Deborah Sowery

Ordinary Woman Deborah Sowery

Perhaps some might think that middle-aged Marcia Hastings has been married too many times, has too many children and drinks too much wine. Such opinions wouldn't matter to her normally, but now, at a stage of life where things seem to be moving in the wrong direction, she is often guilty of judging herself and wondering where she has gone wrong. Marcia is considering the possibility that Milo, her third husband, is having an affair with his ex-wife. The daughter, Trini, of her ex-close friend and neighbour Edie, who she has remained close to despite the dissolution of their friendship, has just learned that her boyfriend has impregnated her willing younger sister Alice. Trini's difficulties play a part in Marcia reconnecting with her sister Liz which involves dealing with some old issues and some new. Marcia is floundering and wondering why she doesn't have her life together and worried about what she may be facing. The single life again? - she does get sort of picked up in the cake section of the grocery store but this isn't what she wants at her age despite following through and subsequently making a fool of herself on a first date with an overly passionate wine-fuelled kiss. New career challenges? - a kid at the school where she works in her new job is intimidating her. A new relationship with her sister? - Liz has decided to retire and move back to Ontario to be close to Marcia and her family but can they become close at this stage in life? Marcia is forced to look at her past with a new lens with the impetus being a conversation with Liz. The reader is allowed into the thoughts of Liz and Edie throughout the story along with the occasional voice of Alice. In the end, Marcia views herself as an ordinary woman, flawed, strong and determined to continuing to make the best of things no matter what the future brings.