Vivienne's Guilt Read Online Free PDF

visit. I’ll try to get out here a few times a year. I promise.”
    She sounds genuine, but she always does. My mother is one who often says what she knows people need to hear. I don’t think she intends to lie, but she seldom follows through. Time will tell. Either way, I’m just happy she’s here.
    “How long will you be staying?” I ask as I take a seat next to Matilda. I pull her into my lap and run my fingers through her waist long hair.
    “Oh, I have to fly out tomorrow morning. We have a few girls out sick at the restaurant so I couldn’t take more than a few days, but I’m going to plan another trip soon.” Sure you will.
    Before I have a chance to say anything, Abbott’s mother walks over and gives a terse, “Hello, Vivienne.” Then, she nods over to my mother. “Ms. Anderson.”
    I guess it’s now or never. “Hello, Elizabeth. I hope you made the trip well.” God, I can’t stand this bitch. With all of the hell she’s put me through in the last few days, it is physically draining to fake nice. It’s my husband’s funeral, and I will not turn it into a catfight. “This is my daughter, Tillie,” I say as I look down at my pretty girl.
    Cassie must have seen Ms. Parker approach me, and like the amazing friend that she is, I see her marching toward us. That girl always has my back.
    “Why do you insist on such a ridiculous nickname? Call the girl by her given name for Christ’s sake,” she chastises. “Hello, Matilda, I’m your grandmother.” Bitch.
    Cassie arrives right as Tillie responds, “Ohhhh, grandmudder. Right, right, right...I know who you are.” A look of recognition crosses her face as she continues. “You are the toofless bitch. Right, Auntie? I’m right, huh? I ’member that!” She holds up her pudgy little hand for a high five, and I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry.
    I’m lying. I do. I really want to laugh in her fucking face, but of course, I don’t. Cass, however, is not so restrained. She immediately bursts out laughing and quickly turns her head to try to regain her composure. At least there’s that.
    “Tillie!” I admonish. “We don’t use that word. Ever.” That’s about the best I can do to try to save this situation.
    Ms. Parker is as red as a tomato and completely loses her shit. “Did that child just call me a...a...a...bitch?” she chokes out. “I always knew you were trash, Vivienne. My son deserved more. He deserved to marry a woman with class. A real woman would never allow her child to behave so...so...uncivilized!” The look she gives Tillie is one of pure disgust. I want to slap it right off of her plastic face.
    Cassie is no longer laughing. In fact, she may be even more red in the face than Abbott’s mother. My friend glances down at Tillie cowering in my lap and says, “Baby girl, it’s ruthless not toothless,” and then she lifts her eyes to meet Elizabeth’s and continues in a voice just above a whisper, “but if you ever speak that way to Vivienne again...toothless just may work, too.”
    Shock.
    Radio silence.
    I pass Tillie to my mother and ask her to take her back to the house for some dessert. As soon as they are out of earshot, I turn to Elizabeth and finally give her a piece of my mind. “Ms. Parker, this is neither the time nor the place for your tirade. You don’t know me, you didn’t really knowAbbott, and you most certainly will never have the pleasure of knowing our daughter. He wanted to cut off contact with you years ago. It is this ‘trash’,” I say, poking myself in the chest, “who convinced him to at least speak to you. I thought that maybe there was something worth saving, but Abbott was right all along. I don’t know how such rotten people created that beautiful man. He must’ve had some amazing nannies because I know damn well that you had nothing to do with it. Abbott was proof that we are not merely a product of our raising and thank God for that! You may see your way out.” I don’t bother