“Does he know?” TJ asked.
“Yes.”
“Thank God,” TJ said, stepping forward to embrace Jess. “I didn’t want to make anything awkward for you.”
Jess relaxed, feeling as if whatever shield her body had raised in self-protection had instantly disintegrated. She stroked TJ’s back, enjoying the combination of strength and softness she found. “He’s my best friend. Of course he knows.” She pulled back to meet TJ’s eyes. “Thanks for not assuming, but know that I don’t intend to hide how I feel about you. If people aren’t comfortable with it, that’s their problem.”
TJ held Jess’s head in her hands. “Still, I’d rather do this in private.” What started as a gentle kiss of reconnection quickly escalated into one of passion and promise. When TJ finally broke the kiss, Jess was breathing heavily and wanting to take things in a more horizontal direction. “Now that’s a good morning,” TJ said, with one last nip at Jess’s bottom lip.
“How are you so good at that?” Jess said hazily.
“It’s not me. It’s us.” TJ gave Jess another peck. “Now that I know I can touch you, let’s go see if we can loosen the noose around my sister’s neck.”
Jess took TJ’s hand. En route back to the kitchen, she said, “We may have cooked up something in that regard.”
“I figured you wouldn’t have left them in a room with a block of knives if it wasn’t safe.”
“Keep an open mind.”
“Yes, dear.” They reentered the kitchen, where Dillon and Kara huddled over his phone, scrolling through photos of various automobiles. TJ sat down opposite. “Can we talk discipline?”
“Not until you’ve had your coffee,” Kara said. “A latte for her please, if that’s okay, Jess.”
“Coming right up.” Jess made the appropriate selection on the espresso machine. “We all proposed different aspects of Kara’s punishment, which you have to agree to, of course,” she quickly said to TJ before returning to the brew. “Kara, why don’t you summarize?”
Kara spun her soda can in small circles as she spoke. “I can return to Dillon’s conditionally and not until I get my grades back to where they were before I started.”
“I’m listening,” TJ said.
“And I have to maintain them, even if it means no more video games.”
At TJ’s shocked expression, Jess said, “Are you going to be able to handle this before coffee?” She placed the hot drink in front of TJ.
“Who are you and what have you done with my sister?” TJ asked Kara.
“Assuming I keep my grades up, for the next six months I have to split my paycheck three ways. I can keep fifty percent for myself and my expenses. Another ten percent goes to Dillon to repay him for the gas and insurance on the GTO.”
“Dillon, why don’t you tell TJ about the other forty percent, since it was your idea,” Jess said.
“It goes to a charity of her choice,” Dillon said. “I know the Blake sisters aren’t quite at the Spaulding level of means, but she has opportunity, and I thought it important she recognize she shouldn’t throw it away. I’m happy to continue mentoring her, but as she works toward what she wants, she might be able to help someone who doesn’t have as good a shot.”
TJ looked back and forth between Dillon and Jess, clearly becoming emotional. “That’s more than fair.” To Kara, she said, “You’re on board with this plan?”
Kara nodded.
“And your expenses?” Jess prodded her.
“Oh, yeah. Jess thought I could maybe see a counselor to help me deal with mom stuff.” She rolled her eyes. “But I don’t have to continue if it’s stupid. I only have to try a few sessions.”
Jess reached for TJ’s hand. “Like I said, it’s up to you. We ran through a bunch of ideas and those were the ones that stuck. What do you think?”
Eyes glistening, TJ said, “You guys have been busy. I should sleep in more often.”
Or over more often, Jess thought.
“What about the car?” TJ asked.
“I drove my flatbed rollback. I’ll tow her back,” Dillon said. He stood. “In fact, I’ll do that now. Let me know how you want to play it.” Turning to Kara, he said, “You get one more shot. Pull anything like this again, whether it’s my car or anyone else’s, I’ll put out the word you can’t be trusted, and you’ll never work in another shop in this county.”
