Chapter 10

Megan opened the door to her mother's house with her key. Buster the dog heard her come in and came running. She heard her mother's voice, coming from the study. "Meggie, is that you?"

"Yes, Mama," she said. She hung up her coat, took off her shoes and walked down the hall to the study. Her mother was sitting in front of the computer. Megan stood beside her and put her hand on her mother's shoulder. "Mama, can we talk?"

Her mother smiled up at her. "Of course we can, baby. I'm just entering marks for my third-year Japanese class. Busy work" She rose and led Megan to the chesterfield. "You haven't called me 'mama' for years. What's wrong?"

Megan began to cry. "Oh Mama," she sobbed, "I'm in such trouble. I'm so miserable." She held her head in her hands and cried uncontrollably.

Her mother handed her a tissue. "Here," she said, "dry your eyes and blow your nose. Then tell me what it's all about. Does it have anything to do with that boyfriend of yours?"

Megan honked into the tissue. "Yes," she said softly.

"Are you two fighting?"

"No. Nothing like that."

Her mother put her arms around Megan. "Tell me what's the matter. That's what mothers are for. To take away the hurt and fear."

"Oh, Mama," Megan sobbed, "it's all wrong. I can't do anything right. I didn't mean to fall in love. I really didn't."

"None of us ever do. I certainly didn't plan to fall in love with a gaijin. But that big handsome Irish bugger swept me off my feet. And we had a wonderful life together. Tell me, does your man love you?"

"Yes, Mama. I'm sure he does. We're so much in love. We just feel like two parts of one person. And he as much as asked me to marry him."

"Then why the tears? That sounds like a reason to be happy."

Megan sobbed again. "I love him. Oh how I love him. But I told him 'no.' Actually, it was more like 'maybe.' There are too many problems."

Her mother sighed and put her arm around Megan. "All right," she said. "I have plenty of time. Tell me all about it."

Megan said, "It's so complicated. You know that he's older than I am. And he's rich. Or he seems rich to me."

Her mother laughed. "Those sound like excellent reasons to marry him."

"Mama, please be serious."

"I am being serious, sweetheart. You haven't given me any reason that you couldn't be happy with him. You said that you never meant to fall in love. What happened?"

Megan sobbed again. "From the first time I met him, I couldn't think of anyone or anything else. It was driving me crazy. Finally, I went to see him. I just went and knocked on his door. I used the excuse that I thought Amy was house sitting that day. I said that I just got the date wrong. Greg knew better than to believe me. He's always been able to see through me. But he wanted to see me, too. He invited me in. And from then on, things happened so fast and so intensely. The next day he asked me to stay with him. I've been with him ever since. Now, I can't even remember what life was like without him."

"Then why not marry him?"

"I don't know. Or I do know. God, I'm so confused. You see, Amy is one of the most important things in Greg's life. And she hates me."

"I can't believe that. Greg is her uncle. I'm sure she loves him. And you're her best friend. Why wouldn't she be happy to have her best friend marry her uncle?"

"It's all my fault. I screwed everything up. I was joking around once and made some stupid remark like asking how she'd like me to be her aunt. Now she's convinced that I'm a gold-digger just after Greg for his money."

"Are you?"

"Am I a gold-digger? Oh, Mama, you know me better than that."

"If he were poor, would you still love him?"

"Yes. My God, I'd love him no matter what."

"Why don't you explain that to Amy?"

"She won't listen to me. Besides, she doesn't think any woman is good enough for Greg. She worshipped her Aunt Lynn. After Lynn died, she latched on to Greg. Greg says that her love for him is almost frightening some times."

"Does she see you as a rival?"

"Maybe. She's been acting like it. I don't want to come between Amy and Greg. I'm so confused, Mama. And I'm so miserable. I love Greg so much. And I love Amy, too. What can I do?" Once again, Megan broke down in tears.

Megan's mother raised her voice. "Amy, did you hear all of that?"

The door of the powder room opened, and Amy came into the study. She was crying. "Yes, Mrs. O'Hara. I heard." She came to the chesterfield and knelt. That brought her head down to the same level as Megan's. She held Megan's head in her hands. Amy brought her face close to Megan's face and gently kissed her cheek. "Oh, Megan, I'm so sorry. I really screwed up this time. Please forgive me." The two young women embraced. "When I got home last night, I thought for a long time. Then I talked to my mum. After all, she's known Greg his whole life. She's his older sister, for God's sake. She straightened me out on a lotta stuff. She told me how I got almost everything wrong. She's nothing but happy about you and Greg. She said when she saw you together at my birthday party, she thought the two of you were 'cute.'" Megan laughed through her tears. Amy continued, "I almost died when I thought I'd lost both of you. I need you as my friend. And Greg has been -- well, he's just Greg. So this morning, I called your mum. I knew if anybody could help to patch things up, she'd be the one. She's so wise. I'm incredibly sorry for all the nasty stuff I said about you. I love you and need you as my friend. And if you can be my aunt, too, so much the better." The two girls embraced. They laughed and cried at the same time. Just then, the doorbell rang.

Mrs. O'Hara said, "I'll get it." She left the room and returned in a moment with Greg.

Amy and Megan stared at him. Megan said, "How? What?"

Greg walked over to the girls. He took Megan under his right arm and Amy under his left. He kissed Megan's forehead. He smiled at her and said, "Your mum called me right after you left. She gave me a ballpark time to be here. And here I am. Now, I have to ask you to excuse Mrs. O'Hara and me. We have to talk serious business." The two girls stared at each other wonderingly as Greg and Mrs. O'Hara made their way to the living room.