“It’s terrible,” Erinn said. “She comes across as spoiled and demanding. . . even more spoiled and demanding than she is in real life.”
“I don’t know,” Suzanna said. She didn’t want to be overly sympathetic to a woman who flirted brazenly with Eric, even if Eric seemed—for the most part—oblivious. “She must have a fan base that likes that sort of thing.”
“I can’t imagine,” Erinn said.
“Eric sold one of her graphic novels.”
“One?” replied Erinn, who had listened to Suzanna’s rages against Blu. “I bet some hormonal teenage boy just shoplifted it.”
Suzanna smiled. Only Erinn would think shoplifting sounded supportive.
“The best footage we have is of the rabbits,” Erinn continued. “Their fur has grown back, and I have fantastic video of Blu combing them and feeding them. She seems almost likable.”
“How is Dymphna with that?”
“She only really cares that the rabbits are happy. You know Dymphna.”
“Yeah, she marches to her own beat.”
“As Thoreau once said, ‘If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears the beat of a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.’ ”
“Are you sure that was Thoreau?” Suzanna asked, trying not to smile.
Erinn stopped dead in her tracks.
“Of course I’m sure!”
“I’m just teasing.” Suzanna laughed. “I swear, Erinn, you can be such an easy target.”
Erinn laughed and the two sisters started lugging the concrete again. As they dumped the bag of debris in the recycling pile, Erinn caught sight of Christopher. Suzanna knew her older sister would be useless now that her man was in her eye line.
“Go see Christopher,” Suzanna said. “I don’t think I could haul another bag of concrete if they paid me.”
Which they didn’t.
Rio’s studio was hit the hardest by the smoke damage, but he was still giving dance lessons to kids out in the open by the skateboarding area. Suzanna watched him at work. He was just so damn sexy she couldn’t stand it. He was in control of every muscle in his body—quite impressive to a woman who had trouble not soaring into space when the going got tough. She and Eric mended some fences of their own, but Suzanna couldn’t get her mother’s Get Out of Jail Free card out of her mind. Maybe Rio was the one?
Suzanna noticed her mother had made her way over to the group. Virginia was laughing with a few of the teenagers who were standing around. She didn’t want to interrupt whatever was going on, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. She wasn’t close enough to hear, but it was obvious that Rio had turned on some music. He put out his hand and Virginia took it. She and Rio started doing some sort of disco routine that had the kids laughing and howling encouragement.
Mom knows how to dance?
There was no denying that her mother was full of surprises these days. A day after the fire, her mother had practically adopted Rio and his kids. It was her idea to continue the dance lessons outside.
“You’ve got beautiful weather all year long here,” Virginia had said.
There was something about the way she said, “You’ve got beautiful weather,” instead of “We’ve got beautiful weather,” that sent up a warning flare in Suzanna’s mind.
It wasn’t long until she was proven right. Her mother had plans.
Virginia spent most days with Rio and his kids. She seemed renewed. Two weeks ago, after putting Lizzy to bed and taking Piquant out for a final stroll, Virginia joined Eric and Suzanna in the kitchen. She made small talk until Eric went to check on Lizzy. Suzanna saw her mother’s eyes follow him as he left the room. She could tell her mother had something on her mind and the fact that she had waited for Eric to leave the room was not a good sign.
“I need to talk to you about something,” Virginia had said. “I’m not sure how you are going to feel about this.”
“OK,” Suzanna said.
“I’ve decided to move back to New York after the metal tree is dedicated.”
“Why?” Suzanna asked abruptly. She was hit harder than she expected. Her mother had fit so seamlessly into their lives. Yes, she drove Eric crazy with her passion for causes, but Suzanna took some satisfaction that Eric was, in the gentlest way possible, getting a dose of his own medicine. What would life be like without seeing her mother smiling every morning as Suzanna staggered into the kitchen to start the day? She had gotten used to a lovely routine: Her mother and her daughter would greet her every day, having already returned from their morning run. She could feel tears forming but blinked them away. Piquant was in a corner of the kitchen, resting in his doggy bed. He looked up at Suzanna and a tear finally escaped.