Jess felt TJ go rigid beside her and apparently Dillon noticed.
Dillon said, “You disagree?”
TJ pushed her chair back and stood in front of him. “I don’t enjoy hearing anyone threaten my sister, but I don’t fault your logic. If she pulls anything like this again, you have every right to warn your industry pals. In fact, you have every right to do that now.” She stuck out her hand. “Thank you for your generosity and for giving her another chance. She won’t disappoint you.”
Dillon shook TJ’s hand. “I don’t doubt it for a minute.” He pointed at Kara. “You behave yourself.” Then he winked at her. Turning to TJ and Jess, he said, “Behave yourselves,” and winked at Jess.
Jess followed him to the door and gave him a hug. “Thanks, Dill.”
He gave her a quick kiss. “Don’t mention it, beautiful. I’ll mention it enough for both of us, because you owe me big-time.”
She slapped his arm. “I know.”
He grinned. “Big-time. Muah ha ha.”
“Get out of here, you jerk,” Jess said, laughing. Reentering the kitchen, she found TJ placing her mug in the dishwasher. “You couldn’t have possibly finished your coffee.”
“I didn’t, but we need to head out.” TJ nodded in Kara’s direction. “This one and I have some things to discuss.”
“So do we,” Jess countered.
TJ took Jess’s hands in hers. “Yes, we do.” She gave Jess a gentle kiss. “Can I see you tonight?”
Jess shook her head. “Can’t tonight.” Damn. “Call me?”
“You got it.” TJ gathered Jess in her arms and said, “Thanks for everything.”
“You’re welcome.” Jess held an arm out to Kara. “Get over here, you.”
Kara allowed herself to be wrapped in Jess’s embrace and even gave a small squeeze in return. “What she said,” Kara mumbled, obviously embarrassed by the affection.
“You’re welcome here anytime.” Jess hovered while the sisters gathered their belongings and walked them out. She hadn’t even noticed when she’d said good-bye to Dillon that it was a glorious, cloudless day filled with plenty of sunshine. And as she waved to her departing guests, she realized she felt exactly like the day at hand: expansive and full of possibility.
*
“Where are we going?” Kara asked on cue. TJ had expected the question as soon as she missed their usual turn and stayed in Montgomery Hills, heading toward state-park land. “A remote mountain area where you can dispose of my body?”
“Tempting. But now that you’re going to be doing all my chores for the next two months, I think I’ll postpone the more dramatic of your reparations.”
“Two months?” Kara said with horror.
TJ gave her a quick glare before returning her focus to the road.
“How about one?” Kara asked.
“You want to work at Dillon’s?” TJ asked.
“One and a half?”
TJ shook her head in amusement over Kara’s constant attempts to renegotiate the terms of her atonements. “We’ll see.”
“Seriously, where are we going?” Kara asked again.
“Somewhere I should’ve taken you many times before now.”
They drove in silence for another stretch of time until TJ turned into the Montgomery Sepulcher Cemetery.
“We haven’t been here since Mom died,” Kara said, sitting far more upright than she ever did.
“No. And I think it was my mistake.”
TJ parked along the edge of a grassy field. There wasn’t a designated parking area per se, so she pulled to the side of the narrow road to let other
cars through. They walked to a statue of Mary. Under Mary’s outstretched arms was a columbarium among whose sections housed their mother’s remains. Their father’s name was inscribed on the front of the niche along with their mother’s, though his body had never been recovered.
Below the columbarium lay a valley closed to vehicles. Hawks circled high above. The faint murmur of road noise could be heard upon the wisps of the winds that occasionally wafted above the canyon.
TJ and Kara sat atop the granite-colored interment housing. TJ didn’t know whether it was gauche to do so, but it seemed the designers of the grounds thought it appropriate since there were no other seating options. It was all very strange. She’d have to do an Internet search to see whether Emily Post or Miss Manners had anything to say about protocol. Her only real issue—perhaps superstition—was she never walked on the tombs. It seemed rude.
