I Could Write a Book: A Modern Variation of Jane Austen's Emma

by Karen M Cox

  “I’m not sure I’m up to the challenge. You’re so easily distracted.”

  “True enough.”

  He wrapped the fastening strap around his umbrella, watching it rather than me as he talked. “I heard Frat Boy left town.”

  “His grandmother took ill suddenly. They think she had a stroke.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know why he left. I’m genuinely sorry to hear about Mrs. Churchill. I know she hasn’t always been the most pleasant woman, at least to Bob Weston, but I’m sure Frank is fond of her. When is he planning to return?”

  I shrugged. “Who knows? He may miss Bob’s big Derby party, and that would be a shame.”

  George leaned the umbrella up against one of the benches and sat down in the gazebo’s center. “Were you all planning to go together?”

  “Maybe. It was implied, I guess, but we never made definite plans. Frank isn’t a definite plans kind of guy.”

  “No, I suppose he isn’t.”

  A robin landed on the bird feeder a few yards away, and I watched as he hopped around the ledge, helping himself to the seed inside.

  George cleared his throat. “So, what are your plans for graduation?”

  “What?”

  “Your graduation—how are you celebrating the big day?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “It’s coming up fast.”

  “It is.”

  “It’s a big milestone.”

  The surge of irritation came through in my exasperated sigh. “Is it really, George?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “How will things be any different than they are now? Except I won’t have classes to attend, of course.”

  “Perhaps they won’t be very different right away, but it’s still an important event. I thought Nina might throw you a party.”

  “Graduation is the day after Derby. She and Bob will be busy preparing for that. Jack and Izzy are driving down and won’t want to stay for the weekend.”

  “Yes, they will. We’ve already discussed it. They’re staying at Donwell.”

  “Well, I wish they’d talked to me first. I’m considering not attending graduation at all.”

  “What? Why not?”

  “It will be so hard for Daddy. University commencement is huge. Thousands of people milling around everywhere, and the parking is a nightmare, plus all the walking. It will make him so anxious and fretful. It’s almost not worth it.”

  “It is worth it, Emma Kate. I know your father wants you to walk through commencement, just like I know your mother would have wanted it. Nina will be heartbroken if you don’t.”

  “But…”

  “Jack and Izzy and I will handle John.”

  “But the children…”

  “Rita will watch the children. Leave the rest to me.” He looked off into the garden and grumbled. “Not go through commencement! Of all the silly, foolish notions.”

  “If you insist, I guess.”

  “I do insist. And not only that, I insist you let me throw you a get-together in celebration.”

  “Oh, George, no one will want another party the day after Derby. It’s too much.”

  “We won’t do a big, splashy party then. We’ll do…brunch. At the country club. A brunch with eggs Benedict and fresh strawberries and mimosas and whatever else you ladies like. And some manly food for the other half.”

  “You’re going to throw a brunch?”

  “I have a juris doctorate degree and run a law practice. I can organize a small gathering of friends.”

  “You mean hire it done.”

  “Hired help is a given. After all, I was well-trained by my mother. Hiring good help is a time-honored family tradition.”

  “Maybe Julianne can help you with the girly stuff.”

  “Probably not.”

  “Is she working?”

  “Not sure. She and I…um, well. We’re not seeing each other anymore.” He picked up the umbrella, fiddled with the strap again. “She’s off to Arizona at the beginning of July for her new attending position. And we broke up.”

  This is a surprise! I eyed him carefully. “I’m sorry, George. Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Not really.”

  “Still painful?”

  He shook his head, laughed a little. “No, it really isn’t. That’s bad, isn’t it?”

  I thought of my feelings about Frank Weston. “No, I get it.”

  “You do?”

  “Sure. She was a good one, just not The One.”

  “You do get it. I’m surprised.”

  “Don’t stroke my ego like that, George. My self-worth is inflated enough already.”

  He ignored the sarcasm. “I mean, I liked Julianne, respected her.”

  “She was a step up from your Woman of the Month.”

  “Yes.” His gaze slid back to me. “I guess I’m getting serious in my old age.”

