Remarkably Bright Creatures(62)

“Such a gorgeous house, though,” Sandy yammers on. “Jessica said she didn’t think it would last long. Someone will snap it up.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” Tova says quietly.

“Tova.” Janice’s voice is sharp. “What is she talking about?”

“Oh. Is it not . . . ? I mean, did you all not know . . . ?” Sandy’s cheeks turn as red as the pimento in Adam’s fresh martini.

“It’s quite all right.” Tova clears her throat. “Sandy is correct. I’m selling my house. I’ve applied for a suite up at Charter Village in Bellingham.”

A silence falls over the table.

“What?” Mary Ann gasps.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Barb demands.

“What about the house?” Janice leans forward.

“That beautiful house! Your father’s house!”

“And all of your things, Tova!”

“You have so many beautiful things! You’re not going to get rid of it all?”

“Where will all of your things go?”

“So many things to go through!”

“That attic, I can’t imagine.”

“Those trunks of your mother’s, the cedar ones. What a shame!”

“I’m perfectly capable of dealing with my belongings,” Tova says, her voice taut. This puts a stop to the volley of comments. How can the Knit-Wits cast judgment on her possessions, anyway? Mary Ann with all those statuettes, and Janice’s house has a whole room dedicated to computer equipment, much of which seems to serve no actual purpose. Barb, for some reason that has never been fully explained, has been collecting elephants since she was a bachelorette, for heaven’s sake. Her whole guest bedroom is full of elephant keepsakes. Who are they to cast stones?

Janice lays a hand on Tova’s shoulder. “You don’t need to do this, you know. Peter and I have always said you could live with us, that you could—”

“Absolutely not. I would never burden you in that way.”

Janice shakes her head. “You’re never a burden, Tova.”

AS THE DISHES are being cleared, Mary Ann makes a trip around the table to thank everyone for coming. Janice and Peter Kim bid goodbye, explaining that they’ll be late for their pottery class. Barb Vanderhoof and her too-tight sequins shimmy out of the room on their way to her weekly therapist appointment. Omar brings the check for Laura to sign and makes a joke about Mary Ann causing trouble in Spokane. Adam Wright swallows the dregs of his third martini and clasps his hands around Mary Ann’s forearm. “Thank you for having us!”

“This was so lovely!” Sandy chimes in, seeming to have forgotten about the bomb she dropped earlier. Thankfully, the rest of the table seems to have shrugged it off, too, although Tova caught Janice and Barb whispering about changing her mind.

Mary Ann’s smile is tight as she perches on the empty chair next to Tova. “I’ll see you before I leave this weekend, won’t I?”

“Certainly. I’ll stop by.”

“I’d like that.” Mary Ann’s voice shakes a bit. Laura hurries over and stands behind her mother, winds an arm around her shoulders.

“It’s so great of you to take your mom in.” Adam turns to Mary Ann, leaning back in his chair. “Man, I’m glad I had kids, even if it means I’ll never be rid of my ex-wife. Because it would be hell to get old alone. Isn’t that why anyone has kids?”

Sandy jabs him. “Don’t be ridiculous, babe.”

Laura eyes him sharply, offering no response other than to reach in front of him to pick up his not-quite-empty martini glass and hand it off to a passing waiter.

“I’m an idiot.” Adam raises his hand and then lowers it. “Tova, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. You won’t get old alone. Even with Erik gone.”

“It’s quite all right,” Tova says quietly. “It was a long time ago.”

“I remember it like it was yesterday.” Adam’s voice is clearer now.

Mary Ann claps a hand over her mouth, and Laura plants her hands on her hips, shooting a glare that could shatter stone. But Tova turns to Adam, suddenly aware of her heart throbbing under her blouse. “I always welcome what people remember.”

His drags a hand over his face. “I mean, nothing you don’t already know, I’m sure. I remember the last time I saw him. We grabbed nachos at the snack bar that afternoon, before he started work. We were planning to go out to my family’s cabin the next day. He was going to sneak some beers from your fridge, as usual.” He cringes. “Uh, sorry about that.”

Tova waves a hand. “No matter.”

“Anyway,” Adam goes on, “he wanted to impress that girl, whatever her name was. He was going to bring her to the cabin.”

Tova lets out a stony chuckle. Stealing beer from the fridge? That sounded like her son. But the rest, was it possible? She shakes her head. “I don’t remember Erik having a girlfriend at that time.”

“I don’t know what she was, technically, but they were a thing.” Adam frowns and furrows a brow. “Damn. What was her name?”

Laura lays a hand on Tova’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Tova? Dear?” Mary Ann echoes her daughter.