“But I don’t need to go—”
“I can’t go by myself.”
She pulled her sister along beside her. Anne stood leaning against a pillar in the lobby while waiting for the girls. Suddenly, she saw a familiar form at the top of the large padded staircase. It was Steven Gherring. And he was with Sharon Landry.
Anne slipped behind the pillar to hide herself, hoping no one could hear her thundering heartbeats. There was one lone reporter at the lobby entrance who snapped a picture of the couple as they descended. Gherring was magnificent in his tux. Sharon looked stunning in a long black evening dress with fish-scale sequins. When she moved, the dress looked shiny and molten. She clung to Gherring’s arm as they conversed, his head bent toward hers. At the bottom, Gherring took her coat and helped her put it on before they exited the lobby. Anne couldn’t take her eyes off the two of them. At the door, Gherring stopped for a moment and looked over his shoulder in her direction. She slipped behind the pillar and held her breath. When she peeked around again, they were outside. She felt slightly sick when she saw him put his arm around Sharon as they walked to the waiting limo.
What on earth was wrong with her? Why didn’t she just speak to Gherring? But she knew the answer. She didn’t want Steven Gherring to see the two of them side by side, to be able to compare them. She could never compete with a woman like Sharon Landry. Hadn’t she known that? Hadn’t she handpicked Sharon to be a perfect match for Steven? She found herself hoping Sharon had some unseen flaw. Maybe she had bad breath. Maybe her knees creaked like the stepsister in the Cinderella movie. No, Steven deserved to be happy. Anne needed to stop being selfish and hope Sharon would be just the right woman for Steven.
“Hey Mom,” said Charlie. “Did you see anybody while we were gone?”
“You look kind of white, Mom. Are you okay?” asked Emily.
“I’m fine. I think I’m a little dehydrated. Let’s go on up to the top. No one important is coming down the stairs.”
When they entered the top floor bar, the girls were thrilled with the view.
“Oh Mom,” said Emily. “This is a romantic spot. I can see why you let Henri kiss you here.”
“It wasn’t just the ambiance—he said some pretty sweet things. I think my ego needed a little pampering.”
“What did he say?” Emily asked.
“I don’t remember exactly, but it had to do with me believing in him and him deciding to open up his heart again. He’s been hurt before.”
“Awww,” said Charlie. “And you’ve always been a sucker for anybody who’s been hurt. You’re such a bleeding heart.”
“And what about you?” asked Anne. “I seem to remember a certain girl crying over a lizard you found with most of his tail broken off.”
“How was I supposed to know it would grow back?” Charlie pouted. The waitress approached the table.
“What should we get to drink?” asked Charlie.
Emily asked, “Hey Mom, since we never got to go here with Dad, why don’t we drink something he would have ordered?”
“Your dad didn’t drink much. But when he did, he always ordered scotch.”
“Three scotches please,” Charlie told the waitress.
When the drinks arrived, Anne proposed a toast. “To our memories of Dad and the new memories we make together!”
They all took a sip together.
“Yuk!” yelled Charlie. “Ugh! That burns!”
“That was awful. I’m glad I didn’t take a big sip,” Emily said.
“I just spit it back into the glass,” said Anne. Then all three dissolved into giggles. “People are staring—they probably think we’re drunk.”
“In this family, who needs alcohol to act embarrassing?” asked Emily.
The girls opted for a quick breakfast in the apartment, not being motivated enough to rise early for a restaurant breakfast before their climb. Gherring was waiting in the lobby when they went down shortly after nine. He was dressed in jeans with a leather jacket, and he carried an athletic bag. Similarly, the girls had brought climbing clothes along—even Emily, who swore she wouldn’t climb.
“Mr. Gherring, I’d like you to meet my girls. This is—”
“Wait, let me guess. You must be Charlie and you must be Emily. Am I right?”
“How did you know that?” asked Charlie. “Did Mom show you pictures?”