Page 51 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
A few people were scratching their chins. Even Lucy wasn’t sure how that would work.
“Sounds like you two have some personal problems to work through,” Old Man Jenkins said, calling a spade a spade. “I’m old, and I’m tired. I’m going to head on home. When you two figure things out, give me a call.”
A few people nodded, and Ester shrugged. “I gave Old Man Jenkins a ride here, so I have to go. But he’s right. Work it out. Ellie, I’ll see you tomorrow at Latin dancing.”
Pretty much everyone else followed them out the door, fleeing like a herd of water buffalos that scented lions. Too bad she and her mother were the lions. Lucy didn’t want to battle it out, but she knew it was inevitable.
Jill gave her an encouraging hug before she left. April whispered something in her mother’s ear as they hugged goodbye.
When they were alone, her mother turned to her, fire and brimstone flashing in her eyes. “We need to get something straight.”
Cue the showdown.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Ellen O’Brien had been a lot of fun growing up, but she could be as tough as a rebel leader. Lucy was about to receive one of her mother’s firm butt-kickings. Since she’d been through them before, she went to the bar and ladled out a hefty cosmopolitan.
“Lucy Marigold O’Brien,” her mother began, making Lucy’s mouth turn sour despite the sweet cocktail she’d just sipped.
She’d always hated her middle name, not only because it made her sound like some misplaced flower child, but because marigolds smelled like ass, if you asked her. Taking another fortifying drink of her cosmo, she turned around. Her mother was breathing hard enough to make her mangoes heave.
“I’m sorry you didn’t like my idea, Mom,” she said, striving for peace. “I was only trying to add something to the calendar from my experience.”
Her mother charged over to her. “The calendar was fine without your idea! This stunt you pulled was anembarrassment to me and yourself. These people signed up for The Calendar of New Beginnings, not The Calendar of Death.”
So much for peace. “Mom, I’m not suggesting?—”
“Yes, you are,” her mother interrupted, slicing her hand through the air. “If you think you’re too good for us and this calendar, I can ask Farley to take the photos. I meant what I said, Lucy. We don’t need you to lower your standards for our sake. We might not be as well traveled as you are, but we’re good people, and the calendar is fine just as we planned it.”
Her mom’s voice, just below a shout, was making her head hurt. “You’re not listen?—”
“Why didn’t you come to me with this idea beforehand? You blindsided me in front of all our volunteers.”
Since her mother wasn’t calming down any, Lucy set her cosmo aside. “I thought I’d see what the whole group thought of the idea, Mom. It came to me after I talked to you and April.”
“Bull! Let’s lay it all out, shall we? You didn’t think I’d consider your idea, and you were right. Lucy, sometimes I just don’t understand you.”
There it was again. The unsolvable issue between them. Theydidn’tunderstand each other. It was like trying to talk to someone speaking a different language. Why couldn’t her mother accept her for who she was?
“I’m going to head out,” she said, unable to continue the dead-end conversation. “We can both think about what’s best for us and talk tomorrow. I love you, Mom.” The words were hard to utter.
Her mom was stiff as she kissed her cheek. Lucy hustled out of the room, stopping to pick up her purse in the entryway. When she exited the house, she pressed her hand to her aching head. Her vision suddenly seemed worse. Hadn’ther mother’s mums in the terracotta pot looked crisper and clearer earlier? Hadn’t they looked red? Now they were almost rust-colored.
Lucy took a moment to scan her surroundings, blinking her right eye slowly, hoping to correct her vision. But it didn’t change. Everything looked worse than it had before.
She felt the claws of a panic attack sink into her skin.No, no, no,she told herself.We’re not going to freak out.
Her vision hadn’t altered like this since her hospital stay, and then it had only changed for the better. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Her vision was supposed to improve, not worsen. Could it be the stress from the fight? She had no idea, which made it that much scarier.
She glanced at her car. Right now she didn’t trust herself to drive. Her spirits sank. She couldn’t even take care of herself. Powerlessness overwhelmed her. She needed help, and if there was one thing that grated on Lucy’s nerves more than anything, it was having to depend on anyone.
She set off down the sidewalk to Andy’s house, hoping he’d be home. There was no way she was asking her mom for a ride after their altercation, even if her mother had known the truth. Her dad would drop everything at Hairy’s and run her home. But then there would be questions.
After passing Washington Elementary, she finally reached Andy’s A-frame house, which seemed gray to her. There were a few white thingies in the yard alongside a T-ball set. Baseballs, she realized. She had to close her right eye to count them. Four in total. The grass was a little long, showing Andy hadn’t had the time to mow it in a while.
When he opened the door, he immediately said, “What’s wrong?”
“How did you know?” she asked, noting the Labrador next to his legs. “I was going to ease into it.”
