by Meg Haston
“Coooming!” I peeled off the yellow rubber gloves I’d worn to scrub the kitchen floor and whipped off Mom’s KISS THE WOMAN WHO CALLED FOR TAKEOUT apron. The apron hadn’t gotten much use over the years, but at least it had protected my new leather sheath dress from the bleach, candle wax, and silver polish I’d been battling with since I got home from school.
The doorbell rang again. Twice.
“Holdonholdonholdon.” I slipped into the closest shoes I could find, a pair of magenta flats under the kitchen table, and sprinted to the door.
“Just for the record?” I gasped. A stabbing cramp sliced through my side. “You’re way late, and—ohmygod.”
Standing on my doorstep was Zander, toting his guitar, two mics, and a couple of music stands. Behind him was Liv, lugging her flute case full of accessories and a bolt of colorful fabric as tall as she was. Behind her were Molly and Nessa.
At least I thought it was Molly and Nessa. I could only see the top of a blond head and a few wayward sprouts of dark pixie cut over the top of the overflowing grocery bags.
“Guys, this isn’t exactly a party. It’s just a date. For two people. You know that, right?” I looked quizzically at Zander.
He shrugged, but the pained look in his eyes told me he’d been subjected to a Molly jab or two before I made it to the door. “They were waiting outside when I got here. Can I come in? I can’t feel my face.”
I stepped aside. When Zander passed, his leather jacket brushed against my shoulder. Feeling the familiar softness, even for a nanosecond, was comforting.
The date crashers shuffled by and headed for the kitchen.
“Before you say anything, let us explain.” Molly leapt into my path as soon as I entered the kitchen. Static electricity sent her locks wisping toward the ceiling.
I spat out a few strands of her hair. “Okay. Go.”
“I know Ness and I weren’t invited, and it’s not like a party party, but we did just put on a pretty amayyyzing party Friday night.”
“True,” I admitted.
“And everything has to be, like, perf, for this to work. Right?”
“That’s the plan.”
“And this is my thing, Kacey. I’m good at it.”
I couldn’t help but smile at Molly’s pink cheeks and the hopeful lift of her brows. I’d never seen her this invested in anything. To be honest, I’d expected her to have moved on to a new extracurricular by now.
Nessa stepped up and threw her arm around Molly’s waist. “So this one basically bullied Liv into giving us the details this afternoon.”
“Whatevs. She wanted to tell.” Molly sniffed.
“Hey!” Liv wobbled a few steps forward with her fabric bolt, then a few steps back. Finally, she gave up, and it went crashing to the floor.
“Watch it! I just waxed that!” I barked. “I mean, be careful. Please.”
“Anyway, we’re here to help. As far as moms go, yours is pretty cool.” Molly batted her lashes at me innocently. “We pinky-swear to leave when they get here. And we brought sparkling cider and strawberries…”
I glanced at the clock. Five fifteen. “We are running late.”
Ding-dong!
“That’s the French bistro delivery guy!” Why was I shouting? “Cash! Does anybody have cash?”
“Ooh! Me!” Mols smacked her denim behind, then whipped a few bills out of her pocket. “I got this.” She made a beeline for the front door.
“Okay.” Nessa took off her coat, folded it in half, and draped it neatly over the freshly scrubbed countertop. “So what do you need? Actually, it looks pretty great in here already.”
“Thanks.” I surveyed my work proudly. Every inch of the kitchen gleamed, from the slick stainless steel appliances to the buffed wooden table. I’d scattered every surface with various sized pillar candles on sterling silver bases. Louis Armstrong crooned over the speakers, and there was an explosion of birds-of-paradise in a silver vase at the center of the table. I’d voted for roses, but Stevie said these weird-looking things were Gabe’s favorite.
“Okay, um.” My head was spinning. “Ella convinced Mom to take her to the movies after picking her up from school. They won’t be back for another twenty minutes or so. Stevie’s bringing her dad over at the same time. We’ve got the food and the candles, so all that’s left is dinner music and the last of the decorations.”
“I’ve got the music covered.” Next to the sink, Zander twisted his mic stand and raised it without looking at me.