Hell, I’m even going to miss that damn dog.
Suzanna wiped at her eyes. It wasn’t fair to guilt her mother with tears . . . at least not yet.
“There’s more,” Virginia said.
Suzanna tried to figure out what it could be. Was Virginia bored just being a grandmother? Had she started a romance with Mr. Clancy or Bernard and not told anyone? Did one of them break her heart? No, she decided, that would be impossible. Her mother was . . . well, her mother. Men weren’t supposed to fall in love with a mother—especially hers!
“Well, Mom,” Suzanna prompted. “What is it?”
“I’m moving to New York with someone,” Virginia said.
Suzanna couldn’t wrap her head around this announcement. So it was love! This was crazy. Suzanna commanded herself to keep a grip on her emotions. She knew this could not be easy for her mother. She was about to announce the man who would be replacing her own husband! Replacing Suzanna and Erinn’s father. Suzanna wasn’t sure she wanted to hear, but hear it she must!
“And . . . who is it?” Suzanna asked. “Mr. Clancy or Bernard? Who won?”
Suzanna tried to keep the moment light.
“Well,” Virginia said, “I hate to disappoint you, but neither one.”
“Oh?”
“Suzanna, when you get to be my age, your needs are different.”
“Please, Mom, you know I can’t handle talking about your needs.”
“I just mean, Mr. Clancy and Bernard are both lovely, lovely men. But their lives are just fine without me. Neither of them needs me. A serious relationship with either one of them never really entered my mind. And besides, it would ruin the friendship they’ve had for all these years. I’m sure as hell not interested in that.”
“Who then? Who is it that needs you so badly?”
Virginia drew circles on the table with her finger, stalling. Suzanna stayed focused and waited. She would give her mother all the time she needed.
“Rio,” Virginia said, averting her gaze.
Suzanna grabbed the edges of the table. Usually when a stress float was upon her she was aware that liftoff was imminent. This time, her thighs banged instantly into the tabletop, which held her in place. She concentrated on the conversation as her legs banged again and again on the bottom of the table, trying to break loose, so she could float away and feel safe.
“Rio!” Suzanna almost growled, before trying a different tone. “I mean . . . Rio?”
“Yes, dear. I know this is probably coming as a shock.”
OK, understatement was never her strong suit.
Eric popped his head through the doorway.
“You guys good? I thought I’d go for a bike ride.”
Suzanna and Virginia waved him away. They were so in tune with each other. Neither of them spoke until they heard the soft click of the back door below them.
“So, Mom, you were saying . . .”
“I’m sure you’re aware of how much time we’ve been spending together.”
Yes! I have noticed and I’ve been damn grown-up about it! And now I find out my own mother is a traitor and a slut! Well, slut is probably too strong . . . a floozy, maybe—Suzanna thought. But she knew she had to hold her tongue.
Instead she said,
“I have noticed, yes. But I thought it was for the good of the kids.”
Virginia reached out her hand imploringly and placed it on Suzanna’s arm.
“It was. It was about the kids. But he needs studio space. He can’t keep teaching kids on the street. It’s a fine stopgap, but the idea is to get them off the street. Rio got a call from a church in New York City that wants to offer him studio space—they have ten kids who have signed up for dance class. They’re getting funding to start a citywide program. They are focusing on younger kids and they really, really need him.”
Suzanna couldn’t help but think that Rio had sold her mother a bill of goods, but she kept quiet.
“He couldn’t take the job because he wouldn’t have the money for a place to live. He’s such a good man, Suzanna. He should have this chance.”
“What has that got to do with you?” Suzanna asked.
“I’ve loved feeling needed again.”
“Oh, now I get it. Rio needs a place to live in New York, and you just happen to have one, so suddenly you guys are madly in love and all his problems are solved!”
So much for holding my tongue.
Virginia stared at her as if she’d been slapped.
“Now, that’s a bit harsh,” Virginia said.
