Bless Us Father (29 page)

“Good. Then, when you do graduate, you will work and earn enough money to support yourself so you can move out, or you will go to the local college to further your education. The choice is yours. If you choose college, we will pay your books, tuition and transportation, and you will be allowed to live here until you finish. Then you must move out. Is that clear?”

Mary Margaret nodded in the affirmative, and turned to leave. “May I go to my room now?”

“Yes, you may. You have a lot of studying to do. I’ll bring dinner to your room when it’s ready,” Mrs. Riley said.

Learn for yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.

-Albert Einstein-

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

July 2007

Maggie Riley double-checked the clothing she’d laid out on the bed before packing her suitcase--gray pantsuit, two white button-front blouses, pair of black pants, black cardigan sweater, black-and-white checked blouse, and black flats. Her toiletry case had already been filled with the basics. No jewelry, no makeup, no frills of any kind. Perfect. She started placing the items in the suitcase, each one separated by a sheet of clean white tissue paper, when she heard the front door open.

“Where are you, Mom?”

“In my bedroom.” Maggie waited for the onslaught that would come once daughter Kelly entered the room. She wasn’t disappointed.

“Ah, Mom. Is that all you’re taking?” Kelly waved her hand over the drab clothing on the bed. “Where’s that pretty pink flowered blouse I bought you?”

“This isn’t an occasion that calls for anything festive, Kelly. You should know that.”

“But Mom, you’re a pretty woman. Why don’t you dress like it?”

Maggie pursed her lips and finished filling the suitcase, not bothering to answer her daughter, who was the spitting image of her as a young girl. Once upon a time she’d been slender, with long blonde hair and big blue eyes. Those days were gone now. Besides, being a pretty woman hadn’t gotten her anywhere. What did it matter now if she kept her gray hair bobbed, and didn’t wear makeup? And who cared about the extra fifty pounds--the dogs?

“I guess you’re not going to talk about it,” Kelly concluded. “Okay, so tell me what I’m supposed to do when I come by?”

“You only need to come over once a day. I know how busy you are and Hemet is a thirty minute drive from Temecula. Just feed the dogs and check around the property to make sure they haven’t dug holes under the fence. The dog food is in the pantry and I left a note telling how much to feed them. Make sure they have plenty of water. It’s been pretty hot.”

Kelly rubbed her eyes. “My allergies are bugging me already. It’s a good thing I don’t have to stay overnight.”

The ever present guilt flooded over Maggie. “I’m sorry, honey. I just don’t have anyone else to ask. You know that.”

“Mom...I’m not complaining, really. I don’t mind.” Kelly hugged her mother. “Are you leaving the dog door open?”

“Yes. They can go in and out that way in case the weather turns bad.”

“What if someone tries to break in through the dog door? It’s a really big opening.”

“Think about what you just said. Who in their right mind would come onto my property when there are two huge Rottweilers rushing at them?”

“Good point. What about Sadie?”

Maggie glanced down at her little brown-and-white King Charles Spaniel. “Sadie is going with me.”

“Grandma doesn’t like dogs.” Kelly turned and looked questioningly at her mother. “You are staying with Grandma, aren’t you?”

Maggie looked away. “No...I’m staying at a hotel in Los Angeles that will let me keep Sadie with me.”

“Don’t tell me you’re not speaking to Grandma again?”

For a moment Maggie thought about not answering, but Kelly was an adult now and deserved to know the truth. “Grandma knew all along what was being done to me. She chose not to believe it. She allowed it to happen, and I don’t think I can ever forgive her.”

Kelly sat down on the bed and stared at the floor. Finally, she raised her eyes and looked at her mother. “How do you know for sure that she knew?”

Maggie sighed and rolled her eyes. “Because I told her, that’s how I know. I told her, and she said I was a liar and was going to hell for lying about him. She also forbade me to say anything to my father, and when I did, he didn’t believe it either.”

“I can’t believe that. Grandma is such a nice person. I can’t believe she wouldn’t stand up for you.”

Maggie’s shoulders slumped. “So now you’re calling me a liar, too? Times were different then, Kelly. People didn’t speak out about these things.”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant.” Kelly stood up and hugged her mother again. “Oh Mom, I’m so sorry. Do you think you’re ever going to be able to get past this?”

“I don’t know, honey. I hope this will give me closure.”

“I want you to be happy, and I hate seeing you so alone.”

“I’m not alone. I have my dogs.”

“Dogs aren’t people, Mom.”

“They’re a lot nicer than most people are. They will never betray or hurt me like the others did.”

“You know what I mean. I wish you could find someone to be with spend the rest of your life with. Maybe some nice man who will treat you well.”

“Don’t hold your breath, Kelly. I’m not letting any more men into my life.”

“Oh Mom,” Kelly said, picking up her purse. “Look, I’ve got to go back to work.”

Maggie walked Kelly to the door. Kelly’s long blonde hair swayed with each step. A lump swelled in Maggie’s throat as she watched her daughter drive down the long driveway, open the gate with the opener she kept in her car, and turn onto the road leading towards Temecula and the winery where she currently worked.

#

“Come on, dogs. It’s time to eat. Momma’s leaving.”

The Rottweilers marched seriously around the perimeter of the yard before turning for the house.

She held the door open for them to regally go through one at a time--first Rex, then Reina.

Once the dogs were eating, she went to get her suitcase and purse from the bedroom and take them out to the car. She checked her purse to make sure her cell phone was in the holder, and then went back to the house for Sadie.

“This is it, Sadie girl. We’re on our way. Get in your crate.” After the little dog hopped in, Maggie latched the door and took the crate out to the car along with a bag of dog essentials she’d packed earlier. Placing the crate on the back seat, she hooked the seatbelt to hold it in place.

