“One message before you speak to your sweet daughter. A lady, Amelia, called to say she and her husband will be in Houston next month, and they would like to visit. Now, here is Jazarah.”
Amelia and Dale were traveling here? Thinking of them brightened his otherwise gray day. A train of questions rumbled through his head, but his daughter’s lyrical chatter ran them off the track. Greg inserted a few “Really?” and “That’s great” responses as she recalled what sounded like her itinerary for the day. Then, in the middle of a discussion of flowers and peanut butter, she announced, “Bye, Daddy!” and the conversation ended. He smiled imagining that Paloma setting the table for dinner diverted her attention.
His conversation with his sister didn’t require many more responses than those he’d just used with his daughter. On her way home herself, Elise said she only had time to hit the highlights. Essentially, Nina pitched a feature series around the AIDS quilt and the local benefit that excited Elise. Their time together was focused on those details, so his name or Saturday night never came up.
“I have to say, Nina’s passion for this project was unexpected. I called her in to tell her she was off the human-interest story hook, but she didn’t want to let it go,” said Elise.
“Yes, that surprises me, too,” Greg said, too late realizing he just played a card his sister didn’t know he held. He could picture her narrowed eyes as her brain whirled around what he’d said.
“Why would it surprise you?” The emphasis in her question fell on you.
How was he going to extricate himself from this one without revealing his conversation with Nina that night at the benefit before Elise arrived on the scene? He didn’t want to tell her Nina complained about having to write a feature story and cooperated only because his dragon lady sister of a boss wanted her to. Something must have changed for her between then and today, and the last thing he wanted to do was something that would, once again, sabotage Nina. But, he couldn’t lie to her either. Good thing traffic’s moving three miles a minute or I’d be too distracted to think.
“When we first started talking, I didn’t even know she was on the Trends staff. She mentioned how much she enjoyed hard-hitting news stories,” he shared with Elise.
But Greg continued to wonder, for most of his journey home, what caused such a radical change of heart in Nina.
When Nina left for work, a fully-dressed Aretha was snoring, curled up on the sofa, the dog wrapped around her bare feet. Nina had finally dragged herself upstairs not long after midnight, so Aretha didn’t make it back until after that. She checked Aretha’s work schedule that she always left on the refrigerator to make sure she’d be safe not waking her up. She was off, and she didn’t have any classes, so Nina skipped making breakfast and eased herself out as quietly as possible.
Michelle hadn’t arrived yet, so Nina left the blueberry scone she’d bought for her on her desk. She wrote, “to M, from N, and I’m still sorry.”
Shannon was already hovering around Nina’s desk. “Do you need some help?” She looked like she wasn’t sure what to grab first.
Her coffee in one hand, her oatmeal in the other, her purse, her iPad case, and her messenger bag slung over her shoulders, Nina perpetually had that pack-mule look about her. “Believe it or not, everything balances, so if you take just one item, I might topple over.” She looked at Shannon as she placed her breakfast on her desk. “Did you eat? Need to get coffee or anything before we talk?”
“No, I’m good. I ate at home and brought coffee,” she pointed to the petite stainless steel Thermos on her desk.
Nina peeled off her bags. “Another good reason to have your cell number. Next time I can call you on the way in.” She sat down, stirred her oatmeal, and told Shannon to pull up a chair. “Since you’re good to go, let’s get started.”
For the next half hour, Nina outlined how the intern could help her. “I’m sending you copies of what I’ve already put together for my story on the political corruption. I need you to fact-check and proofread what I have so far. Then, you’ll need to open a file on your laptop, just label it ‘Quilts’ for now. And here’s the information I want you to research.” She handed Shannon a list starting with the We Care benefit, the sponsors, the contributors, background on The AIDS Memorial Quilt, local support chapters. Nina stopped there. She recognized the eye-darting, first-rung on the panic ladder look on Shannon’s face. “If you have questions, ask me. Seriously. We don’t want to have a problem with sources or research that might have been easily solved, okay?”
