Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
“Are you coming to my dance recital Friday night?” asked Alexis.
Claire locked the front door to the house then motioned for Alexis to start toward the car. Claire followed behind her to the driveway. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Why would you think I wouldn’t come?”
Alexis shrugged. “I was only worried you made plans with David.”
“Nothing is more important than going to your dance recital,” replied Claire. “I know how hard you’ve been working at your practices.”
At the car, Claire opened the door, settling into her seat.
Alexis climbed in next to her, shoving her backpack between her feet. “I was only checking. You’ve been walking around in a little love bubble haze since you guys officially started dating.”
Starting the car, Claire backed out of the driveway. “I have not.”
“Yes, you have.” Alexis buckled her seatbelt. “It’s kind of cute. I’ve never seen you like this, not even when you were dating that one guy...” Alexis squinted her eyes then snapped. “Theo, the radiologist.”
Claire groaned. “Please don’t remind me.” Theo and she had met at the hospital she worked at. He wasn’t anyone to write home about, but unfortunately it took Claire a while to figure it out. Theo still worked there too, but Claire skillfully avoided him. “I’ve been trying to forget about him.”
“He was the worst.” Alexis groaned. “Theo talked about himself nonstop. I’m the best, blah blah blah. It was so annoying.” She shook her head and sighed. “I can’t believe you thought you loved him.”
“I know, but I was young.” Claire made a right-hand turn. “I had no idea what love even felt like, but now I know I didn’t ever love Theo. I was only flattered he showed interest in me. In the beginning, Theo was very charming, but then eventually his true colors came out.”
“I’m glad you kicked him to the curb.” Alexis tsked. “But it took you so long to figure out he was no good.”
Defensively, Claire replied, “We only dated for six months.”
“Six months too long.” Alexis paused then waved a hand. “Enough about Theo. Who cares?” she paused then added, “I don’t mind if you want to invite David to my recital on Saturday night.”
“What? Invite David?” Claire stopped at the light, glancing over at Alexis. “I’m sure he already has plans.” Though Claire doubted it. They had spent every available minute together since their kiss on the pier. David stopped by after work every night, to eat dinner and hang out with her and Alexis.
“Doubtful,” Alexis smirked. “The guy has nothing going on. That’s why he’s always at our house. I don’t mind. I like him. He’s fun and has helped you not be so sad since Mom died. I want you to invite David.”
“I don’t know if ballet is David’s thing.” Claire turned into the school parking lot. She didn’t know why she was hesitant to invite David to the recital.
“You are so dense sometimes.” Alexis rolled her eyes. “The ballet isn’t the point. If David is into you, he won’t care where he’s going only that you’re there too.”
Staring over at Alexis, Claire asked, “How old are you again?”
Alexis opened her door. “Thirteen.” She hopped out, pivoting back around. “But apparently I know more about guys than you do.” Then she shut the door, wandering into the school.
Shaking her head, Claire pulled out of the school parking lot. She wondered when Alexis had become an expert on relationships. To her knowledge Alexis hadn’t even held a guy’s hand. Her words planted some ideas into Claire’s head. Maybe extending an invitation for David to attend Alexis’s recital wasn’t a bad idea. Truth was, David needed to know that Alexis and she were a package deal. He couldn’t have one without the other.
Claire didn’t have time to worry too much about her conversation with Alexis, because as she pulled into her driveway, her phone rang. Her Bluetooth flashed the number on her car’s dashboard, making her heart sink. The sound of the ring vibrated again in the car.
Taking a deep breath, Claire hit accept on the dashboard. “Hello, this is Claire.” She turned off the engine but remained seated.
“Claire, I’m glad I was able to catch you. This is Mr. Howard from the cemetery. I’ve tried calling a few times, but I haven’t been able to speak to you directly.” He paused.
Claire pinched the bridge of her nose. “I know… sorry about that.” Closing her eyes for a moment, Claire attempted to find her equilibrium. “But you have me now. What can I do for you today?”
“Like I mentioned at the burial, we need you to finalize the inscription for your mom’s headstone. Were you able to decide?” asked Mr. Howard.
Skillfully, Claire had avoided this decision for the last several weeks. Once the inscription was done, then everything would be final. And Claire hadn’t been ready to unpack what that meant.
Claire cleared her throat, “What is the remaining balance again?”
“Let me double check. Would this be with the inscription you gave me earlier. Or did you want to make some changes?”
Honestly, Claire couldn’t remember what she wrote down in a grief-stricken haze. How did she sum up the one person in her life that meant everything to her? Nothing seemed sufficient.
“Could you remind me of the inscription? I can’t remember,” asked Claire.
Claire heard him shuffle some papers around.
“I have it right here.” Mr. Howard cleared his throat. “It will read ‘A mother’s love, like an imperishable sun, cannot go out.’ Are you still okay with that inscription?”
