Life had not been good to her. Raised by abusive parents, she got out as soon as she could. She figured that the best course was through education, so growing up, she threw herself into her studies. Not only was learning her ticket out, it was also a diversion from the misery of home life. Her years of dedication earned her a scholarship from a college far away from home. She left and never returned. Cursed with beauty, she was a target for boys and men.
Life threw her another curve when one of those boys knocked her up. He even left school to avoid responsibility. It was during her senior year in college, and still, she managed to graduate with honors only days after delivering a beautiful baby girl. She secured a decent job, and with great difficulty, made a life for her and her daughter, Lauren.
As a young adult, she became even more beautiful and continued to be sought after by men. However, after her college experience, and the little free time she had, she dated very little because more often than not, they were only trying to see how far they could get with her.
That is, until George came along. He was charming, he was polite, and most importantly, he was respectful. Lauren had just become a teenager, and even she took to him. They were married a year later. He was a good husband and an even better stepfather;
too
good a stepfather. She mistook much of his attention to her daughter as untoward, even though there was nothing there. She let it consume her to the point that his denials fell on deaf ears. They divorced three years later.
Mother and daughter moved on, their relationship strained, which only fed mother's belief of her former husband. This continued for several years, until life once again dealt her a losing hand. The big "C." First it was ovarian cancer, which she eventually beat. A year later, breast cancer struck, and she beat that also. The third strike was the return of the ovarian cancer.
Now, she was reduced to an urn of ashes on a table in the reception room of a funeral home.
As she stared at the plain metal container, Lauren didn't even know how she really felt. Certainly, there was a level of sadness. She wouldn't have wished the three years of her mother's suffering on anyone, even her worst enemy. But Lauren had yet to forgive her mother for ending the only real happiness she had ever known, that being the three innocent years with her stepfather.
None of it really mattered now. Lauren's dilemma was what to do with her life? At twenty-one now, she'd had to drop out of college after only two years to take care of her mother. With the woman gone, she had no one, no family; a few friends, but none she could really rely on.
She was strictly on her own. Between her mother's small savings and life insurance, there was something to finish college and start a new life. The question was
where?
She hated the northeast and New York City, where they lived; too many people and too cold in the winter. Either the south or west held appeal, maybe even the southwest.
A few of her mom's friends and coworkers dropped by briefly to pay their respects; very few. But when Lauren was touched on the shoulder, bringing her back from the reminiscing she had been doing, she was greeted by the one person she never expected to see again.
Lauren stood and wrapped her arms around George, her former stepfather. "Oh, my god! What are you doing here? It's so good to see you!"
"It's good to see you, too," he said, returning the hug. "Believe it or not, I was in town on for a national education seminar and someone left a newspaper in the cab. I flipped through it while riding and was shocked to see your mother's death notice."
"She'd been battling cancer the last three years."
He nodded. "I'm so sorry."
"Thanks. She fought it as best she could," Lauren said with a shrug. "But unfortunately, it was a losing battle."
"How are
you
doing?" George asked, patting her arm. "This was probably just as hard on you."
"Yes, it was." With a heavy sigh, Lauren added, "Things were never the same after the divorce. I never did really forgive her. But I guess we put all that behind us when the first cancer came along."
"I still don't know why she thought there was something going on between us."
"George, you were the only father figure I ever had in my life," Lauren reminded. "As you know, she was knocked up in college and she never got over the fact that he left her. I think it scarred her for life. She didn't want to be dependent on any man and neither did she want me to be. I think when she saw that I had become so close to you, she invented the notion in her mind that your attention to me was about something that wasn't there."
"Believe it or not, I really did love her—at least for a time. Until she made it too difficult to love her."
"I know you did. And I hope I never did anything to turn you away."
"Not at all," George assured her. "You were the daughter I never had."
"I'm glad. I really miss you."
"How much longer are you going to be here? Can I take you to dinner?"
Lauren checked her watch. "Visitation is supposed to last another hour, but I think anyone who was going to come already has. I'm famished. I'd love to have dinner with you. Let's get out of here." On their way out, she told the funeral director that she didn't expect anyone else and that she'd come by tomorrow to collect the urn.
She led him to her favorite little Italian restaurant a few blocks away, which was also near their apartment. Once seated and food ordered, George asked, "So, what are you going to do now?"
With a grimace, Lauren said, "I really don't know. I have no family that I know of. My mother had nothing to do with her parents. I don't even know where they live, if they're even still alive. I'm not sure I want to stay here. The city is too big. I'm thinking about a warmer climate. But enough about me. I'll be okay. What about you? You didn't stay in touch, so I don't know anything about your life after us."
"Heard about some opportunities in California, so I moved out west. I met a woman, Nancy. We eventually got married. She has two sons and a daughter all around your age."
"So, you have another family now?" Lauren asked sadly.
Detecting the tone of her question, he said, "Yeah, sorry. But I had to move on, too."
"No need to be sorry. You're entitled to have your own life. Are they good to you? I know
you're
good to them."
"I
hope
I am. I
think
I am. Yes, they're a good family. The kids are fun." George had an idea. "Hey, why don't you come live with
us.
We're in a small town in the desert. You said you were looking for a warmer climate. We have a big house. Plenty of room for one more."
Lauren was taken aback by the offer. "Wow! I didn't see that coming." She considered it for a quick second. "That's awfully nice of you, but wouldn't it be pretty awkward? I mean, your former stepdaughter coming to live with your new stepfamily? I wouldn't think your wife would be too amenable to it. That's nice of you to offer, but I don't think it would work."
"I really don't think Nancy would have a problem with it," George said. "Let me call her and talk to her about it."
"Thanks, but no thanks," Lauren said. "I just don't think I could be comfortable there."
"Well, think about it." George pulled a pen out of his suit coat and wrote on a napkin. "This is my cell number and our address. If you change your mind, let me know."
