Happy Hour (33 page)

Danielle glanced at Jamie. “You found the father then?”

“Yes.” Alyssa had made the decision not to tell Danielle or Jamie about
the rape. At least not yet. Kat and Darren knew and to her that was enough. It
wasn’t about keeping it a secret any longer, or even about shame. Now it was
about letting it go and letting it lie.

“Six kids?” Jamie asked. “He didn’t know about Ian?”

“No. I never saw a need for him to know, but now, I had no choice.”

“It’s good. That’s good. There’s a match,” Kat said, reaching for her
water.

“What about the father’s wife and kids? Do you know what he told them?”
Danielle asked.

“No. I don’t. And I don’t care to. I’m happy that we can go forward. I’m
leaving tomorrow. I’ll be back and forth. I have a gal taking over at the
gallery and also an instructor coming in to teach the art lessons. Ian will
have to be in the hospital for a few weeks. They need to kill as many of the
bad cells as they can, but in the process it also destroys good cells and his
immune system will become very vulnerable. It’s going to be a process. Once the
doctors accomplish that, the little girl donates the marrow.”

“What’s it going to be like for the little girl?” Jamie asked, thinking
of her own six-year-old. “Most donations don’t involve any surgery.
Doctors typically request a peripheral blood stem
cell donation, which is non-surgical and outpatient. But in Ian’s case, marrow
was requested. That means the procedure for the little girl will be surgical.
At least it’ll be done as an outpatient.”

“I’ve heard it’s horribly painful,” Jamie
said.

Kat shot her a dirty look. If Jamie had
only known what Alyssa had been through.

“No. I know most people believe that, but
the doctors explained that pieces of bone are not removed from the donor in
either type of donation; only the liquid marrow found inside the bones are
needed to save Ian’s life.” Alyssa sipped her wine. “Don’t get me wrong. I feel
bad about this and, yes, the little girl will have some difficulties from the
procedure. She’ll have to take a medication for several days prior that could
cause her to have headaches, bone or muscle pain, nausea, insomnia or fatigue.”
Alyssa tried to ease her conscience knowing that these symptoms would disappear
one or two days after donating. “She might also feel some soreness or pressure
in her lower back and perhaps some discomfort walking for up to three weeks.”
She hated that this wouldn’t be a cakewalk for Ian’s sister either.

Jamie cringed. She was happy for Alyssa
and Ian that they’d found a donor, but if it were her daughter who had been a
match, she didn’t know if she could allow her to do it.

Alyssa could read Jamie’s face. “I know it
sounds bad, but the doctors say it won’t be and there is a strong chance that
Ian will come out of this healthy.”

“I understand,” Jamie replied.

“Does Ian know who the donor is?” Danielle
asked.

“No. The donor’s parents and Charlie,
Ian’s dad, felt it unnecessary. And so do I.”

“That’s his sister, though. If Ian has
five siblings, doesn’t he have a right to know who his family is?” Jamie asked.

“I think that’s a real personal decision,”
Kat remarked. “I’m sure that Ian’s family has their reasons, and to me it
sounds as if everyone is on the same page about the issue.”

Alyssa gave Kat a slight smile. She was
becoming annoyed with Jamie, but she had to remind herself that Kat was the
only one who knew all of the intricacies involved with the situation. She
realized that without telling Danielle and Jamie everything, she’d have to give
them the benefit of the doubt. For a second, she thought about telling them
about the rape, but Kat saved her.

“The family seems to have it under
control, unlike my family who is skidding
out
of control. At least my
mother and father are.” She picked up her glass of cabernet and polished off
the rest of it.

“What are you talking about?” Danielle
asked.

“My parents are sleeping together.”

“What?”

“Yep.” Kat told them the story about catching her parents in bed
together. “The aftermath was ugly. I blew up. I mean, I went nuts. I told my
mom exactly how I’ve felt for years, about her leaving my dad, her new life,
all of it.”

“What did she do?” Danielle leaned back in
her chair.

“Moved in with my dad.”

“Whoa,” Alyssa said.

