A New Hope (22 page)

Eighteen

“W
hat has your interest so completely?” Winnie asked Lin Su.

She turned toward Winnie. “Come and see,” she said. “Here, let me help you up. You should take a few steps anyway.”

They made their way together, clumsily but efficiently, to the deck rail. Below them on the beach were two beach chairs under a beach umbrella. Frank sat in one, Charlie in the other, each holding their laptops on their knees.

“Dueling computers,” Lin Su said.

“What do you suppose they’re doing?” Winnie asked.

“Lord only knows. Charting solar systems for all I know. Charlie’s laptop is far less sophisticated than Frank’s, but when they sit side by side like that, Frank turns his screen to show Charlie everything interesting he’s looking at. He’s researching for a paper he has to write when he gets back to MIT. He’s a genius.”

“I think Charlie might be a genius, as well,” Winnie said.

“Nah,” Lin Su said. “He’s very smart, though. Much of that comes from the fact that he was housebound so much as a little kid. We found all kinds of educational programs for him. It took his mind off not being able to run and play with the other kids.”

“We?” Winnie asked.

“Huh? Oh, me and anyone interested, friends or babysitters. Sometimes other nurses or doctors where I was working. A couple of times I had home healthcare patients who encouraged him. He got that laptop from one of my patients when he upgraded his own and gave Charlie the castoff. It’s been a lifesaver.”

“We’ve been looking at new models together,” Winnie informed her.

“You mustn’t do that, Winnie. That computer works very well. It’s got a couple more years in it, for sure.”

“It’s purely selfish, I assure you,” she said, turning from the rail to go back to her chair. “I have my assistant, Virginia, still managing my affairs in San Francisco. I’ve accustomed myself to giving her instructions and projects and then she reports to me. The only thing I’ve ever bothered with is opening her attachments and looking at what she’s done. But Charlie has me going all over the internet, looking at things. I’ve had to borrow Grace’s laptop a few times—it’s more sophisticated than mine. I want to sit with Charlie, our computers in front of us.”

Lin Su helped her into her chair. “You’re not going to see quite as much of him when school starts in a few weeks.”

“I have a few ideas about that, as well. Are you satisfied with his educational program?”

“In what way?”

“Do you like his school?”

“It’s a perfectly good public school,” she said. “Charlie started there last year.”

“Was he satisfied?”

“With his studies, I believe so. He didn’t complain about the work and he had a lot of homework. He got straight As, of course. He always has.”

“Was the rest of his experience good?”

“What do you mean?” Lin Su asked.

“You know perfectly well what I mean. He’s not as robust as other boys his age, though I have to say, a month or so on the beach seems to have given him more color, more stamina. I think we may be in for a growth spurt. So, back to the subject. Does Charlie have good friends at school?”

“He has a few. And if you’re asking if he has conflict from time to time, the answer is yes. I think all small boys in thick glasses have those struggles, which is why I won’t allow things like Facebook. I’ve heard too many horror stories.”

“I think it makes sense for him to consider a change. You should discuss it with him. His opinion counts the most, I think. But—you come to work here every morning and leave every evening. It’s convenient. More important—if Thunder Point can produce an MIT scholarship student they deserve more credit than I’ve given them.”

“But Winnie—I work here. I don’t live here.”

“I’ve spoken with Troy. Charlie would be allowed to attend based on that fact. Now, before you want to discuss that this employment is at best temporary let me suggest that my time might not be as short as people think. That’s my expert opinion.”

Lin Su smiled at her. “And would you mind explaining your wonderful theory?”

“Not at all. I’m trying to catch up with my daughter after years of bossing her around and making her do everything that was important to me rather than what was important to her. I’m making great progress—I think she’s starting to actually like me, hard as I make it sometimes. That’s one reason. Another reason—she’s carrying my grandchild. I’m not giving up a chance to know that baby without a fight. I might die, but it’ll be heel marks all the way. And three, I might miss my old body and find the handicaps that come with ALS to be perfectly terrible, but I can cope as long as I have my mind. And by God, I have it. I think the lot of you should be warned—I might hang around for the next two grandchildren. And Charlie’s graduation from Harvard.”

