Apples Never Fall

Logan said, “She’s fine. Oh, she wanted me to give you this.”

He pulled the tiny, now rather ratty-looking gift from his pocket. Indira had asked him to give it to his mother weeks ago and he kept forgetting.

“Oh, Logan!” His mother put a hand to her chest. She looked absolutely thrilled.

“It’s not anything—”

“She didn’t want to be here?” said Joy. She looked around her as if expecting Indira to pop out from behind a hedge. “To see me open it?”

“It’s just a little—”

“Logan’s partner is a very special girl,” Joy told Savannah. “Very special. I wish she was here!” She patted her hair, once again looked suspiciously around the backyard before she ripped off the paper. “Oh!” Her face fell. “It’s a … fridge magnet.”

She turned the magnet back and forth, examining it as if for a secret message. It had a yellow flower on it. Logan had no idea why Indira had bought it for his mother or why it had caused that momentary expression of anguish. What had she expected it to be?

“It’s so pretty,” she told Logan. Her eyes were bright. “Indira knows I love yellow gerberas and that stupid magnet we got in London keeps falling off the fridge! That’s why she got it. She’s so thoughtful. Please thank her. Well, I’ll be seeing her on Sunday, so I can thank her myself!”

You won’t be seeing her on Sunday, thought Logan, but obviously he wasn’t going to tell his mother about the breakup in front of this strange girl. He changed the subject fast. “So I was just hearing how … Savannah knocked on your door?” He cleared his throat. “At random? That’s…” Did Brooke know about this yet? Brooke was the youngest in the family, but the most sensible and certain.

“She said she had a good feeling about this house,” said Joy. She smiled guilelessly up at Logan. “She said it felt safe. Isn’t that a lovely thing to say?”

“Yeah, it is, so I was just asking Savannah if her ex-boyfriend knew where she was staying.” Logan met his mother’s eyes. Joy liked to put on her dippy act, but she wasn’t stupid.

“He doesn’t know where she is,” said Joy. “And he’s got no way of finding out.”

“Don’t worry,” said Savannah. “He can’t track me down. I didn’t even bring my phone when I left.”

“Yes, and we’re going to find a time to go over to her apartment to pick up Savannah’s things when he’s at work,” said Joy. She spoke as if she were planning a lunch.

“You’re not going there, Mum,” said Logan.

“Oh, yes, I’ll probably stay in the car. Your dad will go inside with Savannah. Just to be on the safe side.” His mother looked up at him, brightly, craftily, and Logan felt himself slide inevitably forward on the course of action his mother had already set for him.

“I don’t think Dad should go either,” said Logan. He sighed. There was no way out. He looked at Savannah and tried to make himself sound gracious, not sulky. “I’ll take you.”

“I don’t need anyone to come with me,” said Savannah. “I really don’t.”

“Your brother can go too,” said Joy to Logan. “Safety in numbers. That’s a good idea.” She said it in a warm, congratulatory manner as if it were Logan’s good idea. “You and Troy can help Savannah scoop everything up and get out of there quick smart, and that will be the end of that!”

Would it be the end of that? “Isn’t Troy in America?” asked Logan.

“He flew back this morning,” said his mother. “You can all three go over to Savannah’s place tomorrow once he’s over his jet lag.”

Troy would be appalled. Logan’s mood lifted fractionally at the thought.

“You should go around eleven, I think. Avoid peak hour. You’ll have time before you teach your two p.m. class.”

Logan wanted to say, Maybe I’m doing something else tomorrow morning, Mum, but then his mother would demand details.

“No. That’s okay. I appreciate the offer but I’ll go on my own,” said Savannah, and Logan wanted to laugh because she had no idea how pointless it was to resist once his mother had decided something was going to happen. “Once your mother has momentum, no one can beat her,” Stan always said, and he was talking about tennis, but every single thing Logan’s dad said about tennis could also be applied to life.

“I’ll go on my own,” said Savannah.

“No you will not, darling,” said Joy. Steel in her voice.

Game to Mum, thought Logan.

Chapter 12