by Annette Mori
“Siera, breakfast is almost ready,” her mom called from the kitchen.
She kissed both Sampson and Delilah on the nose and scrambled out of bed.
When she reached the kitchen, her mom was placing waffles on the table—Siera’s favorite. The whipped cream was out, next to a big bowl of fresh strawberries mixed with a little bit of sugar. She was eager to dig into the special breakfast.
“Waffles, my favorite. Thanks, Mom.” Siera pulled one of the kitchen chairs back and sat down.
“I thought we’d head to Cave B and do a spa treatment. How does that sound?” Her mom sat across from her and placed two waffles on her plate.
“That sounds like fun.” Siera covered her waffles with a large scoop of strawberries. She reached for the spoon sticking out of the handmade whipped cream and placed a dollop on top of the berries. She giggled as she thought about the word dollop. Her mom liked to use that word to describe how much cream to put in coffee. The first time she’d heard her mom use the word, she’d asked why her mom wanted to put her doll in the coffee.
“I know that it’s our special day, but Aunt Deb had a hard day yesterday. Do you think maybe we could invite her to join us?”
“Mm hmm, sure Mom,” Siera answered around a mouthful of food.
“Siera, don’t talk with your mouth full.”
“Sorry, Mom.”
Siera glanced at her mom’s cell phone when it started buzzing on the counter.
“Maybe that’s Aunt Deb calling to give an update on her date with Olivia.” Kathleen chuckled.
She picked up her phone from the counter. “Hello.… Um, sure, I can give you Deb’s number.… Oh, that sounds like a nice gesture. I was going to ask her to join us, but I’ll bet she would prefer spending the time with you and Bri. She’s an avid cyclist and sometimes uses her bike to clear her head, so that’s perfect. Thank you for thinking to include her in your plans. That’s very nice of you. She did have a very bad time of it yesterday, and I’m glad you invited her last night. Her number is 763-5412. Listen, about yesterday, I’d like a chance to talk more with you and apologize.… Okay, I’ll call next week, and maybe we can have a do-over of lunch.”
Kathleen ended her call and returned to the table. “I guess it’s just you and me again.”
Siera tilted her head. “Was that Olivia?”
“Um hm. She called to get Aunt Deb’s number.”
“How come you have to apologize to Olivia?”
“Oh, just some adult stuff.”
“Mom, I’m an adult now too,” Siera huffed.
“Yes, you are, but sometimes things are private between people. Can we leave it at that?”
“You mean like secrets between best friends? Like they tell you something but ask you not to say anything to anyone else.” Siera put another big bite of waffle in her mouth.
Kathleen frowned. “Do you and Bri have secrets?”
Siera paused, as she finished chewing her food. “No, she hasn’t told me anything she said I couldn’t tell you or Olivia about.”
Kathleen nodded her head. “Okay, that’s good.”
“She might, though. I would keep it private. That’s what best friends do.”
“Well, it depends. If she tells you something you shouldn’t keep private, because it might hurt her, then you should tell someone.”
Siera furrowed her brow. “Like what?”
“Well, if someone was picking on you or her, you shouldn’t keep that a secret. Besides you know you can always tell me anything, right?”
“Uh huh. I think the secrets best friends tell each other are more about how they feel about things. If Bri tells me stuff like that—it’s okay to promise you won’t say anything, right?”
“I suppose so,” Kathleen admitted.
†
Olivia rubbed the bridge of her nose, as she stared at the picture on the fireplace mantel. “Oh Irene, I can’t help myself. There is something about Deb that is a little hard to resist. She’s very different from you in many ways, and yet, there’s this vulnerability she lets slip through, every once in a while. I’m like a moth to a flame and can’t help wanting to make it all better for her. I suppose she has the same zest for life you always had, and that’s also hard to repel.” Maybe I’m one of those people who likes to rescue others from pain.
