The Two-Family House(29)

“Geez.” Abe let out a breath. Mort turned back to his desk. He wanted to get back to work, but Abe wasn’t done with the conversation.

“Listen, Teddy and Natalie are gonna turn one in a couple of weeks and I think we should have a party for them.”

Mort put down his pencil. “Isn’t that something Rose and Helen should work out?”

“That’s my point, Mort. If we leave it to them, it could turn into another fight. Like what happened at Thanksgiving. It’s gonna kill Helen if we don’t celebrate this together. You know how it is.”

Mort definitely did not know how it was. He had enjoyed Thanksgiving at Faye and Stuart’s apartment. It had been so much more civilized than their usual holidays with Abe’s family.

“What am I supposed to do about it, Abe?”

“Talk to Rose. You know, tell her you think it’d be nice to have a little party together. Whatever kind of party she wants.”

“Fine. I’ll talk to her when I get home.”

You would have thought Mort had just handed Abe a hundred-dollar bill—that’s how big the smile was on his brother’s face. It instantly made Mort wish he hadn’t agreed to it.

The truth was, Mort had noticed a difference in Rose since Teddy was born. He felt a change in her attitude that shifted something between them, a sense that she no longer cared as much about his approval. Since Rose had given him a son, Mort no longer felt justified in voicing any kind of criticism. What’s more, he was sure that Rose had detected this new weakness in his position.

The next morning, Mort decided to leave early to avoid Abe. He had put off talking to Rose and didn’t feel like explaining the delay to his brother. Mort was saying goodbye to the girls when two quick knocks at the door interrupted him. It was Abe, ten minutes earlier than usual. Mort’s plan of walking to work alone was ruined.

“Good morning!” Abe called into the kitchen.

“I’m ready to leave,” Mort grumbled. Abe held the door open for his brother to exit but snapped his fingers quickly, just before it clicked shut. Then he called out to Rose, who was pouring her second cup of coffee.

“I almost forgot! Rose, did Mort tell you the big news about Nat and Teddy’s birthday?”

Rose was suspicious. She put down the coffee and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “He didn’t mention anything.” Mort wanted to disappear.

“Ah, he wanted to surprise you, I guess. I haven’t told Helen yet either. But it’s too good. You’ve gotta hear this!”

“I’m sure,” Rose snapped. “What’s the surprise?”

Abe eased his way through the doorway and back into the kitchen, pulling Mort along with him. “You know Bob Sherman, our father’s old friend, the one who introduced us to the cereal guy?”

“I know who he is.”

“He called yesterday to see how everything was going. When I told him the babies were gonna turn one, he got all excited. Said his cousin was the manager of some fancy club on Ocean Avenue and he wanted to throw the kids a party there. We have the Blue Room at Club Elegante booked a week from Sunday at noon and Bob said he’s paying for the whole thing!”

“Club Elegante is a nightclub, Abe,” Rose said. “You want to have a first birthday party at a nightclub?”

“It’s not a nightclub during the day.” Abe grinned.

“What did Helen say?”

“Like I said, I haven’t told her yet. Mort wanted you to be the first to know!”

Rose looked from one brother to the other. Finally she uncrossed her arms and let them fall to her sides. “Fine. We’ll have it at the nightclub. I’ll invite my aunt Faye.”

“Terrific!” Abe practically shouted. “Invite whoever you want!”

When they were safely out in the hall, Mort grabbed Abe by the arm.

“What the hell did you do? I’m not paying for some party at a goddamn nightclub.”

“Calm down. Bob’s paying for it.”

“You mean that was true?” Mort couldn’t believe it.

“Of course it was true! Bob called me last night at home. I only said you knew because I wanted Rose to think we already decided it together. It’d be harder for her to say no that way.”

“I suppose. You handled that quite … skillfully.”

“I knew one of these days you’d appreciate my talents.” Abe winked at him. “I’ll see you in half an hour,” he said. “I’m going to tell Helen about the party.” He turned around and headed up the stairs, whistling as he climbed.

Mort stared after his brother and shook his head. Who would’ve thought Abe could have pulled that off so smoothly? Maybe he didn’t give him enough credit. Sometimes you can’t predict what a person is capable of, he thought. Sometimes you just can’t tell.





Chapter 23





HELEN


“This stupid room isn’t even blue,” Joe grumbled. “It’s gray.”

“It’s sort of a bluish gray,” George offered.

“It’s not called the Bluish-Gray Room, you idiot!”

“Boys!” Helen shushed them. “Stop it.” She tried to sound angry, but she wasn’t. The Blue Room at Club Elegante really was gray. She had said just as much to Abe when they first walked in. It was pretty in a gaudy sort of way, though. At least a hundred balloons—half pink, half blue—skimmed the top of the vaulted ceiling. Bob Sherman had gone all out.