Diary of a Heretic

Come Midnight

kathleenmaher — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:13:37 -0500

“Connie likes staying at your house better than ours,” Brooke said. She and Matthew were sitting in the meadow, where the fragrance of yellow lupines intoxicated them. Having found all of fifteen minutes to steal Brooke away, Matthew held her bare feet—his approach, he remembered, that first afternoon when he had foolishly imagined that flirting with her could be amusing. [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] “So,” she swung her legs away and crossed her knees, “why don’t you ask her to sleep upstairs with the kids?” Brooke’s fingers traced his shoulders...

Stage of Life

kathleenmaher — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:41:27 -0500

Angry and confused, seven-year-old Dexter had run from the dinner table before the meal began and raced away on his bicycle. Responsible for upsetting him, Brooke had excused herself and caught up with him before the turn off. They rode into town where she bought him ice cream and explained crushes to him, which he understood better than Tara. Dexter had liked a girl “all through kindergarten so bad it hurt.” [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] Brooke used a tiny plastic spoon to sample his ice cream and they agreed that...

Peter's Secret Place

kathleenmaher — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:55:25 -0500

I knew not to ask, “What’s that, Peter?” when he brought in the first wooden board. We weren’t that casual. Our conversations concerned the world and its needs, global hardship, destruction, and greed. And then, too, history and genius and fundamental, universal truth—nothing personal. To an astonishing degree, Peter found navel-gazing repellent. “I, me, mine,” he said. “What’s wrong with people?” When we met, I attempted to argue: People need to talk about their likes and dislikes; it’s how we relate. But he said, no, it only leads people to demand that everyone believe what they believe. Well, all right;...

One Act Nightmare

kathleenmaher — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:27:21 -0500

“Mark Fletcher’s not totally insane,” Brooke warned Matthew. “He’ll know who you are.” [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] Opening the door was a man in his fifties wearing a tailored jacket and a yellow bow tie. He brandished a cigarette holder in one hand and a champagne glass in the other. “Hail to your Lordship!” he said as Matthew emerged from Connie’s Prius. Inside, Fletcher finished his drink and began concocting a fresh one. “Pardon me, 007. Name your poison.” “Anything except alcohol.” “One of those A.A. crybabies, are you? Life...

What It's Worth

kathleenmaher — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:36:08 -0500

Matthew and Tara remained at the dining table, watching Brooke pedal till she caught up with Dexter before they turned onto route 212. Apparently Connie was bathing Ivy after the child spilled milk down her clothes. [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] “Wanna watch ‘Children’s Minds,’ with me?” Tara asked. “Season three’s on channel twelve and season two is on four.” “Thanks, anyway.” Matthew continued staring out the window. Tara called, “They’re previewing the episode where the boy dreams future catastrophes.” “That’s okay.” Matthew had been twenty-five during season three, playing a...

Tightrope

kathleenmaher — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:39:41 -0500

Matthew stepped inside and the late summer light slanting from above threw him off balance. He heard Brooke and Dexter before seeing them. If he’d seen Brooke crouching by the stairs, tying Dexter’s shoe, he would have asked what the hell was going on—why wasn’t Dexter tying his own shoe? Instead, their voices hit him first. “Dad said, ‘I’m sorry,’ a zillion times and it took all day.” [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] “Of course not,” Brooke said. “But I’m stubborn, especially if people are keeping secrets.” “Yeah, me too. So...

Not Tonight

kathleenmaher — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:53:53 -0500

Tara and Brooke hurried past the kitchen, into the first-floor bedroom where Connie stayed. She had already moved half her clothes and all her Natural Path cosmetics into the bedroom’s walk-in closet and mirrored bathroom. [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] Brooke said, “Wait, Tara, while I rinse off.” “Tell me tonight when everyone’s gone and the kids are sleeping.” “But Tara, tonight I’m…going…” “You can’t; not tonight. Mom’s going to her meditation group. So Matthew needs to sleep in his room upstairs with the kids.” “How do you know?” “While you...

We Love You Too

kathleenmaher — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:13:53 -0500

Connie Logan played rhyming games with Ivy while they collected lettuce and tomatoes from the garden. She tried to engage Dexter but he wasn’t interested. Ivy loved using the salad spinner. She arranged dried lettuce leaves on two dish towels, which Connie stored in the refrigerator. Dexter sat on the deck and watched cartoons, first one for a few minutes, then another. [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] Tara asked him if he wanted to ride bicycles with her. “I know the same trails Brooke does.” “Dad said she was fine but...

Precarious Height

kathleenmaher — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:38:06 -0500

They could sit close together on the highest ledge. But not for long the way Brooke was positioned. After Matthew moved so near the waterfall that dazzling sprays misted him, there still wasn’t room for Brooke to crouch with her forehead pressed into the rock face. No matter how angry she was. [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] Matthew said, “I’m sorry, Brooke. Please don’t think I belittled or betrayed you.” Reluctantly, she held onto him while maneuvering so her legs dangled beside his. “I was overcome with regret for everything I...

Sunglasses for Everyone

kathleenmaher — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:36:41 -0500

Brooke sat on the diving board, urging Dexter to kick without so much splashing. She was wearing the straw hat that Tara said made her look like the young actress in Matthew’s French DVD, Marié Deux Fois.When Brooke had rented the movie, any likeness except for the hat eluded her. [Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.] Tara was simultaneously playing Tetris and writing a grocery list on the deck outside the kitchen. Ivy and Connie picnicked with stuffed animals beneath a trellis smothered in pink clematis. “Hello, Hello,” Matthew called. Dexter sprang...