She picked up the framed picture and remembered when they’d first met. Irene had come into the clinic where Olivia was an intern, holding her beloved kitty, Zippy, in her arms as tears ran down her face. She was the very definition of an ugly crier, but Olivia still saw Irene’s incredible beauty. Olivia was a sucker for a crying woman. When Irene’s bleary, green eyes captured Olivia’s, it was love at first sight. She’d confessed that to Irene on their second date, but Irene never questioned Olivia’s sincerity. Olivia fell a little bit more in love when Irene accepted those feelings and told her they were fated to become one. Ironic, that was one of the few times Olivia had ever seen Irene cry.
Bri came bounding into the living room, with her helmet in her hands. “Did you call Deb? Is she going to come riding with us? Can we leave now?”
“Whoa, wait. One question at a time. Yes, I called Deb, and she sounded happy about the invitation to ride. I guess she’s quite the avid cyclist.”
“What does avid mean?”
“It means she has a passion for it, like you have a passion for feeding the geese. It’s one of her favorite things to do. It grounds her like feeding the geese grounds you. Remember when I said grounding is like giving you a sense of calm or peace?”
“Are you going to be able to keep up with us?”
Olivia laughed. “I’ll do my best. Do you think you can pretend to struggle a little and slow down so I won’t look so bad?”
“Okay, Aunt Olivia, I’ll go slow. You can keep up, and I won’t tell Deb the reason.” Bri grinned.
“Thanks, I’ll owe you.”
“Deb makes you smile. I haven’t seen you smile much since Aunt Irene went to heaven. I think you should let Deb become your best friend.”
“Oh, hon, things are a bit more complicated. Nobody can replace your Aunt Irene.”
“Why not?” Siera asked.
Why not? That was a very good question, and Olivia wasn’t sure she had the answer. She redirected the conversation, because she didn’t know how to respond. “Hey, how about we ride to that ice cream place today and get some handmade cones?”
“After lunch, right? We have to eat real food before we can have a treat.”
Olivia chuckled. “Yes, we’ll get some lunch at the deli. It’s on the route. I sure am glad this town has great bike paths. I would worry about you riding all over the place if this wasn’t such a bike-friendly town. It’s about time I started riding again.”
Olivia was finally ready to admit to herself she’d unconsciously avoided her bike. She had so many memories of lazy summer days with Irene. They would pedal around the lake and enjoy Irene’s special chicken salad she’d lovingly tucked into a mini-cooler.
Bri bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. “This is going to be so much fun. If Siera was here it would be perfect. She might be as out of shape as you. Today, I can practice going slow so I don’t hurt her feelings.”
“Good plan. Don’t tell her she’s out of shape. That wouldn’t be something to be honest about. Sometimes it’s better not to say anything at all even if it’s the truth. Remember, if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. As William Blake said, ‘A truth that’s told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent’.”
“I know Aunt Olivia. I would never hurt her feelings.”
“I know you wouldn’t, hon. You don’t have a single mean bone in your body.”
“Bones can be mean?”
“It’s just an expression. It means you’re very sweet and kind, and that’s what everyone loves about you.”
“Do you think Siera loves that about me?”
“Absolutely, who wouldn’t
love a great kid like you?”
Bri stomped her foot. “I am not a kid.”
“You’ll always be a kid to me, because I’m so much older than you. It’s not a bad thing. Even when you turn fifty and I’m seventy, you’ll still be a kid to me.” Olivia smiled.
“Okay. As long as you help me be more independent and don’t treat me like a child, you can call me a kid. Sometimes, can you also think of me as an adult?”
“I do think of you as an adult. A very mature and responsible adult, or I wouldn’t leave you in charge at the clinic like I did yesterday.”
Bri beamed. “I’m going to learn to use the computer. Then you can leave me for longer periods and the work won’t stack up for Evie.”
“That’s a great goal. Now let’s head out. It’s going to take us longer than normal to go to Deb’s house, and I want to save some energy for our ride once she joins us, or else I’ll embarrass myself.”
