“This must be Edmond,” said her mother as soon as they entered. She had obviously posted herself as hostess so that she’d be the first to see him. Anna went through the formal introduction and her mother actually took Edmond’s hand and smiled. “Very nice to meet you … finally.”
“Finally?” he peered curiously at Anna.
“Oh, our Anna’s been telling us all about you,” said her mother.
Edmond smiled. “She has?”
“Oh, yes. We’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” She waved to Anna’s dad, who was coming their way. “And this is Anna’s father, Mr. Mendez.”
Anna tried to look relaxed as her father chatted briefly with Edmond. But the whole time she was asking herself why, why, why she had brought him here. It would only make everything harder in the end.
“This is a great place, Anna,” said Edmond after they were seated. “Not at all what I expected.”
“Thanks.” Anna put her napkin in her lap. She glanced around the semicrowded restaurant, trying to see the usual round tables with white linen tablecloths, crystal votives, and fresh flowers with fresh eyes. Quiet Mexican music played in the background. “What did you expect?”
He smiled. “Oh, you know … bright colors, pottery, piñatas, that sort of thing.”
She kind of laughed. “Well, you should’ve come here back in the old days. Gil has worked hard to change that image. He’s trying to make this restaurant more upscale and elegant. Are you disappointed?”
“No, not at all. This is nice. And very romantic.” He winked at her.
“Don’t expect violins.”
“Do your parents want to join—”
“No,” she said too quickly.
“Oh?”
“I mean they have to work. That’s all.”
He nodded, but his brow was creased. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Okay, then.” He sighed and Anna could tell that he was suspicious. And why shouldn’t he be? She was acting like a total idiot. She was a total idiot. What kind of fool brings her boyfriend to meet her parents and have dinner on the same night she’s thinking of breaking up? So, to distract herself from this, and to somehow make it through this evening without losing it, Anna began to chatter away about the restaurant. She started with the linen napkins that she used to be in charge of, explaining how they couldn’t afford to have them laundered, so it had been Anna’s job to get them clean and pressed. She went on and on about how stubborn some stains could be and how monotonous it was to iron square after square after square.
“It was so wonderful when we got laundry service,” she went on, knowing she probably sounded even more idiotic now than before. But somehow she managed to get them clear through dinner, and then they were eating flan for desert.
“Anna,” began Edmond carefully. “I know that something is wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong,” she said quickly.
“No,” he continued. “I can read you like a book.” He sort of laughed. “Okay, maybe not quite that well yet. But I know that something is troubling you. Did I do something to offend you?”
She frowned and laid down her fork, then folded her napkin and set it on the table. “No, you haven’t done anything wrong, Edmond.”
He nodded. “Okay. What is it then?”
She looked down at her lap now.
“You don’t want to talk about it here?”
“No, not really.” She looked back at him and pressed her lips together.
“I understand.” He glanced around to spot their waiter, one of Anna’s cousins, who seemed to have totally disappeared.
“Do you need something else?” Anna asked, ready to pop up and get something, anything, just to get away from him for a few seconds. “More coffee?”
“No, just the bill.”
She laughed. “Oh, there’s no bill, Edmond. I told you it was my treat.”
“You’re sure?”
“Of course.” It was actually her parents’ treat, but that was pretty much the same thing. “Are you ready to go?”
“If you are.” He quickly stood and helped with her chair—always the gentleman. She wondered if she’d miss that. Then he helped her with her coat and politely told her parents good-bye and thanked them for everything.
“It was a pleasure to meet you,” said Anna’s mother, winking at Anna.
“You kids be good now,” called her dad.
Edmond gave him a thumbs-up and a smile that had a shadow behind it. Anna wondered if her parents could see. Finally they were back outside, walking silently to his car. In the car, Edmond turned to look at her, his face dimly lit from the parking lot lights. “Anna, what’s going on?”
She felt her hands balling up into fists in her lap. Why was this so hard? Why didn’t she just spit it out? Maybe it was because she knew how it felt. She knew how badly it hurt to be dumped. But Edmond was different from her. For one thing, he was a guy. For another thing, he always seemed to take life in stride. Easygoing and generally cheerful, he’d probably actually understand and get over it. Maybe he’d be happy for her. Maybe they could still be friends.
“Edmond …” She looked directly at him. “Remember the guy I told you about?”
“The guy?”
“The guy I went with for a couple of years.”
He frowned. “The dude who broke your heart?”
“Yes.”
An uncomfortable silence settled in the car.
“You don’t think …” he began slowly. “You don’t think that’s what I’m going to do, do you, Anna? Because if you do, you can just forget about—”
“No, no, that’s not it,” she said quickly.
“What, then?”
“Edmond, I’m so sorry, but that guy … his name is Jake. Jake Romero. And he was at the wedding last weekend and …”
“Oh.” He nodded and put his key into the ignition, but didn’t turn it.
