“Would you like some coffee?” Marilee asked, her voice unsteady, unsure after Jessie’s surprise resurrection.
“I’d love a cup. How are you? The baby?”
Marilee’s hands shook as she took down a mug and poured the coffee. Seeing Jessie had shocked her. Brian would probably think her a ghost.
“We’re both fine. I’ve got about two months to go.” She patted her growing belly. Jessie felt a twinge of jealousy and held off the overwhelming memories.
“Have you been to the doctor? Everything is going well?” Jessie accepted the coffee.
“I’ve been a few times. They gave me some vitamins and said the baby is growing just fine. There doesn’t seem to be anything to worry about.”
Marilee frowned, squint lines appearing at her eyes. Jessie imagined all the things she’d worried about over the last seven months. Jessie understood being pregnant for the first time and not knowing if you were doing everything you could for the life depending on you. She imagined Marilee wondered how she’d afford to feed, clothe, and generally take care of a baby when her husband barely worked. They had bills piling up and no good source of income.
“Listen, Marilee, you don’t know me. You probably don’t want me poking around in your business, but I’m going to if you’ll let me. I want to help straighten Brian out and get him back to the guy he used to be. If you want my help, I need you to step back and let me do my thing. I’m overbearing and demanding. I’ll really piss him off before he realizes I’m only trying to help. If you’re up for it, I think I can make life for you and your baby better. Actually, a lot better if I can get him to cooperate.”
Jessie glanced through the archway at her unconscious brother, snoring on the sofa, and thought this might take dynamite to fix.
Marilee admitted, “I was never your friend. We used to laugh at you in school. Brian was the exact opposite to your loner, outcast, but now I realize that’s not who you were. We pushed you into that role because of the way we treated you. I know about what happened with your father. How he used to . . . to treat you.”
Jessie cringed, but hid the instinctive reaction by taking a sip of coffee.
“Brian sometimes gets going when he’s drinking, and there’s no telling what he’ll say. I guess I’m just trying to say I’m sorry I wasn’t very nice to you in school. I’ve been married to your brother for more than two years and we were together before that for three more. I love him. But, Jessie, I’m desperate. I want this baby to have a good life with a father who loves him and isn’t half in the bag by suppertime.”
“Him. It’s a boy?”
“I don’t know for sure, but that’s my intuition. I haven’t had one of those ultrasound things. We don’t have insurance because Brian won’t work steady hours. He does fine for months and then goes on a bender and everything he’s worked for is wasted. It’s like he’s afraid to succeed. He’s smart and works hard. He’s great with his hands. I don’t know what to do, or how to get him to stop drinking. He’s punishing himself because you died. Well, we thought you did.”
“He might wish I were dead when I start on him. I’ve come here to bury the old man and set Brian straight. If you want my help, you’ve got it. If you want me to keep my nose out of your business, say so now.”
“You really are a no-nonsense, get-to-the-point kind of person.”
“I don’t want to waste my time, or yours, trying to fix things if you don’t want my help. I’ll probably step on your pride, and I’ll kick some ass with Brian. You probably won’t like my style, but I have your best interest at heart. I have the baby’s best interest at heart.”
“I’m having a hard time getting past the fact you’re sitting in my kitchen. And you’re offering to help with Brian. Clearly, you mean business. It’s just so hard to believe.”
Marilee sighed so heavily Jessie felt the breeze from across the table. “Believe it. I know you’ve resigned yourself to the fate of being married to a drunk. I’m offering you a different future.”
“I’ve asked my parents to help us more times than I can count. I can’t ask them again. The rent is due, the electricity bill is past due, the telephone is about to be shut off, and that’s not all.” She stood and flung open the refrigerator to reveal the nearly empty compartment. Among the few condiments, an apple sat alone in the crisper. An almost-empty container of milk and a block of cheese occupied one of the shelves. The rest looked inedible and sad. Jessie would bet the cupboards weren’t much better.