by Ada Winder
Lacey turned to walk away to continue looking for Jack, and Drew fought the urge to go after her and stay in her presence for just a little bit longer.
He stood, fighting his emotions and urges, waiting for the indication that she had found Jack.
He wasn’t long in waiting.
“Mommy!”
Although Drew did not witness the reunion, he knew the moment Jack laid eyes on his mother. Drew’s heart tightened in joy and pain at the sound of Jack’s elated voice.
He was happy for his son, but still imagining the disappointment that would inevitably come later.
Damn you, Lacey, he thought, pitying himself as well, another casualty in her wake.
***
“Mommy, mommy, mommy...”
Elaine initially ignored the first few tugs on her dress as she finished her sentence but Jade was persistent, her repetition eventually piercing Elaine’s consciousness. It was times like these that she was glad she had aborted her first child, although at other times, she wondered what she had lost—if it was the son David had always wanted.
“What is it, honey?” she asked irritably, sending an apologetic glance at the guest she’d been talking to.
Jade stopped tugging.
“Grandma’s crying,” she said simply.
Elaine paused, thinking about what to say next.
“Well, what did you want me to do about it sweetheart? Grandma needs privacy right now. She’s sad about grandpa dying and she doesn’t want anyone to bother her at the moment.”
Jade shook her head, disagreeing, her blue eyes resolute.
“That’s not true. She’s crying because of you. She said so.”
Elaine was thrown off. “She said that?”
Jade nodded. “She said she misses you so you should go and talk to her.”
Elaine felt a small smile form on her face at Jade’s simplification of a problem and solution. Then she looked around, her eyes trying to locate her mother. She didn’t have plans to do as Jade suggested, but she found her brain processing the information as if coming up with a plan regarding what to do about it, surprising herself.
***
Alice walked into the room where it appeared Fred was reading a book in Braille.
“Hello, Fred,” she said softly so as not to alarm him.
He stopped reading and looked ahead, not turning toward her voice.
“It’s Alice.”
Fred stopped looking suspicious and his face relaxed. He turned toward her voice at last and smiled.
“Alice! To what do I owe the honor? Is George with you?”
Alice was glad he could not see her discomfort.
“In a way, yes. But not right now; I came alone.”
Fred nodded his head but she could see he was running over potential reasons in his mind; after all, Alice had never shown up alone to see him.
“I came to see how you were doing...and to give you some news.”
She saw Fred stiffen again.
“This news might come as a surprise to you, as it did to me, but I felt it was necessary that you know it.”
Alice took a breath and tried to prepare herself for the questions he might ask.
“Fred, you have another grandson.”
Fred’s big, bushy, caterpillar-like white eyebrows furrowed together and his mouth worked a little before he answered. “Don’t you mean great-grandson? Did…”—he paused, trying to remember a name she presumed—”…Andrew or…Elaine have another child? Is it a boy or a girl? What’s the name? If it’s a boy I hope they named him after me!”
His eyes twinkled and his mouth worked into a grin, showing dinghy, worn teeth.
Alice shook her head then remembered he could not see her.
“No, Fred. It’s George—George had another child. A son. It happened many, many years ago. George’s son is about thirty-two now, and he might even have children of his own so you might have more grandchildren. And…well, I don’t know if it was deliberate, but yes, his name is Frederick. Like you.”
Fred remained silent, his eyebrows furrowing again.
“George had another son? And not with you? Well I’ll be.”
Alice sighed. That was one way to put it.
She saw that his face took on a pensive expression.
“Well, that’s all I came to say today. I just needed to say it in person. You might want to meet him; he’s a nice boy.”
Alice went over to Fred and gave him an awkward hug.
“I’ll see you later.”
She knew he would understand there was nothing left to say between them at the moment.
“Tell George to come and see me, you hear?” he said, accepting her departure. “And that other boy—yes, I’d like to meet him.”
Alice nodded, more to herself.
“Okay, Fred.”
She turned away from his still-pensive face.
***
When Alice returned home she saw that the place was pretty much deserted, her family the only ones remaining—trying to clear the place up a little bit.
When Drew asked her where she’d gone, she simply replied: “For a drive.”
When Elaine surprised her by asking this as well, she answered the same.
She figured it was an acceptable answer, and no one probed beyond it.
However, she did catch Miriam looking at her a few times, an expression she could not quite decipher and chalked up to curiosity—but Miriam said nothing.
Everyone went about putting away the leftovers and gathering wares that were left outside of the kitchen.
When everything was done—the children put to bed, the other adults starting to head to their respective bedrooms—Alice looked over at the urn on the mantel, satisfied.
It was a simple, marble, walnut-colored urn which held the last of George’s physical body. She had not offered ashes to the children once she brought them home, and they had not reminded her either. They seemed to be happy with just photos of George.
In any case, she wouldn’t let them have any of the ashes—not just yet. For once, she had him all to herself.
