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Maureen awoke with a start when Amanda squiggled out of bed and raced to the window. “It’s still snowing,” she said. She’s sniffed the air. “Smell that? Bacon? Pancakes or waffles? No, I can’t tell... toast?” She grinned. “Do you think they make Egg McMuffins like they have at McDonalds back home?”
“I don’t know.” Maureen had intentionally not put out a card for breakfast because she wanted to sleep in. She seemed to be tired all the time. Thankfully, Amanda had enjoyed a wonderful eight hours of sleep. But Maureen had tossed and turned as she worried about her daughter’s pregnancy not to mention her husband’s possible infidelity.
“I want some of whatever I smell.” Amanda dove into clean clothes and headed for the door.
Maureen was ravenous too, but what else was new? “Wait, Amanda, honey, we need to talk.”
“Later.” Amanda sprinted out the door as Maureen splashed water on her face. No need for makeup in this hotel in the middle of a snowstorm. She was tempted to ask them to bring her meal to their room, but she needed to speak to Amanda. Maureen used the house phone to call Denny and Lydia’s room but got no answer. She huffed as she thought of going to the trouble of getting dressed. She couldn’t imagine that meddlesome reporter was anywhere nearby on such a bleak day. At one time, Maureen had welcomed the publicity but not today.
As Maureen strolled down the stairs to the dining room she berated herself for being such a crummy mother. Never at home. Always busy. Thinking about herself and her career had dominated her life. She’d hired a nanny to raise her child. She deserved what she got. A cheating husband and a pregnant daughter.
Molly welcomed her. “Good morning. Would you like to sit next to your daughter?” Amanda had chosen a table by the window.
“Yes, thank you.” How could Maureen be hungry knowing the crucial conversation ahead? But she was. She seemed to be a bottomless pit. Never sated.
“May I serve you tea?” Molly asked.
“No thanks. Coffee with a splash of half and half.” She scanned the room an saw a dining room devoid of customers.
Maureen addressed Amanda. “Young lady, you and I need to talk.”
“Before breakfast?”
“You dashed out the door so quickly or I would’ve spoken to you in our room.”
“Always on my case for something.” Amanda yawned without covering her mouth.”
“How far along are you?”
Amanda stared back at her with vacant eyes. “What are you talking about?”
“Last night you told me you were pregnant.”
“Oh that. I was just kidding.”
“Teenage pregnancy is not a joke.” Maureen wasn’t ready to be a grandmother, yet she needed to know the truth no matter how gruesome. “Are you or are you not pregnant?”
“Not.” Amanda seemed pleased with herself for fooling Maureen. “You bought into that? How dumb do you think I am?”
“Then why did you say it?”
Amanda smirked. “Just wanted to rattle your cage.”
“But I believed you and fired Lydia because of it.”
Maureen felt as though she’d been stung by a bumblebee. She was grateful her daughter wasn’t going to have a baby in the near future, but she realized she’d fired Lydia without reason. She should’ve given the young woman time to defend herself.
Denny glided to the table wearing a white apron and carrying a carafe of coffee. She poured Maureen a cup. “I know what my sister likes.”
“And how about me?” Amanda asked. “I want coffee too.”
“You’re too young.” Maureen knew she was entering a losing battle.
“No, I’m not, Mommy. Please, half a cup? And don’t tell me, it will stunt my growth. That’s an old wives’ tale.”
Denny paused for a moment as if to get Maureen’s permission. Then she poured half a cup of coffee for Amanda, followed by a slurp of milk. Maureen was not strong enough for another battle so early in the morning.
“How did you two sleep?” Denny seemed invigorated. She’d pulled her hair back into a sassy ponytail. Her voice was animated, she was wearing makeup and she looked cute.
Amanda’s mouth puckered as she sipped her coffee “Aunt Denny, did you see that it’s still snowing? I can’t wait to go out in it. Want to have a snowball fight again?”
“A little later when I’m done helping here.” Denny inspected Amanda’s empty plate. “Hey, sweetie, what about breakfast?”
Amanda grimaced. “I’m not hungry anymore.”
Maureen lowered her brows at Denny, who knew perfectly well that Maureen was devastated over the likelihood of her getting fired. Denny just grinned back at her as if she hadn’t a care in the world. Maybe compared to Maureen she didn’t. But had she forgotten about their parents’ tragic deaths? Had she forgotten that her deadbeat boyfriend had dumped her and that she was still single and childless with her biological clock ticking down?
Maureen’s dour mood did not stop her from eating until she felt like she was going to burst. Scrambled eggs, link sausages, baked beans, black pudding, scones, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, and toast. “I’ll bypass the haggis.”
“It’s not on the breakfast menu,” Denny said.
“Then I might try it some other time.” Maureen could include the item in her new cookbook, which she envisioned as a possibility. She had to hand it to that reporter; he had a fantastic idea. Let the TV network drop her like week-old fish. She would have the last laugh. Over the years, Maureen had built up a large following. She had half-a-million followers on Instagram the last time she looked and assumed her book would be a great success when she got around to writing it. And if it didn’t violate her contract with the network. She’d have a lawyer look over it when she got home. But not James, who would lord it over her if she lost her job. When she thought about it, he had never supported her. She was glad he wasn’t on this trip, and she didn’t miss him the tiniest bit.
Was Amanda right? Was her husband having an affair?
Denny strolled over to top off Maureen’s coffee, but Maureen stopped her. “No more, thanks.” Herbal tea sounded like a better option.
“How’s your breakfast?” Denny asked her.
“Couldn’t be better.” Maureen dabbed the corners of her mouth. “I’m glad the cook made it to work.”
“Our chef is Lydia.” Denny smirked in a way that told Maureen she thought she had pulled a fast one.
“What?”
“She was nervous about taking the job on, but I encouraged her. And promised she wouldn’t get in trouble. Will she?”
“No, not from me.” Maureen spread marmalade on a piece of toast. “Denny, I feel so stupid. I fired her by mistake thanks to Amanda’s prank. And I’ll hire her back as soon as I can.” She glanced up into Denny’s grinning face. “How long have you been awake, little sister?”
“Several hours.” Denny’s smile widened. “Long enough to see my new puppy.”
“Just how are you going to pay for this pup?” Maureen knew her words were barbed, but she was sick of Denny’s pie-in-the-sky attitude.”
“I was thinking you could lend me the money.” Before Maureen could answer her, Denny spun away and returned to the kitchen, thank goodness. Maureen was in no mood for her flippant remarks.
“Why do you have to be so mean to Aunt Denny?” Amanda asked.
“I’m not mean.”
“Yes, you are.”
Maureen hunched over when she heard a thunderous roar followed by a thud. “What was that?”
“I want to go out and see.” Amanda pushed back her chair and stood.
“It’s still snowing. You need a jacket. And a hat.”
“I’m not going to spend the day inside, mother dearest.”
“But you haven’t eaten breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry. And I don’t want to get fat.”
Another loud thud shook the building.
“Be careful” was all Maureen could say as Amanda dashed out of the dining room.