Althoughthecoachdidn’texplicitlysayit,Maggiecouldguesswhathemeantafterhearinghiswords.
Infact,evenifthecoachhadn’tmentionedit,shewouldhavededucedthatIsabe’sinterestinfencingwasprobablyinfluencedbyFranklinorJulia.
Shedidn’thavemuchtosayaboutit.
AlthoughshehadgivenupthecustodyofIsabe,andshewouldlikelybelessinvolvedinherfuture,Isabewasstipartofher.Eveniftheygrewapartinthefuture,shestillhopedthatherdaughterwouldhaveagoodlife.
ItwasenoughthatfencingwasbeneficialtoIsabe.
As forwhoinfluencedhertolearnfencing,thatdidn’tmattermuchtoMaggie.
WhileIsabewastraining,Maggiedidn’tconstantlywatchher.
Inthemorning,asIsabe’strainingwasabouttoend,Maggiewaslookingupsomeinformationonherphonewhensomeonesuddenlyappearedbesideher.
Maggiepaused,andwhenshelookedup,shemetFranklin’sdeepgaze.
Shencedathimforamomentbeforequicklylookingaway.
Franklinasked,“Whatmodel’sdataisthis?”
Maggieputherphoneaway,notansweringhisquestion.
BeforeFranklincouldsaymore,Isabe,justfinishinghertraining,tookoffhermaskandranover,callingout,
“Dad!”
Franklinsmiledandrubbedherhead.“Finishedwithtraining?”
“Mm!”Isabereplied,thenturnedtoMaggieandaskedhertohelpwipehersweat.ShelookedupatbothFranklinandMaggieandsaid,“I’mhungry.Let’sgoeatlunch!”
Franklinnodded.“Okay.”
IsabeaskedMaggie,“Mom,whatdoyouwanttoeat?”
Afterwipingthesweatoff,Maggiewithdrewherhandandsaid,“Ihavesomethingtodo,soIwon’tbejoiningyou
forlunch.”
Isabepausedforamoment,notsayinganything.
Tobehonest,shewasn’tsurprisedbyMaggie’sresponse.
Becauseithadhappenedmanytimesbefore,justlikenow–whensheandherdadwantedtoeatwithhermom,hermomalwayssaidshewastoobusy.
Shehadthoughtthatsincehermomhadspentthewholemorningwithheranddidn’tseemtoobusy,maybetheycouldhavelunchtogethertoday.
Butunexpectedly…
Thinkingaboutit,shepoutedslightly,loweredherhead,andsoftlymurmured,“Oh.”
Atthatmoment,Franklinspoke,“Let’shavelunchtogether.Ifyoudon’twantmetoaskyouthingsyoudon’twanttotalkabout,Iwon’task.”
Maggiedidn’twanttohavelunchwiththemmainlybecauseshedidn’twanttohearhimtalkaboutthingsthatmadeherufortable.
Butitwasn’tjustbecauseofthat.
Shesaid,“It’sfine,youtwogoaheadandeat.”
ShecouldhavelunchwithIsabe,buttherewasnoneedtojointhemboth.
Hertone
calmbutfirm.
Franklinncedather,smiled,anddidn’tpushfurther.“Alrightthen.”
Isabenaturallywasn’thappywhensheheardthis.
Shepursedherlipsandlooked atMaggie,hereyesstartingtoredden.
Maggiehesitatedforamoment,thengentlyrubbedherhead.“Nexttime,whenmomhastime,I’llgoeatwithyou.”
HearingMaggie’fortingwords,Isabestillcouldn’tfeepletelyhappy.
Butshewasn’tasdisappointedandsadasshewas earlier.Shesoftlymutteredan“Oh.”
Maggiefeltlikeshehadsaidenough.Shepickedupherbag,readytoleave,butseeingthatIsabewasreluctahertogo,shequicklywent overandgrabbedherhand.
ShelookedupatMaggieandasked,“Mom,canyoewithmetothpetitionnextmonth?”
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