  “You’re just hitting your stride, Professor.” I reached over and patted his arm. “You’ll be back at it in no time.” It was a tease, and he surprised me when he covered my hand with his.

  “I don’t think I’ll be doing things the way I did before Julianne. She had a lot to say to me, a lot that made sense. She said I needed to sort out my priorities, be honest with myself.”

  “That sounds like it was a deep conversation, one that makes me a little envious.”

  “She gave me some good advice, and I’m going to take it. I won’t jump right back into the dating pool. I need some time to figure out what I’m looking for.” He turned my hand over in his and squeezed my fingers gently before letting me go. I had a childish impulse to grab his hand and hold it against my cheek—my dear friend George, stoic in the face of his loss, and trying to figure out what was to come. I understood that perfectly, because I was in the same boat with my own life. Suddenly, the rain didn’t seem so cold, and I didn’t feel so alone.

  Thirty

  May 1,1976

  I smiled at George as he handed me out of the passenger side of his car. One valet helped Mary Jo out of the back, and the other plopped behind the wheel of the Mercedes and ran his hands over the steering wheel in admiration.

  “Thank you for bringing us to the party a bit early.”

  “It was Bob’s request, was it not?” George stepped between Mary Jo and me and offered us each an elbow.

  “Yes, I think he needed some extra help setting up, so he asked us to come before the actual start time.” I frowned looking around at the steady stream of people filing into Bromley Crossing. “Looks like plenty of people are here to help though.”

  “That’s Bob for you,” George said good-naturedly. “He loves his friends around him.”

  “Enough to invite all his nearest and dearest to lend a hand. It seems to me if everyone’s a close friend, no one is—if you get my drift.”

  “I suppose you have a point there, Emma Kate.”

  “Kindness, without succumbing to indiscriminate friendships with everyone he meets is an admirable quality in a man, don’t you agree, Mary Jo?”

  “Wow!” Mary Jo’s eyes were wide as saucers as she paused to take in the white bunting around the gazebos and the tents strewn about the yard. The big building at Bromley Crossing, an old restored train station, was decorated to match, with planters full of red roses set all along the front entrance. “It’s beautiful!”

  “Well, ladies, shall we?”

  “We shall.” I squeezed his arm and beamed up at him. “I’m glad you let us tag along. You could have brought a date, or made an entrance, swaggering in alone. You would have drawn every female eye in the place, Mr. Handsome.”

  “Escorting two lovely ladies draws every eye, female or not, so that’s even better, isn’t it?”

  I chuckled. “I guess it is.”

  “Oh, look,” Mary Jo said, “here comes Frank Weston.”

  He was striding toward us, that same old cocky grin on his face. “There you are, Emma! I’ve been looking all over for you.” He spok
e like he was glad to see us, although his eyes still roamed the crowd as if looking for someone. He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “The three of you look like the Mod Squad coming up the path. Here, Knightley, let me steal this gal for a minute.” He stepped to my other side, taking my hand, and dragging me forward.

  “It looks just grand, Frank,” I said. “I don’t think I’d change a thing.”

  “Yep, it came together well. Not that I had that much to do with it. I just got back from Alabama last night.”

  I heard George snort from behind me and ignored it.

  “But,” Frank continued, “Dad and Nina had lots of help, so it turned out they didn’t need me anyway.”

  “Yes, help is all around, in every nook and cranny.” I smiled sweetly. “How’s your grandmother doing?”

  “Not so good, but Mom’s going to send her to some rehab place…oh, she told me, but I can’t remember.” His fingers mimicked ideas fleeing from his mind. “Somewhere. Thanks for asking. Hey, let me get you a drink.”

  I glanced over my shoulder. George smiled at me once our eyes met, but his expression was subdued, and I wondered briefly if he thought I was encouraging Frank too much.

  But Frank and I are friends. And George doesn’t have double standards like that. How could he, when he charms every woman he meets?

  The band started to play, and Frank took my hand, announcing, “Drinks can wait!” and pulled me onto the dance floor, where he whirled and twirled me around to the sounds of a watered-down version of “Get Up and Boogie.”

