“Just checking. Give me both.”
“Biologically, they say it happens to girls when they’re twelve or thirteen, when they get their first period—making me one, you know.”
Kayla had wanted to celebrate the event. For Jessivel, it felt like a slap of reality—her little girl was becoming a woman.
“I see. And psychologically?”
“Much later. It depends.”
“On what?”
“On the person. One article I read said it’s when you can take care of yourself, but I see flaws in that thinking.”
“You do…what grade are you in again?”
“Mom,” she said rolling her eyes.
“You seem older right now for some reason.”
“So when did it happen for you? And what did it feel like?”
Not an easy question—Jessivel wanted to think about it some before answering.
“Earth to Mom.”
“Give me a minute, will you? I want to answer honestly.”
“It has happened, hasn’t it?”
“Very funny. Yes, it has happened,” Jessivel answered, knowing full well it hadn’t been that long ago. In her mind and heart, she had felt like an adult the moment she stopped blaming others for her problems, her living situation, her life. “Probably when I had you,” she lied. “That’s when I became an adult. And how did it feel? It felt wonderful.”
“Are you sure?”
“Don’t you have other homework to do?”
“Fine.”
That child is going to grow up to be someone. There was a time Jessivel would have ended that thought with unlike her mother. But that was another time.
“But I thought you liked it there,” Jessivel said to her mother over lunch the following Saturday. They were in a small café Paige had introduced her to the week before. “Why are you leaving?”
“I have enough saved for a down payment on an apartment, like you wanted. I’m looking at a three-bedroom place in Woodlawn…where we can all be together again.”
“What? But you kept harping on me to be on my own, carry my own—”
“That was when I couldn’t support you. Now I can.”
“But I listened to you. I—”
“You’re still in subsidized housing, right?”
“Yes, but—”
“I can get you and Kayla out of there, as soon as next month.”
“But I’m less than six months away from being out of there on my own, and—”
“It wasn’t that long ago you were begging me to get a place where we could all live together.”
“I know, but now things are different. Now I want to do this by myself.”
“Is Paige helping you?”
“She gave me a job. You know that. She pays me well. But I earn every dollar I make. There’s no handout from her, if that’s what you mean.”
“Mm-hm. That’s very generous of her.”
“I just said I earn what she pays me. Why are you making it seem like a handout?”
“You wouldn’t have to work if you came to live with me. Not full-time.”
“But I want to work. I like what I’m doing, well, most of it, and I’m learning a lot. Paige is even encouraging me to get my GED and then take a few courses at the community college.”
Her mother shot her a smile. “I was just testing you.”
“What?”
“To see if you really have changed, are ready to be on your own.”
“And?”
“And I think you are.”
Jessivel sat back in her chair and stared at her mother for a few long seconds. She bit her lip for a moment before responding.
“You could have just asked me.”
“Mm-hm. I could have.”
“Okay, so that was pretty clever on your part. I hope I’m as smart as you with Kayla when the time comes.” She patted her mom’s hand. “Are you really going to leave the Perlmans?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“You could get a one-bedroom, and then Kayla could still do sleepovers on a pullout sofa or something.”
“I’d like that.”
“Our company does that, you know, apartment rentals. Maybe Paige will even show me how to do that.”
“You really have changed, haven’t you?”
Jessivel nodded.
“I’m proud of you, Jess.”
Jessivel picked up the tab for lunch. Afterward, she considered calling Audrey at The Busy Bean and all the social services people—everyone who had tried to help her before she was ready—and apologize for her past behavior.
The next day at work, Paige sat down in the side chair next to Jessivel’s desk.
“What’s wrong?” Jessivel asked. “You look… I don’t know… Tired or something.”
“Not tired. Suddenly, I’m missing my parents more than ever. Appreciate your mom while you can, Jess. She could be gone tomorrow.”
“So now would be a bad time to tell you the stunt she pulled on me yesterday to prove to herself that I’m really getting my shit together, right?”
Paige laughed. “Probably, but you can anyway. Let’s go get a cup of coffee—which, by the way, I never drank much until I met you. Now I’m addicted.”
“Well, I hope that’s the only bad habit you got from me.”
“I swear more now too.”
“My bad.” It was so satisfying talking with Paige on this level, like a best friend. Paige made her feel comfortable regardless of the situation without any fear of being judged by her—she truly accepted her for who she was.
They headed toward the break room where Jessivel told Paige how her mother had psyched her out by suggesting she quit her job, move in with her, and all the rest. They both laughed about it.
“I like your mother.”
“Oh, good one. Side with her.”
Jessivel was about to tell Paige about her encounter with Jason when one of Paige’s agents entered the break room. “Paige, Mr. Stiles is here to see you.”
“You can send him in here.”
A few minutes later, Gary entered the room. “So this is what you do all day—chitchat over coffee?” A teasing smile enveloped his face.
