“Yeah, you are,” Benny said sweetly, touching her face. “But you weren’t mugged, Lucita. Your purse was still sitting right next to you. In this neighborhood, I don’t think so.”
“All I know is that my head is killing me.” She scooted back down in the bed and pulled the covers up. “Thank you both for your help. I really do appreciate it, but do you mind if I get some rest? I just can’t talk anymore.” Lucy couldn’t handle any more questions and was completely out of answers. She knew most of what had happened and why. It was a mistake. A big mistake. But there was no point in admitting it now. It was nice having Benny and Anne look out for her, but talking about it would be admitting that something was wrong. That she had a problem. She wasn’t like her mother. She didn’t need to drink, at least not every day. She just drank a little too much when she felt overwhelmed. That pills thing was just a fluke.
“Sure,” they both said. Benny got up first and said in a parental tone as if she were about to be grounded, “But we’ll talk later,” and he walked toward the door. Anne followed behind.
“Oh yeah.” Anne paused in the doorway. “Suzie said some guy named Rick was trying to get ahold of you. I guess the salon was the only number he had for you.”
Lucy felt a chill wash over her entire body. There was only one Rick she could think of. Except, why would he be calling her? It could only be bad news. There was only one reason that she could think of, and she dreaded the possibility.
“Did you get a phone number?”
“Yeah, it’s out here on the table,” Anne replied as she walked into the other room.
“Who’s Rick?” Benny shouted from the other room. Lucy detected a hint of jealousy in his tone, which made her wonder if he was concerned or maybe had other ideas. Knowing there was no way she could get any rest now, she got up and joined Anne and Benny in the other room.
Benny had already perched himself on the sofa, and Anne was standing holding a piece of paper.
“Here’s the number.”
Lucy took the paper and sat on the couch next to Benny. She was still wearing the outfit she had on last night, and of course she felt a chill as soon as she sat down. She reached across to the end of the sofa for a white, hooded sweatshirt that was draped over the edge. Lucy pulled the sweatshirt on and yanked it over her knees, which were tucked in and on the sofa. She sat for a few seconds and stared at the name on the paper.
“Well?” Benny said, looking at Lucy expectantly.
“What?”
“Who’s Rick?”
“It’s none of our business, Benny.” Anne sat down in the chair next to the sofa. “Unless Lucy wants to tell us?” She smiled at Lucy, and both she and Benny stared and waited in silence.
“Rick is my sister’s husband.”
“Oh,” Anne said, looking confused. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“That’s because she doesn’t tell us anything,” Benny chimed in.
“Why do you guys care anyway?” Lucy said defensively as she got up from the couch and walked toward the kitchen.
“What do you mean, Lucy?” Anne said, sounding hurt. “We’re your friends…or at least we’re trying to be.”
“Why?” Lucy repeated. “I don’t do anything for you…except cause you trouble.”
“Yeah, why?” Benny said under his breath.
Anne picked up a pillow and slammed Benny in the face. “Hey,” he said, trying to deflect the blow with his hands. “I’m just kidding. Sure, you’re kind of like an annoying little sister sometimes, but you’re growing on me.”
“You’ve done a lot for me.” Anne tried to sound optimistic. “You help me with my aunt, and you’re always scaring Dale away for me.”
“You guys are being really nice, and I appreciate what you did for me…I’m just really tired from last night. And I feel like total crap.”
“Want me to make you some tea or something?” Anne got up and joined Lucy in the kitchen.
“No…thanks. But I better call Rick back.”
“We’ll give you some privacy.” Anne walked over to the couch and tugged on Benny’s shirt. “C’mon, Benny. I hope you feel better, Lucy. And I hope everything’s okay with your family.”
“Yeah, feel better, Lucita.”
Benny and Anne walked out the door. Lucy didn’t move. She stood there thinking about Anne’s words: your family.
