrees.”
    I definitely didn’t want to hear about my husband right now, and how he was plotting with my mother behind my back to take away the one thing that meant the most to me.
    Things went from bad to worse after that, when my loofah fell apart in the shower. I mean, what did that say about my ability to hold it all together? I pouted as the sponge unraveled into two long yellow mesh strands and sagged onto the white tile floor.
    After I stepped out and toweled, I dried my hair and decided I was calm enough to call Marc at his office in the middle of the day. I was obviously failing in my mission to change my mother’s mind. Now it was time to enlist my soon-to-be-ex-husband’s help in changing my mother’s mind about the buyout. He owed me that. But time was one thing I did not have enough of.
    Trisha did not answer. The receptionist said Marc was at lunch. I looked at my watch. It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon. That was some long lunch. Then I called Marc’s cell phone and got him on the fifth ring. He sounded sleepy and satisfied. I swear I could hear the sound of Trisha’s laughter in the background. I wondered if they were in our bedroom. My first reaction was, God, I hope the sheets are clean and the bed is made and that Trisha doesn’t look in my messy closet or dresser drawers. I didn’t want that home wrecker to find out what a horrible homemaker I was. How pitiful is that?
    Barbara had said I couldn’t act like I knew about their affair, not yet. So I had to pretend everything was okay. But my blood was boiling. And my suspicions were confirmed. I was so mad I couldn’t even remember what I wanted to say, so I hung up the phone.
    About an hour later, my cell phone rang and I answered it. It was Hannah, and she was hysterical.
    “Hold on. Calm down, honey. Where are you calling from? Aruba? What’s wrong? I can’t hear you if you don’t stop crying. Where are the Winslows?”
    “M-Mommy. I c-came home to s-surprise you,” she sobbed.
    “Oh, honey, that’s wonderful. I’m down visiting Grandma for a few days, but I’ll be home soon.”
    “Don’t come