I can’t talk, but then I make myself say in a tinny voice, “Me, too.”
And he just keeps on holding me and stroking my nappy hair and running his fingers through it and then rubbing the back of my neck and sliding his hand up and down my back, and I know damn well this is not happening to me, that this is a scene from every romantic movie I’ve vicariously put myself into, but when he backs away and lifts my sweater over my head, I step back, too.
“You want me to stop?”
“No. I mean yes. Of course not. But, Stanley, I’m already falling over a cliff, and I haven’t been near a cliff in years, and I haven’t been naked in front of a man, nor have I slept with a man in quite some time, and please don’t ask me how long, but you’re making me remember what I’ve forgotten, and I’m scared as hell.”
“It’s Stan,” he says, I suppose to make me feel better.
“Stan.”
“Well, if you’d feel better going into the bathroom and putting on that thick terry-cloth robe and then crawling under the covers, I’ll keep my eyes closed, but it’s going to come off anyway, and I’m going to see your beautiful black skin and your thick body and rub my hands up and down, and I’m going to touch you everywhere, and you’re not leaving this room until I hear you whisper or yell out my name.”
And then he backs away and lets go of me.
“It’s your move.”
“Can we at least close those drapes?”
“No we cannot.”
And then he sits on the foot of the bed and starts tapping one of his now-shoeless feet. He starts laughing. And then I start laughing. And then I just say oh, to hell with it, and I unzip my jeans that are a little on the tight side, since I’ve been spending more time bending over in the garage than I’ve been spending walking, so I have to struggle a little, which I turn into a wiggle to get them down to my feet, and then I step out of them and roll down these stupid white socks, which I am going to leave in the trash, and then Stan gets up and walks behind me and unhooks my bra and takes both of these 36Ds into his hands and massages them like they’re supposed to be massaged.
He turns me around and kisses me on my forehead again and says, “You are one hot mama,” and we both laugh as I walk over to the bed and try to slide under the covers as smoothly and as sexily as possible, but I get a little tangled up when he drops his jeans and my eyes grow wide, and now I remember what he gave me back in the day, and he walks over and slides under the sheets and puts his arms around me, and he takes me on a slow train ride until I hear myself yell out his name three or four times, and he softly whispers, “Oh, Georgia,” in my ear, and then he wraps his arms around me, and I’m in a cocoon, and when we wake up, it’s dark outside but daylight in here.
—
“So. Let me know how soon your train ride is or if you’d like to come to New York before then.”
“What makes you think I want to come to New York?”
I wish he would let me get out of this bed. But he is not letting me go, and if it were possible for me to move in and live under these sheets with him, I would just have room service every single day for the rest of my life and be happy.
“Because you like me. And I live in New York.”
“True. Wait! What’s the name of this movie?”
“Georgia and Stan’s Excellent Adventure That Will Last for a Lifetime. How’s that?”
“As long as it’s in high definition, I might sit in the front row.”
“I just want you to know I’m not perfect,” he says, after we shower and get dressed. “But you won’t have to ever consider having me committed. My feet are firmly planted on the ground.”
“Well, I am perfect, and I can’t help it,” I say, trying my hardest not to even snicker.
“Okay,” he says. “So let’s be clear about this. We’re not lovestruck teenagers or twenty-somethings, we’re middle-aged adults, right?”
“I suppose,” I say.
“I’ve been lonely a long time, if you want to know the truth,” he says.
“Well, that makes two of us.”
“We’ve got a chance to remedy that, you know.”
“But what if we don’t like each other?”
“I already like you. And you like me, so stop pretending you don’t. We’ve only got about twenty or thirty years left, so let’s not blow it.”
“It’s been two days, Stan.”
“Yeah? How long is it supposed to take?”
“Somebody sure loves them some you,” Mercury says.
“What are you talking about?”
“You must’ve put a spell on him or something.”
“And who might you be referring to?”
“You know who I’m talking about. Stanley, of course. He seemed very cool and was easy on the eyes for an old guy. No offense. Marina thinks he could pass for a well-preserved movie star.”
“Who told you his name?”
“He came over and sat at our table! Didn’t you see him talking to me, Marina, and Dr. Lily?”
“No, I didn’t. I was a little busy, Mercury.”
“Anyway, we all know what ‘old friend’ means.”
“Did Marina make it off okay?”
“Afraid not. I made her cancel it and come home with me. She’s not leaving. She’s enrolling in the Academy of Art full-time. We’re moving in together. But she can’t have her old job back. So how about them apples?”
I just smile and throw my hands up in the air. I can believe almost anything about now.
“What up with that outfit? Haven’t been home yet?”
I look down. Embarrassed.
“I’ve got a lab jacket. Tell me who’s first this morning?”
“She’s at the door.”
Without even turning around, I know it’s Mona Kwon.
She’s waving, but this morning it’s in slow motion. I open the door for her.
“Good morning, Mona. What are you doing here so early?”
