The Two-Family House(62)

“May I keep this?”

She was pleased. “Sure! Do you really like it?”

“It’s very clever.”

The next morning he pulled the story out from his desk drawer to look at it again. He had just put it down when Abe knocked on his door.

Abe whistled when he found his brother drinking his coffee with his feet up on the extra chair. “Making yourself comfortable there, Morty?”

Mort sprung up from his seat and pushed the extra chair against the wall.

“Don’t get up on my account. It’s good to see you relax a little. Nice change of pace.”

“Hmmph.” Mort didn’t respond further, so Abe took the chair and sat down. “You know, Morty,” he went on, “I don’t think I ever sat down in your office before.” He stretched his arms out, leaned back and looked at his brother’s desk. “Got some new pictures too, I see. Good for you.” Abe chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Ah, nothing. Glad you finally got an extra chair in here, that’s all. Who knows, maybe I’ll come around and visit more, now that it’s so comfortable in here.” Mort gave Abe a look. “Don’t worry, little brother,” Abe reassured him, “I’m only kidding.”





Chapter 46





HELEN


(April 1957)

When the phone rang, Helen had a feeling it was going to be Arlene. Ever since they’d lost Teddy, Arlene had called Helen every day. Having a conversation with her used to be like pulling teeth, but since the funeral, Arlene hadn’t stopped talking.

“Helen, sweetie, it’s me.” Arlene’s basic philosophy seemed to be that in order to move past her grief, Helen should be kept as busy as possible. So Arlene called every day with questions, problems that needed solving and tasks she thought might take Helen’s mind off her sorrow. Sometimes Arlene referred to her problems as “tiny hiccups” and sometimes she insisted she was just calling for “some practical advice.” But whenever Arlene called, Helen knew she would be on the phone for a good long while.

“How are you, Arlene?”

“Fine, fine! I just need a little practical advice.”

“Of course. Tell me.”

“Well, you know how Sol and I are just crazy about the theater.” As far as Helen knew, Sol hated the theater. But she decided to play along. “Mmm hmmm.”

“We’ve been trying for ages to get tickets to see that show about the baseball team, you know the one I mean.”

“Damn Yankees?”

“That’s it! One of Sol’s buddy’s just called to say he has three tickets for the matinee tomorrow.”

“Sounds terrific—what’s the problem?”

“Well, Sol and I can’t make it tomorrow. We have a wedding, the daughter of one of Sol’s old friends from Chicago.”

“That’s too bad.”

“It’s just that Johnny is dying to see the show. Two weeks ago, he had never even heard of Damn Yankees, but now it’s all he talks about. He’s convinced one of the real Yankees will show up.”

“Poor kid. You want me to take him?”

“Sol thought you and Abe could go with him.”

“Abe is in Philadelphia, but I bet Natalie would love to go with us. She’s never been to a Broadway show.”

“Then she’ll love it! Now, just one other thing. The wedding starts at noon. Sol and I have to drive out to New Jersey early in the day and Saturday is the housekeeper’s day off, so…”

“Drop Johnny off any time.”

“The reception may run late, so…”

“Johnny can stay over with us. Just pack him a bag and bring it when you drop him off.”

“I’m so glad this worked out for everyone.”

“Always happy to help solve a problem.”

“Oh, it wasn’t a problem, Helen. Just a tiny hiccup, that’s all.”

“Of course.”

*

Sol and Arlene didn’t even get out of the car when they dropped Johnny off. As soon as Helen opened the front door, Sol beeped the horn and Arlene waved her arm out the half-open window of the pale blue Cadillac. “See you tomorrow!” she called out.

Johnny stood on the front porch, a small duffel bag in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other. He looked at his aunt with an apologetic smile. “They were running late,” he said. Helen raised an eyebrow. She wrapped her right arm around her nephew’s shoulders. “Come inside,” she told him. “I hope our tickets are in that bag.” Johnny opened the bag and produced three tickets and a cold piece of toast. “Is that your breakfast?” Helen asked. She took the tickets, threw the toast in the trash and pointed Johnny toward the plate of warm blueberry muffins that sat on the kitchen table.

“Those look good,” Johnny said, taking one. He was already taller than the last time she’d seen him, just a few weeks earlier. At eleven, Johnny was just starting to trade his little-boy dimples for more grown up good looks. Helen’s boys were all handsome, but Johnny was a different kind of good-looking. He took after Arlene, with his movie-star nose and chiseled cheekbones. Helen was sure he would be a heartbreaker one day.