The Queen of Bad Decisions
Page 5
Three, sharp knocks on the door punctuated the hum of the microwave. Her heart plummeted to her sandals. The microwave dinged. Time was up. Anita smoothed her hair one last time and took a deep breath. Another series of knocks tapped out the message that Alexandra was too impatient stay around long enough to knock a third time.
“Just a moment,” Anita said. The urge to run into the bathroom and throw up challenged the need to answer the door. She rested her forehead on the door frame for a few seconds and then turned the handle. A doppelganger of herself at age 25 stood in the hallway. “I’m so happy you’re here. Welcome to my studio.”
A flicker of surprise passed over her daughter’s face, quickly replaced by the emotionless lawyer’s mask Anita had seen so many times on her ex-husband’s face. “Hello, mother. I only have a few minutes, but I wanted to check on you. The wedding rehearsal starts in an hour.”
The condescending comment deserved an indignant response. She wasn’t the crazy relative who needed to be monitored for signs of emerging psychosis. The relationship with her daughter had been strained to the breaking point since the moment she separated from Phillip. One angry remark could leave it in a pile of irreparable rubble. “It was nice of you to fit a visit with me into your schedule. Please, come in. Would you like some tea? I think I have about a dozen varieties, mint and lemongrass, matcha, jasmine pearls?”
Alexandra shook her head as she passed by Anita. She stopped at the edge of the kitchen island and slowly surveyed the apartment. The crammed studio was a far cry from the custom-built suburban mansion she grew up in. The entire apartment was smaller than her childhood bedroom.
“Surely dad pays you enough alimony to live in a better place than this.”
Disdain oozed from the statement. She appeared perplexed that her martini sipping socialite mother had turned into a kombucha brewing artist. Although there was a good chance Alexandra had no idea that the jar full of brown liquid sitting on the kitchen counter was fermented tea. “I could live in a luxury apartment, but I like the community aspect of this artists’ colony. There are potlucks, special interest groups and even movie nights. I find it much more stimulating than sitting alone in an over-priced ivory tower.”
“Sounds like college. Are you trying to relive your glory years at U of M or something?”
Her daughter was right. The colony was similar to a dorm, but she certainly didn’t have any fantasies about going back to her years in college. Too many painful lessons she didn’t care to repeat. “I definitely don’t want to go back to college, but the atmosphere is like a much more grown up version of a dorm. The diversity in the residents and the art they create is amazing. Why don’t you have a seat? Tell me about your life in southern California. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to visit in over a year.”
“I really need to get going. I love California so much more than Michigan. I’m sure I’ll never live in this state again. Daddy is helping me get into an entertainment law firm in L.A. My life is perfect. Don’t feel bad about not visiting. I’m doing fine.”
Anita nodded. She still knew how to interpret her daughter’s mannerisms. The short, precise sentences, like a robot reciting a bulleted list, exuded discord. The subtext behind Alexandra’s words was that she didn’t want Anita to visit. She had always been a daddy’s girl and was perfectly happy staying like that, especially since he had the connections to land her a dream job at a high-powered law firm. Blood ties weren’t easily cut, though. Anita wouldn’t let her daughter just float away like a delicate balloon caught in a crosswind.
“I love you, so I’m always with you in spirit.” She picked up a book from the end table and handed it to Alexandra. “This is what I do now, instead of shopping for designer shoes or interviewing party planners.”
Alexandra accepted the book like it was a flier handed out by a vagrant on a street corner. Then she flipped the altered book over. Her eyes widened as she caressed the embossed title with her index finger, “Little House On The Prairie”. It was her favorite book in the series she was obsessed with as a child. Anita had found a vintage hardcover copy of the book. Instead of gluing, folding and painting the pages, techniques she often used, all of the pages were left loose and intact. Tucked between them were inspiring quotes handwritten in swirling script on vintage paper, interspersed with bits of antique ephemera like tickets to plays and scraps of sheet music. A few photographs of Alexandra as a happy child were hidden in the mix.
A slight smile brightened Alexandra’s face as she opened the door. “Thank you, mom. I love it.”
Raisin and Date Chutney
1/2 cup raisins, light or dark
1/2 cup pitted, chopped dates
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper - depending on desired heat or omit completely
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Combine everything in a medium, non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Keep for one week in refrigerator or freeze for up to six months.
Black Pepper & Honey Glazed Carrots
2 1/2 cups thickly sliced carrots
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Bring water and butter to a boil in a 10-inch skillet. Add carrots, cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until carrots are just tender. Remove lid. Add honey, pepper and salt to taste. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until glaze is thickened and coats carrot slices.
About The Bartonville Series
Sometimes all you need is one or two bites to satisfy a craving.
That is the principle behind The Bartonville Series. We're all busy. Settling down and spending hours reading a nice, long novel is appealing, but how often do you get to do that? With that thought in mind I am creating a women's fiction series where each book will contain stories of different lengths with companion recipes. There will be flash fiction stories that can be read during a coffee break, novellas that can be devoured over an evening and everything in between, like short stories and novelettes.
Other stories in the series:
Must Love Sandwiches (Volume 1)
About The Author
Janel Gradowski grew up, and still lives, in the mitten shaped state of Michigan. She is a wife and mother whose writing companion is a crazy Golden Retriever named Cooper. In the past she has worked many jobs. Renting apartments, scorekeeping for a stock car racetrack and selling newspaper classified advertisements are some of the experiences that continue to provide inspiration for her stories. Now she writes fiction and is also a beadwork designer and teacher. She enjoys cooking and is fueled by copious amounts of coffee. Her work has appeared in many publications, both online and in print. She is the author of two series. The Bartonville Series is women's fiction with recipes. Each volume will contain stories of various lengths, all set in Michigan. The 6:1 Series features collections of her stories that are based on the title's theme. You can connect with her in various ways.
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Website: http://www.janelgradowski.com
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