My family? Lucy thought. She had only spoken to Katie once in five years, and she had no idea where her mother was. What kind of family was that? She thought about the time right before Katie had left home.
Lucy and Katie’s relationship had evolved over the years from being sisters, to being as close as best friends, to being like mother and daughter. Although their daily lives were filled with strife and uncertainty, they always showed love to each other and even to their mother. Lucy taught Katie to be understanding and forgiving of their mother’s problems even though at times she couldn’t be forgiving herself. But in the end, Katie began to pull away from Lucy and rely more on Rick. To Lucy, it was the ultimate betrayal. Everything she had done to keep the two of them safe and together, Katie threw right out the window by leaving.
Now Rick had called her…instead of Katie, which made Lucy angry. On the other hand, better to be angry at Katie for not calling than finding out there was another reason that Katie herself couldn’t call—a horrible reason. She needed to find out now what was going on. No more stalling.
Lucy grabbed her purse off the table and pulled out her cell. Still holding the number, she hesitated just a bit and then dialed the number. Her face felt hot and her stomach was churning. She couldn’t tell what was from last night and what was anxiety as the phone rang in her ear.
“Hello, this is Rick,” he answered, sounding as if he were answering a business call.
“Rick, hi. It’s Lucy.”
“Lucy, I’m glad you called.”
“Is…Katie okay?” Lucy asked, trying not to sound worried.
“Listen, Lucy, I didn’t mean to scare you. Katie’s fine, but she does need you. She was going to call you herself, but I wanted to give you a heads-up so you two could talk and get this part of it out of the way.”
“What do you mean? What’s wrong?”
“She’s sick and needs a kidney transplant. They’re asking us to get all our family and friends tested to see if they’re a match to be a donor.”
“A donor? You mean I need to give her one of my kidneys?”
“I don’t know. We have to see if you’re a match. We’re asking everyone to get tested to increase our chances.”
Lucy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She didn’t understand how someone so young and seemingly healthy could be going through something like this. The thought of losing Katie flung her back in time and tore at her. She couldn’t think straight and stopped listening to Rick.
“Lucy?” Rick said sharply. “Are you still there? Hello? Please, Lucy, Katie needs—”
“I’m sorry, I’m here.” Lucy put her emotions in check, just as she had done all those years ago, and switched into guardian mode. “Where’s my sister? I want to talk to her.”
Rick told Lucy that Katie was asleep, resting after the recent episode that led them to the hospital. He explained that Katie was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about a year after Carly was born. Then he updated her on what had happened over the last few years and the logistics of what was ahead. The conversation ended on a positive note, both feeling happy to have connected. Lucy was to expect a kit to take to her doctor, and Rick was to let Katie know to call Lucy when she felt up to it.
When she hung up, Lucy went over to a wooden end table next to the couch and opened the drawer. She pulled out a small square photo album, carried it into the next room, and climbed back into her bed. She opened the book to the first page. It was a picture her stepdad had taken of them at the beach just before his death. The girls were standing ankle-deep in the ocean with their backs to the camera. Linda and a twelve-ye
ar-old Lucy were on each side of little Katie, holding her hands. She remembered how Katie had squealed each time a wave came and they flung her up and over the splashing white wash.
Lucy’s eyes puddled with water as she turned to the next page. Through her blurred vision, she made out herself and Katie painting on their matching easels with Katie wearing an oversized T-shirt as a smock. Back then Katie wanted to be just like Lucy. She wanted to do everything her big sister did and was so proud of her. Lucy sacrificed everything for Katie and didn’t complain once about it. For all the responsibility she took on, she gave up just as much of her own life. Dances, boyfriends, parties—there was no time for those types of things.
Lucy was so hurt when Katie didn’t need her any longer, leaving in an ungrateful rage. Did any of that really matter now? Katie needed her, and like any good mother, that was all that mattered. But how could she just push all those feelings aside? All the resentment that was never resolved? Somehow she would have to find a way. Lucy sat back against her pillow with the album pressed against her chest. She closed her dampened eyes and before long was sound asleep.
