47. Alice The Most Roundabout Way
Alice The Most Roundabout Way
I knew that now was my time. Julie was moving in with her mother; Grace was, in all likelihood, getting back together with Troy, Charlotte was going back home—or, who knew, maybe even back to New York. And I loved Elliott; I did. I was ready to let go of this house, but it was hard too. It held so many memories for me.
I was sitting at the kitchen island after a night of sleep so good I couldn’t believe it. I could have slept later, but, well, it was a school day, and the show must go on. Grace was making pancakes, and I was sipping orange juice. She scrunched her nose. “It’s going to be weird, isn’t it? All of us living apart?”
I nodded. “It will definitely take some getting used to. How will I manage to feed myself?”
Grace laughed, and I heard footsteps down the stairs that I recognized as Julie’s. “Good morning, beautiful niece of mine!” I sang. But when she appeared, I could tell she had been crying.
“What’s wrong?” Grace asked, pausing her mixing and pouring and flipping.
“My own mother,” she said with a little heaving sob.
When it came to her mother, there was no telling what had happened. But I had guesses. “Your own mother what?”
“She just called to ask if she could borrow five thousand dollars to get things ready for us to move in!” she said, her sadness turning to anger. “Do you know how long it took me to save five thousand dollars? And we all know she’s never going to pay me back!”
“Oh, honey,” I said. “Sit down.” She was correct. Of all the times Delia had “borrowed” money from me, my sister had paid me back precisely never. But I knew the rule: never lend money that you expect to see again.
Her face was stony. “Now I know she only wants me to move in with her because she needs my rent money.” She shook her head. “I’m not doing it. I’m financially stable now. I can afford a small place of my own. And I don’t need help with the girls.” At that, she started crying again.
I got up and hugged her. “What, honey?”
“I do need help with the girls!” she said.
I laughed and wiped her tears, swamped with guilt. Mina would never have left me. I couldn’t leave Julie, even if it meant sacrificing a piece of my happiness. “Well, you don’t have to, sweetie. You will all just stay right here. With me.”
She shook her head. “Nope. You’re marrying Elliott. It’s right; it’s time.”
I sighed as Charlotte came down the stairs. I felt so deflated, but I thought of Mina again, of what she had sacrificed to take care of me. “I don’t have to, honey. Family first. You can stay here. I promise.”
“Really?” Charlotte asked as she made her way to the coffeepot, jumping into the conversation like she’d been here the whole time.
“She’s just saying that,” Julie said, “because she doesn’t want me to feel guilty about not moving in with my mom.”
Charlotte nodded.
Grace poured more batter on the griddle, and it sizzled. “Alice, you’re marrying Elliott. Because I was up all night crunching numbers and doing a little thinking, and, Julie, well… I have a proposition for you. For you and Alice, really. About how we can stay right here.”
“Wait a minute,” Charlotte said. “I thought you were beside yourself about getting back with Troy?”
She shrugged. “Some good friends of mine made me realize that my self-worth is not tied up in Troy. I’m back on my feet, I’m stronger than ever, I can take care of myself and my kids, and I don’t want him. You all made me see that I didn’t want him, really, but I thought I needed him.” She paused. “And if it’s time for us to go, we will. We can.” She paused again. “But honestly, life is just more fun when we live it together.”
“So what are you proposing?” I asked.
Grace turned off the burner and wiped her hands. “Alice, I would like to buy the mommune.” She looked at Julie. “Jules, I want you and the girls to stay here and help me turn it back into a bed-and-breakfast. I’ll do the cooking, obviously. And you would be in charge of all the managerial things. Booking, social media, etcetera.”
Julie’s jaw dropped. “No. Really?”
Grace looked at me. “Alice?”
I could feel myself tearing up, and I jumped up off my stool to hug her. “Yes! Absolutely, one hundred times yes!”
“It just goes so smoothly when we’re here together, Jules,” Grace said.
“And there’s always a best friend to talk to or a kid to make you laugh,” I added, maybe a little sadly.
“And some weeks, you aren’t even doing laundry,” Charlotte added, winking at me.
“This way, we keep some of that, but we also move forward. You know?” Grace said.
“Totally,” I said. “I love it.”
“Wait,” Charlotte said. “But how will you guys do math homework without me?” She took a sip of coffee.
“You’re just down the street!” Julie enthused.