“So, you want to talk to a counselor about Mom?” TJ asked.
Kara shrugged. “Not really.”
“Then why agree to it?”
“I’m being punished and it sounds like punishment.”
TJ smiled. They sat quietly except for the occasional light thump of Kara’s heel hitting the stone wall beneath where she sat. “Jess’s idea?”
Kara nodded.
TJ remembered all too clearly what Jess had said: She blames herself for your mother’s death. “I think it’s a good one. Mom’s a sore subject for me, but I should’ve encouraged you to talk about her.” Instead of letting you think you were to blame.
“You still mad at her?”
“Probably.”
“I would be.” Kara lifted her heels and wrapped her arms around her knees.
The comment and its melancholic tone struck a chord with TJ. It was as if Kara was leaving off if I were you. “Why do you say that?”
“For having to drop everything to babysit me.”
“I didn’t have to do anything. I came home because I wanted to.”
Kara scoffed. “Right.”
“Kara, I could go to community college anywhere and get a waitressing job anywhere. But I chose here.”
“Because Mom went off the deep end.”
“No. Because I love you.”
“Whatever.”
“I won’t pretend it was Plan A, but I came home of my own volition. Think about it, Kare. If Mom and Dad had lived to be old and infirm, would you stay in the little bubble of whatever your life was at that point and say, ‘Bummer for you’? Or would you figure out a way to help them because you love them? Just because we can’t always continue along the first path we envision doesn’t mean the new one’s worse. In fact, it’s often better. Should JK Rowling have stayed on welfare instead of writing her Harry Potter series? No. Do you know why?”
“Because it’s a great story?”
“No. Because lesbians everywhere would never have had the opportunity to dream of Emma Watson, regardless of the fact she was underage in most of the films.”
“Letch,” Kara said with a slight upturn to her lips that pleased TJ enormously.
TJ laughed. “Seriously though. I’ve never once been mad at Mom for—how you seem to put it—dumping you on me. Don’t ever, ever think that. I’ve been blessed to be so much a part of your life. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Kara picked at the molded foot bed of her Jack Purcell. “Then why are you angry with her?”
“Because she was unfair to you. You weren’t even a teenager when she started killing herself. What she did to you…Kare, she had no right.”
“Why bring me here if you feel that way?”
TJ took a deep breath. “I’m not sure I can forgive her. But I don’t want to stand in the way of your doing so. Or maybe not stand in the way so much as give the impression I don’t approve or make it seem like you can’t talk about her with me. I had a lot more good years with her than you did. If you can forgive her, I think you should.”
“I was never mad.”
The despondency in the softly spoken words sliced through TJ like a cleaver. Anger at her mother stormed alive from the depths of dormancy. It was unforgivable that her mother still had the ability to hurt Kara this way. Kara had never been mad because she was constantly treading with such caution around Evelyn, it was like she walked a tightrope. TJ had seen it countless times. Kara had tried so hard to get Evelyn to care about something, to care about her, but Evelyn had stopped paying attention. Evelyn became one of the worst things a mother could ever be as far as TJ was concerned: indifferent. At least that’s how it felt to TJ. Logic told her Evelyn was battling a dreadful illness, but her heart said Evelyn had stopped believing her children mattered.
Kara filled the silence. “Jess says Mom was sick and couldn’t see us anymore. I don’t think you should be angry with someone for getting sick.”
“I don’t disagree.” TJ couldn’t bring herself to go any farther than that, however; she didn’t intend to lie to Kara by telling her she’d work on it when she wasn’t at all sure she would—or could. “But back to you. I’ll research folks who specialize in grief counseling, and you can choose whomever you feel most comfortable with.”
“’Kay.”
“You know what that means, though.” TJ hopped off the wall and extended a hand to Kara, though she knew she wouldn’t take it. “You actually have to talk in these sessions. You can’t give the counselor your usual shrug and grunt.”
“Then maybe you should find ones that specialize in teenagers.”
