“Sure,” I agreed.
“Good thing you’re married, Liv,” Lisa said. Her eyes looked me up and down before proceeding. “How’d you get him to agree?”
“He’s a friend of a friend,” I said, even though it wasn’t exactly the reason. It was a question I’d been wondering myself.
“Well, aren’t you lucky. Lucky Liv,” she said with a face that looked as though she’d just bit into a lemon. Lemon-y Lisa, I retorted in my head.
“If it weren’t for Brock . . . , ” Serena started.
“Please,” Lis
a said with a scoff. “If he even looked your way, you’d be on your back in a second.”
“I would not. Brock and I are, like, soul mates I guess and, well . . . .” Lisa and I waited for her to finish her thought, but nothing came.
I rolled my eyes at them. “Can I keep this? It will be good for his file.”
“You’ll have to take that up with Beman,” Serena joked. “He’ll totally want that for his own private file.” We laughed and stopped all at once when he waltzed into the kitchen.
“Ah, Olivia, there you are,” Beman said.
“Here I am,” I said, tucking the magazine under my arm.
~
“What a lovely place,” Davena said, fingering the ‘Just Listed’ card for the house we’d seen. I’d stopped by her place after work to go over the details, more inclined to trust her opinion on the amenities over Jeanine’s.
“You think?” I asked. “Bill really likes it, I’m just a little on the fence.”
“Why’s that?”
“I don’t know, I guess it just doesn’t feel like the right place. Across the street though, there’s this eyesore of a home that weirdly, I liked better. At least it had character. But Bill likes this place.”
“Well,” she sighed heavily. “Sometimes you have to compromise a bit.”
“I’m already compromising,” I muttered under my breath, settling further into her sofa.
“Are you? How?”
I pursed my lips a moment. “I just really love the city, and I don’t know that I want to leave.”
“Why are you then?”
“Bill doesn’t like it as much. He wants something quieter. And he wants children at some point.”
“Kids certainly aren’t quieter,” she pointed out. “Are you saying you don’t? Want children, I mean?”
“I’m not sure. I never really think about it, which I think means something. Why didn’t you and Mack have kids?”
“We did,” she said. “I had a child many years ago, but he didn’t make it a day.”
I gasped. “I had no idea, Davena.”
“You were a baby,” she said, waving her hand. “God’s plan. I just didn’t have the heart to try again, and Mack was supportive. Next thing I knew, I was just too old. I don’t regret it though, kids aren’t for everyone. Although Mack would have been quite a father,” she mused with a smile.
She got up and left the room, returning in just her bra and teasing her short hair in jerky, upward motions. “You know, not everywhere is going to feel like home right away. It takes time. It’s about whom you’re making a home with. If you love Bill, which you do, it doesn’t matter where you live.”
As she spoke, I couldn’t peel my eyes from the large bandage on her ribcage and the ominous purple bruise peeking out both ends of it. Her normally robust and fit frame had become terrifyingly frail in the short amount of time since I’d last seen her.
She stopped brushing, noticing my gaze, and came to sit next to me. Her breathing was labored as she confided, “The doctor says it’s not looking good.” Despite the statement, her sunken eyes twinkled; she’d never been one to dwell. “I’m feeling okay though. How is Bill anyway?”
“Bill?” I knew from previous attempts that she wasn’t looking for consolation, and that it was best to go with the subject change. “He’s well. Busy, though. I think we’re going to go to Waukegan this weekend since he’s been working late this whole week.”
“Wonderful idea. Show that Bill of yours how much you appreciate his hard work.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Get yourself over to La Perla before you go, and ask for Alejandro. He’s gorgeous, but can’t sell lingerie for shit,” she said with a wink. “So when you’re done looking at him, ask for Joanne. Tell her to put it on my account.”
I laughed loudly. “Oh, Davena, you are something else. Do you ever stop?”
“Never, it drives Mack crazy. But you only have one shot at life, Olivia, and take it from me, you don’t want to miss anything. If you want something, say it out loud. If you love him, tell him so. Seriously.” I was stunned by her insistent tone and sudden grave expression, something I’d never seen, even when she’d revealed her diagnosis to me. Her eyes lingered on mine a moment while her words hung in the air, and then she looked away. “Listen, sweetie, can I keep this? I know Mack would love to put in his two cents.”
“Definitely, that’s an extra. Have him call us when he gets a chance – I’d better get home though. Dinner won’t cook itself.”
“Ta-ta,” she said as she walked me to the door. “See you soon.”
On the way to the train, Bill called from his office, triumph in his voice. “Cabin is booked. Can’t wait for a weekend away. I might even get to relax.”
“Well don’t get too used to it,” I said. “And don’t forget to call Andrew.” Bill and Andrew had been looking forward to cabin time for a while, waiting for a warmer weekend. Fishing wasn’t my thing, but an enormous amount of alcohol usually helped. That, and Lucy’s company.
“I’m on it,” he said.
CHAPTER 14
May 11, 2012 7:51 AM
Come by here 11:30. Gretch meeting us @ shop.
May 11, 2012 8:02 AM
K see you soon