The Two-Family House(50)

“What is his teacher going to think? That he has a mother who can’t even dress her own son? He is not wearing sneakers to school!”

“Teddy, go to your room, please. Find your sneakers and give us a few minutes.” As soon as Teddy left the kitchen, Mort poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table. Rose was still standing, glaring at him from her spot by the stove.

“Rose, please. Don’t blow this out of proportion. Why can’t you just take him for shoes tomorrow?”

“He needs them today.”

“One day isn’t going to make a difference.”

Rose looked like she wanted to throw her coffee at him. Instead, she dumped the remains in the sink, rinsed out the cup and placed it upside down on the dish rack. “You’re wrong. One day can make all the difference in the world.” She pointed to the clock over the sink. “The bus comes in ten minutes. You’d better call the kids downstairs if you want them to be on it. Otherwise, you’ll have to drive them to school. I’m going to get dressed.” She walked out of the kitchen, leaving Mort alone with his coffee.

*

About an hour after the girls got home from school, Rose was in the kitchen making dinner. It was baked chicken night and she was crushing Ritz crackers for the topping when she heard the phone ring.

“Rose, it’s Helen. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. You?” It wasn’t easy to get the casserole dish she needed off of the top shelf with only one hand. “Hold on a minute.” Even after she had the dish on the counter, Rose waited a few moments before putting the phone back to her ear.

“Sorry about that. Mort will pick Teddy up at the usual time, all right?”

“Sure. But how are you?”

“I told you I’m fine,” Rose snapped. “Why do you keep asking me that?”

“Teddy said you weren’t feeling well last week. I figured you still must be sick.”

“Well, you heard wrong. I haven’t been sick.” She always does this. Looking for bad news wherever she can find it.

There was an uncomfortable silence on the other end of the line. “Oh. My mistake.”

“Anything else?”

“Well, one thing. I have some old shoes of George’s. They’re like new. He wore them maybe for a week before he grew out of them. I’m sending them home with Teddy. They fit. You’ll see if you like them.”

“Shoes?”

“You know me, I never throw anything away.” Helen let out a nervous laugh.

“I knew it. It’s always something about Teddy with you.”

“No, no. I just noticed last week he wasn’t walking so well and he said you didn’t get a chance to take him to the shoe store because you were sick.”

“I’m not blind, Helen! I wanted to take him for shoes today, but he threw a fit because he wanted to go to your house! He’d have had new shoes by now if it wasn’t for you!”

“Me? You’re blaming me? I’m giving him shoes!”

“Of course you are. You’re always coming to the rescue. Pointing out every little thing I do wrong. Keep your damned shoes, Helen! Keep them. Because so help me, if Teddy comes home with them I will throw them in the garbage!” Rose slammed down the phone. Her breathing was heavy and her hands were shaking. What a fool I am, she thought, worrying about the teacher. I should have known Helen would be the first one to notice.





Chapter 37





HELEN


(November 1956)

It had been nine years since they were all together for Thanksgiving. Helen wondered if Rose remembered. After Natalie and Teddy were born, Rose’s family started going to her aunt Faye’s for the holiday. But Faye’s husband, Stuart, had retired over the summer, and Faye and Stuart decided to spend the winter in Miami. When Helen called with an invitation, Rose had no excuse.

At first Helen had been thrilled. After a week passed, however, her excitement turned to regret. She was nervous. They had shared other holidays over the years—there had been Yom Kippur break-fasts, Fourth of July barbecues and Passover seders—but those had always included other relatives or friends. Thanksgiving would be just the two families. Even Sol and Arlene couldn’t make it—they had gone to Arlene’s brother’s place in New Jersey.

Luckily Helen didn’t have to worry about the food. Her Thanksgiving menu hadn’t changed much in the past eight years. That was one of the best things about the holiday, she decided. People didn’t want to be surprised—they wanted the classics: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, apple pie. Judith always loved my apple pie.

Helen had seen Judith a few weeks earlier when she’d dropped off a birthday present for Dinah at the house. Helen wanted to stay and talk to her, but there hadn’t been time. She was glad she would see Judith today.

“Natalie! Come help me set the table!”

“Coming!” Natalie appeared a few moments later wearing denim overalls handed down from one brother and a faded green T-shirt handed down from another. Helen wasn’t surprised. That’s what happens when you have four older brothers.

“Hey, Mom, what’s this?” Natalie was rummaging through the drawers of the breakfront in the dining room searching for extra napkins. She held up a small cardboard box. “I found it under the napkin rings.”