†
Deb was squatting next to her racing bike, attaching the nozzle to pump her tires with air, when Olivia and Bri rolled into the parking lot. She squinted into the sunshine and noticed the sleek recumbent trike that Bri was riding. Deb thought that might be a bit more comfortable for a long ride than her skinny racing seat. She liked speed and had resisted purchasing a heavier, more stable bike as her body started to let her know she wasn’t a teenager anymore. She imagined the loud complaints from her back, wrists, and shoulders, together with the painful chaffing of her nether regions, might make a disjointed symphony if put to music. Even Olivia rode a more appropriate cycle, as she sat atop the mountain-road combo bike with the cushy-looking seat.
Olivia turned her right foot before clicking out of her clip-on pedal, and came to a stop a few feet away from where Deb was now pushing the handle up and down on her pump. “Your bike looks fast.” She slipped her sunglasses down her nose and peered over the frames.
“Maybe fast, but I’ll wish I was riding Bri’s bike after twenty miles.”
“Twenty miles, how far do you think we’re going today?” Olivia choked out the words.
“Is a twenty-five-mile ride too far for you?” Deb grinned.
Olivia pushed her sunglasses back up her nose. “Um no, but remember we’ve already ridden eight miles. I think it’s only fair you escort us back to my place and have to pedal the final eight of your ride all by yourself. If I’m in pain tomorrow, I want to know someone else is sharing the misery.”
“Oh, I see how you are.” Deb stood and brushed her dirty hands on her shorts. “Maybe we should plan a short ride if this is your first time out this summer.”
“Do not insinuate this old lady cannot keep up. I’m very competitive, you know.” Olivia smiled.
Deb looked at Olivia’s taut legs and well-defined deltoid muscles. The sleeveless bike shirt revealed arms that had the perfect combination of femininity and strength. “I don’t think you’ll have much trouble today. You look like you’re in great shape.”
“Oh, there’s no doubt I’ll be sore. I haven’t ridden in a long time, and those muscles may have forgotten how much I do enjoy riding a bike. I’ve been considering purchasing a trike like Bri’s. It does appear more comfortable than either one of our bikes.”
“Maybe we should check out the bike shop in Wenatchee. I’ve always wanted to try out their trikes,” Deb said.
“You can take a short ride on mine if you want,” Bri offered with a huge smile on her face.
“That’s okay, I don’t want you to have to move the seat or readjust everything. I’m a lot taller than you,” Deb replied.
“I don’t mind. Aunt Olivia can help.”
“Maybe we should take a drive there tomorrow, while the girls are on their picnic lunch. I really do want to check out the recumbent bikes. I almost dragged Irene there before…”
Deb saw the look of sadness pass over Olivia’s face, despite the sunglasses that hid most of her emotion. She jumped in to lead the conversation down a different path, at least until they were alone and she could return the favor by offering her listening ear. “It’s a date. I’ll come pick you up at nine. We can grab some brunch and head to the bike shop after our bellies are full. The drive will give us plenty of time to digest and get ready to take a test spin on several different brands.”
“Perfect, I know a great place for brunch. So, for today, we thought we should ride to the deli first and grab a bite to eat. How does that sound?” Olivia asked.
“Wonderful. Lead the way.”
†
Kathleen looked over at her daughter, who giggled as the nail specialist filed and buffed her toenails. She’d grown so much, and Kathleen was proud of the young woman she’d become. Maybe Walmart wasn’t the best employer, but the job had taught her responsibility and discipline. Jeremy might be right about seeing if Olivia needed additional help at the clinic. At least Siera might enjoy her work more than at the discount superstore. Still, for all her growth and hard work to get into the community college, Siera was very naïve and childlike. Kathleen wondered if that was because she’d encouraged her academically without treating her like an evolving adult. It was a hard habit to break. Treat her like a child, and she’ll act like one. View her as an adult, and she’ll blossom into an amazing young woman.
“There’s nothing like treating yourself to a pedicure. Have you decided yet what color you want?”