“I’ll take care of the food.” Molly lugged two armfuls of plastic delivery bags into the kitchen and heaved them next to the sink.
“I’ll light the candles!” Nessa volunteered.
“And we can finish up the decorations.” I kicked off my shoes again and dropped to the floor next to Liv. “Scissors?”
Liv popped open her flute case. “Fabric shears, regular scissors, hair-cutting scissors—”
“Fabric shears.”
“Where do you want the Brie?” Molly yelled from the sink.
“There should be a silver platter somewhere—”
“Got it! And where do you keep champagne flutes?”
“The hutch in the dining room. And if you break one, we’re both moving to Mexico.”
“ ’Kay! Gracias!”
I shifted my focus back to Liv. “Okay. So we want to cut long strips of fabric, and then we’re gonna hang them from the center of the ceiling to the walls.”
“I don’t get it.”
“You don’t have to,” I teased. “You’ll get it when it’s done. Now hurry. They’re gonna be here any second.”
Liv was a total rock star, just like I knew she would be. In under ten minutes, she’d cut the fabric and hung it so that it dipped from the ceiling over the kitchen table to the walls, then tumbled to the floor. The bright fabric canopy billowed over the blazing arrangement of candles in the center of the kitchen table, looking exactly like—
“A hot-air balloon? Was that what we were going for?” Liv asked once we’d finished. “ ’Cause I can fix it if not.”
I gave her a hug. “It’s perfect. I love it. And you.”
“Somebody’s cell!” Zander called as my phone started to buzz on the counter.
“Ooh! Me!” I grabbed it with trembling hands.
STEVIE: 2 MINS AWAY.
“PLACES!” I bellowed. “Stevie and Gabe are almost here!” I hurried to the wall and adjusted the dimmer switch to the loooove setting. “Somebody turn off the music!”
“Kacey Simon.” Zander settled onto one of the stools by the sink and strummed a few chords. His easy laugh blended perfectly. “Chill out. It’s gonna be fine. You did good.”
“Really?” My breath caught in my throat. “You think so?”
“Kacey! Where are our places?” Molly’s face was panic-stricken. “We didn’t rehearse for this!”
“Your places are out of sight, remember? Back at your house! Sugar Daddy! I don’t care! Just so you’re gone when—”
“Yoo-hooo!” Mom called from the entrance hall. “Anybody home?”
“Too late,” I hissed. “Just be quiet.” I dimmed the lights a little lower and met Mom and Ella in the hall.
“Hey,” I said breathlessly.
“HEY!” Ella screamed in her best outside voice. “WHAT’S UP?”
“Hey. Hey. You look nice, Mom! Really pretty!”
“Thank you?” Mom looked at me strangely as she unbuttoned her coat and dropped her keys on the console table. “What’s going on with you two?”
Ding-dong!
“WE’LL GET IT!” Ella and I yelled at the exact same time. We steamrolled past Mom and threw open the door.
Not to be creepy or anything, but Gabe actually did look really handsome. He was still wearing jeans, since apparently anthropologists don’t bother with nice pants, but he wore a blue V-neck sweater that made his eyes stand out. Stevie had coordinated her outfit with mine: black leggings and a silky black tunic that tied a
t the hip. We wanted to blend into the background so Mom and Gabe could focus on (ew) each other.
“Hey, guys! Come on in,” I said too cheerfully. “Hey, Mom, look who’s—”
“Gabe?” Startled, Mom took a couple of steps back. “What—what are you doing here?”
“Stevie said you needed help moving a piece of furniture, which I’m just now realizing does not exist.” He eyed his daughter warily.
“Won’t you please like to come in, anyway?” Ella offered politely.
Gabe stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I don’t think we should. Listen, Sterling, I’m really sorry about this.”
“Please come in, you guys. Just for a second. Stevie and I have something to tell you. It’ll only take a sec.”
“Yeah. It’s not like you have anything better to do, Dad.” Stevie steered Gabe into the hall, and I shut the door. Then I gave Ella a quick nod. She took her cue like a champ and snuck upstairs.
A giggle escaped from the kitchen.
