“Mr. Gustafson!” she said, her anger getting the better of her, but a moment later she had herself back under control. “As I said, I cannot discuss human resources problems but please be assured that I stringently followed the law in this — as in all! — such situations.”
“I’m sure you did, Mrs. Curtin,” Matthias said. “I’m sure you did.”
• • •
Brianna didn’t remember driving home; she must have been entirely numb. She finally came back to the present when she opened the front door and Dakota came bounding across the living room to greet her.
She rubbed Dakota’s head, then patted Jasmine when she moseyed up more slowly. Brianna dropped her bag and keys on the table and sat down, still feeling stunned and not quite knowing what to do about it.
Her mind kept spinning in hamster wheels. What did she do now? What could she do now? She needed to get another job but Mrs. Curtin was never going to give her a good reference. What was she going to do? She needed to get another job, but the idea of trying to figure out resumes and job listings and interviews while taking care of Natalie seemed overwhelming. She didn’t even know where she’d start. She didn’t even know —
Someone knocked on the door. Brianna jerked, startled. She couldn’t imagine who would be coming here at this time of day. Jasmine barked at the door, and Brianna quieted her as she glanced out the peephole.
Matthias. She remembered that he’d been on the phone when she’d walked out of the office, so apparently he’d heard the news. She opened the door.
“Guess you heard,” she said, stepping back to let him in. She kinda wanted to have some alone time to do whatever the hell she was going to do when the shock wore off — burst into noisy sobs, throw things, write nasty emails to Mrs. Curtin that she wouldn’t send. But here he was so she guessed she would just have to control herself.
“I did,” he said. He looked mad, or so she deduced from the tightness of his jaw and the thinness of his lips. He wasn’t a person who got mad very often — she’d never seen it before — so she wasn’t sure.
“Okay. So you’re here because?”
He stared at her. “Because I’m your friend?”
She let out a breath. “For a minute I thought you were going to be mad at me.”
“You? Why would I be mad at you?”
“This is the worst possible time for me to get fired. We need the money — ”
“It’s the worst possible time for Mrs. Curtin to fire you,” Matthias said. “I’m mad at her, not you.” He reached down to scratch between Dakota’s ears, making her tongue loll out of her mouth in ecstasy. “I talked to her and expressed my disapproval.”
Brianna wasn’t sure what to do with that. “Thanks for being on my side.” She went into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee.
“I’d like to do something more significant, but I wanted to talk to you first.”
She turned away from the coffee maker. “I don’t — what do you mean?”
“I mean, I’d like to talk to the chair of the board of directors, or withdraw my support for the museum, or something significant that would make her pay attention. But I didn’t want to do it till I talked to you.”
She was touched, not just that he wanted to intervene, but because he wanted to make sure intervening was okay with her. “That’s really sweet,” she said. “But … I mean, in a way she’s right, I have been taking a lot of time off and my mind isn’t on my work as much as it needs to be.”
“You’re not a robot. She can’t expect you to act like one. She should have the decency to be a little more understanding for a few weeks.”
“She’s the kind of person who can go through a crisis without batting an eye, so she doesn’t see why I can’t either.”
“Maybe I can help her to understand,” Matthias said grimly.
That made Brianna smile for the first time all day. “I appreciate it.” The coffee was done perking, so she poured cups and handed one to Matthias, then sat with him at the table. He got up to add sugar from the bowl on the counter.
“I forgot your insatiable sweet tooth,” she said. “Look, I appreciate your wanting to intervene, but even if she were to, let’s say, come to regret her decision, you know she’d be an even worse dragon than she already is, and she’d apply a thousand terms and conditions that I couldn’t possibly meet, like no more time off for the rest of the year when I need to be flexible for the next few months at least.”
Matthias nodded. “You know what it’s like to work for her better than I do. What are you going to do?”
