Thomas was going over some patient charts in his office one morning, when the door opened. It was far too early to be Tabby, so he expected it to be Strawberry. Instead… he was surprised.
“Dr. Fairfax,” said the blue unicorn, sweeping grandly into the room, for all the world like an actress entering a scene. “Gwen tells me you’ve been trying to reach me.” She stood, looking at Thomas accusingly.
“You really don’t give advance notice, do you?” Thomas said, setting the papers to the side as he gave his full attention to his future mother-in-law.
“I was in the area on business, and for the sake of your dear, sweet mother, I am granting you this audience,” continued Agatha.
Could she be any more toplofty? “That’s very obliging of you,” Thomas said dryly.
“I told you not to touch her!” she said, advancing closer, but there was still the desk between them.
“You have no authority over me,” Thomas said coolly.
Agatha sniffed. “Presuming to engage yourself to my daughter gives me some prerogative.”
“You don’t own her, either.” Thomas’ eyes narrowed.
“Now, now. I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong hoof.” Agatha’s shoulders loosened and her demeanor shifted. “I think we can agree that we both have Tabitha’s best interests at heart, as misguided as you may be.”
“You set Guido on her!” Thomas rounded on her furiously.
“I have no say over what Mr. Casale does, believe me.” Agatha’s voice projected calmness, but her uneasiness was accented by her pacing along the length of the desk. “He has his own reasons, but I could see the benefits of the match.”
“For advancing your prestige?” Thomas snapped.
Agatha drew herself up indignantly. “For seeing that Tabitha is well set in life, of course!”
“You think she needs a multi-billionaire to be set? That’s a little overkill,” Thomas said. “He can’t buy her off.”
“You can’t fathom the extent of his reach,” said Agatha, tapping her hoof irritably on the floor, “and the Krulotin do have their limits when it comes to resources.”
“You think I rely on them for support?” Thomas asked incredulously.
“Don’t you?” Agatha said with a pointed look.
Thomas frowned. “It’s a… business grant,” he said mulishly.
“Of course it is,” Agatha said with a deliberate eyebrow raise. “Beyond the clinic, you have very little capital to your name,” she continued, resuming pacing. “You and your sister made out well enough on the life insurance settlements from that unfortunate accident your parents were in, but it only went so far on college expenses for two doctorates. You may have a business minor, but you don’t know the first thing about building from the ground up. The Krulotin have taken care of all that for you.” She ended her monologue with an arch look.
“I don’t need them to be successful,” Thomas argued, feeling irked. “They offered me an opportunity, but there are other positions I could take. I am not completely incapable of supporting a family, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“You’re in over your head!” Agatha said impatiently. “You don’t know what game you’re playing. Walk away now with your pride, reputation, and success all intact.”
Thomas gave her a sharp look. “You think I’ll lose all that on my present course?”
“The Krulotin aren’t the gods they think they are,” Agatha said cryptically. “They’ve positioned you well in life, but if something should happen to them…”
“Stop talking in riddles!” Thomas snapped, thoroughly annoyed at Agatha’s antics. “The facts are that I love your daughter, she loves me, and we’re going to get married!” He looked at her, daring her to take umbrage at that.
“And I’m sure you have a rosy picture of wedded bliss in mind,” Agatha said coolly. “But in real life, there are challenges you don’t consider at this stage.”
“Like what drew your husband away?” Thomas said almost without thinking.
There was a sharp intake of breath from Agatha. “Continue that line of questioning at your peril,” she said, her lips pinched.
“You do know more than you let on,” Thomas mused, tapping his hoof contemplatively on the desktop.
Agatha stared him down. “We did what we thought was best for our family.”
“Really?” Thomas scoffed. “That’s the best you could come up with? Deprive Tabby of the one parent who loved her?”
“I did no such thing! It was–” Agatha cut herself off. “You speak of things you don’t understand,” she finished crisply.
“Of course, if you won’t tell us anything!” Thomas scowled.
“I’ve already said too much,” said Agatha, a flash of unease appearing across her face.
Thomas was silent for a moment. “I love her,” he said at long last. “I couldn’t imagine that I would, not at first. Now I don’t know what I’d do without her.” He gave her a challenging look. “And I’ll never believe that I’ve been manipulated into feeling this way.”
“At the end of the day, I am not your adversary,” said Agatha, taking a cleansing breath. “I’m warning you, for your own good, to walk away from all this. Your life will be better for it.”
