The House (8 page)

“Don’t worry.” Linda lifted a bowl from the drainer, tore off a paper towel, and began drying it. “Theo always arrives, and right on time.”

“For him,” Anna said.

Anna had stayed in touch with thirty-one-year-old Theo. After he learned of Anna’s request to divorce Edward, Theo—unlike David—called her every Friday evening. “I was wondering when you were going to do it,” he said when Anna had told him that Henderson had filed the papers. Anna had been taken by Theo’s awareness, and that he held no grudges. She was grateful for his support. Theo added, “I’m glad you stood up for yourself. Dad put you through a lot.” He then warned, “David won’t be happy. Don’t be surprised if he goes cool on you and stops calling for a while. As for Linda, she’s known all along this was coming.” Anna had cringed in both awe and embarrassment at the revelation of her children’s depth of knowledge concerning the predicament of her marriage. Anna never gave David a chance to grow cool. She withdrew first. The bogus lawsuit he launched against Henderson along with his futile attempt at establishing her as insane had been as much a response to her action of pulling away as her request for the divorce.

Wise to the ways to the world and the idiosyncrasies of his siblings, Theo had also said, “Serine, you’ve got to watch. She’ll eventually come around. Until then, don’t let anything she says or does faze you.” Anna had wanted to ask the specifics of what he had meant. She wanted Theo to elaborate and explain, yet the act of breaking free from the mold she had cast for herself had taken its toll. The façade she had worn for thirty-three years was falling away. As children, we didn’t understand,” Theo said. “My own marriage has taught me a lot.” Against her worries and concerns for Serine, and Theo with his own union, Anna put her own needs first. She chose to care for herself.

Anna walked to the kitchen table where Serine was sitting with Edward. Their heads were together, whispered murmurings flowing between them. Father and daughter could have passed for lovers. The youngest of their four children, Serine had been Edward’s pet. Where he had delivered gifts to the elder three on his return from business trips, he had mailed them to Serine before his arrival. Anna had always thought his actions resulted from guilt of often having stayed over an extra day or two for fun and pleasure and to spend time with his women friends. Despite his compensation, Anna feared that Serine had surmised the truth about her father at a younger age than the others. The last one to leave home, she had known a difficulty in Edward’s absence that her other children had not experienced—one that Anna had failed to explain away.

Anna did not trust Serine’s confident and strong demeanor. Her decision to become an assistant district attorney was but another extension of the influence of Edward’s absence in her life. The lead district attorney had conveniently hired Serine an hour into her initial interview. He would be her immediate superior and mentor. That was two years ago. Mother and daughter had spoken weekly then. Serine had described her experience of the achievement as a careful display of her ability to survive in a man’s world, one where Edward had risen above his counterparts and foes. Through listening and calm questioning, Anna saw her daughter unconsciously making known her need for a man in her life. A man, who despite
her
intelligence and strength, was emotionally available. He would protect her. The district attorney, Anna had concluded, was smitten with Serine.

Anna observed Serine sitting at the kitchen table and holding Edward’s hand. “The others have gathered in the dining room,” Anna said. Anger welled in Serine’s eyes.

“We’ll be there in a minute,” Edward said.

Anna sat at the end of the oblong table in front of the window. David was to her right. The chair across from him and to Anna’s left awaited Theo’s arrival. Edward occupied his usual seat at the other end by the doorway where Anna had taken to sitting during her last months in the house, and when eating, nearly always alone. Now with Edward back, and occupying that space, it felt strange sitting in the spot that she had held for thirty-three years, even on the many occasions when Edward had been absent.

Their plates full and the meal underway, her children ate and conversed.

“I’m really getting tired of the cold,” David said to Brad on his right. “It’ll be good to be back in California.”

“I’ve never been to Michigan,” Brad said, “but I hear the winters are brutal.”

“Wicked is more like it.” David cut into the slice of roast on his plate.

Anna had visited David and Heather over the seven years of their marriage, her trips increasing with and after the births of Emily and Josh. Anna liked Heather and found their home warm and inviting. David’s sudden decision to return to California troubled her. Heather’s father was ill and dying. David was saying little about the matter.

Unable to remember the last time they had eaten together, Anna observed her children around the table. Linda, at the other end, was again locked in conversation with Edward. She sat beside Brad. To the other side of Edward was Serine. Analytical and interrogating like her eldest brother, David, she took in David’s conversation with Brad.

Anna turned to the empty chair on her left, and recalled Theo’s words,
Serine you’ve got to watch. And David... don’t be put off if he grows silent. Both of them like to control things.
She wondered when Theo might arrive and whether his wife, Millicent, would accompany him.

Explaining to which lake Detroit stood adjacent, David said to Brad, “It’s all in the hand.” He held up his left palm, and indicated how Michigan resembled the shape of a hand. He traced the slope of his finger down to his thumb. “Detroit is down here in this little corner.” He tapped his palm. “All this is Lake Michigan.”

“It’s got to be difficult making that kind of move now,” Brad said. “Then, again, better now than later.”

“It’s now or never,” David explained. “I can’t spend another year there. Emily and Josh are in preschool. And with Heather’s father sick and terminal ... ” David halted. All conversation at the table disintegrated.

David glanced at Anna. Serine placed her fork on the side of her plate. After staring at her broccoli and carrots, Anna then cut into slice the roast on her plate. Brad eventually ended the awkwardness of the moment with, “Yeah, I see what you mean.”

“So, it’s definite you’re moving back to Oakland?” Serine jump-started David’s conversation with Brad.

“That or either some place down in the So Cal,” David said. “The firm I interned for is looking for someone with acumen and experience in wills and trusts,” Serine said.

