A Husband for Margaret(31)
“You weren’t here a couple days ago when that horrible Miss Potter, Connie James, and Maureen Brown insinuated that I was a horrible mother.”
“Miss Potter? Didn’t she go back home?”
“Not yet. She thinks I’ll take off running and leave her with Joseph.”
“Why, that’s horrible!”
“I saw her at the park an hour ago, probably seeing if I was there to badger.” Her cheeks flushed with a mixture of shame and anger. She purposely avoided the park just because she didn’t want another confrontation, and she couldn’t remember a time in her life when she let anyone keep her at home. “I wish she would go. Joseph ran into her yesterday and suggested she return to Ohio, but she’s taken a job cleaning houses.” Her frown deepened. “I wish I knew what I could do to get rid of her.”
Jessica sighed and patted her hand. “I’m sorry, Margaret.”
“Why? It’s not your fault.”
“You know what I mean. I hate to see you upset.”
She pulled the needle through the pillow case and shrugged. “I thought my problems would be over when I finally married, but who can anticipate a Debra Potter?” She sighed and glanced at her friend. “You’re lucky that Tom didn’t have any other women chasing him.”
“How were you to know this would happen?”
She couldn’t know, she realized. Neither could Joseph. What other woman made the trip across the country to pursue a man who didn’t want her? In many ways, Debra spooked her. “That woman needs another man to latch onto.”
“She needs someone she can control,” Jessica added. “Then she can spend all her time bending him to her will.”
“Joseph would never allow it. Don’t get me wrong. He’s a wonderful man, but I can’t see him letting anyone dictate his life for him.” Which was exactly the way a man should be. How else could he be the head of the household? And since he managed to lead with gentleness and care, Margaret certainly had no complaints. “He’s worth it though. I mean, having Debra lurking around, just waiting for me to bolt out of here. It isn’t what a wife dreams of, but if this is the worst of it, I suppose I’m doing pretty good.”
Jessica looked amused.
Margaret furrowed her eyebrows. “What?”
“You were looking at the glass half full instead of half empty. I never thought I’d see the day when that happened.”
Margaret playfully swatted her friend on the arm. “Oh, really. I’m not that bad.”
“No?”
“No. Granted, I have my moments, but I can see the good side to things.”
“I suppose now that you’re happily married that’s the case. It’s amazing what love can do for a woman, isn’t it?”
Margaret felt a grin tug at her lips as she shrugged.
“Anyway, I ran into Connie James on my way here. She caught me coming out of the doctor’s office and guessed why I was there.”
She put the pillowcase down and looked at her friend in interest. “And?”
“She insinuated that this child should have been her grandchild. You know, she might have accepted my marriage to Tom on the surface, but I don’t think she ever forgave me for it. Even if her son didn’t love me, she wanted grandchildren in the worst way.”
“Well, be glad you’re not giving her grandchildren. That woman is absolutely dreadful. She’d be dictating what you can do with them and when,” Margaret said, recalling the way Connie mocked her mothering skills at the park. “What Connie needs is a daughter-in-law who’ll put her in her place.” Then her eyes lit up and she nudged Jessica in the side. “I bet that Debra Potter would give her a run for her money!”
Jessica gasped. “Oh, you can’t mean to stick Connie James with the likes of Debra.”
“Why not?”
“Well, it’s...it’s...” Jessica shrugged.
“I think in some ways, Debra might force the old coot to relinquish the stronghold on her son, don’t you agree?” Granted, it would probably be a transfer of control. Peter would still be under a woman’s thumb. She furrowed her eyebrows. “Don’t you think Peter likes to be told what to do? I mean, he’s not exactly eager to cut those apron strings, is he? Some people actually prefer to have their lives mapped out for them.”
“I’m not going to be any part of this, Margaret.”
“Fine. Then don’t be a part of it.”
For Jessica, it wasn’t a big deal. But Jessica didn’t have to deal with a woman who had the desire to break up her marriage and run around telling other people how incompetent Margaret was as a mother. Margaret figured if she could get Debra’s mind off of Joseph, then the other pieces would naturally fall into place. What Debra needed was a man who’d be happy with a woman like her. It was just a matter of how Margaret could get the ball rolling.