“How about if I search for ones that only communicate via text message?”
Kara stopped.
“What’s wrong?” TJ said, wondering if Kara had tweaked her leg.
“That’s the most brilliant idea you’ve ever had,” Kara said before she started walking again. “Second.”
“What’s the first?”
Kara smiled. “Jess.”
TJ put her arm around Kara’s shoulder and grinned. “You’re not getting out of any punishments by buttering me up.”
“I wonder what she sees in you.”
“The wonder is that she sees it and still likes me.”
“Maybe she’s not as smart as we give her credit for.”
“Good point, because she likes you too.”
Chapter Twenty-three
In order to get information to help TJ, Jess gave Gary a spiel about needing to access a client’s view of his or her account due to certain marketing initiatives she planned that would show prospects the kinds of tools and information available to them once they invested with Magnate. As always, he complied without question, giving her access to everything she needed.
She started with the client statements, which showed dates of transactions, the names of the companies the client was invested in, the dividend-distribution amounts and the cash moving to and from the money-market sweep fund that held idle cash. They looked similar to those from the one brokerage account she held in her own name, the result of a bequest by her maternal grandmother.
The exercise wasn’t exactly riveting, and Jess’s thoughts shifted to TJ and their upcoming date. They hadn’t yet figured out where to go, and Jess didn’t care. It didn’t matter whether a meal or entertainment was involved. She simply wanted to see TJ. Jess had to spend the first half of the week at a CMO conference. Rapidly evolving marketing technologies required her to routinely attend various events to make sure she understood the latest software tools available to her. The information she picked up was typically well worth her time.
From her hotel room during the evenings, she progressed on getting up to speed on the Magnate Fund so she could hand off to TJ what she knew. It was wise for her to become more of a technical expert anyway, so doing the work was good for both of them. But the days apart from TJ bordered on excruciating. Though they texted and video-chatted, it wasn’t the same as seeing each other in person. She could hardly wait for Friday.
Returning her attention to the task at hand, she decided to take the extra step of m
atching a few of the dividend-distribution dates per the client statements to the companies’ ex-dividend dates. She started with Merck & Co, PepsiCo, Walmart, HP, and United Parcel Service. Two of the first five dividend dates she checked occurred on weekends. She wondered why the statements wouldn’t be correct. Weird. A minor computer glitch was likely the culprit. She’d have to touch base with Gary to find out which of the IT guys to follow up with.
Perhaps the most straightforward way of sifting through the array of information at her disposal was to take a look at a client’s history from beginning to present. Randomly selecting several clients from the list, Jess set about getting a sense of how a client’s funds were invested by Magnate by going through their accounts.
*
“You’re going to take all the wind out of my sails if you don’t stop looking so dour,” Brooke said as she took a seat. “What’s got you in such a funk?”
Jess half-smiled as she settled into her chair. It was Thursday, and although she hadn’t planned to leave the house until she’d figured out the puzzle that was the Magnate Fund, Brooke had insisted on lunch immediately upon her return from the conference. “Nothing that I’m sure whatever your surprise is won’t fix.” She was beginning to understand TJ’s frustration with the fund, which in turn was fueling her frustration with herself. Now that she had all the firm’s records at her disposal, there was no reason she couldn’t form a comprehensive view of how it worked. For God’s sake, if Gary understood the mechanics, she should be able to. The man practically needed instructions on how to open a book. “It couldn’t be timed any better. So tell me. What couldn’t wait?”
Brooke informed the waiter they were waiting for one more guest. “We’re about to close Muriel Manchester.”
The news should have made Jess happy. They’d been trying to win her business for years. But it only made her lose an already weak appetite. She couldn’t shake the feeling that some aspect of the firm was operating clandestinely. Confidential matters were one thing, with certain ones requiring a need-to-know basis by staff. But she was a Spaulding. Shouldn’t she be informed if any of Magnate’s practices diverged from industry standards? “That’s great to hear,” she said with as much conviction as she could muster.
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