Re: Doug/Maura
Standing with a quiet thank you, Maura found herself laughing softly at his teasing despite the melancholy that had settled over her. There was still a bit of a breeze as they stepped outside and Maura lifted her dress just enough it wouldn't drag too much on the beach. She smiled a little at the description of his family. "I like your family, Doug. They're not perfect, granted. But, who is? And I don't have any room to talk about normal families. I have three of them, for a start."
But as Doug went on, she began to realize how much she hadn't told him about herself, despite how much time they spent together, how much he already knew of the public things about her life. Stopping, she turned to look at him and took his hand. "Would you like to know the part I always looked forward to when I thought of marriage? The actual marriage, not the wedding? Friendship. Someone to talk to without feeling like the oddity in the room. I know this isn't what either of us planned. And, I honestly don't know what to tell you about the future. Maybe there'll be someone else for me...and maybe for you, too. This isn't just about me, Doug. Or it shouldn't be. I know my problem with lying is the reason we're doing this. But, we are friends. And now we're married friends. Both things that should be equal partnerships."
Sighing, she started walking again. "It's not that I don't want to talk to more people. And I don't mean that to say I'm bored talking to you," she explained quickly, looking back up at him. "But, I don't do well with people I don't know. I get nervous and self-conscious. I try to say something interesting, but what I find interesting is boring to others at best. At worst, it turns out like that dinner with Savannah. I'm still not sure what I said to insult her. But, even I can see she's the one who rules the social aspects of the very tiny society we now live in. Insulting her is as socially damning here as insulting your mother would be at home. I've always been the strange one because of my interest in science and math. But, this is the first time I've ever felt like being a doctor was considered as much a criminal activity as the things my birth father does."
Her vision was blurring again and she blinked rapidly once more. "I'm sorry," she said on a little huff. "I don't know what's wrong with me today. Usually none of this bothers me. And I don't mean to dump it all on you. I promise you haven't married a basket case."