“Acumen?” Brad threw a smirk across the table at Serine. He exchanged looks with Linda, who, along with Edward, had been listening to David.

The legalities of family planning, trusts and wills, establishing, overseeing, and executing them was David’s specialty. Yet as on so many occasions, and concerning other subjects, Serine’s use of the word
acumen
had held an air of haughtiness.

“It’s not simply about the knowledge,” Serine explained while attempting to size down Brad’s comment. “People are a ball of emotions when you’re drawing up their trusts and wills. You’ve got to know how to handle them and their families. Especially when carrying out their wishes after they’ve ... “ Her voice trailed off. She turned to Edward.

Again the conversation halted.

“That’s certainly true.” Edward eyed Anna and then turned to David. “Bryce has brought mine up to date. I’d like you to look it over.”

“Of course,” David said. He reached over and patted Anna’s hand. Softness covered his eyes. Her hand trembled.

David returned his attention to Serine. “L.A.’s a bit large for me, but I’d like to speak with your friend.”

“I’ll have him call you. It’d be nice to have you close.”

“I agree,” Linda intervened. She began rubbing her stomach.

“But Mom might need you nearby,” she said to David, then lifted Brad’s hand.

“I was wondering the same thing,” Brad said. “In fact—”

“You raise a point,” Serine started once more. “Particularly with Mom being alone after Dad’s—” Anna’s youngest child threw her a pointed gaze. “Then again—” Serine started. She looked to Linda and Brad across from her. Linda massaged her stomach.

“I could use all the company I can get. With David and Heather in the same city, I’d get to see my niece and nephew. I like having family close by, unlike some people who don’t mind living alone. And away from those they claim to love.” The frustration intensified in Serine’s voice as she again threw Anna a pointed stare.

Anna cut into her second slice of roast and lifted a bite of broccoli to her lips. Linda and Brad exchanged glances. They too lived in L.A., and had helped Serine settle into working there after graduating from law school.

David again patted Anna’s hand. “Emily and Josh would love to see more of you. Not that Heather and I want to make you a nanny, but it would be good for the kids to see you more oft—”

“You might want to think twice about Mom being around to babysit,” Serine said. “That is unless you’re willing to send them abroad. Mom’s moving to France.” On registering Serine’s words, everyone turned from Serine to Anna.

“Is this true?” Confusion and hurt filled David’s face, a darker complexion than Edward’s.

How had Serine learned of France
? Anna had told no one except Elise and Theo. Of Inman, she had spoken only to Elise.

“I’d planned to,” Anna said.

Edward’s face, so often buffered against emotion, remained blank. Linda clutched his hand tighter.

“Before or after Dad got sick?” David asked as Serine observed intently.

“I found out about your father only two weeks ago,” Anna said. David took in a breath and exhaled as Brad lifted Linda’s other hand.

“When were you planning to tell us?” Linda said. Unlike Serine, her tone was non-judgmental.

“After the divorce. When I’d sold the house.”

“So, let me get this straight?” David gestured with his hands.

“You were going to divorce Dad, sell the house, this
house
—” he made a broad sweep of his hand as if surveying the house, “—and move to France?”

“Yes. That was the plan.”

“And what
is
the plan now that Dad—” David pointed to Edward, “—your husband, is sick and dying? Oh, but let me correct myself since you’ve already divorced him.”

Stoic and calm, Serine turned to Edward. Anna stood.

“Are we to take this as a statement that you’re still going?” Serine asked.

“I didn’t know it was up for discussion,” Anna retorted.

“Well, I, for one am not going to sit by and let you abandon Dad. Not like this.” Serine stood.

David stood also. “If I didn’t know it when I filed the suit, I know it now. You really are insane.”

“That’s enough!” Edward slammed his hand upon the table. Serine and David fell silent as Linda and Brad, still holding hands, lowered their gazes. Again, Linda massaged her stomach. Anna placed her hand on the back of the chair still empty of Theo’s presence, and in the deepening silence, she left the room.

Moments later and in Theo’s room, Anna sat folding bed linen and towels she had taken from the dryer. Following a soft knock, Edward peeked around the door.

“May I come in?”

Anna nodded and kept folding the towels. He entered. Reaching the bed, Edward lifted a pile of folded sheets and pillowcases and placed them in the chair by the night stand.

“Seems like you’re always doing this.”

“Someone has to.” Anna was still fuming from the dinner conversation gone awry.

Edward lowered himself onto the bed, and brushed his hand across the plush, green comforter. “I’ve spoken with Serine
and
David. They were out of line.”

“They’re adults. And entitled to their own opinions.”

“Some opinions are best kept to one’s self,” Edward said.

Anna laid a folded towel upon the pile in the chair by the night stand and lifted another from the pile on the bed.

“Perhaps like mine.” Edward stared at her. She proceeded to fold the second towel.

“Let’s not pretend that we’re one big happy family.”

Anna’s hands fell still. She turned to Edward. “David and Serine are angry with me because I requested the divorce. You fed David’s anger and encouraged him to file papers to have me declared mentally unfit and to sue Henderson. God knows what would have happened had you not agreed to the divorce.”

“I warned David that if he filed the suit against Henderson or papers against you that I’d grant you the divorce. It’s why I signed the papers.”

“So David forced you to agree to the divorce?” The symbolism of David’s actions had hurt Anna. That his actions had forced Edward into agreeing to the divorce further enraged her. “Henderson said the suit against him was bogus. No
sane
psychiatrist would grant the request after speaking with m—”

“That wasn’t the point,” Edward said.

“Okay, let me guess. You were also dying?”

The fading light in Edward’s eyes dimmed another degree. Clinching his jaw, he stood and headed for the door. He was about to go through when Anna asked, “Why?”