“I have time to kill. Dr. Young, I went out of my way to go to your party, and you ignore Mona Kwon, but very good food. Why you don’t post a response to me on Facebook? Many of those comments from men. I hope you had fun at high-school reunion. Many photos posted. Very happy for you.”
“I apologize, Mona, but I’ve been so busy with my new grandchildren, and I don’t go on Facebook as often as I probably should.”
“So true. But grandkids don’t need you. See them anytime. But husband number three could be hiding in your friend requests. I’ll bet free glasses you do not bother checking your personal messages either.”
“Mercury, let Mona pick out a pair. And what makes you think I want another husband, Mona?”
“You need one, but this time it will be the final one. Mona Kwon knows things. I do need new glasses. Thank you for free ones.”
“I thought you canceled your appointment?”
“True. I just came for new glasses, so mission accomplished.”
Before I reach my office, Lily comes out to greet me.
“You have a minute?” she asks.
“I do. You want me to come to you?”
“Sure. Come on in.”
Her office is identical to mine, except the only family photos on her walls are of her parents. The rest are of flowers and sunsets and the ocean. I sit across from her. Cross my legs.
“Everything went okay?” I ask.
“Yes. Dad is at peace. My mom couldn’t stay. She wanted to come home. Doesn’t know Dad’s gone. Anyway, I want to thank you for all your blessings, and my family really appreciated the flowers.”
“You’re welcome, Lily.”
She folds her hands on her desk. “The party was just wonderful. I had more fun than I’ve had in years. Met a very nice fellow. Grover. He said he’s your new brother.”
“Was he with a woman?”
“He said she was just a good friend.”
What a whore.
“He’s very good-looking. Intelligent. Professional. Witt
y.”
But he’s also not divorced. I can’t say it. I just can’t.
“He asked for my card, and I gave it to him.”
“I’m sure you’ll be hearing from him soon.”
“I have already.” She smiles.
I haven’t seen this smile before.
“So you and Stanley go way back?”
“We do.”
“He seems very nice. And thoughtful to have come this far for your birthday.”
“And how far did he come?”
“He told us New York. Listen, Georgia. You look like you’ve been over the moon, and I think I have more good news.”
“I’m listening.”
“I want to keep the practice going, and I’ve already checked with a broker, and because of the fact that our equipment is only a couple of years old, it’s highly probable that you can get your original investment back—and then there’s also interest. How’s that sound to you?”
I’m about ready to fall out of this chair. “It sounds like good news.”
She nods.
“But I thought you wanted out, too?”
“No. I never really said that. Or did I? It doesn’t matter. Medicine is part of my family’s tradition, and before my dad got really sick, we talked about my selling the practice, and he asked me if there was any way I could keep it. It would make him feel better.”
“But if you don’t want to do this anymore, Lily…”
“I don’t have any other skills, to be honest. This is what I do. This is who I am.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“I’m not miserable. It may be monotonous, but the patients help me get through the day.”
She leans back in her chair and breathes a long sigh, glad to finally have everything out in the open.
“Anyway, we can talk more about legal stuff and just how long this transition might take. Are you in a big hurry to do something else?”
“No. Now that I know how feasible it is.”
“So what are your plans after you leave?”
“I think I’m going to try my hand at decorating furniture.”
“To make a living?”
“I didn’t say that, now, did I?”
“You don’t have to. I get it. How long have you been doing this? And why haven’t you ever shown me anything?”
“I haven’t had much to show until lately.”
“Cool. Maybe one day, if you ever invite me over, I’ll get a chance to see some. Hint, hint.”
“You just took the words out of my mouth. We’re overdue, and if you like something, it’ll be a parting gift.”
“I’m already excited.”
I stand up.
“Wait a sec. Tell me a little more about Stanley.”
“All I can say is he feels like a dream come true. I’m still a little afraid to put all my trust in it.”
“Well, at least he’s real and not married.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Oh, but I do.”
“Really, now?”
“Just so you know, Mercury’s already done a background check on him. He’s good to go.”
“What?”
“Apparently Marina told him to do it. She’s the one who did my background checks. She’s very good at it. Anyway, they both think Stanley’s a keeper. I can’t believe he’s really been up in fucking outer space, and now he rebuilds houses in run-down neighborhoods. How fucking cool is that?”
“Very fucking cool,” I say, mimicking her. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve heard Lily swear, so maybe therapy has finally loosened her up.
“I think you should get on over to your office. I didn’t mean to talk so much, but I thought this would make your birthday even better. Now, go!”
When I open my door, the office smells and looks like a florist’s shop. I can’t see my desk or the chair behind it. Mercury runs in and stares at me looking like I’m in a trance, and of course he has his iPhone in one hand videotaping for Marina, and then finally he snatches the card out of my hand and rips it open and starts reading: “ ‘Ms. Georgia Peach. I choose you. Been a long time coming. Hope to see you soon. I say yes. And I hope you will too. Love, Stan.’ ”
Mercury falls backward into the door. “OMG! LHM! INNW!”
