Today's scene from Out of the Ordinary

"I waited too long, Mom."

"I know...I know." Casey could almost see the thoughts churning in her mother's head. Searching, searching...Right thing to say...Something to help.

"He called me last night."

"Really?"

Her mother sat up straight. Casey had her full attention now.

"I don't think I could live with myself if he hadn't. It's hard enough living with myself as it is."

"What did he say? What did you talk about?"

"He explained everything to me. Mom, all these weeks Lauren has been lying to me. And to Jim, too. She was doing her best to keep a wedge there. Why would she do that? What have I ever done to her?"

"I don't know why people do cruel things, but a lot of times it has to do with the power they feel when they do it. Lauren Stemple has been a manipulator since she was little. Frankly, she takes after her father who did the same thing when I was in school. It's a....a family trait, I guess you'd say. Used well, it gets them places. But they seemed to have seared their consciences in the process and that is sad."

"She kept telling me that Jim and I had nothing in common anymore, that he wanted to start over fresh and live a different life than before. She said I reminded him of his old life and that if I really cared about him, I'd just fade away. So what could I do? I care about him. I wanted him to be happy. Then all along, he's been sending her to make peace, and she's been telling him I wasn't interested."

"Well, there's your mistake Casey. Yours and Jim's. It may be easier than putting your feelings out there yourself face to face to have them potentially stomped on, but you don't send anyone to do your speaking for you. Ever. Especially when it's as important as this was."

Casey's head started to swim again. She knew all this. What was she going to do now?

"So what did he say? Did you get things worked out?"

Casey tried to swallow the lump that was filling her throat, and even though her eyes were already swollen she could feel the tears prick behind them. Funny how salty water could feel like the end of a toothpick. All she could do was nod in response to her mother's question.

"Oh, Baby." Her mother pulled her into her arms. Casey couldn't remember the last time she had rested like this against her mother, in an enveloping hug with her mother making circles on her back like she'd done since Casey was small. "At least you have that."

Which was a small consolation considering it was all she had. "How can too late come so fast?" she croaked.