Alice went upstairs to her own bedroom, retiring for the night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Sunday, July 2nd 2006
It seemed everyone slept in a little later than they usually did, and it was no wonder; although the guests had left by ten o’ clock the previous night, the family had stayed up more than an hour later, pitching in to clear things up faster—the scattered dishes, the empty cans.
Most of the household awakened at around the same time that morning—late morning according to Alice, at nine o’ clock. Elaine and Drew collaborated on making breakfast for the whole household.
Drew had slept on the couch in the family room, while Lacey had stayed the night in the bedroom with her son.
They were the last to awaken, and Alice was amused at the way her son seemed to go gaga with Lacey around; she held quite the spell over Drew.
Jack was no different; everywhere she went, Jack was on her heels or at her side, holding her bathrobe, refusing to let her go.
“So what do you want, Lacey?” Elaine called out.
Alice was surprised Elaine neglected to see Drew’s desire to be responsible for taking care of Lacey.
“I’ve got it covered,” Drew replied, and it sounded like his words came through gritted teeth.
“Actually, I like what Elaine’s cooking up there—omelets?” Lacey peeked over Elaine’s shoulder.
Elaine nodded, smiling at Lacey, still not taking the hint; in fact, she gave Drew a triumphant look. Drew turned back to the stove, sulking.
Overall, Alice loved the atmosphere in the house. Usually, she would feel left out amongst so many people, but with her children and their spouses, her grandchildren, her sister-in-law and her significant other, it all felt comfortable; it felt right. There was even less tension between her and Elaine, if any at all. For the first time, she felt like they were all one big happy famil
y.
Although she would love to get used to it, she was quite aware that this would never happen again; this vibe, this combination—they would never all be in the same place at the same time with such light hearts again. So she set out to enjoy every moment of it.
“I would like some of what each of you are making,” she piped up, forgoing her usual breakfast of oatmeal or cold cereal.
She had never had her daughter’s cooking before, and she knew Elaine would not actually eat what she was cooking for everyone else, that she would opt for a less greasy, fatty option.
Elaine’s surprise showed briefly on her face, but, if Alice was interpreting it correctly, it was pleasant surprise.
Jack followed Lacey to the family room where Amber and Jade had planted themselves in front of the television, with David also on the couch. Dennis and Miriam sat nearby, appearing to be in their own world.
Alice did not think about the carpet or the couch when Elaine and Drew carried trays of plates of omelets and French toasts and sausages to the family room. She did not care to direct them to the dining room today, and no one else saw fit to follow the usual pattern either.
Everyone settled in the family room to watch The Incredibles, chosen by the small girls who had gotten there first.
***
When breakfast and the movie were done, and everyone began to clear up the dishes and whatever mess had been made once again, Alice thought about her final task. She had to tell them; there was no doubt about it. But she wanted to tell them alone—just Elaine and Drew. It would not matter later who they told, but for right now, she needed to keep it amongst them.
It was not hard. Once they had gone over George’s last will and testament, and Miriam and Dennis left the house temporarily to go who-knew-where, Alice called her two children to her room, making it clear she wanted to speak to them privately. Lacey and David remained with the children downstairs.
Alice asked Drew, as the last person in the room, to close the door behind him.
They both looked wary.
“You might want to sit down for this.”
They looked at each other.
“Mom, please don’t say there’s something wrong with you,” Drew said.
Alice chuckled to herself. “In a way, there is. I allowed too many things I shouldn’t have.” She paused. There was no other way to do it but to dive right in. “Drew, Elaine. You have a brother.”
Alice saw eyebrows raise and eyes widen. She saw the siblings look at each other again.
Alice laughed, sensing they were headed in the wrong direction.
“No, it’s not me although some part of me almost wishes it were. I didn’t give up a child for adoption somewhere—your father had a child outside of our marriage. He’s about the same age as you Drew; in fact, you guys weren’t born that far apart as far as I understand it. His name is Frederick.”
“Wait, mom—you’re saying that dad cheated on you? And had a child out of marriage?”
Alice nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying my dear.”
“Wait a minute. Frederick...” Drew appeared to be thinking hard. “Mom, who is this guy? Because there was a Frederick here...”
Alice nodded again.
“Exactly right, son. That young black man who was here...”
“Is my brother?” both Elaine and Drew said.
“So then the lady who was with him was the one who...” Drew did not finish his own sentence. “Wow. Mom, I’m amazed you let her inside your house. You must be some kind of saint to have the slut who...”
“Now Drew, that’s not necessary.” Alice did not know why, but she felt somewhat protective of the woman. Perhaps she had simply gotten somewhat immune to the situation; felt avenged. Whatever the case, she needed her children to accept the fact, and forgive the woman and her son for existing. As far as she was concerned, the woman had just been pulled into George’s vortex like most.
Suddenly, Drew burst out laughing.
“Mom, Elaine totally had the hots for him.”