“Yes. Absolutely.” Shannon stood up, and Nina imagined she felt the anxiety fall off like scales. “I’ll get right on it.”
Nina watched her walk away, but instead of going to her desk, she headed for the door. “Are you leaving?” She couldn’t have overwhelmed her already.
“Just long enough to go to Brew Who next door.”
“The coffee shop? But didn’t you say you brought it from home?”
“Oh, I’m not going for coffee. I left my Bible there. A few of us have a short Bible study one morning every week.”
Well, this piece of news went right over my head. A Bible study? Seriously? “How did I miss that? You’d think for a place that reported news—”
Shannon looked like someone next in line to walk over hot coals. “We just started a few weeks ago. I mean, a few of us go to the same church. With the others, it was just word-of-mouth, you know . . . You’re welcome to join us. Really. We never meant to exclude anyone . . .”
Nina flashbacked to a middle school moment, sitting cross-legged on the cold hard floor of the hallway on Valentine’s Day, pretending to do homework she’d actually finished the night before. While girl groups giggled around her and exchanged hand-drawn cards, glittery red boxes of candy, and white fluffy stuffed bears whose hearts beat outside their bodies, Nina invested herself in the algebraic importance of helping x find y. Because none of the girls looked for Nina.
“Would you like to go with me?”
Shannon’s question pulled Nina back to reality, but to one that didn’t feel all that different than the one she’d just left. But this wasn’t one day of “will u b mine” messages. This was a lifetime of it. You don’t even go to church. Or pray. Why would you want to go to a Bible study?
“Thanks for the invitation. Maybe another morning, but tell me,” Nina ate a spoonful of oatmeal. “Who else is there?”
Shannon started rattling off names, but it wasn’t until Nina heard “Michelle, Elise . . .” that she had a coughing spasm from almost swallowing her coffee into her lungs.
Nina’s fingers hit the telephone number for Threads of Hope, but her brain burbled at jet speed, ready to make a landing right into Aretha’s ears. Even as she heard the phone ringing, the words “Bible study” stayed in her head like uninvited guests, the overnight variety.
She heard “Hello,” on the other end. Finally, her mouth had something to do. Nina identified herself as a staff writer at Trends, forcing the belligerent child in her head to not blurt, “Who recently discovered she was ostracized from the Bible study.” She informed the voice that she attended the We Care benefit, where she bid on one of their quilts—
“Which one?”
Nina told her it was the paisley-patterned quilt, which elicited a squeal. How old are these people? This may be a more painful feature than I thought.
“That’s the one I helped sew. We really appreciate your support—”
This conversation may last longer than an all-day sucker. “I’m sorry what did you say your name was?”
She laughed. “You hadn’t asked my name, but it’s Crystal. My mother, Kelley, usually takes the calls, but she’s out right now. Do you want her to call you back?”
Nina’s tolerance groaned. “No, in fact, I think you can help me. I’d like to come to one of your meetings. The magazine would like to run a feature . . . but I can explain that when we see one another. When will you all be getting together again?”
“I’m sure I’ll be able to find it.” Otherwise, my GPS is worthless. “Sunday at two, right?”
Crystal confirmed and when Nina hit “off” on her phone, she wondered how she was going to be able to pull this off.
22
It’s not that funny.” Nina went downstairs to the lobby atrium where she called Aretha after hanging up with Crystal. The more she talked, the more Aretha laughed.
“Do you hear yourself?”
“Yes, and I hear Manny barking. What’s your point?” Nina paced in front of a metal sculpture that looked as if someone had thrown car parts in a blender, then dumped them on the ground.