“Hold on! I know the first two, but what’s this INNW?”
“ ‘If not now, when?’ Enough said. Back to work. Hey, now!”
And out he goes.
And I’m drunk.
—
I need to do something to ground me, bring me back to reality, so I call my daughter. I don’t even know which one until I hear Estelle’s voice.
“That was some party, Mom,” she says.
“That it was,” I say. “But how are you doing? Seriously?”
“I’m in a daze, to be honest. If it weren’t for the kids, I’d sleepwalk my way through this tunnel until I come out on the other side.”
This is hard, because I’m feeling the exact opposite, like I’m in a hot-air balloon. But my daughter’s feelings and what she’s dealing with are real, and I don’t want her to have to go through this alone.
“I know, baby,” I say, picking up a pencil and batting it against my keyboard. “Would you bring the girls over this weekend? Or I’d be happy to drive over for a visit.”
“I’d rather come there. This place is a mess.”
“How about the three of you spend the weekend with me, then?”
“That sounds like a plan, Mom.”
—
I look at the clock at one. Stanley should be landing soon. At two I think I’ll hear from him. At three I decide to call him, but it goes straight to voice mail. By four I wonder if this was some kind of fucking game he just played on me. Was that what this reminiscing bullshit was all about? And how about these fucking flowers? Isn’t this more like overkill? It wasn’t a fucking funeral. Maybe he’s home and came to his senses and realized I’m not the woman he thought I was going to be. I could kick myself in the ass for getting so caught up in the moment, and maybe I just dreamed this whole fucking fantasy because I’ve wanted to know what it felt like to be swept off my feet and touched and kissed and made love to by a man. To hell with you, Mr. Fucking Space Man.
As I leave the office at six, my cell rings. I recognize the 212 area code. It’s Mr. Swoop-Down-on-Me.
“So thanks for the flowers, Stanley.”
“Stanley? Did I miss something?”
“I’m not sure. You tell me.”
“I forgot my cell in the seat pocket, and I had to wait until everybody got off the plane, and then, after all that, the flight attendant claimed they didn’t find it, so I just walked in. Are you okay?”
Okay. So I’m a cynic.
“I’m fine. Sorry to hear about your cell. I was just having doubts about all this.”
“Don’t even go there.”
“Are you sure about everything?”
“I’m not even going to answer that.”
“The flowers are beautiful. As was your card.”
“I’m glad you liked them. But look, Ms. Georgia, I’m wiped out. It’s been a long wonderful weekend. Dream about me. Hope to see you in Toronto, unless you change your mind. Peace out, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart?
—
Meet me for dinner or die, Wanda says in a very long text. it’s been three days since anybody’s heard a peep out of you, and just so you know, our friend violet, the slut, left the party with richard. they belong together. anyway, is stanley still here or something?
I call her back.
“So?”
I tell her about Lily buying me out.
“That’s great. That’s one down. Get to the juicy stuff, would you?”
And then I go on and tell her almost everything.
“Well, this is undoubtedly the most gratifying five-course meal I’ve had in years. Get on the goddamn train as soon as humanly possible. And meet that man in Tor
onto.”
Click.
“I’ve heard everything,” Ma says. It’s six thirty in the morning, and I was just about to go on a walk with Naomi and Macy.
“What are you talking about?”
“Good morning to you, too, missy. Wanda told me all about Stanley.”
“Wanda talks too much.”
“That’s what friends are for. To tell all your business, but at least Wanda knows who to tell it to. I’m your mother, and I’m happy for you, baby.”
“I haven’t eloped!”
“That wouldn’t be a bad idea, now that you mention it.”
“You looked very nice at my party, Ma.”
“I did, didn’t I? Thank you.”
“Have you had your humble breakfast already?”
“You know I’m not a racist, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.”
“He was sexy.”
“What do you know about sexy?”
“My Grover is sexy. You can be sexy at any age. Heck. I’m sexy. You still have a ways to go,” she says, and cracks up.
“You know, you never did tell me how the train was, Ma.”
“Chile, Grover drove. Seven hours was too doggone long to be stuck on a train and not be able to pull into a gas station or a Burger King, you know what I mean?”
“Well, I’m still going on mine. And it’s going to last a whole lot longer than seven hours.”
“You always have been different,” she says. “Is the space man going with you?”
“Who told you he was an astronaut?”
“He told Grover, who was giving him the third degree. He wanted to make sure he hadn’t escaped from a planetarium, if you know what I’m getting at. But Grover liked him. How long was he up there?”
“I don’t know.”
“Find out what he saw. And if he floated without holding on to anything like you see in the movies. And ask him how’d he go to the bathroom.”
“Why don’t you make a list?”
“Grover’s the one who wants to know. Not me.”
“You tell Grover I’m glad to hear he’s so curious.”
“The next time you talk to him—what’s his last name?”
“DiStasio.”
I Almost Forgot About You Page 33