CHAPTER 9
After sleeping for the equivalent of almost an entire day, Lucy woke way too early for a Sunday morning. It would be a short day at Amy’s since they were only open from twelve to five, but she had a lot to do. Her original plan was to work on the designs for the window display on Monday, since the salon was closed that day. But now she was expecting the test kit to arrive Monday and wanted to get the tests started right away. So today she would have to muster up the strength and get those creative juices flowing. After closing she would convince Mr. Chin and Amy to let her create her next commercial masterpiece. But first, she had something more important to do, something she hadn’t done in years.
Opening the thick, heavy door to the cathedral, Lucy felt like she was stepping into an eclipse. It had been so many years that she had forgotten how dark and huge and beautiful the church was. There was a time when going to church was a comfort to her. She could see herself there, sitting in one big row, all squashed up between her family. Half the time she wasn’t even listening to the sermon—she just loved being there, feeling safe in the heart of her family.
Ducking into one of the back rows, Lucy knelt down, then entered a pew. She noticed a white-haired man with a powder blue cardigan hanging loosely over his hunched back as he crept along the aisle. He took a seat three rows ahead, right across from a woman with a small boy. The woman had tired clothes and was shushing the curly-haired child for tapping his shoes on the echoing floor. The robed man at the altar turned for the shushing, not the tapping.
Lucy bowed her head, and before she knew it, ten minutes had passed. When she finally looked up, the old man had ambled out and had almost made it to the door. The boy was on his knees facing backward, staring right at Lucy. She smiled, he frowned. She frowned, he smiled. They both snorted. Lucy rose, causing an abrupt about-face from the boy. The flickering lights of the burning candles caught her eye as she made her way back down the aisle. Before pushing her way back into the light, Lucy turned for one last look at her younger, happier self.
“Lucy, so glad you’re feeling better!” came Amy’s cheery voice.
“Thanks, Amy.”
“Listen, sweetie, please give out your cell phone. Mickey get mad you get too many personal calls.”
“Oh, I’m sorry about Rick. Did he call again?”
“Rick? No Rick. Somebody name Kyle call for you.” Amy shuffled away, leaving a fuzzy pink blur in her wake. Waving a hand at the cash register she said, “His number on the counter.”
Lucy’s face turned hot, and she felt her stomach drop like she was on a roller coaster. How did he find out where I work? Did I tell him? Could he have noticed some of his pills were missing? Maybe he just wants to see if I’m okay since I left the party. She walked over to the counter and saw the piece of paper with Kyle’s number on it. Once the feeling of shock and embarrassment wore off, she felt a small surge of excitement. She planned to call him back, but not until she got home.
The end of the day couldn’t arrive soon enough. Lucy was surprised that she was anxious to call Kyle. But whatever he wanted, he would have to wait. Lucy’s vision for the store’s window was going to get its fighting chance tonight after work. She would convince them that the entry to the store needed a fresh new look. It was too bad she didn’t have some fancy graphics program to do mock-ups and print them out. Old-fashioned drawing on paper would have to do. It got her other jobs, so she was at least optimistic.
Sitting at the counter finalizing the receipts for the day, Lucy felt relieved that Mickey had called to say he’d be late. She did not want to do this in front of the two busybodies. Kim wouldn’t say anything, but Suzie would definitely add her two cents. They were both finally ready to walk out, and Suzie shot a final command at Lucy: “Don’t forget to reschedule my ten a.m. on Wednesday, Lucy. I don’t want Mrs. Wallace getting mad at me again.”