“Not without her.”
Agatha huffed. “And when another pretty face comes along, what then? What becomes of Tabitha?”
Thomas felt a pang at the reminder. “I’ve left that way of life behind me,” he said quietly.
Agatha cocked her head. “You can be so sure of yourself?”
“You think Guido loves her and will stay true to her?” Thomas asked pointedly.
Agatha was silent.
“Yet you say you have her best interests at heart!” hissed Thomas.
“There is more to life than romance!” Agatha burst out. “Sometimes it’s better to follow your head rather than your heart.”
“It just sets you up for disappointment.”
“Exactly. You do see.” Agatha looked relieved, as if she was finally making progress.
“But even that disappointment has value,” Thomas continued, not giving her that victory, “It wouldn’t cause so much pain if the positive wasn’t so strong–and doesn’t that make it worth the suffering?”
“Wise words from one so young,” Agatha scoffed. Yet her pacing halted and she sat down on the couch. “We had seven years together,” she continued, in a far-away, dreamy voice. “I’d known him longer than that, of course. Why did I wait so long before speaking my mind? I just wanted everything to be perfect… it seems so stupid now. I’d loved him since we were foals–he never had time for me, of course–always had his head in a book.” And here she was overcome with tears and could not continue.
Taking pity on her, Thomas crossed the room and, kneeling, hoofed her a tissue. “I don’t know what happened between you and your husband,” he said quietly. “But what do you think he would want for Tabby?”
“He’d… have her follow her heart, of course,” Agatha bit off reluctantly. “Just like his heart always followed those ancient civilizations.”
“I’m sure he gave consideration to his family as well. That’s how Tabby remembers him.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Goodness, look at me,” sniffled Agatha, “I’m such a watering pot.”
Thomas gave her an appraising look. “You and Tabby are alike, you know,” he said at length.
Agatha looked up in surprise.
“You both try to hide that you have hearts,” Thomas said with a wry smile.
“Such nonsense,” Agatha demurred, but with a small grin that told him she was secretly pleased. “You really understand her, like I never could.”
“She has a beautiful spirit.”
“You think I’m a terrible mother, don’t you?”
Thomas said nothing.
“I suppose I thought life would be easier for her if she were more like… me.” Agatha passed a hoof over her brow wearily. “I only know how to be myself, and I could never reach her. Things would have been different had Hubert been here. But…” She paused, a long time, and Thomas gave her the time to think. “I’ve come to a decision,” she said at long last. “You may marry her. But if ever you forget your vows – rest assured, I will take action and you will lead a very small, insignificant, miserable life.”
“I won’t give you any reason to do that,” Thomas said, and meant it.
“Very well. I think we’re done here.” Agatha stood up with alacrity. “Take care, Dr. Fairfax.” And she turned to the door.
“Perhaps it’s time to dispense with formalities,” Thomas suggested before she could go.
“I’m not mentally prepared yet for having a son.” Agatha paused in her steps but did not turn around. “There will be time for that after the wedding. Good day.” And she stepped into the hallway.
Thomas looked after her, bemused.
“Mom! What are you doing here?” came Tabby’s horrified voice.
“Oh, hello, Tabitha dear,” Agatha said, completely nonplussed as she halted her progress. “Just clearing some things up with your betrothed.”
Tabby tore past her mother and into the office. “Are you okay?” she demanded. She probably had good reason not to put anything past her mother, including assault, Thomas supposed.
“I’m fine,” he said with an encouraging smile.
Tabby glanced from her mother to Thomas with a suspicious look.
“I trust that Tamara has the planning well in hoof,” said Agatha, advancing on her daughter and kissing her on both cheeks, “but if you need a mother’s guidance, you know where to find me. Tah-tah!”
“Sure…” Tabby narrowed her eyes, watching her mother depart, and then turned back to Thomas. “What was that all about?” Her brow was deeply furrowed, thoroughly bewildered.
“I think we’ve come to an understanding,” Thomas said encouragingly.
“I don’t even want to know what she said,” Tabby said with a long-suffering sigh, flouncing further into the room and dropping down onto the couch. “No, don’t tell me.” She held up a hoof warningly. “I’m sure it was all very embarrassing. I’ll be better off not knowing.”
Thomas grinned as he sank down next to her. “You have more in common with her than you think.”
“You’re crazy,” said Tabby with an incredulous sidelong look.