Elaine whirled to face him.
“What the hell? What are you talking about, Drew?”
“Don’t deny it. I saw you staring him down in church.”
Elaine rolled her eyes.
“Yeah well, you were staring him down too. Honestly, if it wasn’t for your obsession with Lacey I’d swear you were gay.”
Drew stopped smiling.
“Now, now, children, be nice. And promise me you’ll be nice to him. It might be good for him to have a relationship with his siblings. It’s always nice to have people…” Alice’s voice drifted off as she thought about the moments of loneliness and the sense of rejection both he and his mother might have felt. She also now knew with surety that the demand to “forsake all others” once married was ludicrous and could never be taken literally; one person could—or perhaps should—never be everything to another. One person could not possibly fill all of another’s needs. Frederick was lucky to have his mother, and perhaps he had friends, but more family could help.
“He might need you,” she said to her offspring.
***
By the time the next morning came, Alice’s children and grandchildren were gone.
Elaine and her family had left the previous evening to prepare for their delayed Disney vacation, needed even more now, while Drew, Lacey and Jack had taken off early in the morning to eventually work on doing what was best for Jack, so Alice hoped.
But Miriam and Dennis stayed the whole of the day after the children were gone—although not in the house.
Alice was not sure where they went again, but they left early in the morning and returned that evening.
Alice didn’t mind them staying over, but she thought it strange that they decided to hang around. She even thought she caught Miriam watching her intently a few times but she wasn’t sure if Miriam was actually concentrating on her.
“We are leaving tomorrow,” Miriam said to her before she and Dennis retired to their room. “Will you be okay?”
Alice had nodded.
“Will you hang around, then?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean it’s not over. Hang around.”
“Miriam, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do. Good night.”
***
Monday, July 3rd 2006
Greenwood, Indiana
Drew was easily distracted by Lacey in their home once again. She had surprised Drew and driven down with them back to Indiana and Drew could barely keep his own hopes at bay, knowing he could use the bathroom for a minute and come out and meet her gone. But while she was there, it felt good.
She hadn’t even said anything about her photos and belongings still being around.
Jack had managed to fall asleep during the car ride and was continuing his nap so Drew was grateful for their alone time.
Lacey put on a pot of coffee.
“I still can’t believe you have a brother. And he’s cute too!”
Lacey grinned at him.
The twinkle in her eye let him know she wasn’t serious about her unspoken implications but he could never be sure with her.
Drew was still reeling from the news himself. Everyone had been shocked by the news, even Elaine. Apparently, that was one secret their father hadn’t let her in on.
His father was turning out to be quite the magician, pulling out all sorts of items from his hat and sleeves after death.
“I bet you want to fuck him too.”
Drew was shocked the words had left his mouth but once said, he wasn’t sorry he’d said them.
“Oh come on, Drew—what are you talking about? That wasn’t nice at all; this isn’t like you.”
“What the hell would you know about what’s like me and what isn’t?” he found himself sputtering.
She rolled her eyes.
“Drew, we’ve been married for six or eight years. You’d think I’d know you by now.”
>
“You? Who can hardly sit still? You who don’t pay attention to anything for more than two seconds? I’m surprised you even remembered you had a son and not a daughter! That you even remembered Jack’s name...”
“Well, I named him…”
“And I can’t believe you, the ADD queen,” he interrupted, “are questioning my skepticism about what you know and don’t know. I know you! Not the other way around. Can you even tell us all apart? All of your many men? Or has it all squashed together like a huge orgy in your mind? Am I your husband or your high school sweetheart? Your extramarital affair? Are we all just cocks to you?”
“Drew, what a strange thing to say! Of course I can tell you all apart—you interested me for different reasons so of course I know who’s who. And hey, you’re the only one I married for christ’s sake…”
“You say that like it makes some kind of difference, like it’s actually significant, but what’s important to you sure as hell ain’t me. And you know what? That’s okay. I still love you, I admit it, but I’ll be damned if I settle for the scraps you keep throwing me. Yeah you’re beautiful but I see beauties every day, so maybe I should thank you for giving me the chance to screw around. Take the time to be like those guys you seem most attracted to. I think that was my problem—getting involved with you too early. I was too green when you met me; you had all the experience and thought a man like me was the one to marry. But I bored you with my dedication—I get it. I guess I will say thank you Lacey: I’ve always wanted to know what it felt like to bury my face in bigger boobs than yours. To see what a virgin feels like. To find out if other girls’ hair smell as goddamned sweet as yours.”
His words came so naturally, he almost believed them.
Lacey blinked and watched him for a few seconds.
After a long moment, her sober face morphed into an expression he was defenseless against—her brown eyes darkening with desire.
“I’m not gonna lie, Drew, whatever got into you is turning me on.”
She moved closer to him and took his hands.
“I’m not promising you I’ll be interested for the next twenty years, or even the next five days but I sure as hell want you right now.”