The Lifeguards(25)

“No, Roma, no espresso,” said Whitney, on cue.

Jules shrugged, as if he were as pained as his daughter. Roma sidled up to him. “Daddy,” she cooed, “what about my phone?”

“I’ll take you to the Apple store,” said Jules. “Let me have a chat with your mother and then we’ll go.”

“Finally,” said Roma, who had been without her phone for less than twenty-four hours.

“You can’t just lose an iPhone and expect a new one for free,” said Jules, sliding his reading glasses down his beaky nose. “I told you to turn on the Find My iPhone notification system. That application—Big Mother? They raised twenty million in their first round. You’re going to get that app and the Find My iPhone thing, and you’re paying me back every cent, you know,” said Jules.

“OK, Daddy,” said Roma, who had never earned a cent in her life. What job could she possibly do? wondered Whitney sadly. She’d always dreamed, if she had a daughter, that she’d raise her to be strong and brilliant. Come to think of it, Roma was both…just not in the way Whitney had ever envisioned.

“Very well,” said Jules. “Go and put on some clothing, Roma.”

“Yes, sir,” said Roma, slinking out.

Slinking! Like a feral creature! Whitney couldn’t believe she thought this about her own daughter! She shook her head.

Jules turned to Whitney, put his hands on the counter. “I have a call in. Ken Bauer is the best of the best, apparently.”

“We don’t need a lawyer,” said Whitney.

“We do,” said Jules. Whitney sighed, understanding this was done. She would have to reevaluate her plan, stay one step ahead. Or talk to the lawyer? How wonderful it would be to lay everything in the lap of the “best of the best” lawyer in town! Whitney knew it was impossible; she knew. It was too late, and yet she yearned to unburden herself.

“Whitney? Are you there?” said Jules, peering at her curiously.

“I’m having drinks at six,” she said. “With all the moms.”

“Ah, a secret dog walk,” said Jules. He put his arms around her. “It’s not one of ours,” he said. “You know it’s not.”

“Right,” said Whitney. She repeated, “It’s not one of ours.”

Jules touched her face. “It’s just some awful event,” he said. “It has nothing to do with us, not with our children.”

“This best of the best lawyer will represent both the twins, right?” said Whitney.

“Why would Roma need a lawyer?” said Jules. He looked straight at Whitney, his jaw tensing, green eyes flashing with anger and pain. Roma had told them she’d been binge-watching television in her room all night.

Whitney had turned off the alarms and the video surveillance system as she always did when she drank wine with her friends, not wanting the piercing beeps as they went in and out of the slide door into the yard, grabbing drinks from the outdoor fridge, not wanting footage of moms sneaking cigarettes and sharing confidences.

No one had been watching Roma. She could have gone out, leaving her Netflix account playing. Both Whitney and Jules knew that if she’d climbed out her ground-floor window, she could have reached the side yard, Barton Hills Drive, and then the greenbelt.

Neither parent had asked how, if she’d been home all night, Roma had lost her phone. Whitney raised her palm and touched her husband’s face. She didn’t have to say a word.





-16-


    Barton Hills Mamas


OAKLANDMAMA

Hi, Mamas! My hubby and I are moving from the Bay Area to Austin and I am wondering about your ’hood. Do you feel like it is safe? How is the elementary school? Parks & playgrounds? Is it as perfect as it seems??? I’m in LOVE with a house on Rae Dell Avenue!



CHARDONNAYISMYJAM

Welcome, Oakland Mama! Barton Hills is amazing but not so sure about safety…google “Barton Hills greenbelt dead body” for more. We are all pretty shaken up.



TESLALUVR

Anyone have any more info on this? I want to take the kids to Gus Fruh but not if there’s a murderer around. Joking! Sort of.



OAKLANDMAMA

OMG I am so sorry about this news. I’m sure it is a one-time event. Still, I think we will look at other neighborhoods. Thank you for your candor.



MARYKAYMOM

Harsh! We need to stick together, Barton Hills gang. Hit my web site for details of a neighborhood watch and party!



CHARDONNAYISMYJAM

It is a city, ladies, like it or not. I’m scared, too. Please post anything you hear. Please don’t let my property value go down!!!



QUEENYOGA

Now that we’re on the topic, I have been alarmed by two men sitting in a Cadillac Escalade by the Zilker Elementary tennis courts smoking pot. I called 911 but no one came! Appalling!



ORIGINAL78704

Ha! That could have been my dad—he just retired from his corporate law practice. He and his friends say there’s nothing better than getting high and watching tennis.





-17-


    Annette


ANNETTE FELT SQUIRRELLY. SHE checked her watch—three hours until she would see her friends, and they could talk through what was happening. Thank goodness for Whitney and Liza: Inside their circle of three, she felt invincible. Ever since she had watched a nature documentary called Wild Animals of Yellowstone one night when she couldn’t sleep, Annette had thought of her friends as a pack of coyotes, keeping each other safe.