“I’ve been treating Once in a Lifetime like a part-time gig for months. I’m going to give it more attention. Maybe it’s stupid to think that I can make a go of it as a full-time occupation, but I’d be in charge of my own hours and stuff, and a lot of the work can be done anywhere I can talk on a cell phone or use my laptop.”
“So what can I do?” he said.
“You can tell all your friends how fabulous I am to work with.”
• • •
A gentle knock came at the door, and Natalie sighed. It would almost certainly be Matthias because Joe always gave a sharp rap and called out, “Hey!” and Brianna always just walked in.
“Come in,” she said, and turned off the television. She told Brianna that Matthias would expect her to be brave and beautiful, and she couldn’t deal with that, but that concern wasn’t the real heart of her reluctance to see him. The real heart was just … she’d initially been attracted to him and then dazzled by who he was. But hearing Doc Henderson say, “It’s back” had crystallized things for her. Being with Matthias had been perfect when things were perfect, but it wasn’t real. The fairy tale was pretty but it wasn’t true.
Only now she wasn’t sure what to do about their relationship. Brianna had lost her job — all these years of that nasty old dragon threatening to fire her and she’d finally done it at the worst possible time — and while Natalie had health insurance through the university, the out-of-pocket medical expenses were going to be astronomical. Plus the regular cost of living.
And Brianna didn’t have a college degree. In this economy, it was really hard for someone with only a high school diploma to get a job — at least a job that didn’t involve saying, “Do you want fries with that?” So Natalie was worried.
And not to be a money-grubbing parasite, but Matthias had never worried about money in his life. He seemed to care a lot about her, and maybe she could learn to love him, if she were just a little more patient.
He came in with flowers — more tiger lilies — and kissed her gently on the cheek, as if she were made of china. He squeezed her hand and said, “How are you feeling?”
She didn’t say, How do you think I’m feeling? She said, “Could be worse.”
“Anything you need? I’d be happy to get a nurse.”
“Everything’s fine,” she said. It wasn’t his fault he was overly solicitous. A lot of people didn’t know how to deal with sickness. Even Brianna had trouble not hovering. Or maybe especially Brianna had trouble not hovering.
“Hey!”
That was Joe, and she turned toward him as he came in with — Jasmine?
“Joe!” she cried out, reaching for the dog. “How did you get her past the nurse?”
“I didn’t sneak her in,” Joe said, sounding slightly affronted. “I registered her as a therapy dog. Brianna gave me permission and I went to the examiners with her a couple days ago. She got her papers today. I figured I’d bring her down to the children’s ward after you say hello to her.”
“Come here, Jasmine,” Natalie said, burying her face in her dog’s neck. “Oh my god it’s so good to see you, my sweet puppy.”
Jasmine’s tail thumped on the bed. After a minute, Natalie raised her face, wiping a stupid tear from her cheek. Matthias patted her hand.
Joe glanced at the flowers on the bedside table and his face fell. “Oh, man, I keep forgetting the flowers! Ma is going to kill me.”
Joe beamed at her and said, “You tell her, it’ll sound more convincing coming from you.”
Then the oncologist came in and she braced herself.
• • •
Matthias gave Jasmine a pat and said goodbye to Natalie. Joe was a good kid, and he’d managed to figure out the one thing that would make Natalie feel better — something Matthias hadn’t been able to do. At least he’d been able to hold her hand and ask the appropriate questions when the oncologist spoke to her — Natalie didn’t seem to know what to say or do. He supposed Brianna was usually here for that.
He wished he’d thought of the dog, especially seeing the way Natalie had hung on to Jasmine when the oncologist came into the room. He hated to see Natalie’s suffering and to be helpless in its face. He had made a decision when he’d found out the diagnosis, and that was to stick with her through it. He didn’t see what else he could do and still be able to look at himself in the mirror. She needed him. But —
Brianna came hurrying down the hall and nearly barreled into him. He grabbed her arms and helped her stay on her feet.