Charlotte laughed. “This should have been one of the hardest times of my life, but, because of all of you, it’s been one of the happiest. Thank you for that. I love you all so much.”
“Well, it isn’t over,” Grace said. “Because one of my conditions is that we all congregate once a week, right here, for a great meal and a little forced family fun.”
“Yay!” I said, clapping my hands. “I love this idea!”
Three little sleepy-headed nieces appeared from their bedroom around the corner. Audrey climbed into Julie’s lap, Jamie crawled into mine, and Brenna said, “Yay! Pancakes!”
“Should we wake Merit, Emma, and Iris to celebrate?” Grace asked.
“We’re coming!” Merit called.
The three of them padded down the stairs, still in pajamas.
“I’m so excited Dad is coming home!” Iris said.
There was a tentative knock on the back door, followed by Oliver’s “Hello?”
I shot a knowing look at Julie.
“Oliver!” Charlotte said. “Is everything okay?”
He nodded. “All is well. Julie invited me to breakfast. I hope that’s okay.”
Grace laughed. “Julie, you dog. Juniper Shores Socialite calls it right again.”
Oliver laughed and put his arm around Julie. Well, well, well, maybe someone had fallen into her lap after all.
Grace stacked plates full of pancakes, Charlotte poured glasses of milk, and everyone piled into their seats at the table.
“I can’t believe this is our last family breakfast,” Iris said.
“Well…” Julie said, “maybe not our last. Grace and I want to host everyone as often as you’ll come.”
Iris gasped. “What?”
Grace nodded. “We’re buying the mommune!”
“So, you aren’t getting back together with Dad?” Emma asked.
Grace put her hand on Emma’s. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know this is hard—”
“Dad’s a total jerk,” Emma said. “And I don’t want to leave my school. I’m glad you’re not getting back together with him.”
“Same,” Merit said, his mouth full of pancake.
I laughed. “In case I don’t get the chance to say it again, I want everyone to know how happy you have made me. I love you all deeply, and you have given me my life back when I truly didn’t think that was possible.”
“We love you too, Anally!” Jamie squealed.
“Alice, I honestly do not know what Iris and I would have done without your kindness and compassion. You saved us. You gave us not only a place to live but also people to sustain us.” Charlotte paused. “And no matter what anyone else says, I believe with all my heart that all of us coming together played a huge part in Bill getting out of jail.”
“Hey!” Oliver protested. “Ye of little faith!”
Charlotte laughed and raised her milk glass. “To the mommune!” she said.
“To the mommune,” we all repeated, clinking glasses of milk.
In a few minutes, the kids would scatter to get ready for school, the sticky, syrupy dishes would need to be cleared (my week for dishes!), Elliott and I would go sign paperwork for our official offer on our new house, and we’d each have more than a few personal dramas and traumas to handle. But for now, for the moment, life was perfect.
I looked around this table at all these people I loved, and I realized that the rituals and routines of family life hadn’t saved me; the people had. With their love and support, listening ears, and guidance. They had given me that family I had always wanted most. And I would always put them first.
It might be unconventional; it might not always be easy. But nothing truly great ever is. I thought of my mother, the woman who had loved and nurtured me so fully until her life had been cut short, of Mina who had cared for me and taught me in the very best way she knew how. I hoped that the little girls around this table would look back one day and think the same of me.
I had never gotten children of my own, but it seemed that I had become a mother anyway. And if these past few years had taught me anything, it was that, when we put our heads together, when we join forces, there’s nothing that moms can’t do.
“I think we need to do our dinnertime ritual right now, at breakfast!” Emma shouted gleefully.
“Oh, yes!” Iris agreed. “Alice, you start because you’re the one who brought us all together.”
“Okay,” I said, clearing my throat. “Well, the best part of my day, obviously, is getting to have breakfast with all my favorite people in the world.”
“And what do you need?” Merit asked.
I smiled at him, at all of them. So much in life had happened to us. But this, our time together, it seemed, had happened for us. In the most roundabout way, we’d all ended up exactly where we needed to be. I didn’t have to answer Merit. He already knew; they all did. For the first time maybe ever, I was certain I had everything I could ever need.
Yes, we might be moving on physically, but we would always be connected in our hearts. Some people spent years searching for the perfect person who understood them, who made them whole. I had found nine.