California Girls(102)

“Ali?”

She turned and saw her mother in the doorway. Her mother?

“Mom? What are you doing here?”

Her mother, dressed for work because it was Saturday and Mary Jo was always at the boutique on Saturday, hurried to her side. Her mother who had screamed at her over the phone for a full twenty minutes because of the stupid clock.

Mary Jo stared at Ali’s swollen arm and then touched her face. “You’re in the hospital. Where else would I be?”

“But how did you know I was here?” Ali turned to Daniel. “You called my mother?”

“No,” he said firmly. “Your phone rang while you were having your X-ray. I saw it was her, so I answered it.”

“Yes, yes,” her mother said. “While that’s fascinating, what happened? How did you break your arm?”

“I was riding a dirt bike and some kid ran into me and I went flying. It’s not bad, Mom. I’ll wear a cast for a few weeks and then I’ll be fine.”

“You were riding a motorcycle?”

“A dirt bike, but yes.”

Her mother’s gaze shifted to Daniel. “I know you. How do I know you?”

“I’m, ah, Daniel Demiter.” He hesitated. “Glen’s brother.”

“Glen, as in your former fiancé Glen?”

Ali saw the flaw in her decision not to share much about her life with her mother. “So, it’s a funny story. When Glen broke off the engagement, he didn’t have the balls to do it himself, so he sent Daniel tell me. Daniel helped me deconstruct the wedding and we, um, became friends. I wanted to try something new and he was a professional motocross guy so I was on a dirt bike.”

Her mother looked between them before settling on Ali. “I appreciate that you think I’m old and feeble, but a blind squirrel could see you’re sleeping together. Really, Ali? Your fiancé’s brother?”

Ali held in a whimper. “Mom, don’t. Just don’t. Daniel’s a great guy. Even if you don’t believe me, I just broke a bone and I deserve sympathy.”

“Mrs. Schmitt,” Daniel began, “I assure you that I would never put Ali in any danger.”

“All evidence to the contrary?” Mary Jo asked. “I just don’t understand any of this. One minute you’re marrying Glen and the next you’re breaking bones and sleeping with his brother and stealing people’s grandfather clocks. Ali, what’s gotten into you? I barely know you.”

“Mom, it’s not like that.”

“It’s exactly like that. You’re becoming someone else and I don’t like it. Who is this Daniel person?”

“He’s standing right there,” Ali said frantically. “Please, can we talk about this later?”

“No. I want to talk about it now. He stole his brother’s girl, Ali. What does that say about his character?”

Daniel headed for the door. “I’ll be right outside.”

“Don’t go.”

“It’s okay, Ali. She’s your mom.”

Ali had no idea what that meant, but she knew it wasn’t good. Not any of it. She leaned back against the pillows and wondered why now, of all times, did her mother suddenly have to give a damn about her life.

*

“She’s sleeping with him,” Mary Jo said for the fourteenth time since Finola had arrived at the house on Sunday morning. “It’s a nightmare.”

“Mom, just stop. Ali’s a grown woman who knows what she’s doing,” Finola said, trying to take in everything her mother had said without getting distracted by the fact that her sister had apparently moved in with a guy she’d fallen for and hadn’t said a word. Although her first instinct was to get mad at her sister, she had a feeling that the real problem was more about her. In truth she’d barely been in touch with Ali over the past few weeks. They’d once been so close, but somehow that had been lost.

Finola assumed they were equally to blame—each of them had been dealing with so much upheaval and there hadn’t been a lot left for reaching out. Still, she should have made more of an effort.

Oh no, she thought, remembering the last time Ali had mentioned Daniel was helping with canceling the wedding. She’d talked about him in glowing terms and Finola had warned her not to make a fool out of herself. No wonder she hadn’t heard from Ali.

“You’re not listening to me,” her mother complained as they sorted through dishes in the large hutch. The estate sale was fast approaching and there were still cupboards and closets to be sorted. Finola had promised they would finish the dining room today.

“I’m listening, Mom, but I’m thinking, too. I’m thinking Ali was with a guy who didn’t love her the way he should have, and we should be happy that she’s with a good guy now.”

“But we don’t know he’s a good guy. What if he’s worse?”

Finola thought about what her sister had said about Daniel. “He was there for her from the first moment Glen dumped her. He stepped in and took care of things. He’s a good guy.” Which her sister had been trying to tell her for a while, only she hadn’t been listening. “Ali knows what she’s doing. We should give her a little credit.”

“Knows what she’s doing?” Mary Jo’s voice rose two octaves. “She practically got stood up at the altar.”