“I said I would,” was Lucy’s only response even though she really wanted to tell Suzie just what she could do with her schedule. Behind the girls exiting, she could see Mickey walking up. She sat around growing bored and frustrated waiting for Mickey to do his regular routine. Like he couldn’t do that stuff after I leave, she thought to herself, sulking. Thirty minutes later, all three were sitting on the front area couch. She spoke more professionally than usual and showed her design ideas as well as the designs of other projects she’d done. Amy asked why she hadn’t mentioned her other projects before, but she knew the answer. They both listened intently, giving Lucy her fair chance. Lucy thought she even saw a slim smile from Mickey. But after about twenty more minutes, they both simply said they’d let her know. Lucy was a little disappointed, but that was how most things happened at Amy’s. No decision was ever made lightly. For a moment, she had a feeling it would go her way. But then again, how often did things really go her way?
It was getting late, and Lucy had wanted to get out of there. She was dying to have a drink and just relax. Being professional and upbeat certainly took its toll. It was something that didn’t come naturally; Lucy had to work at it. But it would be worth it to do what she loved and get paid for it. The fact that painting was one of the only things that had made her happy the last few years was abundantly clear to Lucy. There was nothing else.
Lucy said a formal thank-you, gathered up her things, and headed out the door. Her hands were full with her designs, her purse, and an empty cup she was drinking from; Mr. Chin didn’t want any trash left behind at the end of the night. After looking around to make sure she had not forgotten anything, Lucy crossed into the parking lot and headed to her car.
The sun was starting to make its way down, and in the distance she could see a car parked right next to hers that looked vaguely familiar. There was a man standing next to it, and it looked as if he was looking right at her. Lucy said aloud to herself, “Great, I wonder what the hell this guy wants.” Better not be money, she thought. The ironic part about that was Lucy actually did help out strangers from time to time. To casual acquaintances, she might appear cold and uncaring, but Lucy had a soft spot for those in need. For some, those types of people seemed to fade into the scenery. But for Lucy, they popped out like vivid 3-D images in a movie.
As she got closer, the vagueness of the man became more evident, and the car she could tell was a black 4Runner. Her mouth went instantly to cotton. She was so nervous she couldn’t tell if it was from fear or excitement. She had no choice. He had already seen her. Her best bet was to just walk right up and act casually.
“Well if it isn’t Cinderella,” Kyle yelled when he thought she was within earshot.
She didn’t say anything, but just kept walking, shifting her load from one arm to the other. When she reached their cars, she smiled as she passed him and headed straight for her back side door. “Hi.”
Kyle followed her and attempted to assist in getting her things into her car.
“Let me get that.” He reached for the back door and pulled it open. Lucy set the designs on the edge of the seat, pulled up her purse that had slipped down her shoulder, and slammed the door.
“I’m surprised to see you,” she said, turning around to face him.
“Why, because you forgot to leave me a glass slipper?” he grinned.
He was better looking than she remembered, and his smile was kind of crooked and cute. “Well…yeah.”
She walked around him to the driver’s side door and stood as if she were waiting to get in. She wondered what he could possibly want after being ditched at that party. “So…how’d you find me?”
“That’s it? You take off on me, and then I track you down and that’s all you have to say?” His tone sounded more like a parent than a jilted boyfriend.
“Look, I’m really sorry about the other night. I wasn’t feeling well, so I left.” Instant lying. She hadn’t needed to do it in a while, but it came back easily.
“Is that standard protocol for you? Just take off and don’t say good-bye?” It was obvious to both of them he was just baiting her now.
“I didn’t want to ruin your evening…with your friends.”
Feeling uncomfortable after a few seconds of silence between them, Lucy yanked her keys from her purse, readied the appropriate key for the door, and said, “Thanks for stopping by, but I really have to get going.”
Kyle stepped in close to her and put a hand gently on her arm. “Wait,” he said softly.
She lowered the keys in her hand and pulled her arm away, and instinctively he took a half step back and gave her a reassuring smile.
“I don’t know why, but I really want to see you again,” he said.
“Gee, thanks.”
They both laughed, and she dropped her eyes away from his.
“That came out wrong.” He shook his head and gave a little chuckle. “I just meant—”
In Search of Lucy: A Novel Page 5