“No, really, who told you?” Screw it. I wanted to know.
“Actually, when I called Chase this morning, Lili answered and informed me. She was beside herself with worry.” Now that I believed.
“Well, as you can see, Mom’s just fine. Her family’s got her covered, but thank you for stopping by.”
Constance flinched. Somehow she made it easy to be rude in her presence.
“Of course. Maggie, you should rest. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call the nurse manager and tell them you’re a friend of the Coltons, they’ll take care of you.”
Yup and there it was, the reason she was here, I called it, showing face and flaunting her shit as if her name or status still meant anything. It stopped meaning anything about the same time she had to surrender her Amex black, which was about the same time her husband robbed half of Manhattan. And that was a long time ago. Constance had yet to figure it out.
“No, no, I’m good. Thank you.” Mom waived Constance off and looked at my sisters. “Actually, you all should get going. The babies will be getting home from school soon, you don’t want to hit rush hour.” Then she turned toward me. “And you need to get home to Talia, my poor girl. It’s too much all day by herself.”
I could’ve sworn Constance fake coughed.
“Ma, we’re not leaving you, so just stop. The men will figure it out. Constance, you’re more than welcome to stay for lunch, there’s plenty, but Mom needs to eat a little. Mushroom swiss, bacon cheddar, or spinach feta, Mom?” Tara was on the same page.
“No thank you, not exactly my cuisine of choice. I’m actually late for a luncheon at The Met, in my honor. Wonderful catching up.” Constance air-kissed Mom. No joke, her cheek was a good three inches from skin. What the hell was that? She brushed at her linen lint-free skirt and then graced me with her attention. “Now Asher, could it be true, is Boston’s premiere bachelor off the market? Wait until I tell Chase, he and Lili will be thrilled. So who’s the lucky girl, Maggie, what did you say her name was, Tally?” She flipped her rock hard bob back toward Ma.
I had zero patience for this woman. She heard exactly what my mother said. Talia was not a name you heard every day, or ever, for that matter. I got she wasn’t in the know, contrary to what she believed. Her relationship with my parents, post Dad’s diagnosis, extended to maybe two social engagements a year, and even though Lili brokered an olive branch, neither she or Chase divulged anything personal. This was a fact. And she sure as shit didn’t know about Tack. Tal and Lili argued it would be better that way, not wanting to add salt to a grieving widow’s wounds. They gave her too much sympathy. Chase and I didn’t give a fuck. Hell, Chase hadn’t even met his brother yet.
As for my family, they met Tack at our last Hampton Saturday get together and took to him instantly. No shock there. Also no shock was my mother and sisters’ facial expressions when he walked in the door—they weren’t blind, recognizing the resemblance as quickly as I did. But they respected Tal’s privacy and kept quiet, knowing we’d share in time. So bottom line, Constance feigned ignorance. Why, I didn’t exactly understand.
“I said Talia, Constance. Talia Talia, the kids’ Talia, our Talia.” I loved my mother. Even in her little hospital gown and bright yellow cast, she was a force to be reckoned with. But why she entertained this nonsense was beyond me. “She moved to Boston to be with Asher, she works with Chasey at the hospital.”
“I wondered what happened to her. Sweet of my son to give her a job, I’m sure she’s a very competent secretary. From my memory, she was a pretty girl. I’m sure you make an attractive couple.”
From her memory … she was her daughter’s best friend. I had an urge to smack the smug look right off her face. Obviously I refrained, but I had a maximum of five minutes of tolerance for this woman and she exceeded that about five minutes ago.
“She’s a doctor.” If looks could kill, there were probably handcuffs in my future.
“Interesting. The criteria for med schools are just not what they used to be.”
My blood pressure rose, I was sure of it. She had to be kidding me. I consciously decided to zone her out, unfortunately she kept jabbering.
“But don’t worry, I’ve heard wonderful things about your orthopedist. My friends on the board assured me that he was heavily recruited. King has a great reputation...”
“I wasn’t concerned, our Talia made all the arrangements. She trusts him, that was good enough for me.” Seventy-two and spot on, go Ma.
“Well, he’s the best, she chose well, I’ll give her that. Must have been a California connection. Well, I hate to cut our visit short, but it’s tactless to be more than an hour late to your own lunch. Feel good. Girls, Asher. Ta-Ta.” She air kissed the room and small waved this time. Then poof, the wicked witch was gone.
I silently stewed; the wake of her shit-storm was not sitting right. At all. I knew she was rude, self-absorbed and for all intents and purposes completely heartless, but what the fuck was that?
Molly broke the silence, “Ma, you really need new friends.” Tara and Avery didn’t bother commenting because nothing else needed to be said.
“I’ve got to go.” I was abrupt, but I couldn’t help it. “Business.”
“Okay, sweetheart. Go, go.”
I looked at my sisters, who looked at each other and mimicked our mother.
“Go.”
“Go, we’re good.”
“We’ve got this.”
They knew I wouldn’t bail without a good reason.
A round of kisses later and I was in a taxi. Screw walking, no time. First I called Tal to make sure the evening nurse got there early to give her a break, and then I dialed Chase.
“How’s Mags? Lil told me. Why the hell didn’t you page me?”
“She’s okay—ORIF or some shit like that, came through like a champ, already bitching to get home. Dad not so much, looking at twenty-four-seven care now. Sorry, it all went down pretty fast. Tal had a connection, all good.” I gave the bullets.
“Sure, you’ve got an MD with shaved legs in your bed, you don’t need me.” I could tell he was relieved about Maggie by his attempt at humor, but I wasn’t feeling it. And he sensed it. “Ash, talk to me, what’s up?”
“I need you to go to my office.”
“Just finished rounding. Can be there in fifteen.” Just as I expected, no questions asked.
“Suzie’s waiting. Call me when you get there.”
“No problem.”
I ended the call and stared out the window lost in thought with Central Park filling the glass square. My jaw was tight, my spine tense. This had to be a sick fucking joke.
The bang of the brass against the mahogany door got louder with each knock. The doorman announced me three minutes before. I went with my gut and called bullshit on the lunch in her honor. I knew she’d be home. I banged harder.
“Asher, twice in one day, to what do I owe this pleasure? Please say it’s not Maggie?”
“Wow. Done with lunch already, guess there wasn’t much to say about you, huh?” Her eyes widened and her brow twitched. Not sure how it was possible with all the Botox she had injected, but her own semi-flaccid facial muscles betrayed her. “I’m not going to stand in the doorway and exchange meaningless pleasantries. I’m obviously here for a reason. You gonna let me in?” I left my gentleman back at the hospital; actually he was pretty much gone the moment I first laid eyes on her.