Thursdays At Eight (4 page)

“I wonder where
he
is this afternoon.” Karen wondered aloud.

“Michael? Either she completely exhausted him and he's still too weak to get out of bed, or he's hard at work, keeping Miranda in the style to which she's become accustomed.”

Karen doubted that. Clare's attorneys had taken her ex to the car wash. If Michael Craig was hard at work, the pennies weren't being spent on Miranda. Looking at the other woman, Karen felt a pang of something approaching pity. There had to be a real lack in this girl's life, or she wouldn't have hooked up with a man old enough to be her father.

January 16th

The first few times I filled in as a substitute were fun, but lately it's gotten to be like real work. Maybe it's because I've been with a group of junior-high kids all week. They wear me out fast. Makes me wonder if I was that energetic at their age.

Today I got smart. Instead of standing at the front of the class all day yelling at kids who have no intention of listening, I brought in a huge bag of mini-chocolate bars. That got their interest. Why did it take me so long to figure out that a little thing like bribery would tame the savage beasts? (Yes, I know I'm misquoting!)

Mom phoned. It's the first I've heard from her since Christmas. She wants to take me to lunch on Saturday. I agreed before I learned that Victoria was coming, too. Mom did that on purpose. She knows how I feel about Victoria. We don't get along. Why should we, seeing that we don't have a thing in common? Mom dotes on her precious Victoria. My entire childhood, I was treated like an outcast because I wasn't like my perfect-in-every-way older sister. Apparently, all that's changed since I started teaching. Now that I'm respectably employed (even if it's only part-time) Mom's free to brag about me to her friends, too.

As soon as I learned Victoria would be at lunch, I should've found an excuse to get out of it, especially when Mother told me we'd be going to the Yacht Club. But with my current cash-flow difficulties, I'm not above accepting a free lunch.

Jeff's been interesting lately. He seems to be fired up about acting again and asked if I'd recommend my agent. I was happy to pass on Gwen's phone number and apparently they're talking. I don't know if she'll take him on or not; that's not my decision. Jeff took me to dinner to thank me. There's a great Mexican place close to the gym. It was good to see him and talk shop, to recharge my own enthusiasm. Focus, that's what it's all about. No one else is going to do this for me.

I'm still bummed about not getting the toilet-brush commercial, but Gwen said the feedback from the director was positive. She's planning to send me for another audition with the same guy, although she warned me this next one involves a dog. She didn't say what kind, and asked if I liked puppies. Who doesn't? But let's not forget what W. C. Fields said about working with kids and dogs…. Anyway, the director liked me, but didn't think I was right for the role of fastidious housewife.
I guess he must've taken a look at my apartment. Cleanliness and order aren't exactly my forte. If God had meant women to do housework, He wouldn't have created men first.

JULIA MURCHISON

January 1st

T
his leather-bound journal is a Christmas gift from my husband and I've been waiting until today to make my first entry. My hope is that every morning I'll be filling the crisp, clean pages, writing out my thoughts, my concerns, my doubts, discovering who I am, one day at a time. That's something I learned in the journal class, along with a whole lot more. Taking that class was one of the best things I've done for myself in ages.

It's funny—here I am waxing poetic about this lovely journal that I've been waiting all week to start, and now that I have, I don't know what to write.

I'll begin with the kids, I guess. Adam and Zoe are growing up before my very eyes. It seems like only yesterday that they were babies. Now they're both in their teens, and before Peter and I know it, they'll be in college. It doesn't seem possible that
Adam will be driving this year! He's champing at the bit to get behind the wheel. He's ready, but I'm not sure Peter and I are.

Zoe at thirteen is turning into a real beauty. I look at her, so innocent and lovely, and can hardly believe my baby is already a young woman.

The Wool Station is a year old now. I've always loved crafts, and opening my own small knit shop was a risky venture. I thought about it for quite a while before making the commitment. Peter's encouragement was all I really needed and he gave it to me. The store's been wonderful for us both, bringing us together. And business has been good. The recent articles about all the celebrities knitting these days certainly didn't hurt! More and more women are looking for ways to express themselves creatively; as well, knitting can calm and relax you—as effectively as meditation, according to one magazine I read.