  “Look, it’s Elton and Edie.” Frank pointed to the couple posed at the entry, as if to wait for everyone’s attention.

  “Oh, bother.”

  “They sure do like to make an entrance, don’t they?”

  “Hmm.” I was impressed that such a noncommittal response could convey my very real disapproval.

  “And yet, there they are, all alone—not a friend in sight to greet them.” He grinned at me and brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear to whisper, “Their reputation precedes them. Or maybe it’s her horsey laugh, although that should fit right in at a Derby party.” I held in my snicker, keeping my back to the new arrivals. He craned his neck to see around me. “I thought they were bringing Jane and Helen.”

  “They are?”

  “But I don’t see them. There’s Dad. Let’s eavesdrop, shall we?” He moved us closer while Tim and Edie smiled and sent coy waves and greetings to various people in the crowd.

  “Where are Jane and Helen?” Bob asked, shaking Tim’s hand and looking behind Edie.

  Tim froze, toothy smile still in place. “Ah…”

  Edie’s head whipped around as she glared at Tim. “What? Oh my goodness! We were supposed to pick them up? Tim! You didn’t tell me that!”

  “I could have sworn I told you, honey, but it must have slipped my mind.”

  “How could my dear friend Jane slip your mind? I’m so embarrassed! You have to go straight back to Hartfield Road and get them.”

  “Of course. I’ll go right now. You stay and enjoy the party. Back in a flash.”

  After Tim made a hurried exit, Edie finally moved away from the entry, letting more people through, and latched herself onto the host.

  I raised my eyebrows and gave Frank a knowing look.

  He was frowning, but seeing my expression, he pulled me into a dancing embrace. “She leads Elton around by the nose and seems about as genuine as the rhinestones on her dress.”

  I finally gave in to my giggle.

  Several other couples began to join us on the dance floor. We were still dancing when I glanced through the window and saw Tim Elton’s car barreling up the drive.

  “Let’s go greet them,” Frank said. “We wouldn’t want Elton to have to escort two lovely ladies in all by himself.”

  It occurred to me that Frank hadn’t cared so much when it was George escorting Mary Jo and me, but I let that go and told him I was going to speak to Nina.

  As we parted ways, I overheard Edie say to Bob, in a voice for everyone close, including Frank, to hear, “Your son is so handsome!”

  “Thank you,” Bob said.

  “He just has that presence about him—you know, that ‘je ne sais quoi’ that young men don’t seem to have anymore. My father is always chasing off those worthless young men my sisters bring around. Frank is so far above that, I can just tell.” Her braying laugh ripped the elegant fabric of the music and conversation around them. “Maybe you should send Frank over to Frankfort.”

  “Maybe I should. Well, I’ve got to check on the bar real quick. Can I get you anything?”

  “I should wait for Tim, I guess…”

  “Okay then.” Bob gave her a big grin. “Thanks for coming, Edie. Have a great time.” And he was gone, leaving Edie looking around before heading toward Tim, Jane, and Helen standing just inside the door. Soon, Edie found her words, even her unique laugh drowned out by Helen’s excitement.

  “Tim! Thank you so much for the ride! Even though it’s a beautiful day, isn’t it? Just beautiful. We could have walked. It’s so nice outside. You know, sometimes Derby Day is cold and rainy. I remember one year it even snowed! Of course, we were at home. We weren’t out in…” She stopped and looked around the room. “My goodness! This is marvelous! I haven’t been out here in years, but it doesn’t look anything like I remember. So much nicer! So elegant! Bob and Nina did a fantastic job!”

  “Thank you, Helen. You’re very kind,” Nina replied, giving her a hug and a kiss on each cheek.

