The Two-Family House(70)

He squeezed her shoulder. “Tonight, I’m celebrating. Tomorrow, I’ll have celery.” He gobbled the lamb chops in a few bites, left the remains on another waiter’s tray and led Helen to the center of the room. “Time to dance with my beautiful bride.”

“I’m not exactly a bride anymore.”

“You’ll always be my bride.” The band switched to a waltz, and Helen let Abe lead her. But no matter where they were on the dance floor, Helen could not escape the view of Rose alone at that table.

“What is she doing, just sitting there like that?” She didn’t have to say Rose’s name. Abe knew.

“Who knows?” He tried to switch topics. “Don’t you think that bridesmaid dress is a little grown-up for Natalie? Couldn’t they have picked a different dress for her? She’s a little girl, for Chrissake.”

“Abe, have you seen her? She’s not a little girl anymore. And stop trying to change the subject.”

“I’m not.”

“Fine, then what do you think about Rose? Honestly?”

“Honestly, I think she’s starting to lose it.”

Helen stopped dancing. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I’m not joking. Every other week she calls at work and yells at one of the office girls.”

“Which one?”

“Whoever answers. She tells them the milk in her refrigerator is sour. Or she can’t find the can opener. Then she demands to talk to Mort.”

“That’s awful.” Helen’s resolve evaporated and she was overwhelmed with emotion. “What can I do?”

Abe shook his head. “Nothing. Please don’t do anything, Helen. You know how she gets when you try to get involved. Mort has to deal with her now. It’s not for you to do.”

“Maybe I can help her.”

“No. You can’t.” He lowered his voice. “You’re a good person for wanting to, but you can’t. Leave it alone.” He kissed her on the top of her head.

What would she say to Rose anyway? Other than saying hello, it had been years since they had really spoken; their last meaningful conversation had been after Teddy’s funeral, on the final night of the shiva. Helen was standing by the sink, washing the platters and trying to organize what was left of the food. All the visitors had gone home, and Rose had come into the kitchen.

“You can go home now,” Rose said.

“As soon as I’m finished in here.” Helen started to pack up the oversized coffee urn she had brought. “I’ll call you tomorrow and see if you need anything.”

“Why?” Rose’s face was blank. It caught Helen off guard.

“I want to make sure you’re all right.”

Rose didn’t answer.

“It takes time.” Helen reached for her sister-in-law, but Rose turned away.

“Time can’t fix this.”

More than anything, Helen wanted to comfort her. “Maybe not, but I think we should try to help each other through this. I’m going to come over tomorrow and check on you.”

“Don’t.”

“But why?” Helen’s chest was aching and her face was hot.

“There’s nothing left for us to talk about.” Rose had made up her mind. “And now that Teddy is dead, there’s nothing left for us to argue about either.”





Chapter 53





ROSE


Helen should have insisted on a higher neckline for Natalie. The girl may have been only thirteen, but she certainly didn’t look it in that dress. Rose noticed more than one of the groom’s friends staring at her during the reception. Helen must have seen it too.

It was chilly in the hotel ballroom, and Rose was shivering. She decided to fetch her sweater from the coatroom. It didn’t match the dress she was wearing, but she didn’t care. The family photos had already been taken, and no one was looking at her anymore.

The coatroom was on the other side of the hotel lobby from the ballroom, miles past the reception desk and down a long corridor. Rose couldn’t remember having walked that far when she dropped off her sweater, but when she turned the corner and passed the small restroom on the left, she recognized where she was. The attendant was nowhere to be found, so Rose swung open the waist-high door and began looking through the hangers herself. It was almost June, so there were only a few jackets, and the sweater was easy to find. She pulled it on and decided to sit for a few minutes on the stool she found in the corner. The dim overhead lighting washed over her, and the noise from the reception was muffled. Rose hoped the coat check girl would be gone for a while. She was happy to be alone.

Her thoughts drifted back to the party Helen’s brother Sol had thrown the summer before Teddy turned three. She had wandered away from that party too, to a spot by the pond Sol had told her about. She could still see the flowers that grew on the edge of the water—were they bluebells? It had been so peaceful.

Rose couldn’t have said how much time had passed when she heard voices approaching the coatroom. She recognized one of them as Natalie’s.

“What do you think is back this way?” Natalie was asking.

“I don’t know, but at least it’ll be quiet and no one will bother us.” It was a young man’s voice.