The Peach Pits

Chapter 19

The smell of bacon cooking wafted upstairs. For a minute, Mae thought she was still dreaming. That could be the only real explanation. She cracked open her eyes and looked around the room. Trina wasn't in bed. It was probably her downstairs cooking, trying to make a little consolation breakfast to make up for their disagreement from the night before. Mae swung her legs over the side of the bed and stretched. If she was going to hate herself, she could at least do it on a full stomach. When she got up, she noticed the locket was gone. Mae felt a pang in her chest. She hoped it was only gone because Trina had decided to wear it, but she had a gut feeling that wasn't the case.

Mae stopped in her tracks when she walked into the kitchen. It was her mother cooking, not Trina. Mae tiptoed into the kitchen cautiously.

"Morning," her mother said as she turned around.

"Am I still asleep or something?" Mae asked bitterly.

Her mother shook her head. Her bathrobe had a hole in the elbow. "No, Mae. I just thought I'd do something nice. Trina said you've been down in the dumps and I have to agree."

Mae didn't know how to accept her mother's gesture. "You're going to burn the eggs," she said, taking the spatula from her mother.

"What's got you so upset?"

Mae focused on putting the food on plates. "Nothing. I'm still...just not feeling well."

"You have that cold still?" her mother asked.

Mae put some eggs and bacon on her plate. As an afterthought, she grabbed a peach out of the basket on the counter. She walked to the kitchen table. "Yes."

Her mother joined her. "You just seem quieter," she said. "Like something's bothering you."

Mae shook her head. "Nope."

"You can talk to me, you know. Trina does."

Mae narrowed her eyes at her mother. That was because Trina was desperate for a mother figure in the absence of her own. Mae was used to it. "Well, I'm trying to eat. Where is she anyway?"

"She went to the flea market to try and sell some of Lynn's paintings. I asked her if she wanted to wait for you, but she was in a rush," her mom explained.

Mae stopped chewing. As far as she knew, Trina didn't ever go into Aunt Lynn's attic. "Hopefully they sell," Mae said, trying to calm the panic rising in her chest.

Her mother nodded in agreement. "So do I. Poor thing's beside herself."

"She wants to sell the locket Aunt Lynn gave her for her birthday," Mae admitted. She knew her mother couldn't do anything about it, but her only intention was to hopefully make her mom feel a little bit of guilt for putting Trina in that position.

Her mother frowned. "Oh no, she can't do that," she said with dismay. "I know it's valuable but-"

"She's gone already," Mae pointed out. "I tried to talk her out of it but she said she'd do whatever she could to help Aunt Lynn. Can't say she's wrong."

The scowl that crossed her mother's face made Mae feel a little giddy. If she was going to have a bad day, at least her mother would too. "When are you gonna get tired of blaming me for everything?" she asked. "Lynn's always been sick. That has nothing to do with me-"

"You're right," Mae said. "I know you're doing everything you can." She stared her mother down.

"Watch your mouth. I've had about enough of you talking to me like you've lost your mind," her mother challenged.