  “I’m just so happy to be here. It’s marvelous, Nina. How did you ever manage it? You’re so busy all the time. I just don’t know how you… Why, hello, Edie! It’s good to see you! I didn’t know you were here already. It was good of Tim to come by and fetch us in his BMW. What a nice ride! We felt just like royalty. We did! It was nice of Nina to offer a ride too, but Jane said she would be much too busy to fool with the likes of us, and we were spoiled for choices—it’s so wonderful to have such thoughtful friends and family. Two offers from two wonderful friends! How were we to choose? I was just telling Mother this morning… Pardon?” Helen leaned toward Nina before shifting gears to answer her question. “Oh, Mother is doing very well, very well. She insisted on staying with John today, so she took the car over there. She decided not to come with us, but she dressed up, just like she was going to a party. A party of two—well, three, I guess, if you count Juanita who stays with John. Mother wore that lovely brooch that Mike Dixon got her. Mike is Jane’s fiancé, you know. He sent that brooch to Mother for Christmas, all the way from Ireland. So kind of him. Come on in, Jane, honey—don’t stand out there in the wind. Oh, thank you, Frank, for escorting her in. You’re always so attentive to Jane. And to us. It was so nice of you to come over and fix that screen door at the house. It was almost completely off its hinges, and he fixed it in one afternoon while Mother and I were at the store. So fortunate that Jane was home to let him in.” Helen spotted Emma. “Hello, honey! Oh, you look so pretty. That dress is so becoming on you.”

  “Thanks, Helen.”

  “And I love the way you’ve done your hair. Gorgeous! How do you like Jane’s hair?”

  I stole a jealous glance at Jane’s long, luscious brunette curls. “Beautiful as always.”

  “Isn’t it?” Helen gushed as Jane’s cheeks flushed pink. “She did it herself. She made great friends of the makeup and hair people in New York. And it shows. They taught her everything they know. Oh! Dr. and Mrs. Perry are here! I must go and say hello.” She began to wander off. “Mrs. Weatherly, how do you do? And Norma Henderson! It’s been an age! Is that your son Richard? The last time I saw him he was knee-high to a grasshopper! Just look at him now! Oh no, Norma, don’t interrupt him—he’s much better off talking to that pretty young woman than a broken-down old relic like me! Very well, how are you doing, Richard? Oh, excuse me. I need to move away from the door. People are trying to get in and here I stand. Mimosa? I don’t believe so, thank yo
u, Nina. I’m going to hold off for a little bit. Did I tell you how lovely everything looks? I did? I’m so happy to be here!” Helen’s face beamed like a lamp without a lampshade to diffuse the light.

  Frank moved to my side, and now that Helen had moved off, I could overhear the conversation between Edie and Jane.

  “You do look especially lovely, Jane. Is that a Halston dress? I expect you have all kinds of wonderful gifts like that from your Mike. He must be a generous man. You always look top notch. Nothing like this old dress off the rack at Embry’s.”

  “Your dress is…very striking,” Jane said politely. “Embry’s is where everyone here goes for formal wear.”

  “Do you think? I wasn’t sure about this hat. You know, I’m just not much into fashion myself, but this is a big to-do. Lots of important people here, and I wanted to do the Westons’ party justice. Derby only comes once a year, you know. It was a great occasion to wear my pearls. I don’t see many pearls like mine here.”

  There was an awkward silence.

  “That Frank Weston is a wonderful dancer. Most athletes are, I imagine.” Edie leaned in close to Jane’s ear, but didn’t lower her voice at all. “And you know what they say about men who are good dancers, don’t you? I’ve always heard they are good in b—”

  “So, Emma!” Frank almost yelled to drown out Edie’s innuendo. Typically, nothing embarrassed Frank Weston, but Edie Bitti had a special knack for vulgarity.

  Tim had joined Edie and Jane, and Edie took his arm on one side and dragged Jane’s elbow with the other. “You found us, Timmy. Interrupted me and my best pal in our girl talk.”

  “Best pal?” Frank whispered to me. “That was fast. But I guess Jane’s all right with it.”

  “I wouldn’t read too much into it. You know how Edie is.”

  “Old windbag-in-training, if you ask me.”

  “Well, aren’t you rude?” I looked up to see Frank scowling into the crowd. “Not that I really disagree, but it’s ungenerous to say it out loud. What’s up with you today, Frank?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re acting peculiar. Like you’re ticked off.”