The Matchmaker's Gift(91)
“Some of you know that Nicole and I collaborated on a line of clothing this summer. Tonight, we are thrilled to announce that we will be making that collaboration permanent.” He turned slightly and gestured to the sign behind him. “The étoile brand will now be known as ‘étoile et Soleil.’” He winked at the crowd and pointed to Nicole. “If I am the stars, this woman is certainly the sun.”
It was Abby who began clapping first until, eventually, the entire crowd joined in.
Nicole held her hands up to quiet them. “Thank you. Without the support of many special people, Victor and I would not be standing in front of all of you tonight. We want to thank our families, especially my mother, who has been so encouraging. We also want to thank everyone at étoile et Soleil for their hard work and their discretion as we mapped out this new business venture.”
Victor ran a hand through his hair. “As some of you may know from personal experience, a good matrimonial lawyer is hard to find. It takes a good lawyer to negotiate on your behalf. But it takes a great lawyer to look beyond all the posturing and to put the happiness of her clients first.
“I first met Diane Berenson years ago, when she represented me in my divorce. A month ago, I hired her again—this time, of course, for the opposite reason. And this time, my friends, she had the wisdom to assign a secret weapon to my case.” Victor scanned the rooftop for Abby’s face and pointed her out to the crowd. “Abby, it is because of your resourcefulness, your empathy, and your insight that Nicole and I are so truly happy this evening.” As all of the guests began to clap, Jessica took Abby’s hand and squeezed.
“Did you tell him to say all that?” Abby whispered.
“Of course not! All I said was that you deserved a thank-you.”
As the event photographers snapped her picture, Abby felt Diane staring. A few minutes later, the music began, and dozens of models wearing the latest designs from the new étoile et Soleil collection filled every inch of the runway. When the crowd rose to their feet for a standing ovation, Abby gave Jessica a peck on the cheek. “I’m going to get out of here while I can,” she whispered. “Please, give Victor and Nicole my best.”
Before Jessica had time to respond, Abby bolted down the narrow stairway into the now empty restaurant. Five minutes later, she was in a taxi on the way home to the Upper West Side. Her stomach was churning from the mini hamburgers, her head was spinning from the vodka martinis, and her heart felt as if it was beating at twice its usual speed.
She’d been fired from her job. She’d stopped a wedding. She’d made a match between a world-famous fashion designer and her grandmother’s ophthalmologist. She’d made a second match between a supermodel and her own sort of ex-boyfriend. Victor étoile had publicly acknowledged her and thanked her for his happiness. Christy Turlington had complimented her boobs.
What should she make of these occurrences? What did any of it mean? A wave of nausea overcame her, but she got back to her apartment just in time. After emptying her stomach into the toilet, Abby kicked off her heels, crawled under the covers, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, Abby took two Tylenol and brewed some of her grandmother’s Zabar’s coffee. She put the last piece of babka on a plate and carried it over to her sofa. Most of Sara’s journals were in a stack on the floor, but she pulled the most recent one from the pile. She took a sip of her coffee and flipped to the final entry in the book.
Dr. Jessica Cooper, ophthalmologist
Granddaughter of Jacob and Miryam Tunchel
Jessica is a lovely woman—brilliant and sensitive, like her grandparents. I am doing all I can to find a match for her, but I cannot seem to find success. I have been wondering why this is so. Jessica has taken up her grandfather’s occupation. She has inherited his talent and his passion. I know my Abby does not wish to be a matchmaker, but I believe she has some of my gifts within her. Aside from my sister, Jacob Tunchel was the first real match I ever made. Perhaps it makes sense that his granddaughter should be my granddaughter’s first match as well. Abby is too skeptical to believe in such things, but perhaps, in time, I can convince her.
There was nothing for Abby to do but laugh. In the end, it hadn’t mattered how skeptical she was or that she hadn’t believed what she was capable of. She had stopped a divorce, thwarted a wedding, and made not just one match, but two.
She hoped her grandmother would have been proud.
TWENTY-FIVE
SARA
1994
It’s Never Too Late to Die or Get Married
Sara wasn’t wrong about Paul and Albert. She wasn’t wrong about the pharmacist or the florist either. She wasn’t wrong about the man who sat beside her at the movies or the people she met waiting in line at the soft-pretzel cart. But when Sara tried to find a match for Jessica Cooper, she could not seem to find Mr. Right.
After eighty-four years of making matches, Sara was feeling more tired than usual. She still went on her walks and baked her babkas, but she fell asleep earlier and slept more deeply. She began having vivid dreams of Gabe, dreams where they danced together like they used to. When she woke in the mornings, her heart ached for her husband. It took longer to get out of bed and get dressed.
Sara made the decision to tell Dr. Cooper about Abby at her next eye appointment. “My granddaughter is not going to like the idea,” Sara explained. “I can’t be the one to tell her. It’s going to have to come from you.”