Life and Other Inconveniences(38)

I patted his back and stepped away quickly.

Once upon a time, I’d loved Jason Finlay with my whole heart. And when you’ve only had one experience with love, I guess it leaves a mark.





CHAPTER 12


    Emma


Rose Hill had once been a small college for women. Forty years ago, it became a residential facility for children who needed care that their families, for a variety of reasons, could not provide. Most of the kids here were profoundly intellectually disabled, and many had physical challenges as well.

It was a private facility, staffed by a fleet of nurses and doctors and physical, occupational and speech therapists equipped with every amenity you could dream of—an accessible playground, four golden retrievers who were trained as therapy pets, a small stable for equine therapy. I imagined it was ungodly expensive. If not for Genevieve, I wasn’t sure where my sister would be. With me, I guessed. Genevieve was too old to care for a special-needs kid, and my father . . . no.

Beth, my pal from high school, was waiting for me in the parking lot. Over the years, she’d met me here a few times and hung out with Hope and me. Sometimes, because she was such a good soul, she’d visit Hope just to say hi.

“Hey!” she said now, and we hugged. “I love your hair.”

“And I love yours.” It was an old joke—Beth’s hair was the stuff of legend, long and chestnut brown and naturally curly, and being a woman, she hated it. Mine was straight and dark blond and unremarkable, and for decades, we’d wished we could trade.

“How’s Hope?” she asked.

“From what I know, she’s great.”

We walked up the long, winding path to the main building. “Think there are any single doctors here?” Beth asked.

“I don’t know. You’re dating again?” She had a long history of terrible taste in men.

“Sort of. I just want a baby. Can’t you give me Riley? All the hard work is done, and she’s so great.”

“Okay. Done.”

“Seriously. I want a baby. I’m thirty-five. Why wasn’t I smart like you? Should’ve gotten knocked up in high school so I could be the cool young mom.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s always a great plan. We teenage mothers have it made.”

She shoved me. “Blah blah blah. Just keep your eye out. Maybe Jason will impregnate me. He makes gorgeous kids.”

“Yeah, I met his sons today.”

“Oh, right. I guess I should be sensitive and ask how that went.”

“It was fine. Jamilah’s . . . nice.”

“She’s amazing. How about her shaved head, huh? You watch. A dozen women will show up to yoga bald next week.” Beth cut me a look. “Do you hate her?”

“No! I just . . .” I stopped to fondle a clump of deep purple petunias in a planter. Rose Hill had a crew of gardeners as well. “It’s just that she’s Jason’s second love, and I was his first.”

“You wanted to be his only.”

“That was a long time ago. He’s good to Riley and never misses a payment.”

“Such a prince. Anyway, back to me. Keep your eyes peeled for my future husband.”

“Your third,” I couldn’t help saying.

“And final. All I want is a baby. From a rich guy. Believe it or not, being a florist and part-time bartender hasn’t put me in the one percent.”

We went into the main building, where the kids played and did physical therapy and the like. “Good to see you, Emma,” said Caridad, one of the nurses. She came over and gave me a hug.

“Nice to see you, too,” I said. “Do you remember my friend Beth?”

They smiled at each other. “Also,” I went on, “you’ll see me quite a bit this summer. My daughter and I are staying with Genevieve for a bit.”

“Are you? How wonderful! There’s nothing like family.”

Beth snorted. “Mm,” I said.

“How’s that sweet girl of yours? Riley, right?”

“Yes. She’s great. She’s with her dad at the moment, but she’ll be coming later this week. Where’s Hope?”

“She’s right down the hall. Working on motor skills. She’ll be so happy to see you.”

“I’ll let you two visit,” Beth said. “I’ll just wander around.”

“Best of luck,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

Caridad led me down the hall. The sound of construction was a dull roar in the background.

“Are you expanding?” I asked.

“We have your wonderful grandmother to thank for that,” she said. “They’re putting on the new wing,” she said.

“Oh, wow. That’s fantastic!” Maybe Genevieve could’ve mentioned that last night, rather than shooting insults across the Limoges china.

“And over here is the new saltwater indoor pool.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah, the kids hate the old one. Too cold. I don’t blame them. And the chlorine! It takes days to wash the smell out of your skin.” She opened a door. “Miss Hope! Look who’s here to see you!”

My sister was with an aide. She didn’t look up, trying to put differently shaped plastic pieces in their correlating box—the circle in the round box, the triangle in the triangular box.