She then went back to the house and locked the door, thinking as she did that it was kind of silly. Her house was at the end of a long road on the outskirts of Hemet. No one ever came out that way except the mailman and Kelly. Maggie didn’t have or even want visitors.

She got in the car, fastened the seatbelt and started the engine. She eased down the driveway, watching to make sure the dogs weren’t following her, and waited until the automatic gate closed securely before turning the car towards Los Angeles. In two hours, even with traffic, Maggie would be back where it had all begun. Back to the days when she was Mary Margaret Riley, then Maggie Mae Riley, then Maggie Mae Riley Connor, then Maggie Mae Nelson, and finally just Maggie Riley.

She was just going to have to put up with Mary Margaret once more before she could permanently file her away. Mary Margaret, everyone’s beautiful and special child, and
his
special little assistant. How she hated Mary Margaret for ruining her life.

Suspicion is a mental picture seen through an imaginary keyhole.

-Anonymous-

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Maggie pulled her Toyota Prius into the self-parking lot outside the Lazy Daze Hotel. She unhooked the seatbelt from around Sadie’s crate and let her out.

“Better go for a little walk before we check in, Sadie. I see a patch of grass over there that’s calling your name.” She hooked the leash onto the little King Charles Spaniel’s collar and walked her to the grass.

Once Sadie did her duty, Maggie checked to make sure she’d only peed, then led her back to the car and opened the trunk. She took out her small rolling suitcase and her toiletry case and balanced Sadie’s crate on top of both of them. She closed the trunk, then put her purse over her shoulder and locked the car.

The little brown and white dog trotted along happily by Maggie’s side as they walked to the hotel lobby.

An East Indian woman wearing a pink Sari was standing behind the desk. “Good morning. Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes, I do. My name is Maggie Riley. I requested one of the rooms you permit dogs in.”

“I remember talking to you, Mrs. Riley. Will anyone else be joining you?” the clerk asked.

“No. It’s just me and my dog.”

“I see you’ve brought the dog’s crate,” she said, gesturing with her pen. “Just a reminder, the dog must be closed in the crate whenever you are out of the room. Also, please do not leave any food out in the dog’s dish. It draws ants.”

“I won’t.” Maggie filled out the information card, signed it, then handed the woman a credit card. “Is there a refrigerator in the room?”

“Yes there is, along with a microwave and coffee pot. You’ll find a small market just one block away, so if you don’t feel like eating out, you can fix yourself a snack here.”

“That’s good. I don’t intend to eat out. In fact, I’ll be in my room most of the time--except for a couple of hours in the morning and again in the afternoon.”

“Sounds like you’re going to be spending time at the courthouse. Am I right?”

“How did you know?” Maggie asked.

“We’re so close to the courthouse that we regularly rent rooms to out-of-towners that come to watch trials. Are you here for the Phil Spector case?”

“Yeah, something like that,” Maggie answered, not wanting to discuss the true nature of her visit.

“All right, we’re all set. Here’s your key to the room and the mini bar. I put you in 114 downstairs. It’s an end room that’s close to a strip of grass.”

Maggie forced herself to smile at the kind woman. “That’s nice of you. It will make it more convenient for me to walk my dog.”

“You’re quite welcome. Please enjoy your stay and if you need anything let me know. My name is Aasheema.”

“Thank you, Aasheema,” Maggie said, gathering her possessions. She went in the direction the woman had pointed and found her room at the end of the building. It was away from the street and the swimming pool, so it would be nice and quiet. The room had a double bed, a long dresser that held a television, a telephone, and a brass lamp. There was a small desk next to the dresser, and an upholstered chair and footstool in the corner of the room.

“Okay, Sadie. This is home for a few days. Better go sniff around,” Maggie said, dropping the leash before lifting her suitcase onto the bed to unpack.

Soon all of her clothing was hanging neatly in the closet, shoes lined up on the closet floor, and toiletries arranged on the counter in the bathroom. She put the toiletry case inside her rolling suitcase and placed them on the luggage rack next to the closet. Removing the hotel pillows from the bed, she put them on the shelf in the closet and replaced them with her own pillows.

“All right, girl. I’m going to put you in your crate just long enough to walk to the market for some provisions. I don’t want to tie you up outside while I shop--it might not be safe. I’d hate to lose you.”

Sadie obediently walked into her crate and curled up on the soft bedding inside.

Maggie put her purse over her shoulder and picked up the key from the dresser. She closed the door behind her and checked to make sure it was securely locked before walking in the direction the desk clerk had indicated.

The market was easy to find and packed floor to ceiling with food, drinks, and miscellaneous cooking and cleaning products. Price and sale signs were written in Spanish as well as English, and the odor of overripe mangoes assaulted her nostrils as she entered. It was not as neat and clean as the supermarket Maggie was used to, but it would have to do.

She picked some apples, bananas, string cheese in a vacuum pack, a couple of potatoes to cook in the microwave, and two cans of ready-to-eat tomato soup. Also a small can of coffee, some coffee filters and half and half. She looked longingly at the packages of chocolate chip cookies and potato chips, but somehow kept herself from putting them into her shopping basket. Instead, she added a bag of spinach salad, and picked up a package of paper plates and some plastic utensils. She would love to dive headlong into some serious processed carbohydrates, but needed to have her wits about her in court the next few days. The last item to go into her shopping cart was a jar of baby-food chicken wieners for Sadie. Everyone deserved a treat now and then.

At the register stood a nice looking young Hispanic man with brown eyes that crinkled at the corners when he smiled at her, saying, “You fine everythin’ you need, lady?”