“I never expected to see him at the wedding,” she continued. “I didn’t even know that he knew the couple. And I actually tried to run when I realized he was there. But he stopped me. And then we were talking, and he was saying how much he missed me, and I suddenly realized that I still had feelings for him. I wanted to tell you last weekend, but I just wasn’t sure.”
“Weren’t sure?”
“About how I felt.”
“And you’re sure now?”
“I don’t know.”
“You must know, Anna.” He stared at her with wounded eyes. “How do you feel? Tell me.”
“Confused.” She felt tears coming now. “And sorry. Edmond, I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“That’s okay, Anna.” Edmond turned the key.
“What do you mean, that’s okay?” she demanded.
“I mean I know what you’re saying to me. I get it. I think I actually knew yesterday.”
“How could you know?”
“Because I know you, Anna.”
She didn’t say anything now. How could he possibly know her when she didn’t even seem to know herself? He drove her back to the house in silence. And it felt like the longest twenty minutes of Anna’s life. Still, she could think of nothing to say.
“Thanks for dinner tonight,” he said as he opened the door and helped her out of the car.
“How can you say that?” she demanded.
He sort of shrugged, but she could see he was hurting. “It was a good dinner, Anna. And your parents seem nice.”
“Edmond,” she tried again, “I’m really sorry.”
“You said that.”
“But I am. And I know I’ve hurt you.”
He paused halfway to the house. “I’ll get over it.”
“Don’t be mad,” she said.
“Mad?” He seemed to be thinking hard over this. “No, I don’t think I’m mad.”
“I’m really, really sorry.”
“Good night, Anna.” Then without saying another word, he turned and abruptly walked back to the car, got in, and drove off. He didn’t swear or slam his door. He didn’t even drive fast. Not that she’d expected him to do any of those things.
Anna went on up to the porch, telling herself that at least the hard part was over now. She didn’t need to feel like she was leading Edmond on anymore. She had made her choice, and she’d been honest with him. Not only that, he’d taken it well. He wasn’t even mad. And he’d politely said good night. She should feel totally relieved now. Instead, she felt like crying. And she felt just as confused as before.
Fifteen
Lelani
“What are you doing home in the middle of the week?” Kendall asked as she joined Lelani in the kitchen.
“I have the morning off.” Lelani poured some cream into her second cup of coffee. She wanted to add that since she had the morning off, she had hoped to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. She glanced at the kitchen clock. It was barely past nine. “What are you doing up this early, Kendall?”
“Oh, not much.” Kendall’s blue eyes twinkled with mischief as she reached for the coffee carafe.
Okay, now Lelani was curious. Kendall had been acting strange lately—even for Kendall. “Seriously, Kendall, what’s up? Did you find a job or something?”
“Or something.”
“What kind of something?”
Kendall adjusted the belt on her fluffy white bathrobe and smiled smugly. “Well, can I trust you?”
“Trust me?” Lelani wasn’t sure. What was Kendall planning now? “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I mean I’m not ready for everyone to know what I’m up to.”
“Meaning you don’t want me to tell Megan and Anna?”
“I just don’t want all three of you on my case all at once.”
“On your case for what?”
Kendall took a slow sip of coffee, then pressed her lips together and smiled coyly. But she didn’t say anything.
Lelani could feel herself being sucked into this—this whatever it was. And she decided she really didn’t want to know, didn’t want to be involved. Whatever Kendall was up to was her problem, not Lelani’s. “Well, have a nice day.” Lelani smiled as if speaking to an “I’m just looking” customer at the cosmetics counter. And then she started to leave the kitchen.
“Wait,” said Kendall.
Lelani turned and looked evenly at her.
“Come on,” said Kendall eagerly. She joined Lelani in the dining room and pulled out a chair. “I need someone to talk to.”
With reluctance, Lelani sat down. She’d had her chance to make a smooth getaway and blown it. Maybe she deserved this. “Okay, Kendall, what’s up?”
“So I can trust you then?”
Lelani shrugged. “I guess. I mean unless you’re planning on doing something totally nuts or illegal or dangerous.”
“None of the above.” Kendall frowned slightly. “At least I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so?”
Kendall laughed. “Kidding.”
“Seriously, Kendall. What’s going on?”
“Okay.” Kendall took in a deep breath then slowly exhaled. “I’m planning to go down to LA.”
“So?” Lelani wondered what the big deal was here. Or was Kendall just a drama queen who could make anything into a personal premiere?
“So … I’m meeting Matthew down there.”
Lelani slowly nodded as it sunk in. “Meeting Matthew, as in continuing your, uh, your little affair with him?”
Kendall looked uncertain. “You make it sound so skanky.”
