My Name Is Venus Black(91)

She nods, her eyes serious and dark.

“She might not be kind to you,” he warns.

“I know,” she says. “I don’t blame her.” Tony can’t believe his quiet, shy daughter is willing to do something so hard. “They might not even give you her room number. And she might be upset that you tracked her down.”

“It was Venus who mentioned that Inez was at the Holiday Inn,” she counters. “And I think people at the desk will call her room and tell her I’m here.”

Tony knows it took Tessa a long time to find the right Holiday Inn. Tony knows because he listened to her: “I’m calling for a Mrs. Inez Black.” Tony didn’t correct her. It’s not Mrs.; it should be Ms.

Tessa has been so brave. Oh my God, how he wishes now that he had told her the truth as soon as he got back from Everett. He delayed in part because he wanted to give Leo his chance to perform with the school orchestra. If he could do it over again…



“Dad, are you scared?”

Tony flips his blinker. “Afraid I’ll go to jail?”

“Yes. But also are you scared of losing Leo forever?”

Tony knows she asked the question because she’s scared.

“Of course, honey. But we still have each other and we’ll make it through—even if I go to jail for a little while, you’ll have M and M.”

“It’s just so strange,” Tessa continues. “I mean, it’s only been three days. But all the times when everything is supposed to happen with Leo I know he’s upset and is missing us. And school, too.”

“He’ll be okay, sweetie.”

“I don’t know,” she says.

Tony pulls up at the Holiday Inn. “Are you sure about this?”

“I’m sure.” She is wearing one of her dresses, like she’s going to church. And she has her hair in a pony with the silly yellow-and-purple ribbon that Leo likes so much.

Tony gets out of the car and pulls the cello case from the backseat. Tessa gets the suitcase out of the other side. “Can you carry both of these?”

“I’m strong, Dad.”



* * *



—

AFTER SEEING LEO two more times, Inez feels sapped of her enthusiasm. Seeing him not see her had sapped her even more. She can hardly believe that this was the big occasion she’d dreamed of for so many years—when she’d get her son back. She never imagined Leo not wanting her. Leo begging for other people.

She hates them. The man and his daughter. She knows she should be grateful they took good care of Leo, but the fact that they loved him—and seemingly so well—is the part that’s actually the hardest for her. They didn’t just take Leo; they took her place. They stole his heart.

She sits on the end of the bed and sips the cheap wine she bought at a nearby grocery store. She flips on the television and lights a cigarette. She’s tempted to go back and buy a second bottle for later, but she resists. She knows Venus has her eye on it. She needs not to drink so much if she’s going to be a good mom to Leo. If she ever gets a real chance.



She tells herself that once she gets him home to Everett everything will fall into place. She tries to focus on the evening news but can’t seem to. She wonders when the press is going to get hold of this story and chase them all over the place. She dreads that part, even though it’s supposedly a happy ending.

Her hotel phone rings, startling her. She picks it up. “Hello?”

“It’s the front desk, ma’am. You have a visitor. A Miss Tessa Herrera. Can I send her up?”

Inez freezes. What on earth? “Just her? Just one person?”

“Just the girl, ma’am.”

Inez tries to think. She doesn’t want a scene in the lobby. She can’t imagine what this girl has to say to her. “What the hell does she want?”

“Ma’am, I wouldn’t know. It appears she has things to deliver.”

“Fine,” says Inez. “Send her up.”

She hangs up the phone. She knows this will be the Tessa Venus mentioned, the daughter of Tony Herrera. How does she know where we’re staying? What does she want? Is she going to say she’s sorry? Oh God, Inez hopes not. Please, no apologies. She’s not ready for that. Sorry for making Leo forget his own mother and fall in love with them?

She clears the food tray from the bed, chugs the rest of her wine, and goes to the mirror. She puts on some fresh lipstick. Brushes out her hair. She has the thought that she wants to look like a good mom. But why does she care what this stupid girl thinks?

There’s a knock. She takes a deep breath, sets her jaw, and opens the door. “Yes?”

“Hi.”



Venus was right: She is beautiful. Petite. She reminds Inez of the Mexican doll she had once, who wore an elaborate outfit but a shy smile.

“Can I help you?” Inez says with deliberate coldness.

“I’m Tessa Herrera. I…I have Leo’s cello. And some clothes. I thought…”

Inez registers what’s in each of her hands. “Come in.”

Inez is trying to think. She takes the only chair and watches the girl awkwardly set the suitcase and the cello case on the floor. “I just thought Leo might want some more of his things. It might help….”