Tightening the Knot Read Free Page A

  There was something awkward about Ellie that made it seem as though she was being introduced for the first time every time she entered a room.   It made the whole family nervous.   Meredith was charged with picking them up from the airport and was reminded by her mom during a Sunday evening phone call.
                “The flight gets in at
5:46 pm
.”
                “I know, Mom.   I have it written down.”
                “I just want to be sure.”
                “Yes, and I’m bringing them straight to your house.   That’s still the plan, right?”
                “Yeah.   And Ellie will be staying in your old room while they’re here so maybe you want to come over first and make sure you’ve cleared everything out of there?”
                “Mom, I got everything out of that room when I moved out.   You know, six years ago.”   Meredith was aware that her tone sounded suddenly like an impatient teenager.  
                “I just thought I’d make sure.”
                “You are aware that you’ve used that room for guests numerous times since then… including for Ellie at least twice before?”
                “I know, but…”
                “But you’re just so excited that they’re coming?”
                “Something like that.”
                “Don’t worry, Mom.   It’ll all be okay.   See you Friday.”
                Meredith hung up the phone and looked at Greg for a minute.   He had his laptop out and appeared to be working.   He never used to bring work home.   She sat down across the room and opened a magazine.   She wasn’t reading though.   It was a prop.   She had made a more successful trip to Confession and was trying to figure out what step two was going to be.   Ideas were not leaping to mind, nor were they even strolling.   Every now and then her eyes would focus on a page and her mind would wander to what was actually in front of her.   After a quiet hour or so, Greg got up and began putting his things away.   He was getting ready for bed.   This gave Meredith an idea.   They had never officially stopped trying to have a baby; they had just sort of stopped trying .   Meredith had taken to staying up later than Greg to avoid the awkwardness of bedtime.   She decided to make a point of going up the same time he did.   Perhaps he would take the hint.
                When he noticed her brushing her teeth, he asked, “You’re going to bed now?”
                She nodded.
                They crawled under the covers facing opposite walls as usual.   Then she moved an inch or two toward the middle and waited for him to notice.   She fell asleep waiting and woke up seriously annoyed.
                A new box of cereal absorbed most of her wrath.   It got a bit mangled as she opened it with significantly more vigor than was necessary, shooting Greg a few withering looks as though he might be responsible for making the box so uncooperative.   He was accustomed to being more or less ignored over breakfast and the obvious hostility left him at a bit of a loss.
                “Is there…” he started.   “I mean, did I do something recently?”
                Meredith was silent.   She ate quickly and then finished getting ready for work.   He tried one last quizzical look as she reached the door.   She answered pointedly, “I went to bed early last night.”
                He looked unsure, but also hopeful.   “Oh, so you’re just tired?”
                She didn’t utter a single syllable as she closed the door behind her, yet her answer still dripped with sarcasm.   She knew this wasn’t Greg’s fault.   In fact, even without a degree in psychology, she knew that she was actually angry with herself for not knowing how to improve