Last year my shop brought in thirty-two percent more than my projected gross income. (Peter's calculations, not mine. I'm hopeless with numbers.) At this point, we're putting all the profit back into the business, boosting the inventory at every opportunity. I'm not making enough of a profit to draw a salary yet, but it won't be long. A year, two at the most. I just wish I was feeling better physically. Lately—ever since the flu bug hit me before Thanksgiving—I've been under the weather. I didn't bounce back nearly as fast as I thought I would. Being thrust into the holiday season right afterward wasn't any help. I barely had a week to regroup when it was time for the big yarn sale. Then the shop was crazy all through December. Added to that were the usual Christmas obligations—buying gifts, wrapping them, sending cards, entertaining, etc. When I think about everything I've had to do, it's no wonder I haven't been feeling well.

Peter's mother flew in for Christmas Day. She had a meeting
in the area and combined business with pleasure. I'm writing this with my teeth gritted. I don't enjoy dealing with my mother-in-law, who in my opinion never should have been a mother. She's cold and self-important and all she seems to care about is her career and her volunteer projects. Naturally, I'm grateful she had Peter, otherwise I wouldn't have my husband, but I swear the woman doesn't possess a single maternal instinct. Peter was left with a succession of nannies and baby-sitters most of his childhood while his mother climbed the corporate ladder and sat on one volunteer board after another. I don't disparage her commitment, just where it's been directed for the past forty years. It irks me no end that she can fly halfway across the United States for her causes, but practically ignores her only son and her grandchildren. Okay, enough. I've already written copious pages about my relationship with my mother-in-law.

Onto a far more pleasant subject, and that's the Thursday Morning Breakfast Club. We're each supposed to choose a word for the year. I've been giving it some thought, but my mind was made up almost from the minute Liz mentioned the idea. I wanted to wait to be sure this is truly
my
word. Experience tells me my first instinct is often the best. Still, I've taken this week between Christmas and New Years to mull it over, and I think I'm going to go with
GRATITUDE.

I want to practice gratitude. I know that sounds hokey, but instead of concentrating on the negative, I want to look at the positive side of life. After that horrible flu, I'm grateful for my health, and yes, I can even find reasons to be grateful for my mother-in-law. (She must have done
something
right, considering how Peter turned out.)

I've decided to start every journal entry with five things for which I'm thankful. I'm calling it my
List of Blessings.
That way I can begin my day on a positive note.

I feel the breakfast club has become my own personal support group. Every Thursday at 8—what a treat! And to think that I never would have enrolled in the journal-writing class if not for Georgia. Leave it to my cousin to con me into something I didn't want to do, because
she
refused to go alone. Sure enough, I sign up for the class and three weeks later Georgia drops out. But I didn't feel abandoned since I'd met Liz and Clare and Karen by then and we'd bonded like super glue. I stayed in the class so I could be with them.

It began with the four of us meeting after class. We'd go to the Denny's restaurant near the college for coffee. Then when the session was over, Liz suggested we continue meeting. She's the one with all the good ideas. It made sense that we get together at the same time as the original class, but with teenagers at home it's difficult for me to take one night a week out of my already heavy schedule; doing that was hard enough while the course was in session. Trying to find a mutually agreeable time proved to be the biggest challenge. I suggested we meet for breakfast, and everyone leaped on that. Sometimes the obvious solution isn't immediately noticeable.

Georgia's sorry she dropped out of the class. I haven't invited her to join our breakfast group. Perhaps it's selfish of me to keep my newfound friends to myself, but I need this. I need them. The things we talk about, the things we share, are not always for Georgia's ears. She might be my best friend and my cousin, but I wouldn't want any part of the group's conversation to be repeated. Georgia, God love her, couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it.

Peter and I didn't do anything all that exciting to bring in the New Year. The kids were with friends at church for an all-night youth program. We went out to dinner with the Bergmans. It's tradition now that we spend New Year's Eve
together, but I wasn't really up to it this year. I would have preferred a night with just the two of us, but I didn't want to disappoint either Peter or our friends. We played cards and at the stroke of midnight, Peter opened a bottle of the best champagne we could afford and we toasted the New Year.

I didn't mean to get sidetracked. My word is
GRATITUDE,
and the first thing I'm going to do is write my List of Blessings just so I'll remember to keep counting them. Then, seeing that the house is quiet for once, I'm going to take a long nap.

