The Two-Family House(49)

“Excuse me?”

“You have three daughters. You’ve never taken an interest in them the way you have with Natalie.”

He was taken aback. “I’m studying math with Teddy.”

“You’re studying with Teddy and Natalie.”

“That’s because Natalie comes over on Thursdays. To be honest, I’m not sure Teddy would have asked about the math in the first place without her. She’s good for him.”

“Judith has always taken care of Teddy. But you don’t dote on her the way you dote on Natalie.”

“I don’t dote on anyone, Rose! Judith is hardly home!”

“But Judith is so smart. You never encouraged her.” Rose was angry.

Mort became flustered. “Isn’t Judith in college right now? Studying everything she wants? Isn’t she getting a good education?”

“But you don’t laugh with Judith, not the way you…” Rose’s eyes began to tear up.

“What are you crying about, Rose? Teddy and I finally found something we really like to do together. Don’t turn it into something unpleasant.”

But Rose couldn’t help herself. Her sobs only came faster and it was hard to understand the words she managed to choke out between them. “For so long … disappointment after disappointment … and then she comes along and suddenly it doesn’t seem to matter.…”

Mort couldn’t imagine why Rose was so upset. How could she criticize him for spending time with his son?

“I think you need to sit, Rose,” was all he could say. He guided her to one of the kitchen chairs. Then he sat across from her and waited.

Slowly, Rose controlled her crying, and her breathing steadied. She wiped her eyes a few times with a napkin and stared down at the table.

Mimi breezed into the kitchen just then. Her hair was in curlers and she had just applied a fresh coat of nail polish. “Hey, Mom, what do you think of this color? Is it too pink?” She looked up from her fingernails to see her mother’s tear-streaked face. “Gee, Mom, are you okay? What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” Rose told her. “Why don’t you ask your father about the color?”

Mimi looked at her mother like she had two heads. “Really?”

“Absolutely,” Rose insisted. “Mort, your daughter would like your opinion on something.” He gave her a confused look, but she ignored him, got up from the table and started to walk out of the kitchen. “I’m sure you two will have a nice conversation,” she said. And then she left.





Chapter 36





ROSE


(October 1956)

Rose was putting cereal bowls out on the table when Teddy hobbled into the kitchen. “Why are you limping like that?” she asked him. He sat down and filled a bowl with cornflakes from the box. Rose asked again, “Why are you limping?”

Teddy didn’t look up. “My shoes are tight, I guess.”

“You guess? Are they tight or aren’t they?” Rose was irritated.

“Let me see your foot,” she told him. Teddy stuck one foot out from under the table, but looking at the shoe didn’t tell Rose much about the foot inside it. “Stand up,” she ordered. Teddy did as he was told and let Rose press on the front of his shoes. She could feel his toes pushing up against the edge of his Buster Browns.

“Why didn’t you tell me you needed new shoes?”

It took Teddy several moments to answer. “I told you a few weeks ago.”

“A few weeks ago?” She shook her head, unable to remember, and made her way to the coffeepot to pour herself a cup. “What did I say?”

“You told me that I had just gotten new shoes and my feet couldn’t grow again so fast.”

“I don’t remember having that conversation.”

Teddy stared into the bottom of his cereal bowl. He wouldn’t look up. “I told you my shoes were hurting on Saturday too,” he whispered.

“This past Saturday?”

He coughed. “Mmm.”

“I see. So it’s my fault that you’re limping.”

“No, I didn’t say—”

Rose silenced him with a look. “I’ll take you for shoes today, after school.”

“But it’s Tuesday.”

“So? The stores are open on Tuesdays.”

“I’m going to Natalie’s house today. I can wait one more day. Please!”

Mort walked into the kitchen just as Teddy’s eyes began to well up. “What’s all the yelling about?” he wanted to know.

Rose explained, “He can’t even walk, his shoes are so tight. I said we’d go shopping this afternoon, but no, he wants to go to your brother’s.”

Teddy’s face was flushed and sweaty. He looked desperate.

Mort had an idea. “Teddy, how are your sneakers?”

“A little small but not as tight as these.”

“Wear your sneakers to school then. Tomorrow you’ll get new shoes and new sneakers.”

Teddy looked happy, but Rose was furious. “You want him to go to school looking like a beggar?”

“Better a beggar than a cripple.” Mort held his ground. “He won’t make it through the morning in those shoes.”