How did one's life get so messed up? Mavis Schuyler didn't understand. It wasn't like she deserved any of the distasteful things that had been happening in her life lately but they just seemed to keep on happening, like rocks rolling down a hill and landing at her feet. First, there was Ron dying like that. Mavis certainly hadn't planned on being a widow! Granted they'd had a pretty poor excuse for a marriage but being Mrs. Ron Schuyler had given Mavis a place in Schuyler Square society that absolutely no one could compete with. His untimely death had pretty much put the kibosh on that. Mavis was starting to get the feeling that the other women she ran into at the beauty salon or at the country club thought that they were just as good as she was--or at least her social equals, a sensation that was completely unnerving to her.
Then there was her affair with Peter, an affair that should have ended a long time ago but seemed to be stuck in neutral apparently forever. Peter simply wouldn't pick up on any of her hints that whatever they had was over and he refused to face the fact that their relationship had become an embarrassment. He needed to go back to his pregnant wife and get over Mavis, although Mavis recognized that she was asking a lot. She didn't want to be nasty but she was a stunning woman while his wife was somewhat on the dumpy side.But she'd really like to jettison Peter. The Autumn Gala was coming up and fun was fun but she needed to attend Schuyler Square's fall event with someone far more appropriate than Peter Van Husen.
Then there was Tiffany and her biological father surfacing, Mavis supposed that she'd be expected to invite Tom over for Thanksgiving dinner and to include him in all of the Schuyler family events. She didn't even know the man and they were supposed to celebrate Labor Day together? Mavis rubbed her temples. She was getting a major migraine. Too much had fallen in her lap lately and she didn't like it. Not one little bit.
"Mom?" Tyler came into her bedroom where Mavis was stretched out on her chaise lounge. "What's the matter?"
"My head is killing me," Mavis murmured.
"I told you not to finish that bottle of apricot brandy," Tyler said without an ounce of sympathy. "Especially on am empty stomach."
Mavis opened her eyes to glare at her son. "It wasn't the brandy. It's all these dreadful responsibilities I seem to suddenly have in my life. I can't stand it. I'm too delicate to be forced to make decisions all the time. You need to step up to the plate and help me, Tyler. You're the man of the house now that your father has died and Brad has deserted us."
"What about Peter?"
Mavis shut her eyes again. "Peter is one of the responsibilities I'm talking about. How am I ever going to get rid of him, Tyler? And don't bring up those crazy murder plots again. I may be at the end of my rope but I'm not a criminal."
"Yet," Tyler observed. "I still don't see why you can't simply tell him to pack up his bags and leave. You aren't married to each other. He doesn't have a legal claim on you."
"It's complicated," Mavis replied.
"Not really. You're making it complicated."
"Was there something you wanted, Tyler?"
"I wanted to let you know that I've invited my new girlfriend over for dinner. She'll be here at seven."
"Tonight?"
"Why not?"
"Well, I was toying with the idea of having Tom over tonight."
Tyler frowned. "Who's Tom?"
"You know. Tiffany's biological father."
"Oh, man, why do you have to have family reunion tonight? I wanted you to meet Mindy without any extra people around."
"Mindy?"
"Mindy Cooper. She's the editor of the newspaper. I think you'll like her, Mom. She's really smart."
Mavis stared at her son, unable to believe that her son was actually involved with a young woman as pushy and as annoying as Mindy Cooper. Her headache was growing worse with each passing second.
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