Certainly Sensible (7 page)

“Good morning.” Emily, dressed in old jeans and a faded Chicago Cubs t-shirt, was navigating her way through the boxes cluttering the kitchen floor. She opened and closed several empty cabinets until she finally found one unpacked coffee mug, a packet of sweetener, and then made herself a cup of coffee. “Are you ready for this?”

Susan snapped out of her memories and sighed. “I can’t believe this day has actually come.”

Emily blew on her coffee. “When do the movers get here?”

“About nine. I hired one of those local moving companies that charges by the hour to move the heavy furniture, but the girls and I are moving as much of our own stuff as possible. It’ll save money.”

“Well, that’s why I’m here, too, you know. Shall we get going?”

Susan nodded and swallowed a big gulp of her own coffee. “I guess I have to. My life is waiting.” She walked out of the kitchen into the dining room. There was still a lot to do.

Emily sat down in a chair next to a heavy box, propped up her feet, and sipped her coffee. “Hey, Susan,” she called through the house, her voice echoing, “What furniture are you actually taking?”

Susan looked around at the disarray and shook her head. She and Caroline had walked through the house a week before, trying to decide what would fit, but now Susan had qualms about their decisions.

Caroline, with her usual pragmatism, had asked, “What do we absolutely have to take?”

“Well, I just bought this sofa and loveseat three years ago, right before…” Susan had looked wistfully at the royal blue microfiber sofa with matching loveseat she’d admired so much during happier times. “And since we have to have something to sit on in the—what shall we call that room in the new house?”

Caroline had shrugged. “I guess it’s a family room.” She started making a list. “Then we’ll also need a coffee table and end tables to fill out the room. Which ones?”

“We’ll take these.” Susan pointed to the refurbished antique cherry-wood coffee table and their two matching end tables. “I’m sure if we don’t take them, Sharlene will have them on the trash heap before we even pull out of the drive.”

“Lamps?”

“Let’s just take the two floor lamps that are in the corner by the bookshelf. Which has to stay here because there’s no room for it in the Rosslyn house. No room for that overstuffed chair and ottoman either. And forget about the dining room set. The dinette in the kitchen will have to do.” Susan had sighed.

Caroline had nodded in agreement. “Now what about the bedrooms?”

“We must take Megan’s bedroom furniture. She’s had to give up too much already. Do you think it will all fit in her new room?”

“It’ll be tight, but I think so. What about your bedroom furniture, Mom?”

“The king-size bed is way too big. I guess I’ll just take the queen-size bed from the guest room. The smaller dresser and one nightstand from the master bedroom’s about all I have space for.” Susan had frowned. “And there’s really no room for yours and Allie’s bedroom sets, either. Sorry you and Allie have to share a room, Car.”

“Don’t worry about it, Mom. As soon as I get my finances in order, I’m going to find my own place. In the meantime, what if Allie and I take the furniture out of Megan’s old bedroom, the one you turned into an office? You know, the twin beds and two dressers, and put them in our bedroom? Also, we can take the computer desk, since it isn’t very big and should fit under the window.”

Susan called to Emily from the formal dining room. “Caroline and I settled on a few things. Hope everything fits.”

Time flew by as Susan and Emily finished up the last-minute details, but Caroline came downstairs after about an hour and jumped in to help as well. The movers arrived on time and set to work hauling large boxes and furniture to the van, which they had parked blocking the walkway in front of the ornate, double-wide wooden door. Emily and Caroline sealed boxes and carried both packed and unpacked items to their cars, parked at the edge of the circular driveway, out of the way of the moving van. Caroline finished taping up boxes of last-minute items and labeled them with magic marker: kitchen, bathroom toiletries, cleaning supplies, and bed linens. Emily got the vacuum out and started to go over the floors and carpets, but Susan waved her off; let Sharlene’s cleaning crew swoop in and re-clean everything.

Susan stood by the front door with a clipboard and check-off list given to her by the movers. “Emily, can you ask Megan to make sure everything is out of her closet and bathroom?” She flipped through the pages on her list and checked off the loveseat as two men maneuvered it through the front door.

Emily shook a dust rag out the open door. “Sure, if I could find her. I haven’t seen her since she ate a bowl of cereal earlier and left her dirty dish in the sink.”