“I’m sorry, Mother, but—”
“But what?” Virginia interrupted. “There’s no fool like an old fool?”
“Now who’s being harsh? Mom, he has you bamboozled. I told you who he was!”
“You told me who he used to be,” Virginia said. “By the way, bamboozled. Good word.”
Suzanna stared at her mother, who seemed to be enjoying this. Suddenly, Virginia burst out laughing. She stood up and kissed her daughter on the head. As angry as Suzanna still was, her thighs stopped thumping against the table and she settled down.
“Oh, honey,” Virginia said, dabbing at her eyes. “I know I should be insulted, but I am so flattered that you think Rio would try to seduce me . . . even if it were just for a place to live.” Virginia had another fit of what Suzanna might kindly call “the giggles” but was so intense it was more like a “bout of braying.” Her mother was practically honking with laughter. “That is so sweet of you to think that.”
“OK,” Suzanna said, when her mother had calmed down. “So . . . what’s the deal, then?”
“Working with these kids, helping teach them something exciting, watching the wall come down one kid at a time has filled a void I didn’t even know was there. Imagine what we could do if we actually start a real program for inner-city kids? Think of the difference it would make! I’m going to help set up the foundation or whatever it is and help teach. I have an extra bedroom and Rio is welcome to it.”
“So that’s the need?” Suzanna asked, relieved.
She felt like an idiot. A jealous idiot. She would have continued to berate herself, but she was so relieved that her mother hadn’t stolen her fantasy man that all she could do was smile.
“But what about Rio’s kids here?” Suzanna asked. “The last thing they need is to be dumped by the two of you.”
“We’ve already worked that out.” Suzanna noticed how comfortably her mother said “we.” It sounded good.
“How?” Suzanna asked.
“These kids are all over eighteen. If they want to keep it going, they can. And those twins, Miles and Winnie? They are really motivated to make a success of it. Rio is helping them get set up at their high school.”
“Eighteen is pretty young,” Suzanna said.
“It is young. But a few months ago, these kids had no direction, nothing they cared about, and nothing to occupy their time. Don’t you see? Rio started this impossible project with nobody interested and no money to see it through. Now he’ll be reaching kids on two coasts. Just following his example will help these kids.”
“That sounds like a gamble.”
“Life’s a gamble,” said Virginia.
By the following morning, when Suzanna came into the kitchen to see her mother feeding Lizzy breakfast, she realized how much she wanted her mother to stay. But she knew it wasn’t fair to place that burden on her, so she didn’t say anything except, “I’ll miss you, Mom.”
Virginia looked up from the table, where she sat with Lizzy. She seemed to be reading Suzanna’s mind.
“Don’t tell your sister just yet,” Virginia said.
“OK. But why?”
“Things are . . . more complicated with Erinn. I need to be the one to tell her. I’ll figure it out.”
Suzanna shared the news with her husband. To her surprise he seemed as deflated as she was to hear it.
“We have to let her go, Beet,” Eric said. “In her time, she let Erinn go and then she let you go. It’ll be practice for when it’s Lizzy’s turn.”
Suzanna felt like crying every time she looked at her mother over the next couple of days. But Virginia seemed to be on top of the world. She was energized and full of purpose as more and more teenagers seemed to take part in dancing lessons. Suzanna watched from the front of the tea shop, but suddenly a crowd of kids closed around Rio and her mother. Suzanna moved closer. Was her mother safe in that crowd? When Suzanna got close enough to see what was going on she gasped. Not only Rio but her mother and several teenagers were doing the zombie choreography to Michael Jackson’s Thriller! Even from a distance, she could see a boy with a tattoo sleeve, Miles, whom Virginia had mentioned. She thought she recognized the goth girl . . . what was her name? Suzanna couldn’t remember, but she did know that she was Miles’s sister . . . twin sister. She really needed to pay more attention to her mother’s stories. The girl was transformed from a gloomy, stooped-shouldered teenager to a vibrant young woman, laughing along with the rest of the group. They looked almost professional! The entire group seemed to move from step to step with total ease. How long could they have been working on that? Was Thriller now in the country’s collective DNA?