“I like the rose color. I think I want that. I can wear my pink shorts tomorrow.”
“That might not be very comfortable on your bike. I bought you those bike shorts because that’s what most people wear when they’re riding a bike. Black goes with everything.”
“Can I wear my pink t-shirt—the one I got for the cancer walk?”
“Sure, honey, but you know you can’t ride barefoot or in your sandals, so you’ll have to show Bri your toes when you stop and have your picnic lunch.”
“Okay, Mom.”
“I’ll have your father make sure your bike is in good condition when he comes home from his shift tonight.”
“I was going to ask him to do that too. I think Dad likes tinkering.”
Kathleen chuckled. “Yes, he does. Listen, I want you to be sure to carry your phone with you, in case something happens, like if you get a flat tire.”
“Bri doesn’t have a phone. I wish she did. Then I could call her up anytime I want.”
Kathleen frowned. “Why doesn’t she have a phone? Doesn’t her aunt worry about her when she’s riding her bike alone?”
Siera shrugged. “I don’t know. She said she was going to ask if she could buy one with the money she has saved up. She’s saving all her money. Then she can get her own place someday. Isn’t that cool?”
“Yes, that’s a good goal.”
Kathleen played back the conversation in her head and chastised herself for doing it again. Did all mothers treat their adult children the same way, or was she also falling into those age-old biases toward children with Down syndrome? Perhaps that was something she could discuss with Olivia to help them find a new common ground without her offending the woman again. It was hard being a mother and knowing what was the best thing for your children. She was far from perfect, but she didn’t want to turn into a helicopter mom, constantly hovering over her child. Lately it seemed like she was veering down a bad road and needed to get herself back on track.
Chapter Fourteen
Olivia groaned and rolled on her pillow-top mattress when she heard the chime on her smartphone. Picking up the offending device, she glanced at the text, squinting to read the small words.
How RU doing this AM?
She smiled, despite the ache in her legs. When she’d gotten out of bed in the middle of the night, she’d realized what a terrible decision it was to ride the extra ten miles.
It reminded her of the time she’d accepted that shot of whiskey. As the liquid burned all the way down her throat, she’d declared to her friends, “Oh that tasted like a bad decision.” And it was. She’d ended up
stripping down to her underwear and singing Kum Ba Yah at the top of her lungs at her friend’s pool party.
The extra miles hadn’t seemed much farther, until they turned into her driveway and dismounted. Deb had offered to give her a leg massage, but Olivia had politely declined. The mild flirtation in her offer was enough to sober Olivia. She’d participated in the day’s banter a tad too much. She needed to nip that in the bud. What the hell was I thinking? If she gave this woman an inch, she was sure to take a mile.
Olivia grimaced as she swung her legs onto the floor and sat on the edge of the bed thumbing her response.
I blame you for my condition. Don’t laugh when I hobble along today.
Hair of the dog. We’ll work out the kinks when we test drive the recumbents.
Ugh…
On my way. CU in 10
Olivia moved the phone away, making sure she read the text correctly, then pressed the power button twice to read the time. When it registered in her foggy brain it was 8:45, she called out, “Bri, why didn’t you wake me up?”
Silence was the response. Oh, holy hell, she must have left early for her outing. Serves me right for not setting my alarm.
Each tiny step to the bathroom sent a shot of pain up her legs, as she attempted to swivel and shuffle to her destination. She imagined most people would find her odd walk hilarious—like a decrepit penguin.
Olivia was determined to work out the stiffness and pretend she wasn’t as out of shape as she appeared. Walking like a ninety-year-old woman was sure to give her secret away. Maybe she’ll think old penguins are cute. Oh, stop that, why do you care what she thinks?
When she finally made it to the toilet and slowly let her bottom hit the seat, she cringed and wondered whether the paramedics would need to burst into her house to remove her from the cold porcelain. At least Deb wasn’t working today, but being the butt of the ED nurses’ jokes was not Olivia’s idea of a good time. She chuckled at the inadvertent pun.