“Allie,” Susan called out from the hallway, “can you
please
come help us?”

Allie was loudly playing the piano, one tune after another, ignoring the noise around her. Mostly it was Mozart or Shubert, but then she started playing Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” a mournful tune at best.

Susan started to get up, but Caroline held up her hand. “Let me.”

Susan nodded and went back to her check-off list.

Caroline leaned into the archway of the music room. “Allie, if you won’t help us, could you at least play something more upbeat? Mom’s frazzled, no one’s seen Megan, and you’re driving me crazy!”

Allie didn’t reply, but instead began playing a version of the pop culture song “Home.”

Caroline lifted her shoulders to tell her mother,
I tried
.

Susan rolled her eyes.

****

Sharlene sat in the study in Daniel’s penthouse, working hard on her to-do list. She had so many ideas about how to redecorate the Belford mansion that she could barely get them down on paper fast enough.

“What are you working on?” Daniel looked sideways at her list as he carried another packed box into the room.

Sharlene looked up. “Daniel, darling, you don’t need to do that. We have
people
for that.”

He shrugged. “I like the exercise. So what is it that you’re writing?”

“Just a list of things I need to remember to do once we get settled into the house. Now about the piano…”

Daniel dropped the box and its contents rattled. “What about it?”

Sharlene winced, hoping the brand new and very costly designer glass vase in that box wasn’t in pieces. “Well, obviously the piano has to go, dear. It’s right in the middle of my—our—formal living room, or at least it will be once the contractors knock that wall down to open up the space. And entertaining will be impossible with that monstrosity in the way.”

“Monstrosity!” Daniel’s mouth dropped open. “It’s an expensive grand piano. And it belongs to my daughter. Or have you forgotten?”

Sharlene’s eyes narrowed, but she composed herself. “No, of course not, darling, but really—just how often will Allison find time to play it now? Surely she’ll be getting a job for the summer. Why don’t you just sell it?”

Daniel stared at her and then shook his head. “No. I’ve let you make all the decisions about the house up till now, but I have to put my foot down about this. The piano stays.”

Sharlene gritted her teeth and went back to her list.
Get rid of piano
.

****

“Knock knock! Sharlene? Are you here?”

“Richard?” Caroline knew it was possible that Richard would stop by today—after all, he told her Sharlene had insisted—but with all the commotion she wasn’t sure if she’d actually heard his voice. She came out of the kitchen, a half-eaten slice of pizza in her hand, took one last bite, and tossed the rest of it into a bulging heavy-duty trash bag wrapped around a nearby door handle. She was wearing jean shorts which fit loosely on her petite frame, a white t-shirt with a blue Colts insignia on its front, and flip-flop sandals. She looked down in embarrassment at the dust smudges on her shirt and shorts, swiped at the pizza sauce on her nose and smiled self-consciously when she saw Richard standing in the hallway. “I thought I heard your voice. Sorry I’m such a mess.”

“Here, you’ve got a little…” Richard started to reach toward the sauce on her nose but quickly retrieved his hand.

Caroline blushed and quickly finished brushing it away herself, wiping her hand on her pants. “Dad and Sharlene aren’t here yet, but you’re welcome to wait. Emily ordered in pizza. There’s plenty left if you want some.”

“No thanks. Is there anything I can do to help?” Richard looked around at the mostly empty rooms. “I guess I’m a little late, huh?”

“For moving, yeah, but actually, you could help me find Megan. Emily was looking for her earlier. She didn’t show up for pizza, and if she won’t eat that means she’s really upset. I’ve looked everywhere I can think of, and I know she’s not outside, so she’s got to be hiding somewhere.” Caroline watched Richard watching her, and it sent her pulse racing, but she figured he was staring because she didn’t look like her usual put-together self. Right?

“She won’t come out for me, but maybe if you go upstairs and look around—well, you know she’s always liked you, ever since that summer I interned at Meadows Advertising and Megan was about thirteen.”

Richard nodded. “You brought her with you to the office because…”

Caroline laughed. “You can say it, she was driving Mom crazy.”

“Well, we did bond over our mutual love of art. Does she still want to be an architect?”