 

COUNTING MY BLESSINGS

1. New beginnings.
   
2. My husband and his mother. God bless her!
   
3. Good friends like the Bergmans.
   
4. The sound of Adam's laughter and the sweet beauty of my daughter.
   
5. Sleeping for ten uninterrupted hours.
   

 

“Hi, Mom.” Zoe walked into the kitchen not more than ten minutes after Julia woke up from her afternoon snooze. New Year's was always a lazy day around their house. Her thirteen-year-old daughter fell into the seat across from her, landing clumsily in the chair. Zoe laid her head on the patchwork place mat and yawned. Her arms dangled loosely at her sides.

“Did you have a good time last night?” Julia asked.

“Yeah,” Zoe murmured with no real enthusiasm.

Julia knew that the church youth leaders had kept the kids active with swimming and roller-skating, plus a number of games that included basketball and volleyball. The night ended with a huge breakfast at 5:00 a.m., and from there everyone went home. Peter had picked up Adam and Zoe at the church, and Julia had assumed they'd sleep for much of the day. She was wrong.

“Did you and Dad have fun without us?” Zoe asked, as though she expected Julia to announce that the evening had been intolerably boring without their daughter to liven things up.

“We had a wonderful, romantic evening,” she said, wanting Zoe to realize that she and Peter had a life beyond that of being parents.

Zoe frowned. Yawning again, she stood and made her way back to her bedroom.

“What was that all about?” Peter asked, coming in from the family room where the television was tuned to one of the interminable New Year's Day football games.

“Haven't a clue,” Julia said, secretly amused.

“Come sit with me,” Peter invited, holding out his hand.

A dozen objections ran through her mind. The kitchen was a mess and she was behind with the laundry, but she couldn't refuse him.

They snuggled up on the leather couch with Julia's head on his shoulder and his arm around her. It was peaceful; the only sound came from the television, the volume kept purposely low.

“I saw you writing in your new journal,” he mentioned absently, his gaze on the TV.

“It's perfect,” Julia said, cuddling close and expelling her breath in a long sigh.

Peter turned to study her. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” He seemed to accept that, but Julia decided to confide in him about her gratitude plan. “Do I complain too much?” she asked, not certain she was going to like the answer. “The reason I ask is that I want to make an effort to be more appreciative.”

“Really.” Peter's gaze wandered back to the screen.

“I'm making a list.”

“Good for you.”

Julia doubted he'd even heard her. Still, she continued. “I want to work on me this year.”

“That's nice, sweetheart.”

Julia stifled a groan. “The kids are growing up and before long it'll be just the two of us.”

“Hey, I'm in no rush,” he joked.

“I'm not, either, but it's inevitable. Adam will get his driver's license this year and we'll be lucky to see either him or the car after that.” Their son was a responsible boy and it would help Julia immeasurably not to be transporting him to and from track practice, which was an irony of its own. Driving him to the track so he could run.

“Zoe's going to be in high school soon,” Peter added.

It seemed just the other day that their daughter was seven and missing two front teeth.

Peter slipped his hand inside Julia's blouse and cupped her breast. “I like the way we christened the New Year.” His mouth nibbled at her neck with a series of kisses that grew in length and intensity. Julia straightened, and their lips met in a kiss they normally reserved for special nights.

“There
are
advantages to one's children growing up,” Peter whispered, as his hands grew bolder with her breasts.

“Oh?”

“They seem to stay in their rooms a great deal more.”

“That they do,” Julia agreed, twining her arms around his neck and luxuriating in his kiss. “Mom. Dad.” Adam walked into the family room, his face clouded with sleep.

Peter quickly removed his hand and an embarrassed Julia tucked in her blouse.

Their son took one look at them and frowned darkly. “What's going on?”

“Ah…nothing,” Julia mumbled, glancing away.

Adam wandered into the kitchen and made himself a cup of hot chocolate.

“I thought you two would be over the mushy stuff by now,” he muttered disgustedly as he returned. “It's embarrassing to catch your parents in a lip lock.”

“You just wait,” Peter told his son. “When you're forty, you'll see things very differently.”

Adam gave them an odd grimace, then carried his cup back toward his room. “I'm going online,” he announced as he disappeared down the hallway.

“Where were we?” Peter asked and reached for Julia again.