“Sorry, I need to look where I’m going,” she said, pushing her crazy red hair out of her face. “How’s she doing today?”
“Okay,” he said. “Joe brought Jasmine by. That was a great idea of his.”
A smile relaxed her tense features. “I’d forgotten he was doing that. Wish I’d thought of it.”
“We think inside the box too much,” he said. “We’re not the kind of people who imagine ways to get a dog into a hospital.”
“So true. Mostly I’m trying to figure out how we can get Natalie out of the hospital.”
“The oncologist told her a day or two if she seems strong enough to do the treatment on an outpatient basis.”
“I missed the oncologist?” Brianna looked stressed again. “Dammit, I thought he was coming by at four.”
“It’s four-thirty,” Matthias pointed out. “Joe and I were with her, so she wasn’t alone.”
“Geez, where’d I lose that hour?” Brianna said. “Did he say anything about the blood tests? Are they looking better?”
“He said blood tests showed things going in the right direction. I can get the nurse if you want. She probably has the actual results available.”
“I’ll stop by the desk later. Thanks, Matthias.”
“For?”
“For being here. For everything. For being you.”
That was strangely flattering. “Can’t help being me.”
“Okay, then I withdraw my gratitude for that.”
She turned to go into the hospital room.
“Brianna,” he said.
“Yes?”
“Do you ever think what would have happened to her without you?”
“I know what would have happened. And so I didn’t let it,” she said, and went into the room.
• • •
“This is Mr. and Mrs. Lombardi,” Natalie said. “Joe’s parents. And Carl, his brother.”
“Nice to meet you,” Brianna said. She looked around for Joe but didn’t see him.
Natalie seemed to guess who she was looking for. “Joe took Jasmine down to the children’s ward,” she explained.
“We just stopped by to give Natalie a hug,” Mrs. Lombardi said. “And to ask you what you need. I’ve got some lasagnas in the freezer. Carl’s going to bring those by your house later. You need to keep your strength up, too.”
“You bet,” Carl said.
“I’m fine,” Brianna said. “Really. But — thank you. I’m not much of a cook.”
“So, I go to the grocery on Wednesdays, that’s tomorrow, so we were just working on a list with Natalie.”
“That’s very kind of you,” said Brianna, who thought she was following Mrs. Lombardi; she was going to go to the grocery store for Brianna. “But I’m not — ”
“Much of a cook,” Mrs. Lombardi said. “That’s okay, I was telling Natalie you probably need some easy things, salads and soups and some nice bread. No one feels like cooking anything complicated after a day at the hospital. So that’s that. And Joe says Mr. Gustafson is helping out with appointments and dogs and such. And Joe says to tell you he’ll shovel if it snows, so don’t worry about that.”
Brianna realized her mouth was gaping open so she shut it. “Joe’s a good kid,” she said.
“We think so,” said Mr. Lombardi patiently. She turned to look at him. “Now, you just call us if you need any help at the house, the heater goes out, or the sink start leaking or anything. Carl and me, we’re real handy.”
“It’s fine,” Brianna said. “I mean, everything is in working order.”
“If I know houses, it won’t be for long. So you just call me, and we’ll take care of it, right?”
“Right,” Brianna said, because that seemed easier than trying to argue.
“Good.” Mr. Lombardi heaved himself out of the guest chair, and kissed Natalie on the cheek. “You take care of yourself, kid.”
Carl ambled over. “Natalie says you got an event-planning business. You have some cards? We’ll spread ’em around.”
Brianna opened her purse and dug out her card case, handed Carl several and watched as he carefully tucked them in his wallet. “Me and the missus’ll be celebrating fifteen years in May,” he said. “I’ll call you. It’ll be a nice surprise for her. Always a good idea to rack up some points when you can.”
“Yes, indeed,” Brianna said.
“Now, I’ll stop by your house tomorrow with the groceries, what time?” Mrs. Lombardi said.
