This Much Is True

by Anna Albo

  On her desk she had samples of my chocolate chip cookie, banana nut muffin and chocolate cake. She also had samples of Roxanne’s modified crap. She made us try both.

  “What is the difference here?” Billie asked, her round face watching both of us carefully.

  Before I could open my mouth, Roxanne was defending herself. “I’m trying to make the food here healthier. I’m using stevia and agave nectar as sweeteners and brown rice flour and garfava as a gluten-free flour substitute. People will appreciate it.”

  Did I mention Roxanne was a loud talker? All of Julian’s and probably a half-mile radius around it could hear her.

  “First of all, I don’t know what half that crap is,” Billie said. “Second, all that healthy stuff is a lot more expensive than plain old sugar and white flour. And lastly, kids around here don’t care about their health. From now on you’re going to follow Emma’s recipes and if you don’t, you will pay for all the spoilage.”

  That had been easy. I didn’t even have to speak.

  “Happy to be back in school next week?” Jessica asked, jarring me from that memory.

  “I am. I miss it. It’s also a good routine for me.”

  “And how’s that hot boyfriend of yours?”

  “He’s good.”

  “Doesn’t he graduate this year?”

  “Yes. His dad has handpicked the universities that he’ll be applying to this fall.”

  Jessica watched me wipe down the counters then do it again less than a minute later. “So you’ll be doing the long distance thing next year?”

  “Probably,” I said. I washed my rag then poured myself a cup of coffee.

  “Probably?”

  I looked at Jessica and her face was marred with confusion. “He wants me to go along with him. I think it’s a crazy idea. I’d have to transfer to another university to finish off my degree, then what? Leave everything behind?”

  “People do that all the time. Why would you want to stay here? There’s nothing exciting going on. Ever.”

  “But he’ll be busy with school and won’t have time for me.”

  “You’ll be busy with school too. And I’m sure he’ll find time for you,” Jessica said, playfully rolling her eyes. “That guy adores you like a Greek goddess.”

  “I told him I’d think about it.”

  Jessica didn’t pursue it further and the subject was dropped.

  ZACH HAD HOCKEY WITH the guys so I made dinner for Genie and me. I looked forward to spending time with Zach’s sister. Summer had been such a busy time with coaching, Julian’s and Zach. I saw her at all the Walker functions, and the odd time around the apartment, but she seemingly disappeared. Zach was convinced she was back with Steve, her old and very rude boyfriend, but I didn’t think that. Genie didn’t care what people thought about her and if she wanted to get back with Steve, she would, and she wouldn’t keep it a secret.

  “Can you believe school starts Thursday?” she said, scooping out a heaping serving of meatless lasagna. “Where did summer go?”

  “I know. It flew by.”

  “Did you have a good time at Brett’s?”

  “It was nice. A million times better than last year.”

  Genie laughed, brushing her thick brown hair over her shoulders. I envied everything about her. Her ease at making friends, how she didn’t care about conforming and that she always spoke her mind. And it didn’t hurt that every guy lost their mind when she walked into a room. Genie was confident, smart and the best friend a girl could have. “I bet. Meet any of those uppity friends of theirs?”

  “I did. No lasting friendships, though.”

  Genie rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe I ever spent time with girls like that. Once I got to Western, I left all those losers behind.”

  “They aren’t my cup of tea either.”

  I took a bite of lasagna and thought of Julia. Did I ask Genie about her and what she’d said? Asking her might put her in a difficult position. I decided against it. “So this crazy thing happened before we went to the lake.”

  Genie’s warm chocolate-colored eyes grew wide, the same color eyes Zach had. “Oh? What?”

  “My mother called my dad. Said she wanted to reach out to me.”

  “The mom you haven’t seen in forever?”

  “Yup. I thought her timing was a bit suspicious. This is a woman who hasn’t wanted anything to do with me for twenty years and suddenly she’s interested in what I’m up to?”

  “Let me guess: she found out about you and Zach?”

  “I’m assuming.”

  “So your mom is one of those types.”

  “Honestly, I have no idea what type she is. The last time I saw her was her wedding eight years ago and she didn’t say much to me. Did I tell you that I had to pretend I was a cousin so no one would know who I really was?”

  Genie’s jaw fell open in shock. “For real?”

  “Yup. That’s my most recent memory of her.”

  “A pretty shitty one,” Genie added. “Are you going to call her?”

  “No, but Dad thinks I should.”

  Genie’s eyebrows raised. “He does?”

  “He has a soft spot for her. A part of me thinks that if she told Dad she loved and wanted to be with him, he’d drop everything and take her back. I’m convinced that’s why he doesn’t date. He has some crazy notion of the two of them getting back together. That’s why I don’t want to call her. I don’t want to invite her into our lives.”

  “Does your dad talk about her?”

  “No. He never brings her up because he knows it upsets me.”

  “But do you honestly think they’d get back together? It sounds kind of crazy,” Genie said, grabbing another helping of lasagna.

