In a Book Club Far Away(32)
“Aren’t you eating, too?”
“Believe me, I have been eating all day, worried about Adelaide and trying to chase after Genevieve. I realized today that the only reason why I survived Miko’s baby-and toddlerhood was because I didn’t have a clue what was the right or the wrong thing to do. Today, I was with Gen for eight hours, and I’m paranoid that I’ve given her too much junk food or said something scathing.”
The nervous chatter from Regina harkened back to the past, to the ease with which they’d bantered, even when sometimes their views clashed. Sophie thought it touching that Regina had appreciated her and Jasper’s relationship despite her own divorce. It was a window of vulnerability that Sophie hadn’t seen in a long, long time. She eased into her response. “That’s what godmothers are for, right? What are we good for but to spoil? I tell the girls, as much as I can wait to be a grandmother, I also can’t wait to be one, so I don’t have to be in charge. I want to be able to be the good cop, for once.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I just didn’t want Genevieve to worry. She called for Ad a couple of times, and my answer was always, ‘Here, have something to eat!’”
Sophie laughed as she dipped the spoon in the soup, and as she brought it to her lips, her mouth began to water. Now that her kids were independent and always in some kind of activity away from home, she wasn’t cooking nearly as much as she used to, and this was a treat.
When the savory broth hit her taste buds, she sighed with relief, with gratitude. What came with it was warmth, comfort. Maybe this time with Regina wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe the rest of the next week would be like this, them on their best behavior. That would be good enough for her.
The doorbell rang.
“Are we expecting anyone?” Sophie asked, though already standing. She didn’t want for Adelaide to wake unnecessarily.
She saw a white van drive past the windows just as she arrived at the foyer. A package on the front step was addressed to both her and Regina. She lifted and shook the box.
“What is it?” Regina’s voice filtered from the kitchen.
Sophie examined the next-day-delivery sticker with narrowed eyes.
“That’s curious,” Regina commented, once Sophie brought the package to the foyer table. She came at the tape with her car keys and popped the flaps open.
Two books. Both Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan.
Sophie side-eyed Adelaide, who was snoozing away. “She didn’t waste any time.”
In front of her, Regina groaned, face dropping into a hand. “Did you say yes to this crazy idea for a book club?”
“What else could I have said?”
Regina crossed her arms. “Don’t you see what she’s trying to do? She’s trying to fix it. Fix us.” Then, to Sophie’s horror, Regina stomped over to the couch and nudged Adelaide.
“What the hell are you doing?” Sophie scream-whispered.
“If she can’t follow the rules, then I won’t, either.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Adelaide
Adelaide gasped at Regina’s angry face inches from hers as she crashed into a wave of consciousness.
“You keep pushing it, Adelaide,” Regina said.
Pushing it? What in the heavens is she talking about?
“Leave her alone, Reggie. She’s in pain, for God’s sake.” Sophie’s voice filtered from farther away. Adelaide rubbed her eyes, focusing them. Sophie walked into the room.
“I don’t care that she’s in pain—well, I do care, but if she’s insisting on forcing the issue, then let’s discuss it.” Regina propped both hands on her hips. “Are you lucid, Adelaide?”
“I think so.” Adelaide blinked to clear the fuzz in her head, and the slow roll of her memory recounted the day’s events. She had been in the hospital, then she’d come home. Everyone seemed fine when she walked in. The house had been quiet, but right now, it was like she’d turned on a reality show smack in the middle of a fight scene.
“There will absolutely be no book club. Sophie should never have agreed for the both of us. And then you buying the books before you even asked? It’s rude.”
Oh… oh. Adelaide now understood. “I wanted…” She started but couldn’t finish the sentence. Not when she couldn’t sit upright. Not when she wasn’t well enough to explain, fully, that what had happened between them wasn’t as straightforward as the two of them assumed it was.
“Do you think this is a game?” Regina turned to Sophie.
“Don’t look at me,” Sophie said. “I walked into this place clueless, too.”
Regina waved her away. “I appreciate what you’re attempting to do here, Adelaide. I know that you’ve been trying to get Sophie and me to make up. But I don’t want to make up, and do you know why?”
From where she was lying, Adelaide could see that Sophie had moved to the periphery of the room, near the window that looked out into the street. Her profile was illuminated from the streetlamp outside.
She looked sad.
So Adelaide sat up, and she felt every muscle as it contracted and relaxed. She’d known that at some point during this trip, they would have this conversation, that the truth would come out. She just didn’t think it would be while she was getting over her anesthesia. But she would try to pay attention.