“Um, I have some meetings in the morning but I’ll be there around noon.”
“All right, you can expect me then.”
“That’s … okay, I will.”
They left. Brianna looked at Natalie and raised an eyebrow.
“Aren’t they wonderful?” Natalie said.
Chapter Twenty-One
“So,” said Joe, “I got the costs calculated on these three proposals, and they should be good to go. They’re in your inbox … ” He hit send. “Now.”
Brianna was on hold with the liquor distributor, and nodded at what Joe was saying. “Thanks,” she mouthed at him, clicking the email icon on the laptop she had open in front of her. Since Natalie had come home from the hospital and was now undergoing chemotherapy as an outpatient, Joe had started coming over in the afternoons after school and often staying for dinner, which he usually cooked unless Natalie felt well enough. Brianna knew — having seen it — that sometimes he just sat in the living room and did homework while Natalie rested or read.
Lately he had started helping Brianna with the paperwork for Once in a Lifetime, which was a big help because just creating the events she had booked was taking up most of the time that she had left after coping with Natalie’s needs.
Joe and Matthias took turns handling the dogs when necessary, and they had worked out a very polite system of determining whose turn it was to do what. Matthias usually came over in the evenings, and that was Joe’s signal to scoot back home. Now and then Matthias came over for dinner, and when he did, he usually brought in something special, which everyone appreciated because Joe’s cooking ran to basic pasta and spaghetti sauce.
Matthias also brought Natalie to her appointments when Brianna had a conflict, and had leaned on Mrs. Curtin to provide a nice severance package. Brianna had the money in savings but she worried at how quickly it would be gone if she didn’t start getting more clients. But it was really hard to focus on sales when there was so much else to do.
The liquor distributor finally came back on the line with a quote, which she passed along to Joe. It was just about five o’clock, and time for her to shift gears from making phone calls to finalizing the proposals that she would send out first thing in the morning.
“Do you want
to take the dogs for a walk with me?” Natalie came into the kitchen.
Joe jumped to his feet. “You bet!” he said, even though he had to know that Natalie would make him take Dakota while she took Jasmine.
“Be back in a bit, Bree,” she said and Joe helped her into her coat and found the leashes, and finally got Dakota to sit long enough to put a leash on.
“Joe, you’re going to need your coat,” Brianna reminded him when it looked like he was going to wander out of the house without it on.
Then they were gone, and it was quiet, and Brianna pushed her laptop aside and leaned back in her chair. Matthias had said he’d be over for dinner but hadn’t volunteered to bring it, so that meant when Joe came back she could beg him to stay for dinner, which he would cook — Natalie would be too tired to do much after their walk, she always was — or Brianna could summon up the interest in cooking dinner herself.
Nah, she could stand Joe’s pasta and sauce one more night if it meant not having to do it herself.
She heard the sound of a car pulling into the drive and she wondered if that was Matthias already. She heard a brisk step on the porch, then a sharp knock at the door. She looked through the peephole.
Richard.
It had started to snow and flakes dotted the shoulders of his coat. She thought anxiously of Natalie. Maybe she should have discouraged her and Joe from going out. But a little cold weather wasn’t going to hurt Natalie, was it? She was probably obsessing about Natalie so she wouldn’t have to think of Richard.
“I know you’re there, Bree,” he said. “I can hear you breathing.”
“Maybe it’s someone else,” she said. “Someone I’ve told not to open the door to you.”
“Maybe.”
Reluctantly she unlocked the door and let him in. He stamped his shoes on the hall rug and turned to shut and lock the door behind him, hanging his coat in the closet like he hadn’t left this house thirteen years ago.
She stiffened and turned away from him.
“Natalie called me.”
That made her stop.
“You know, someday her do-gooder heart is going to get her into trouble,” Brianna said. “She’s going to help an ax murderer with his groceries or something, and then won’t she be sorry.”
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