Lin Su smiled at her. “I agree, stubbornness has played a crucial role in life expectancy.”

There was the sound of footsteps on the stairs and the women stopped talking. Charlie came onto the deck first, Frank right behind him. Charlie plopped his backpack on a deck chair. “I gotta get my Nikes,” he said, running through the house and out to the car where he kept extra clothes and necessities.

“Hi, Frank,” Lin Su said with a smile. “How are you?”

“Good. Excellent. I’m going to take Charlie up on that ridge and show him the flora and where we go to watch whales. I won’t be here when they migrate in a couple of months, but I can show him the spot.”

“The ridge?” Lin Su said. “The flora? The whales?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Frank replied.

“There are bugs up there. Pollen. Bees and plants he hasn’t been around. He has a lot of allergies. And asthma.”

Charlie was back, sitting down to put his shoes on. “We’ll go slow. If I get out of breath, we’ll stop,” he said.

“But is this a good idea? You’ve been doing so well! Why tempt fate?” Lin Su said.

“Because tempting fate is fun,” Charlie replied.

“Do you have your—”

“Inhaler and EpiPen? Do you ever get tired of asking me that? You think I want to blow up like a blowfish right before I die?”

“If he has to even pull the inhaler or EpiPen out of his pocket, I’ll bring him back off the ridge. But insect life is dying off up there with the cooler temperatures and the bloom has died down. But there are still some great species to see. Plus it’s a good steady hike and an amazing view.”

“I’ll be fine,” Charlie said.

“Of course you will,” Winnie agreed. “Have your cell phone?”

“What am I going to do if I wheeze up there? Call home?”

“I just wanted you to take a few pictures if you see anything interesting. It could be a while till I get up on that ridge to see for myself.”

“Right,” Charlie said, grinning. Then without any further conversation, he was scrambling down the stairs.

“Don’t worry,” Frank said. He put his backpack on the chair beside Charlie’s. “Can I leave this here?”

“Sure,” Lin Su said. “Please be careful.”

“We will, but it’s not dangerous. It’s a path, that’s all. He gets shots, he said. He shouldn’t have any problems.”

When Lin Su was alone with Winnie again, she sat down a little weakly.

“You should have that conversation with Charlie about going to school out here. He needs a little more freedom, a little challenge.”

“He has plenty of freedom!” Lin Su snapped. “I’ve been leaving him alone while I work for the last two years.”

“And I bet it’s driven you crazy. It would be better if he had a little more freedom while you’re nearby to nag him constantly.”

Lin Su scowled. “I think it might be time for your nap, Mrs. Banks.”

Winnie laughed. “Not on your life.”

* * *

Grace was amused by the amount of entertainment Winnie was getting out of her new friend Charlie. Any other daughter might’ve been jealous, but Grace was pleased. Charlie took some of the heat off her, absorbing all of Winnie’s opinions and objections and interfering. And because Winnie wasn’t his mother, he could take them in stride and dismiss them.

So, the dinner table was occupied with animated conversation about Charlie’s trek up on the ridge with Frank. He took a lot of pictures with his cell phone and, he announced triumphantly, he had not wheezed or had any allergic reactions.

Grace had brought home a pan of Carrie’s lasagna, garlic bread and salad, what she called a perfect Winnie dinner. Anything Winnie could stab with a fork or lift with her trembling fingers worked very well for her.

“I used to have a chef, you know,” Winnie said to Charlie. “And guess what? It wasn’t any better than this.”

“Isn’t having a chef kind of like someone else’s mother making dinner?” Charlie asked.