“Very funny. Gary, this is my sister, Jessivel. Jessivel, this is Gary, detective extraordinaire.”
Jessivel felt the blood creep up her neck—hearing Paige referring to her as her sister got to her every time. She held out her hand to Gary.
“Nice to meet you, Gary,” she said.
“Nice to meet you, too,” he said, flashing her a broad smile. He turned to Paige. “I just stopped by to sign those documents.” He glanced at his watch. “And it’s lunchtime, so how about if I take you two gals out for a sandwich or something?”
“I’ve got a client I’m expecting in a few, but you two go,” Paige said.
Chapter 55
“I’m going to run over to Volo Antique Mall this afternoon,” Paige said to Jessivel over the phone the following Saturday morning. “I’m looking for an old dresser or sideboard I can convert to a coffee station for the break room. You know, for the espresso machine and stuff. Would you like to come? Help me pick it out?” She added, “And I’d like to buy you dinner for your birthday.”
“Could we drive Kayla to her friend’s house on our way?”
“Sure. I’ll pick you up at three.”
Paige had made the last-minute decision to invite Jessivel to the antique mall when she realized their relationship felt more like an old friendship renewed than the beginning of a new one. She couldn’t explain the completeness she enjoyed with Jessivel in her life as someone she could share anything with and trust her with what she would do with it. She pondered this as she drove to pick them up, eager to see them, to catch up on important happenings in their lives, even if it turned out to be nothing more than what Kayla had been studying in school or how Jessivel handled the noisy next-door neighbor.
Kayla ran to Paige’s car as soon as she entered the park
ing lot.
“Aunt Paige! Guess what!” she yelled halfway to the car.
Paige rolled down her window. “What is it, sweetie? Slow down. Watch for cars. Be careful.”
Jessivel followed close behind her daughter, shaking her head. “Don’t even bother,” she said to Paige. “When she gets like this, there’s no stopping her.”
Paige was delighted to see this level of enthusiasm from Kayla. “So what are you so excited about?” she asked her after she had gotten into the back seat.
“I’m going to go to Oakridge Middle School next year and be on their varsity girls’ basketball team!”
“Wow, when did this happen?” Paige asked.
Jessivel entered the car, still shaking her head. “It hasn’t, and a lot of other things need to happen before it does.”
“No, it’s going to happen,” said Kayla. “Do you know that their team went undefeated and finished first in the conference? First! Three years in a row!”
Paige glanced at Jessivel to gauge her reaction. “How did this come about?”
“When I finally had enough money to let her join the basketball team, and she learned they’ve been in last place five years in a row, she got the bright idea she wanted to go to Oakridge next year, home of the Flying Oakers.”
“I’m going, Mom. One way or the other.”
“Isn’t Oakridge way north of you? Don’t you have to live in the school district?” Paige asked.
“Yes, and—”
“We have to move anyway,” Kayla blurted out. “So it’s not a problem.”
“This coming from someone who has no knowledge of what that will take,” said Jessivel. “Turn left on Willow. Her friend’s house is the green one on the right.”
When they reached the house, Kayla bounded out of the car, backpack flung over her shoulder, and ran toward the house. Halfway there, she turned toward the car and shouted, “Thank you, Aunt Paige!”
“If she hadn’t done that, I was going to yank her back in the car and make her come with us,” Jessivel said.
“A fate worse than death, I’m sure.” Paige cringed at her own words. Her daughter Briana would have been about Kayla’s age had she survived her disease, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have her in her life today. A twinge of jealousy pricked her heart.
“Something like that.”
They talked about Kayla’s penchant for basketball and her determination to change schools.
“Do you think you’ll be able to make that work?”
“Somehow I’ll have to, or there will be no living with that child ever again. It is a much better school. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even be thinking about it.”
Jessivel’s sigh caused Paige to ask her if she was alright.
“Something happened a while ago that has me worried.”
“What is it, Jess?”
“It’s Jason, Kayla’s father. I heard from him.”
“After all this time? What did he want?”
Jessivel told her about his wanting custody of Kayla unless she paid him off, and that he had mentioned Paige’s name as someone who could afford it.
“What? For one thing, that’s extortion. When did this happen?”
“Last month.”
“You should have told me sooner. This is serious.”
“I would have, but you had so much going on. It never seemed like the right time.”
“Did he name an amount?”
“No.”
“We need to go to the police.”
“Did I tell you his father is a Chicago cop?”
“Great.”
“So I told him I was married to a detective.”
Paige laughed. “Why did you do that?”
“It was all I could think of at the time. I was so floored by what he was saying. As disappointed as I was with him for leaving me when he found out I was pregnant, I never would have expected him to do this.”
“Sometimes you have to accept people for who they are rather than who you want them to be.”
“Ain’t that the truth.”
“Speaking of detectives, I could ask Gary where you should go with this. He’ll know.”