Suzanna jumped as a hand clasped on to her shoulder. She turned and saw Eric standing beside her.
“Oh! You scared me,” Suzanna said. “I thought you were a zombie.”
“Not yet,” Eric said, smiling at the pack of crazy-quilt dancers hopping and lurching around the skateboard area.
“What?” Suzanna asked.
“These kids have given me a brilliant idea,” Eric said.
“About being a zombie or a dancer?”
“You’ll be the first to know, Beet.”
The next few weeks flew by. Mr. Clancy’s Courtyard gleamed in the Southern California sunshine. The walkway was smooth and even. The tree sculpture, to everyone’s knowledge, was finished; it stood in the courtyard covered by a muslin drape. Eric had worked relentlessly on his brilliant idea and soon it would be time to unleash it on Venice Beach.
CHAPTER 25
VIRGINIA
Virginia realized with a jolt that she had run farther than she’d ever run before. Every morning she took Piquant and Lizzy out in the Baby Jogger and ran north toward Santa Monica. For the first few weeks she had clocked about a mile, which didn’t even take her out of the Venice city limits. But now, she ran effortlessly past the Santa Monica Pier, past Perry’s Pizza, where she needed to be on her guard as tourists took to the bike path on rental bikes and skates, on past the California Incline and the Annenberg Beach House.
She looked up at the cliff that towered over the Pacific Coast Highway. Erinn’s house was just at the top of the cliff. She was literally minutes from her eldest daughter, but she hesitated. Should she call and let Erinn know she was in the neighborhood? Or would Erinn find that intrusive? Virginia loved her eldest daughter fiercely, but their relationship was never easy. Virginia had been putting off telling Erinn about the move east. She wasn’t sure why. On the one hand, she knew Suzanna would be much more upset about her leaving and yet it had been simpler to tell her. Virginia and Suzanna had always had an easier relationship than she and Erinn.
She unbuckled Piq
uant and Lizzy from the Baby Jogger and the three of them spent a few minutes on the sand. Virginia felt emotions welling up inside her; when she went back to New York she would miss this precious child. As she watched Piquant and Lizzy playing, she knew her dog would miss Lizzy, too.
Virginia dug her phone out of her back pocket. She resolved to tell Erinn she was moving. She would do it, and she would do it now! Unless Erinn didn’t answer the phone.
Erinn answered the phone before Virginia could change her mind.
“Hello, dear,” Virginia said. “Lizzy and I are in your neck of the woods.”
“Oh?” Erinn said, in a tone Virginia could not decipher.
“Yes, we’re on the jogging path just below you. If you were in the park, you could look over and see us.”
“But I’m not in the park.” Virginia knew that Erinn was not being rude, just being . . . Erinn. When she was little, Martin used to call her Miss Spock. She was so serious, so literal minded, and actually had little pointed ears.
“I thought you might want to go out to breakfast,” Virginia said.
There was a long pause at the other end of the line. Spontaneity was not one of Erinn’s strong suits.
“All right. That would be nice. Shall I meet you at Back on the Beachwalk in ten minutes?”
Back on the Beachwalk had become one of Virginia’s favorite restaurants since she’d come west. It was on the northern, more serene side of the bay area. She loved the hubbub of Venice, but when she wanted time to think, Back on the Beachwalk was the place she went to unwind. The restaurant had indoor and outdoor seating, the outdoor part being right on the sand. Virginia could also always bring Piquant, which was another plus.
She knew she’d mentioned the place to Erinn a few times and she was touched that her daughter remembered.
Once at the restaurant, Virginia settled Lizzy at the table and Piquant under it. She had just ordered coffee and two bagels when Erinn walked up to them. Lizzy clapped, and Erinn bent for a kiss. Virginia smiled. Erinn had never seemed particularly interested in children before, and Virginia was happy to see Erinn open herself up to Lizzy. Virginia knew better than to make this particular observation—Erinn could get prickly at the most innocent remark. Virginia passed Erinn a bagel.
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