“I’m sorry, Kat, but honestly I don’t get what the big deal is. I know
it’s kind of weird to think about your parents being together, but come on, I
would think that would make you happy.” Jamie took a bite from her salad.

“The big deal is that my mom broke my dad’s heart, and left me to pick up
the mess she left behind with both my dad and my sister.”

“But your dad is a grown man. I know it must have been awful to deal with
when she left, but what they do now, well, it’s not up to you. It’s not your
responsibility to take care of any of them at this stage of the game. If your
mom and dad want to fool around together and you think your mom is going to
break your dad’s heart again, you cannot take that on.”

Kat stared at Jamie. “You don’t get this at all.”

“Wait. I think you’re taking this wrong. I understand your point, but at
some juncture, you have to let go of everyone else’s problems. It’s seriously
not your job to make them happy.” Jamie was feeling uncomfortable. So far
tonight she hadn’t scored any points amongst her friends. “But what do I know?
I’m not walking in your shoes.” She tried to make light of it because everyone
had grown quiet.

“No. You’re not. And I kind of find it interesting that you of all people
would tell me to let go of something.” Kat knew she should stop right there,
but her damn emotions once unleashed, insisted on getting in the way. “Nate has
been gone now for three years and you’re still hanging on to him.”

“That’s unfair, Kat,” Danielle cut in. “It really is.”

Kat nodded. “I’m sorry, J. I am.”

Jamie stood up, tears in her eyes. “No, that’s fine. I have to go.”

“Jamie,” Kat pleaded. “I’m sorry.”

Jamie waved a hand at her and walked a few steps. She turned around. “You
have no idea what it’s like to lose someone that you love. No idea. Your mom
may have changed over the years, but she’s still here with you. She’s still
your mom and she is
here
. Don’t compare my feelings and the loss of my
husband to losing control over something you never had control over in the
first place,” she said and walked out of the restaurant.

***

Changes

By

Jamie Evans

This will be my last column as editor-in-chief of Wine Lover’s. The
magazine will soon be changing format and I am making some changes too,
including my position here at the magazine and moving from my home of seven
years. I felt it apropos that this month’s issue be all about change. In some
ways it’s good to know that nothing stays the same, in other ways it’s quite
frightening.

My friends and I have all had to endure major life changes recently.
Change can be looked at from all sorts of perspectives be it spiritual,
analytical, logical, or philosophical. One thing I do know for sure about
change is that it is ever present and can never be controlled. As you read this
month’s issue and tackle changes, be they small or big, think about how you
handle change. Do you do it alone? Do you accept it or fight it? How often does
it move in and out of your life?

I’d love to hear from readers and receive your replies on the topic of
changes, but as with everything, I’m changing. Thank you for reading Wine
Lover’s. It has been a pleasure to be a part of your lives, even in some small
way.

Cheers,

Jamie Evans

Danielle took Shannon’s hand and pulled her up from the couch where her daughter
sat watching the Food Network. “Come on, honey. We’ve got somewhere to go.”

“Where?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Mom, I’m tired and my back aches and I don’t want to go anywhere.”

“And you’re cranky, but I forgive you because you’re eight months’ pregnant.
But we have a baby on the way, and I realized this morning when I got up that
we haven’t had a baby shower.”

“I don’t want a baby shower.”

“Yes, you do. I’m giving you one, but there are things he’ll need,” she
said as she rubbed Shannon’s belly, “that you probably won’t get at a baby
shower. Like a crib.”

Shannon eyes widened and then tears formed in them. She waved her hand in
front of her face. “Sorry, I’m a little emotional these days.” She smiled.

“Of course you are a little emotional. That’s normal.”

“Really, Mom? We’re going to get him a crib?”

“Yes, and I think we should have some lunch to nourish you and the little
guy, and we should talk about his name because calling him
him
isn’t
working for me.”

Shannon hugged her mom. “Thank you, Grandma. I didn’t know what I was
going to do, because I don’t exactly have loads of cash, but I do plan to get a
job after the baby is here and figure things out with school.”