  I pushed away my nearly finished plate. “No, probably not. I’m sure she’s very happy with her husband. They have their two kids and she no doubt lives a happy life. The funny thing is that she’s been here in Minneapolis for years and not once called to connect.” I looked over at Genie. “If you were me, would you call her?”

  She gave me a sympathetic smile. “I don’t know what it’s like to have a mom disappear like that. I do think she’s being opportunistic, but to what end? What is she going to gain by rekindling a relationship with you now? Unless she wants something. Or she thinks my dad can help her with something. Or her husband.”

  “I don’t remember what he does.”

  “Does he even know about you? Did your mom tell him?”

  “Yes, I think so. Eventually.”

  Genie leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t want to sway you because ultimately it’s your decision, but I think it’s very odd that she’s calling you out of nowhere. Maybe she’s sick and wants you to know? Or something has happened within her family? Or the most cynical of all scenarios is that she needs or wants something. Are you curious?”

  I fidgeted because I hated to admit what I was feeling. “A little.”

  “Why not email her? No one says you need to call her.”

  “I could do that.”

  “Whatever you decide, keep me posted. I’m curious too.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Emma

  School started and I was thrust back into routine. My schedule didn’t complement Zach’s like it had the previous year, so we often went to and from classes at different times. He had a part-time course load, the result of excessive partying his first year at Western that put him half a year behind. He was determined that those last classes would take him over a 3.7 GPA. His LSAT score was high enough to get him into most law schools, but he made no bones about it: he wanted Columbia. While his parents had thoughts of Harvard and Yale, Zach had made it clear it was the Big Apple or bust.

  “What if all three accept you?” I asked, watching him pore over his applications littering our dining room table. He’d made me read and reread his submissions and applications even though his dad had hired someone to help Zach with them.

&n
bsp; “What if none of them accept me?”

  “I’m pretty sure that won’t happen,” I said, patting him on one hand.

  “I really want Columbia. I’d love to stay in New York. There is so much there to offer.”

  I frowned but quickly wiped it away. I hated hearing him talk about leaving. New York was far away. Sensing my apprehension, he reached across the table and took my hands into his.

  “Em, you could transfer out and finish your last year there. With your grades, you’d get into any school. I’ve looked into it.”

  “You don’t even know where you’re going yet, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

  He titled his head. “You do want to come, don’t you?”

  “Or I could just finish my undergraduate degree here. Then come out to wherever you are.”

  “Yes, you could, but I’d be happier if you were with me.”

  “First get into one of these schools, then we’ll talk.”

  He smiled and leaned over to kiss me on the lips. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  He finished up his thousandth review and put each application into its own envelope. He wasn’t sending them off for a few more weeks, and not until his dad’s people also reviewed them a million more times. The whole process was crazy.

  “I talked to Genie about Meredith,” I said as Zach grabbed a beer and joined me on the sofa where I had moved to.

  “What did she think?”

  “She was pretty impartial. The more I talk about her the more curious I get. I’m thinking I might contact her. I wouldn’t call her, I’d email or something.”

  “That’s a good idea. That way if you want to cut off communication, you can. You aren’t stuck talking to her in an awkward phone conversation.”

  I swung my legs over his and put my arm around him. “Would you contact her?”

  “I’m a curious son of a bitch, so I would.”

  “What if she has an ulterior motive?”

  “Tell her to go to hell.”

  “I haven’t decided whether or not I’m going to contact her.”

  “There’s no deadline.”

  “I think her sudden desire to reconnect has to do with you. Now I’m worthy of her attention.”

  “How would she know about me?”

  “People in Pine Falls are such gossips. I’m sure she knows someone in town who told her.”

  “That’s why you should proceed cautiously,” he said, rubbing my back.

  “I’m not rushing into anything. It’s taken her twenty years to reach out. A few weeks won’t make a difference.”

  “You’re right. And just so you know, you have always been worthy of her attention. Never think differently.”

  I CAME HOME WEDNESDAY from classes to have Zach leap off the sofa and greet me at the door. A silly smile was plastered on his face as he held up sheets of paper.

  “Before you say no, I have it all planned out. Miss Andrews, you and I are going to New York City this Friday. We have a flight out late afternoon. We spend two days there and leave Sunday evening. I talked to your boss at Julian’s and also sent a text to Helen asking her if it was okay for you to miss your Saturday tennis session. It’s all arranged.”

  I dropped my backpack and took the paper from his hands. “You’ve been busy,” I said, looking over the itinerary.

  “We will have a great time. You can’t say no.”

  “You know I can’t afford this, and I hate the thought of you paying for it.”

  “I got last-minute flights cheap. Same with the hotel.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “The McGillivray Hotel in Times Square was cheap?” The sarcasm dripped from my voice.

  “Funny story. An old friend has a contact there. He got us an awesome room for a fraction of the price.”