“What was that?” Mom asked.
“Nothing. Listen. Okay.” I took a deep, slow breath. “We just wanted to say this is all our fault.”
“Yeah.” Stevie nodded somberly. “Kacey’s really sorry.”
“Um, so is Stevie,” I said through clenched teeth. “Who happens to be equally responsible.”
“Debatable.” Stevie beamed at her dad. “But we wanted to make it up to you. Since you missed the hot-air balloon Friday night—”
“Ow!” Molly shrieked. “Quit it!”
“Okay, that’s it.” Mom hurried toward the kitchen. “What in the world is going on he—” She gasped.
I did, too. Even though I knew what to expect, stumbling onto the scene for the first time was magical. The candles cast the kitchen in a flickering, romantic glow. Perched on his stool, Zander smiled and started strumming his guitar. And the table was brimming with elegant trays of Brie and crackers, fruit, olives, and chocolates. Two glasses of sparkling cider fizzed at Mom’s and Gabe’s places.
“SURPRIIIIIIISE!” Molly, Nessa, and Liv leapt up from the window seat.
“Oh! Well, um, thank you, girls!” Mom smiled. “Are there any more of you back there?”
“Nope! We’re on our way out,” Molly said cheerfully. “Enjoy your date.” She slapped my palm as she passed. Liv flashed me a peace sign, and Nessa squeezed my hand.
“Thanks, girls.”
“Kacey,” Mom whispered. “What did you do? A hot-air balloon?”
“I’m really sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to… we just… can you have your date now?” My voice cracked, and a lump rose in my throat. “Please?”
“Oh, baby.” Mom bent down and scooped me into a hug.
“So?” I turned to Mom and Gabe. “What do you think?”
Mom’s eyes shone in the candlelight. “I think this is the sweetest thing you’ve ever done, my precious girl.” A tear glistened on her cheek.
“This is really beautiful,” Gabe agreed, kissing Stevie on the top of the head. “And even though time is fleeting, and life itself is transitory, this is a moment I’ll never forget.”
“Ohhhhmygod.” Stevie’s head dropped. “Dad. Sit down already.”
Mom glanced up at Gabe. If it hadn’t been so dark, I would’ve sworn she was blushing. But the very idea was too gross to consider. So I didn’t.
“They did work really hard on this. Do you think we should sit down?”
“Ladies first,” Gabe said kindly. “Which certainly isn’t meant to imply that I view women as any less equal than—”
“DAD.”
“Sorry. Sorry.” Gabe and Mom walked side by side to the table and took their seats, just as Ella barreled into the kitchen in black tights, a black dress, and a glittery bow tie I’d found in her costume trunk.
“And is this our server for the evening?” Mom smiled.
“Mom!” Ella whispered excitedly. “It’s me! Ella!”
“And for your entertainment.” I nodded to Stevie and we took our places next to Zander. “One, two, three, four…”
Zander’s fingers picked at the fret board, and the opening notes of the song he’d written filled the kitchen. The notes overwhelmed me with a rush of feeling, and I blinked away tears. Stevie and I leaned into the mic.
“Outside the world is gray, and I listen. As the minutes tick away, I’m just wishing.” Stevie looked up and rolled her eyes. By now, I’d known her long enough to know that an eye roll was Stevie-code for a hug, or at least a wink. “For the one who makes me feel like it’s all gonna be okay.”
At the table, Mom and Gabe clinked glasses, then leaned toward each other. I looked away. I was glad they’d agreed to the date and everything, but please. There were limits.
THE END OF THE BEGINNING
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
THE FINAL INSTALLMENT
Monday, 6:25 P.M.
After we finished our song, Gabe leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together. For a second, I could almost see what Mom saw in him. There was a kindness that played around his eyes, even when he wasn’t smiling. “Your timing is perfect, girls. Well, not perfect, of course, given that everything in this life is flawed.”
“Of course.” My temporary brain-haze cleared. Gabe was nothing more than an old guy with a penchant for reciting from The Big Book of Buddha Quotes. But he was nice. And he made my mother glow. Which was worth something.