“You don’t need to worry about any of that right now. But don’t call me
Grandma.”

“Nana?”

“No.”

“Nanny? Grammy?”

“Don’t think so.”

“Well, he can’t call you Danielle.”

“Let’s think about it. Get your shoes.”

Three hours and three thousand dollars later, the baby had a crib, a car
seat, a changing table, a comforter, matching curtains, a stroller, a swing, a
high chair, a bassinet, blankets, washcloths, a robe, towels, and several sets
of outfits.

“I thought you said that I was getting a crib and that I could get all of
the other things from a baby shower?” Shannon took a bite from her steak salad.

“I guess I did go a little crazy, but it’s not every day you become a
grand…I mean a…”

“Mom.”

“No, not a mom. I’ve done that. You know what I mean.”

“No, Mom, Mom, my water just broke.”

Danielle set down her fork and froze for a second. Then her thoughts
caught up with her voice. “Oh, my God. Oh. Oh, okay. Let’s go. Let’s go!”

The waitress came by as Danielle helped Shannon out of her seat. “Is
everything okay?” she asked.

Danielle pulled a hundred dollar bill from her wallet and handed it to
the waitress. “Gotta go.”

“But don’t you want the check? I’m sure I owe you change. Was the food
bad? Is there a problem?”

“There will be if you don’t move!” Danielle yelled. “My daughter is
having a baby.”

The waitress moved quickly out of the way.

Danielle drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital. Shannon called her
doctor and was told he would meet her there. “I’m scared,” Shannon said.

“It won’t hurt. That’s why they have drugs.”

“No, Mom. I’m scared I don’t know what the hell I’m doing and that I won’t
be a good mother.”

 “You’re going to be a great mother. The best mother. I can already tell
how much you love this baby. Look how hard you’ve fought for him. Look at what
you’ve given up just to get him here? And let me tell you something about being
a mother, there are two things you will do over and over again as his
parent—you will love him no matter what, through the good and the bad, and you
will sacrifice time and again to do what you think is right for him. And,
Shannon, you’ve done that already. You will be fantastic at this. I know it.”

“Oh God.”

“Honey. Stop worrying.”

“No. The pain. Oh God. It feels like someone just reached inside me and
took my ovaries in a vise. Oh God.” She shut her eyes tightly.

“Okay, okay, we’re almost to the hospital. Breathe.” Danielle tried to
remember something useful from her Lamaze class from when Cassie was born, but
all she could remember was telling Al to go to hell every time he barked at her
to “Breathe!”

“We’re here, babe.”

Danielle pulled up in front of the hospital and helped Shannon get out.
She handed the keys to a security guard, and gave him ten bucks.

“What’s this for?”

“To park the car.”

“I can’t park your car. I’m security.”

“Then leave it there.”

“You can’t leave it here.”

She handed him another ten. “Park the damn car! My daughter is having a
baby.”

“Mom, you are acting crazy.”

She smiled at the security guard. “Please park the car?”

He shook his head. “Sure. I’ll leave the keys at the front desk.”

“Thank you.”

The nurse in triage took down some notes and then said to Shannon,
“You’re sure your water broke?”

Danielle turned Shannon around so the nurse could see her backside. “I
don’t know, unless the poor girl peed in her pants, what do you think?”

The nurse looked from Shannon’s rear to Danielle like she was fairly
insane, then picked up the phone. “I need a bed.”

Ten hours later, mother and daughter had walked the miracle mile around
the hospital a thousand times because Shannon’s contractions had come to a halt
and the doctor hoped the activity would get things moving. It was now past ten
at night. Danielle’s friends had all called, Shannon’s father had called, and
Mark stopped in several times already.

Danielle was now back in bed, tired and more than a little cranky. Cassie
popped her head in. “Hey, sis, how’s it going?”

Shannon rolled her eyes and groaned.

Cassie shrugged. “What’s on TV?” She started to grab the remote off of
the stand next to Shannon’s bed.

“Don’t you even think about it,” Shannon growled. “That’s my fucking
remote control.”