Episode 10: Bitter Medicine
“What do you think about this?” Georgette Hartwell asked, plucking a hanger from the clothing rack. The two pieces of fabric dangling from it were supposed to be a bikini, but there wasn’t enough material on the top to cover an areola, and the bottom piece was a pathetic thong.
Sugar wrinkled her nose in disgust and made a gagging sound, sending her mother into a light fit of cackles.
“I’ll take that as a no?” Georgette teased, her smile infectious.
“You can take that as a heck no, Mama,” Sugar replied, a smile of her own easing across her lips.
Only three days were left until her parents’ two-week cruise to the Caribbean with some of her father’s retired Marine pals and their wives. They had all reconnected on Facebook about five years ago and planned a yearly reunion trip. They had been all over the country—a cabin in Maine, a luxury boathouse in the Florida Keys, a ritzy hotel suite in Las Vegas, and a horse ranch retreat in Wyoming.
This year, it was the cruise.
Georgette returned the hanger to where she found it before walking to another rack to sort through the outfits there.
It had become a bit of a tradition for Sugar to accompany her mother on last-minute shopping trips before these reunions. Of all three daughters, Sugar had the sensible taste in fashion. She had honed the talent of being the perfect housewife, always needing to look presentable at her husband’s side. A requirement imposed by Lance while he climbed further up the corporate ladder.
Rochelle was all about power suits or clingy outfits, with no in-between. Odette loved trendy, bohemian fashion, pairing her long, flowy dresses and skirts with Birkenstocks.
“So, are you excited about your birthday night out with the girls, Maggie?” Georgette asked.
Maggie was a nickname for Magnolia, Sugar’s middle name. Only her mother and the older relatives in the family ever called her Maggie or Magnolia. Her grandparents, aunts, and uncles weren’t fond of the name Sugar, but Georgette didn’t have a say in the first name—only the middle one.
Sugar had heard the story so many times that she’d bleed brain matter if she heard it again.
Her parents hadn’t known if they were having twin boys or girls. Her father had always wanted girls, and her mother wanted boys. They had agreed that if the twins were boys, she would have control over the first names, and he would choose the middle names.
But he would have dibs on the first names if their twins were girls.
Needless to say, they were extremely surprised to be blessed with a boy and a girl.
Georgette named her son Sullivan, a family name. Calvin thought his infant daughter was the sweetest little thing, so he named her Sugar, much to the dismay of both sides of the family.
Now, her thirty-eighth birthday was less than a week away.
Time had gone by so quickly.
It seemed like April was only yesterday, yet here Sugar was facing the nearing end of May. Even her divorce’s finalization still felt fresh to her despite the fact its first anniversary had only just happened. Nearly two weeks ago, she had celebrated it by going home in the early evening, drinking a whole bottle of Moscato, and watching a marathon of cheesy Tubi movies where villainous husbands met their demise.
The night was rather satisfying.
A little lonely but satisfying nonetheless.
Sugar sighed. “I think so.”
The more she thought about it, the more her mind swam with a million and one ways it could all go wrong.
“You think so? That doesn’t sound very convincing.”
“It’s just,” she paused, trying to figure out what to confess, “girls’ night gets too wild sometimes.”
“Good,” Georgette nodded. “You need a little wild in your life.”
Sugar groaned. “Mama, not you, too!”
“Yes, me too,” her mother huffed matter-of-factly. “You need to kick off your shoes, let your hair down, and let loose.”
“You’re not supposed to encourage me to get drunk and go partying. You’re supposed to steer me on the right path, lecture me to be responsible and make good choices.”
Georgette snorted. “Magnolia, you’ve been doing that all your life. Unlike your younger sisters and brother, you never worried me and your father silly with rebellious phases because you went from being our baby girl to being a wife. Now, you’ve paid your dues, and it’s time for you to throw caution to the wind. This is the moment to have the time of your life!”
Sugar ran a hand down her face. “Then why do I feel like my time has passed?”
“Because you want to feel that way. You want to give yourself an excuse not to have fun.”
Her mother’s words hit too close to home, which made her flinch.
Was she really holding herself back?
“Maybe so...” she trailed off.
“I know so,” Georgette said.
Eventually, they made their way to checkout. Her mother bought seven different outfits, spending a pretty penny.
As they left the boutique, Georgette put on her pricey sunglasses. “You hungry, Magnolia?”
“Starving,” Sugar admitted.
“I know this place down in the Docks. Your father takes me there all the time. The food is amazing,” her mother said. “Plus, the owner is a good friend of your father now. He’s a retired Marine like Calvin, so of course, they’d become friends.”
Then, she slid her sunglasses slightly down the bridge of her nose to peer at her daughter over the caramel-hued rims. “And it doesn’t hurt that he’s very easy on the eyes, too.”
Georgette purred out the words, her wink suggestive.
Shock splashed all over Sugar’s face, her voice hitching: “Mama, you’re a married woman!”
Her mother flicked her hand dismissively.
“And? Yes, I’m a married woman, but I’m still a woman who appreciates a good-looking man. It’s not like I’m groping that man or running off with him, Maggie. Nothing wrong with some innocent peeking,” she said as they walked toward her BMW.
Once inside the vehicle, Sugar pulled out her cell from her purse to call the restaurant, but Georgette snatched the device from her hands and tossed it into the backseat.
Sugar gawked.
“You promised me you wouldn’t call that restaurant, Maggie.”
“I just want to make sure—” she began but swallowed her words when her mother’s stern gaze pinned her to the spot, a motherly threat flashing in her eyes.
“Lory has everything under control,” Georgette said. “This is good for both of you. You need a much-needed break, and Lory needs to learn to be more responsible.”
Sugar sighed heavily in defeat, resisting the urge to reach into the backseat and call, anyway. She felt like a first-time mother leaving her newborn baby for the first time. Separation was difficult, especially when she felt like she was leaving her precious bundle of joy with an unreliable family member.
Lory was a good manager when he wanted to be, but he sometimes played around too much to be taken seriously. He was more of a friend to the staff than an authority, which sometimes led to mischief and drama.
She didn’t want to return to a restaurant in complete disarray or, worse, up in flames.
“Alright, Mama.” Sugar held up her hands in surrender.
A pleased smile plastered across Georgette’s lips as she started the ignition.
Riverside was a quiet part of town nestled by the expansive, winding, brown-watered river that split the city in two. It was a trendy area with eclectic shopping strips and Instagram-worthy cafes, pubs, and restaurants. Gloriously shady parks and playgrounds dotted the area. Historic Victorian and beautiful brick houses were commonplace, with old towering oak trees draped in Spanish moss covering every inch of the neighborhoods.
Sugar always enjoyed driving through, admiring houses she could never afford.
It was so tranquil and beautiful on a sunny May afternoon like this.
Further north from Riverside was the Docks, which primarily comprised seafood markets, marinas, warehouses, and a few bars. The difference between the two areas was stark.
Riverside was much friendlier and safer, while the Docks catered to a rougher, edgier crowd. Yet Calvin and Georgette loved frequenting there, no matter how much their children complained and begged them not to.
But, of course, the two never listened.
“There it is,” Georgette said, pulling into a parking spot in front of the establishment.