Mom laughed and rested her hand on Gabe’s arm. I looked at Zander, who was watching them with a small smile, and I realized how much I’d missed him over the last two days. Not just Crush Zander, or the feeling of excitement that overwhelmed me when I thought about our stairwell kiss. But Real Zander. The one who knew me and made me feel better when I was down.
“What I mean is, your timing is appropriate,” Gabe decided thoughtfully. “There’s something we—Stevie and I—wanted to share with you.”
“Like a surprise?” Ella gasped.
Gabe nodded. “Kacey? Do you want to sit down?”
We wanted to share? My skin went clammy. “I’m good,” I said carefully. “Go ahead.”
“I got a call from the department head at U of C this afternoon.” Gabe kept his eyes on Mom. “They offered me a permanent faculty position.”
“Gabe. Stop it.” Mom’s lower lip dropped in shock. I would have laughed at Mom’s adolescent reaction, had I not been consumed with the news that—
“You’re moving? Here?” My head snapped toward Stevie. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the floor.
Gabe nodded. “As soon as we can get everything packed up in Seattle. I’ll start teaching a full course load this summer.”
Mom let out some kind of humiliating hyena shriek, and Gabe gathered her in an airtight hug.
Stevie, Zander, and I just stood there awkwardly. Not group-hugging. Not saying anything. Which was fine by me. I wouldn’t have known what to say if I’d wanted to.
“Chicago? That’s… awesome,” Zander said tentatively, checking for my reaction.
“Yeah. Totally,” I managed.
Stevie shrugged. “I guess. If we have to move, at least I’ll start out someplace where I already know people.”
“Yeah. Totally,” I said again. “Is it hot in here?” I clawed at my neckline, wishing Mom and Gabe would break it up already.
“Outside?” Stevie was at the door before I could blink.
“Yes, please.”
The three of us made our escape and settled onto the front stoop, Zander between us. Poetic.
Stevie was the first to speak. “So is this gonna be weird?”
“Dunno,” I admitted.
Zander didn’t say anything. Straight ahead, the sky was starting to dim. I wished I could see his face better. I wished I knew what he wanted. Who he wanted.
Stevie cocked her head toward me and brushed her hair out of her face. “Just so you know, I get that you’ve got your own thing going here. I’m not trying to wreck it.”
“I set you up,” I blurted to my feet. “At the aquarium.”
“Yeah. I know.”
“It was a sucky thing to do. I’ll tell your dad. And for what it’s worth—”
“Yeah. I know.”
I couldn’t even look at Zander. I didn’t want to see even a trace of the disappointment, the anger I knew was waiting for me.
“I, uh, I’m gonna go check on my dad,” Stevie said suddenly. “See you guys back in there?”
“Yeah,” Zander and I said together.
With the careful click of the front door came a sudden rush of nerves. I didn’t know what to say or do, or where to look. So I just stared at my feet, waiting for the reality of the news to come crashing down.
“You set her up?” Zander’s tone was even.
“Yup.” It was almost freeing not to lie about it anymore. “And you can’t say anything about it that I haven’t already said to myself.”
“Stevie and I had this long talk last night.”
“Great.” I didn’t mean for my voice to sound so bitter.
“About you. Or at least, we talked more about divorce and stuff. And she just kept telling me how I wasn’t getting it. How I had no idea what you—anybody, I mean—would do to protect your family, and your life, and everything.”
I blinked. “It’s not just some excuse.”
“No, but it’s a reason. And it’s not the worst one in the world.”
A chill breeze swept down Clark Street, making the hem of my dress flutter. Everything in me wanted to scoot closer to Zander, to bury my face in his shoulder and have him tell me everything was going to be fine. But I settled for resting my palm on the cold, rough brick between us. And, luckily, he took it.
“No more pranks, or schemes, or anything. Seriously, Kace. I can’t take it.”
“I swear.” Warm calm settled over me. With my hand in Zander’s, I felt anchored. Safe.
Zander squeezed my hand in a gentle rhythm. I didn’t know if he was assuring me that we’d be okay and that Stevie wouldn’t come between us, or if he was just being there for me, being a friend in spite of everything I’d done. I didn’t care.