  “It’s scary how you lie to my face so easily,” I said and kissed him on the cheek.

  “You’ve got to give me credit for trying. Dad knows people and got us the room. I didn’t pay for it. Are you in?”

  He was excited, how could I turn him down? “All right, but I hate not paying for things.”

  “I hate when you pay for things,” he said and kissed me on the lips. “I’ve got the whole trip planned. We hit Times Square when we get there because I know you’ve never seen it. We have dinner then do a little late-night sightseeing. Saturday morning we hit a few prospective colleges for you, tour Columbia and check out some culinary schools. It’s last minute so I’m not sure what we’ll get to see. We’ll hit a restaurant of your choice Saturday evening and then Sunday we can visit a museum or two, another restaurant, then fly home. It’s an express trip, but there’s lots we can pack in.”

  “You’re trying hard to sell me, aren’t you?”

  “Em, you go to New York, you’ll never want to come home.”

  “How many times have you been?”

  “A few. I fell in love when we went on a trip when I was seventeen. Dad had some meetings to go to so Genie and I were on our own while Mom spent the entire day at the Natural History Museum. We went everywhere, checked out the tourist traps, ate food from every vendor and then Dad took us to Columbia for a lecture. I don’t remember the lecture, but I remember the school. I knew then it was my dream city and school.”

  “Why didn’t you do your undergraduate degree there?”

  “Optics, I suppose. Dad wanted us to go to a local university.”

  “What if I don’t like it there?”

  “You’ll love it.”

  He wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I’d go along with this, but he couldn’t make me love New York. That was New York’s job.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Zach

  I was watching a hockey game when Genie came charging through the door. She was about as graceful as a herd of elephants. She dropped her bags to the ground with a thud.

  “I’m home,” she said.

  “I’m sure the floor below us knows that too.”

  She ignored my barb and plopped down on the chair across from me. “Where’s Emma?”

  “Working until ten.”

  “Did she leave any dinner?”

  “Every once in a while I fend for myself, you know. I can do that.”

  Genie laughed. “Yeah, that’s a good one. So there’s nothing to eat?”

  “There’s some leftovers from last night.”

  She disappeared and I resumed watching the game. Toronto had scored again and were on the power play. The game couldn’t get any worse and I still had another period to endure, not to mention my sister, who’d retaken her seat on the chair no one ever used. She was eating cold pasta, too lazy to warm it up. She sat cross-legged and stared at me instead of the television.

  “What do you want?” I asked with mild irritation, more with the game and less with her.

  “I hear you’re leaving for New York tomorrow afternoon. You think that’s going to work?”

  “What’s going to work?”

  “You think New York will charm her for you? She’s a small-town girl; New York is going to seem like another planet.”

  “She’ll love it.”

  “Normally everything you do is the exact opposite of what you’re supposed to do, but you might have actually got this one right. Your planets finally aligned. You hit the jackpot. All sevens. Blackjack.”

  I glared at her. “Okay, really funny.”

  Genie’s face softened and I noticed that as we got older, she was looking more like Mom except with darker hair. “You don’t have to sell her. She’ll go with you even if she hates New York, that’s if you don’t fuck things up first.”

  “I don’t plan on it.”

  “I’m just guessing, but Emma’s the type of girl who wants a fresh canvas. New York will be it and she’ll love it.”

  “Thanks for the pep talk,” I said. “It’s been great. Let’s not do it again any time soon.”

  Genie frowned. “You’re in a mood.”

  Yeah, I was i
n a mood and I wasn’t about to tell her why. I had a lot on my plate. School grades to keep high, keeping Bianca out of our lives and the biggest headache of all . . . the video. I vacillated between keeping and destroying it. My gut was telling me to get rid of it, but the other part of me needed the insurance. Once we were gone for good, safely in New York, I’d get rid of it. Until then I had to keep it safe. Bianca could not be trusted.

  MY ALL-EXPENSE TRIP to New York came with a cost: a meeting with Dad. After my last class and with more than enough time to get to the airport, I drove across town to my parents’ house to see Dad. He was in his study on the phone and I took the seat across from him and waited. He was in a heated discussion with someone about the upcoming election. Dad’s term wasn’t up, but some of his colleagues’ were. Dad was an even-keel kind of guy and many people came to him for advice, but whoever was on the phone was giving him grief and that didn’t bode well for me.

  I pulled out my phone while I waited. A text from Emma asking when I’d be home. Another from Brett wanting me to pick him up some New York weed. The guy was an idiot.

  Dad ended the call and huffed. He turned his attention to me and I knew I’d bear the brunt of some of that call. Dad was a good transitioner, not letting outside shit annoy him, but this call must have really pissed him off.

  “This New York business: why the urgency to go?”

  “I want to check out New York. Show Emma around.”

  Dad tapped a finger on his desk. His brown eyes seared through me. “So you’re going to show Emma around. Is that why your mother and I are sending you there? If the girl doesn’t want to go, don’t make her.”