Page 40 of April Flowers

“I’m sorry,” Margot said to Noah.

The sentiment struck Noah as completely honest and odd at the same time. What was she apologizing for? Her mother? Or their twenty years of separation?

“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Noah said.

The air was heavy with emotion. Noah thought he was going to faint.

This time, Lillian began to tap on the window with her fingernail. Margot burst into nervous giggles and put her hand over her mouth. Noah couldn’t help but laugh, too.

“It’s just like old times,” he said.

Margot continued to giggle. Tears welled in her eyes. Noah half expected himself to say,I love you.But instead, he bit his tongue, reminding himself how insane that was.

“You know about Avery? About how she, um, stopped by?” Margot said finally, continuing to jangle her keys. Her mother tapped on the window again.

“Yeah. I’m sorry about that,” Noah said. “Whatever she ate, I can repay you or replace or whatever.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.” Margot waved her hand. “I remember being sixteen. I ate whatever wasn’t nailed down.”

“You weren’t as bad as I was,” Noah said.

Margot laughed, throwing her head back. They were flying together down memory lane.

Margot recovered quickly. “Is she okay? Avery? Sam said she made it back home.”

“Yeah. She’s at school. Well, I hope she’s at school.”

“Right.” Margot’s face fell. “I was sorry to hear about Mona.”

Noah wanted to remain in the giggly part of their conversation. He didn’t want to talk about Mona, but even that thought made him feel guilty. He matched her expression and glanced at the ground.

Mona had been dead for two weeks. It was impossible to get used to it. He imagined he never would.

“Avery’s all I got, now,” he said.

“She’s lucky to have you,” Margot said.

“I’m the lucky one.”

Again, Lillian rapped at the window. “Margot! My card game!”

Margot kicked her foot. “I’d better get her back home.”

“Right. Listen. I heard about the Alzheimer’s. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s awful,” Margot admitted. “Sometimes she knows what’s going on. Sometimes she doesn’t. It’s a miracle she made it this long without help.” She paused. “Sam is a lifesaver for calling me.”

“She really is.”

Margot reached for the door handle but maintained intense eye contact. “Mom’s playing cards at around five here in town. Do you want to meet for a drink?”

Noah didn’t know what to do. On the one hand, Avery would be home from school then. On the other, he couldn’t turn down Margot Earnheart’s proposal. It was physically impossible.

“Okay,” Noah breathed.

“Ralph’s?” Ralph’s was a dive bar on the outskirts of the Historic District. They hadn’t been carded when they were teenagers, which meant it housed perhaps a thousand beautifulmemories, nights of underage drinking and kissing on the corner beneath the moonlight.

“Ralph’s it is.”

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