Two Bar Mitzvahs (No Weddings #3)(49)
She laughed again and ran off.
My mood soared. My heart felt heavy in my chest, in the best way. Hannah’s laughter did that. That megawatt smile. Her playful teasing. Everything about the woman running down my parents’ hallway made any trouble out in the world seem insignificant.
I snorted, shaking my head, then chased an amazing girl in petticoats out of my bedroom—for now—and back down to the unfolding party.
***
Within thirty minutes, I’d become a one-man response team. The circuit breaker had tripped twice before we rerouted the band’s power to a different outlet than one the kitchen shared. Mom had us move the umbrellas on the east side of the pool toward the foot of their corresponding lounge chairs for the angle of the sun, even though it obliterated a clear walking path along the edge of the pool. The Pearsons, my parents’ new neighbors down the street, insisted I give them a guided house tour. Then Trina Hobbs and Stella walker, two of Mom’s charity volunteers, wanted their own tour the moment I returned. Of course, my parents were busy mingling with guests, so I was happy to honor their requests.
When all flowed smoothly, I took a breather away from the party. Off to the side, I leaned up against a stone column on the patio. I glanced over my shoulder to see Hannah inside the kitchen. She had a smile on her face as she spoke animatedly with one of the caterers.
Everyone else was in party mode. Half of the sports-model waiters brought hors d'oeuvres back and forth from kitchen to guests. The rest balanced colorful drinks on their trays. Party goers laughed, mingled, danced. Some had jumped into the pool already.
I let out a slow breath, analyzing the scene from the big picture. We created an escape.
Hannah and I had looked forward to a distraction from the stress from the week, but so had all in attendance. Susie Carrington had just gotten over a messy divorce, yet she had an umbrella drink in hand and was laughing with Monica Kemp. The Olsons were at their first event since having to check their son into rehab for drug addiction. Gertrude Hoffman had just lost most of her fortune in an investing scheme, yet there she was, chatting and drinking. Forgetting. Escaping.
Out of the couple hundred guests on the lawn, I’d bet not one of them lived an actual rose-colored life. No one did. So with divorce, drugs, theft, and countless other life-altering events, dealing with the unnecessary drama of a stalkerish ex seemed more tolerable.
Mom moved into my line of vision.
I put an arm around her shoulder. “Party looks great, Mom.”
“Thanks to you.” She scanned the action down by the pool. “You looked deep in thought when I walked up. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Just thinking about how parties make us forget about real life for a while.”
She took a step to the side and faced me. “What portion of real life are you trying to forget?” Her gaze was penetrating. The Mom look. That one where I could tell the truth or a lie and it wouldn’t matter; she would see right through to the real story.
“Madison. She’s inserting herself into my life. Unwelcomed. It’s causing problems.”
Staring back out to the party, she leaned in close, lowering her voice. “At the country club a couple of weeks ago, I ran into Madison’s mother.”
“Ah. I didn’t know you and Shirley Kensington were still close. So that’s why you weren’t surprised to see Madison at the anniversary party.”
“Yes. She shared with me the problems Madison is having.”
“What kind of problems?” I couldn’t imagine them discussing sexual addiction. Shirley would rather die than make that public knowledge.
“She’s having a hard time adjusting to normal life again. One of her boyfriends in Europe put her in the hospital. From what Shirley had said, he’d beaten her pretty badly.”
My heart sank. “Damn. I didn’t know that.” I paused and took a deep breath. “Madison shared a heavy secret with me. She is recovering from sexual addiction.”
“Shirley didn’t mention that. Apparently, the incident in Europe was instigated because he found out Madison was cheating on him. She said Madison isn’t quite right from the whole ordeal. Madison always came to you when you were kids to help her solve her problems. Perhaps that’s what she’s doing now.”
I blew out a fast breath. “Sometime later, you and I can have a talk about what happened between Madison and me.” Now wasn’t the time.
Inside of a few minutes, my empathy for the little girl I remembered from childhood multiplied. It wasn’t only the people at the party who needed to escape.
Even those who caused problems had them.
21
Closets and Cars
The party had been going for hours. Women in bikini tops and gauzy pants paraded beside others who wore sundresses, like Hannah. Many who were clad in swimsuits stretched out on the chaise lounges under the shade of the umbrellas. A few lay in the full sun, taking advantage of the clear, warm day. A brave few women had joined a handful of men and splashed around in the pool, unconcerned with how their hair or makeup fared.
About half the men had dressed in casual linen, like Dad and me, but many were shirtless in swim trunks. I would’ve been among them had I not been a host tonight. Gone were the reckless days where I didn’t care about responsibilities.
More vital to me, though, was that Mom and Dad were pleased with the event.