“Isn’t it?” Lelani peered curiously at her now. “I mean, you know now that Matthew’s married. Even if you didn’t know before, as you claim, you don’t have that excuse anymore.”
“Unhappily married,” Kendall corrected her.
“Even so.” Lelani frowned at her. “Why are you doing this?”
“I’m in love.”
“He’s married.”
“Unhappily.”
Lelani just shook her head.
Kendall looked like someone had just popped her balloon. “I should’ve known better than to tell you.”
“I’m just being honest.”
“Honest from your perspective. Can’t you even consider mine?”
Lelani thought about this. Little did Kendall know that Lelani hadn’t only considered Kendall’s point of view, she’d been there. She’d been the other woman. The problem was that Lelani honestly hadn’t known Ben was married. He deceived her, then betrayed her. But of all the girls in this house, Kendall was the last one she’d trust with that story!
“I don’t know how I got so lucky,” said Kendall unhappily.
“What?”
“To end up with three goody-goody housemates.” Kendall’s lower lip jutted out. “I had hoped that maybe you were different.”
Lelani kind of laughed. “I am different. We’re all different. Look, I can understand how you feel, Kendall. I guess I’m just questioning your judgment. Are you sure that it’s wise to go down there to be with a married guy?”
“I think he loves me too, Lelani. And I know that his marriage is in trouble. I’ve been reading about it online. And I’ve been reading about Matthew, and I think we have a lot in common. I think it could really work.”
“Seriously?”
“I feel like I need to at least give it my best shot. I mean, what if I didn’t even try, and what if his marriage is over with and some other girl jumps in before me? How would I feel? Matthew told me that I was special. He wanted to spend more time with me. How can I let that slip by?”
“You could get hurt.”
“It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
Lelani couldn’t help but laugh at the melodrama. But even as she laughed, she could see the sensibility in Kendall’s plan. And that scared her.
“Fine,” said Kendall, standing. “Go ahead and laugh at me. I know you guys all think I’m just a joke.”
“I’m not laughing at you.” Lelani snickered.
“Then what?”
Lelani stood too. “I guess it’s just life in general. And in a way I do admire you, Kendall.”
Kendall blinked. “You do?”
“Yes. For going for your dreams—even if they do seem a bit crazy to me.”
Kendall made a little half smile. “Well, thanks. I think.”
“When are you going?”
“Friday morning. In fact, I was wondering if I could talk you into driving me to the airport. In exchange you can have the use of my car while I’m gone.”
Lelani considered this. Not a bad deal. “What time?”
“Early. My flight’s at 7:35 a.m.”
“And you’re supposed to be at the airport two hours early.”
“Well, I was thinking an hour early would be okay.”
“No,” said Lelani firmly. “Holiday travel has already started, and I heard on the news that you really do need to be two hours early.”
“Sheesh, maybe I should just stay in an airport hotel.”
“No,” said Lelani. “You’ll just get to bed early and I’ll wake you up in time to be at the airport by five thirty.”
Kendall groaned.
“Unless you just want to forget the whole thing and just—”
“No,” said Kendall quickly. “I’m going.”
Now Lelani was curious. “Did you get your tickets already?”
“So how could you afford it?”
Kendall smiled. “Mommy and Daddy.”
“Huh?”
“Early Christmas present.”
“So they’re okay with what you’re doing? Or do they even know?”
“They know. And they’re totally on board. They just want me to be happy.”
“And it probably doesn’t hurt that Matthew Harmon has a pretty successful career and is making good money.”
Kendall put her hand on her chest as if offended. “You don’t think I’m after him for his money, do you? A gold digger?”
Lelani shrugged. “I’m just saying.”
“Well, I’m not. Even if Matthew were poor, I’d still love him.”
Lelani wasn’t convinced, but she wasn’t going there.
“Anyway, I need to get my wardrobe set,” said Kendall.
“Your wardrobe set?” Lelani tried not to laugh.
“You know, for the warm weather down there. I’ve done a little shopping, but summer clothes are scarce this time of year.”
“Don’t you already have things?”
“Old things.” Kendall’s eyes lit up. “Hey, I’ll bet you have a good selection of clothes from Hawaii.”
Lelani shrugged. “I doubt there’s anything there that you would—”
“Let’s go check it out,” said Kendall as she headed straight for Lelani’s room. And the next thing Lelani knew, they were digging through her closet in search of “cool” clothes for Kendall’s trip.
“This is awesome.” Kendall held up a white gauzy top and looked in the mirror. “Diesel’s not my favorite designer, but this one is great. Can I borrow it?”
Lelani studied the blouse. The last time she’d worn it had been with Ben. “You can have it,” she said.
“Hey, thanks.”
Lelani gave Kendall several things that she associated with bad memories. In a way it felt like a purging, like getting some skeletons out of her closet.
Let Them Eat Fruitcake Page 13