“Oh, yeah, more than ever.” Caroline did a visual search of the entryway. “I just don’t know where she’s been all morning. I wonder if this is her way of sticking her head in the sand.” Caroline hadn’t actually thought about that until it popped out of her mouth, but now it made sense. Megan didn’t want to move, and being just a kid, she probably thought hiding would make it all go away. Caroline bounded up the stairs, Richard close on her heels.

“Megan?” Richard called as he reached the second-floor landing. “Hey, kiddo, where are you?” He checked all the near-empty bedrooms one-by-one and even peeked in a few closets. He went back out into the hallway to find Caroline standing with her hands on her hips, a puzzled look on her face.

“What about her bedroom?” Richard asked. “Did you check in there?”

“A few times.” Caroline shook her head. “Nothing, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t sneaked in and out when I wasn’t looking.”

Caroline followed Richard as he walked into Megan’s empty bedroom, the afternoon sunlight streaming through the open blinds. There were stains on the walls where posters had been removed, an extension cord left plugged into an outlet, and indentations in the plush carpet where her furniture had stood for years. The closet door was ajar.

He smiled, pointed, and whispered, “Caroline, I think I’ve found that missing item you’re looking for.”

Caroline nodded, tiptoed across the room and peeked in. “Megan?”

“Go away
.
”

“Megan, come on out, okay?” Caroline slowly pushed the closet door the rest of the way open. There sat Megan curled up in the corner, dressed in khaki shorts and her Willowby Hall spirit t-shirt, clutching a large book.

“Hi, Megan!” Richard looked over Caroline’s head as he peeked into the closet.

“Megan, come on out and let’s talk,” Caroline said.

“No way. This is my room. It’s always been my room. And now Sharlene’s gonna turn it into a closet!”

Richard exchanged glances with Caroline. “A closet?” he whispered.

Caroline lowered her voice. “Yes.”

Richard shook his head but turned back to Megan. “What’s that book you’re holding?”

Megan was tightly clutching a coffee-table book with pictures of historic Indiana architecture. “I
love
this book!” Megan sniffled. “Mom gave it to Dad for Christmas a few years ago. Remember how disappointed Dad looked when he saw that book, Caroline?”

“Yeah, I remember. Dad just didn’t appreciate it like you do.”

“Can I see it, Megan?” She reluctantly handed it over to Richard. He thumbed through a few of the exquisitely photographed pages, complete with pictures of both interiors and exteriors of some of Indiana’s oldest homes, and then handed it back to her.

“Dad just set it down and went on opening other presents, but I picked it up and spent ages looking at the gorgeous houses. I can’t leave it here!” Megan wiped her tears on the hem of her shirt, smearing mascara everywhere on her face and t-shirt, and clutched the book even tighter. “I use it for inspiration in my drawing. Mom says it has to stay here because it’s Dad’s.”

Caroline winked at her sister. “Well, I say we just take it with us. Dad won’t miss it, and Mom probably won’t notice it in all the mess in the new house. If she does, we’ll just tell her it got packed by mistake.”

Megan seemed to perk up a little. “You think?”

“You know, Megan,” Richard said, “I’ve got some great art books at the office that you might enjoy. What if I send some of them home with your sister, and you can keep those as long as you like?”

“Really?” Megan smiled at him and finally stood up and walked out of the closet, still clutching the book.

Caroline hugged her sister. “Thank you,” she mouthed over Megan’s head.

Richard smiled, blushed, and turned away. “I think I hear Sharlene.”

****

The front door flew open, and Sharlene made a grand entrance, followed by Daniel loaded down with suitcases and her handbag. “Hello?” she called out. The nearly empty house echoed back her greeting.
Nothing left.
She smiled to herself in satisfaction.
Except for that!
Sharlene frowned as she heard Allie pounding the piano keys. “Allison, dear,” she called out, “could you hold that down, please?” The music played on and Sharlene groaned.

Richard peered over the upstairs railing, waved at his sister in the entry hall, and came downstairs to join her. He gave her a quick hug, shook hands with Daniel, then took one of the overstuffed soft-sided suitcases from him. “I guess this goes in the master bedroom, huh?” He didn’t wait for an answer but took it directly up the stairs.

Caroline passed Richard on the stairway just as Megan ran down the hall and locked herself in a bathroom. Caroline sighed. “Hi, Dad.” She walked down the rest of the stairs to kiss her father on the cheek and mumbled, “Sharlene.”