“Manny and I are stretching our legs. You, on the other hand, aren’t stretching something enough. Sister, you’re making that group sound like terrorists. Afraid they’re going to sneak in the office and whomp you with their Bibles?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t so much care that they’re having a Bible study. Though it does reek of ‘look how holy we are.’ I couldn’t care less if they gathered to study the fax machine instruction book. What bothers me—”
“What bothers you, way down deep, is that no one included you. What bothers me is, why do you care? You don’t go to church, you don’t read the Bible . . . It would be like my getting offended because I wasn’t invited to join the Garden Club. What do I know about gardens? I know things grow in dirt, and some are trees and some are flowers and then there’s everything else.”
“What does that say about what they think of me . . . that they didn’t even think of me? I’m a good person.” She located a padded bench next to a fountain wall. Nina considered pulling off her shoes and soaking her feet in the water.
“I’m guessing they think you wouldn’t be interested. Being good isn’t an admission ticket. And if you did study the Bible, you’d know that’s something to be grateful for.”
“If I’d known Elise was there, I would have been interested.”
“Nina, are you really thinking you could use Bible study to earn points with your editor? I guess people fake it, but I don’t see how they do. That’s not a risk I’d be willing to take. Eventually, you’d be as obvious as a cat at a dog fight.”
“Here’s the thing . . .”
“Wait. Let me get Manny. He thinks he’s going to tear after Mr. Pete’s Lab.”
Nina examined her cuticles, not remembering the last time she and Aretha had a mani/pedi day. Maybe this Saturday. What was taking so long? She checked her watch. Time for her to get back to the office. She could finish talking to Aretha later. “Aretha, you there?” Nina tried again, louder, “A-re-tha . . .”
When she did hear her friend, her scream shot Nina up from the bench as if it had reached out of the phone and pulled her by the hair. Aretha shouted Manny’s name, but Nina didn’t hear him. “What’s going on? Aretha? Where are you?” The pitch in her voice rose, and the words wrapped inside her so tightly she could barely breathe.
“Nina, Nina.” Aretha sounded as if she’d just finished a marathon, but there was no mistaking the hysterical urgency.
Before she even heard the words that a car hit Manny, Nina had kicked off her shoes and sprinted up the stairs to Elise’s office. With every step, she repeated, “Be there, be there, be there . . .” until her own breathing was as labored as her friend’s. Nina had pushed on the phone speaker and when she started the stairs for Elise’s floor, Aretha said, “Mr. Pete’s helping. He’s breathing, Nina. We’ll take him to Dr. Alvarez—”
“No. Wait one minute. Just one minute.”
She opened the stairwell door. Elise was standing outside her office on her cell phone. Nina saw what she felt mirrored in Elise’s face.
“Nina? What happened?”
“Where’s Greg? Please call Greg. Manny. Aretha called and said a car hit Manny.” Nina didn’t remember Elise’s office being so cold. Her cell phone shook in her hands.
“I just hung up with him.” Elise pressed call. “I’ll call him back right now.”
Greg must have answered because Nina watched Elise’s lips move, but the words bounced like beads off a broken necklace.
“Is that your friend on the phone?”
Nina looked down at her hand and nodded.
“Hand me your cell phone, so I can tell her what to do.” Elise said more words into the phone, then turned to her receptionist. “Would you cancel my lunch appointment? I’ll be back as soon as possible.” She handed Nina her phone, and closed her fingers around it. “Hold on to this.”
“Greg?”
“He’s going to meet us at the Animal Emergency Clinic. And I’m driving you there.” She looked at Nina’s feet. “You probably want to put your shoes back on. We’re taking the elevator.”
Greg, Paloma, and Jazarah were on their way to lunch, singing, “Don’t worry about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be all right” along with Bob Marley when Elise called. As soon as Greg heard the sound of his sister’s voice on the phone, he pulled into the first parking lot he could find. He sensed it wouldn’t be good news.
“Hey, a car hit Nina’s dog. She’s here at work, and the dog was with Aretha, her friend. I know you’re off today, but can you help? She asked me to call you.”
“Shh! A few minutes for Daddy, okay?” Greg lowered the volume, and he needed only to exchange one glance with Paloma for her to distract his daughter with her new book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. “I’ll call Dr. Cadoree at the emergency clinic. I’ve done some relief work for him, so they can meet me there. Does Nina know anything about the dog’s condition?”