“Not quite as good as that,” Grace said. “Chefs are more in love with the art of their flavors and their presentation than what you really like. I asked for mashed potatoes for years but they didn’t come into fashion until a few years ago.”

“I love mashed potatoes,” Charlie said.

“Then the next time Carrie has meat loaf and mashed, it’s yours,” Grace said. “I love mashed potatoes, too! What’s your favorite, Lin Su?”

“Oh, this is amazing,” she said, taking a bite.

“Mom doesn’t like dinner that much,” Charlie said. “She usually isn’t hungry and maybe has a bowl of cereal before bed.”

“You cook just for Charlie?” Grace asked.

“Sure. He is always hungry. I make all his favorites and I freeze meal-size portions. Sometimes I have what he’s having, but he’s right, sometimes I just want a snack.”

“Do mashed potatoes freeze?” Grace asked.

“They sure do. You’d be surprised the things you can freeze.”

“Mom will freeze one asparagus spear,” Charlie said, shoveling lasagna in his mouth.

“That’s not so,” Lin Su said with a laugh. “But I don’t waste. And when I’m cleaning up your kitchen, neither do you!” she said. Then she stood and started picking up plates. “Charlie, when you’re done there, will you help?”

“Sure,” he said, gobbling two last bites.

“I’ll help,” Troy said. “Charlie looks like he might need a second helping. Hiking up to the ridge is hard work.”

“And I think I’ll get ready for bed,” Winnie said. “Somehow I missed my nap.”

“Yes, I wonder how,” Lin Su said, letting Troy take on kitchen duties so she could take Winnie to her bedroom.

Once Winnie had washed up, changed and was settled in bed with the TV on, Lin Su made sure her few evening chores were done. There was a little laundry to fold but she would put it away the next day. She gave the bathroom a quick clean, checked to make sure the extra lasagna and bread were properly stowed and gave the kitchen floor a once-over. The rest of the family was out on the deck with Charlie, watching the sunset over the bay.

“I’m ready to leave, unless anyone needs anything,” Lin Su announced to the gathering.

“I’m taking walk on beach before bed,” Mikhail said, rising from his chair.

“No one needs anything more, Lin Su,” Grace said. “Thank you for everything and I’ll probably see you when I get home from the shop tomorrow.”

“Good. Let me know if you want me to come up with dinner.”

“I’ll text you in the morning after I check out Carrie’s specials. Have a good evening.”

Charlie dragged himself up from his chair and followed his mother out to the car. He slumped back in the seat, worn out from yet another busy day filled with fresh air, sun and exercise.

“I want to ask you something,” Lin Su said. “Would you like to go to Thunder Point High when school starts?”

He straightened instantly. “Could I?”

“Troy seems to think you could, based on my work location and schedule. But Charlie, I don’t know that it’ll be better. You could have issues there, as well.”

“I could, but I know people there. I wouldn’t be the nerdy strange kid who popped in from out of town. Troy and Spencer are friends. Iris and Seth are friends. Um, I mean Mr. Headly, Mr. Lawson, Mrs. Sileski and Deputy Sileski.” Then he grinned.

She laughed. He might not be big but he sure was good-looking. “So—you like that idea?”

“I love that idea. Can you do that? Does it cost anything?”

“It’s public school. And they have a chess club.”

“Cool. Yeah, I’d do that in a heartbeat. But what about...you know...Winnie?”

“She thinks she’s going to last a long time and I wouldn’t be surprised, but we know the reality—her disease doesn’t promise long-term survival. We could have to make another change.”

“I get that. But I’d do anything to live in Thunder Point!”

“I know it’s nice, Charlie. But there isn’t anything I can afford in that town.”

“But I could go to school there for a while.”

“You could, I guess. But you’d have to remember, it could be temporary.”

“Mom. Everything could be temporary.”

* * *

Grace was just about to close the doors to the deck when she noticed something. She went over to one of the chairs and lifted Charlie’s backpack. “Uh-oh,” she said. “Look what he forgot.”