Jessivel smiled. “Thanks, but I already have. He’s checking out a few things first before he tells me what he thinks I should do. And I haven’t heard from Jason since, so…”
The antique mall housed more than three hundred vendor booths on multiple floors in three connective buildings. Their motto “We aren't your stuffy grandma’s mall; we are your cool grandma’s mall,” made it a place Paige liked to browse at least once a year. They talked while meandering booths crammed with a variety of glassware, books, lamps, furniture, and numerous other artifacts. But conversations that started out on one subject matter always seemed to turn into something to do with their father.
“Do you think it will always be like this?” Jessivel asked.
“You mean all roads leading back to dear old dad?”
“Pretty much.”
“Well, it’s the most obvious thing we have in common right now.”
“Right.”
“What about Gary?” Paige asked.
Jessivel shot her a quizzical look. “What about him?”
“Just wondering about the two of you.”
“We’re just talking business…about Jason.”
“Mm-hm.”
An hour later, after finding the perfect sideboard for the espresso machine, the two women left the antique mall and headed toward a nearby restaurant where Paige had made reservations.
“I hope you like it here. Their menu is limited, but everything is really good.”
They struggled with small talk—searching for topics that had nothing to do with their dad—while they waited for their food.
“It’s hard not to talk about him when we’re together,” Jessivel said.
“I don’t think we should avoid him completely. After all, we can’t change what happened.”
“Like you said, it’s what we have in common.”
“Ugh…what I said was that’s the most obvious thing we have in common. We have more in common than that.”
“Like what?” Jessivel asked.
“Something more people should have.”
“What’s that?”
“Respect for each other’s differences.”
Jessivel turned to look past Paige for a few seconds, her expression genuinely reverent, in no way forced. “Paige?” she said.
“Yes?”
“I’m so glad you didn’t give up on me.”
“Me too.”
Epilogue
“Can you give me a hand, Lee?” Paige asked. “I can’t get these leaves in by myself.” Guests would be arriving for Thanksgiving dinner in less than an hour, and Paige was running behind schedule.
“Be right there, hon,” he yelled from the other room. “Changing Mia’s diaper.”
Paige and Leland had adopted now-eighteen-month-old Mia shortly after they had remarried.
“Then put her in her play yard, okay? I need your help in here.”
“Was Natalie able to break free for today?” Leland asked her.
“‘Break free’ sounds like she’s being held somewhere against her will. Here, help me with these table leaves.”
“Sorry. Poor choice of words. So what about her? Is she coming?” he asked.
“Yes, she will be here. Her AA sponsor is driving her here.”
“How many total?” he asked.
“Let’s see. You and me. Natalie. Jessivel and Gary. Kayla. Crystal and Floyd. That makes eight of us, plus Mia.”
“What about Wanda and her mother?”
“Aunt Bernice came down with the flu or something two days ago and is pretty sick, so they’re not coming. Wanda’s concerned about her and is staying with her temporarily.”
“And I was so looking forward to seeing Wanda again so we could pick up where we left off last time with our differences about Donald Trump.
”
“I wish you’d keep your politics to yourself. Especially when it comes to him.”
“So why all the leaves?”
“Just put them in. I don’t have time for a discussion right now. Then will you baste the turkey while I iron the tablecloth?”
“Aye-aye, sir,” he said with a slapdash salute.
“Smartass.”
“Paige…little ears will hear you.”
“Smartass,” she whispered.
“You’re a little scampy today,” he said, patting her on the butt. “And I rather like it.”
“You would.”
“So, what are Jessivel and Gary up to these days? Are they still pretending to have a ‘business’ relationship even though all that nonsense between her and Kayla’s father has been resolved?”
“Gary put me in touch with someone who’s going to help me find the real Tamir and Emma. Did I tell you that?”
“You’re changing the subject.”
The sound of the doorbell made Paige jump. “Who could that be this early?”
Leland answered the door.
“Kayla,” Paige heard him say. “Where’s your mom?”
“Gary and Mom dropped me off. They thought maybe you could use some help, watching Mia, I hope. But I think they just wanted to be alone.” She sighed. “Grown-ups.” She bent down to pet Sadie, who was obviously excited to see her.
Paige did a double take when she saw Kayla enter the kitchen wearing tights and a short-cropped sweater that ended way above her waist and sporting what Paige hoped were henna tattoos on her hands.
“Where’s the rest of your outfit?” Paige asked.
Major eye roll from the teenager.
“Aren’t you supposed to wear a skirt or something with those?”
“It’s the style, Aunt Paige. Everyone does it.”
“How’s basketball going?”
“Won our game last night. I scored seventeen points. Youngest player. Did you know I’m the youngest player on the team?”
“Yes, I think I remember hearing that…a few hundred times.”
“Aunt Paige. Not a few hundred.”
Paige laughed and patted Kayla on the head. “I’m going to come to your next home game.”
“Yeah. Mom told me.”
The Ring Page 31