“Doubt it, and if she did, I don’t think you’d get too much right now. She’s holding her cell phone, so Aretha might be on the line.”
“Find out. I need to talk to her as soon as I can. Time is crucial here.”
Elise took Nina’s phone and relayed information from one to the other. “Dachshund. Almost two. Neighborhood street, not going above 20. Breathing. Trying to move a bit. No blood in ears.”
“Tell her to support his back, neck, and limbs and as gently as possible, wrap him in a blanket and head to the clinic. If someone can drive her, that’s better, and please drive the speed limit. We don’t want to have a dog hit by a car in the car with two humans who are hit by one.”
Greg called the emergency clinic to tell them about Manny in case they arrived before he did. He didn’t have time to take Jazarah and Paloma home, so they’d have to come with him. He figured Paloma, listening to the conversation, already understood the Elvis Presley Memorial Combo at Chuy’s Restaurant wasn’t going to happen. “Okay, Princess Jazarah, Daddy has to hurry to take care of somebody’s little dog that just got hurt. So, you and Paloma will have lunch, then pick up Daddy, and we’ll all go somewhere for ice cream.”
“Um,” she looked back and forth between Greg and Paloma. “Choc-lit?”
Greg smiled. “Of course. Whatever flavor you want. Do you want to sing some more?”
She clapped and kicked her feet against the bottom of the car seat. “Yes! Yes!”
When they pulled up to the clinic entrance, Paloma replaced Greg behind the driver’s seat. “Here’s my credit card. Call me when you finish lunch, and I’ll let you know how I’m running on time.” He opened the door and leaned in to kiss Jazarah. “Love you. Be good.”
When Aretha arrived ten minutes later, Greg was encouraged Manny made it to the hospital. Animals that did, especially small ones, had a good chance of survival. And, if the car that hit him wasn’t going fast, possibly a better chance.
23
Alone with Elise, no distractions, with time to discuss her future at the magazine, to solve the mystery of Daisy, Brady, and Janie . . . but, instead, Nina stared out the window and wished the car could move as fast as her heart pounded. The thought of what Manny might look like when they arrived at the emergency
clinic scared her almost as much as the thought that she might not make it there in time.
Elise’s phone rang, and she quickly muted the Bluetooth and picked it up off her seat. Nina held her breath and waited. As soon as Elise said, “Great,” she stopped clutching the arm rest and came up for air. A few one- or two-word replies, then Elise hung up. “That was Greg. He said Aretha just arrived with Manny. When we get there, which should be in a few minutes, he might be in surgery. He said the fact Manny made it to the clinic is a really good sign.”
When Elise pulled up in front of the clinic, she handed Nina the box of facial tissues from the back seat. “Take this. Do you want me to stay, because I can?”
“I’ll be okay. Aretha’s here. Thank you so much for . . . for everything. Calling Greg, driving . . .”
“I’m glad I could help.” Elise squeezed her hand. “It’s hard when someone you care about is hurt. But, look, Greg is a good doctor. Actually, he’s a great doctor, and he’ll do everything he can. And I’ll pray for all of you.”
Nina flashbacked to that morning, and her irritation over Elise and the others at Bible study. And now, she appreciated that Elise prayed.
“That means a lot to me. Thank you.” Nina closed the car door, and she walked into the clinic. Aretha was at the counter filling out papers on a clipboard, and as soon as she saw Nina, she dropped the pen and hugged her.
“I’m so sorry, Nina. So sorry. Please forgive me.” She sobbed, and Nina held her and patted her back.
“It’s not your fault. You adore Manny. I don’t blame you.” Nina let the tears course down her cheeks for the first time since she heard Aretha’s strangled voice telling her what happened. “Where’s Mr. Pete? I was so confused when you called. How did Manny get loose? What happened?”
Threads of Hope: Quilts of Love Series Page 12