“Sure,” Claire ran a hand over the top of her hair.
“So, with no additional changes, the balance due will be $1,752,” stated Mr. Howard.
Claire slumped in her seat. She knew headstones were costly, but she didn’t realize how expensive they were. If she chose a different one, she would start the entire awful process over again.
A pinch between her shoulder blades made her neck ache. “When is the balance due?” asked Claire.
“We need the balance to start the headstone inscription. That’s why I’m calling. We can’t risk getting stuck with something someone can’t pay for. Unfortunately, this happens a lot in our business,” replied Mr. Howard.
“I understand.” Claire locked her jaw. “I’ll bring by a check as soon as possible.”
Claire ended the call. Throwing her head into her palmed hands, Claire didn’t know how she’d pay for it. After selling off most of Mom’s things, she saved some funds, but it was needed for their move to Los Angeles. Putting the headstone on a credit card was an option, but Claire had never taken on debt. Mom had insisted that Claire should live within her means, and to only purchase things when they could be paid for in full.
With no solution, Claire climbed out of the car and went inside. She walked slowly through the almost empty home. Each room only contained a few stray items. There was nothing of any real value left to sell. Even if she wanted to, it wouldn’t be enough to cover the headstone and the necessary move.
Stressed out, Claire settled at Mom’s desk, a family heirloom from her great grandmother, the one piece of furniture Claire refused to sell. The top of the desk was covered with different bills, bills which needed to be paid. Her heart raced and anxiety pulsated through her, and instead of leaning into the panic, she whispered a silent prayer. God always found a way. She only wondered how He’d help her this time.
Then her gaze landed on a box Claire had placed on the desk weeks ago. Slowly, she peeled back the closed top. Inside were dozens of condolence cards collected at the funeral. In her grief, Claire failed to open any of them. Taking the first one out of the box, she ran her finger under the seal to open it and out dropped forty dollars. She gasped. Surely, it was the only card containing money. After reading the kind message, Claire picked up another card and opened it, revealing another twenty dollars.
Claire spent the rest of the morning reading and opening the cards. She cried as she read the sweet words of encouragement, many from people she didn’t know. Some were former students Mom had taught over the years. Many commented on how Mom was their favorite teacher and retold memories of their experience in her class. When every card was opened, Claire counted the money, it was sufficient to cover the cost of the headstone. Claire wept, thankful for the kindness of others.
Then her phone dinged. Claire fished it out of her pocket, revealing a message from David.
I hope your day is going well. Can I come by tonight? I’d love to see you again. I’ll bring dinner for you and Alexis.
Sounds great! Maybe 6?
Great, see you then.
Smiling, Claire slid her phone back into her pocket. Her mood was lighter than only hours earlier. Gathering up the money, Claire left to pay for the headstone before picking up Alexis from school.
Later that evening, Alexis sat at the kitchen table finishing up some homework. “What time is David going to be here? I’m starving.” She slammed her pencil down on top of her spiral notebook.
“I told him six.” Claire glanced over at her from her place in the kitchen. She was sorting through the cupboards, still deciding what to get rid of and what to keep. “He should be here any minute.”
She placed some more of the random unnecessary kitchen items into a box to be donated. Mom had been a wonderful cook, but Claire had no use for twenty spatulas. The kitchen in her apartment was tiny and was already stocked with what she needed.
Groaning, Alexis face planted herself on top of her open textbook. “I hope he doesn’t bring something I don’t like.”
Claire went to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. Over her shoulder, she said, “I think you’ll like what he brings. David specifically asked about what you liked, and I gave him some suggestions.”
Alexis perked up, sitting straight again. “He did?” She smiled. “I knew I liked him.”
Turning back around, Claire finished washing her hands. She dried them on the towel hanging from the oven handle. “I’m glad.” Her own stomach rumbled. “David’s thoughtful like that. I still can’t believe he’s divorced. I mean who divorces a guy who asks about food preferences?”
Waving her pencil at her, Alexis said, “Someone who doesn’t appreciate how good she has it.”
Claire nodded, silently agreeing.
Alexis added, “But her loss is your gain.”
Before Claire commented, the doorbell rang. “He’s here.” Claire smiled, walking toward the door. “I’ll get it.”
“Just make sure you do any kissing out of my sight,” yelled Alexis. “I don’t need that image burned into my brain.”
With a chuckle, Claire rolled her eyes. Walking the remaining distance to the door, Claire opened it, revealing David on the stoop.
With hands full of food, David grinned, melting her middle into a gooey mess. “Hey, beautiful,” he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Claire held open the door for David to enter. He passed through the door. “I hope I’ve got enough food.”
“I’m sure whatever you brought will be great.” Claire closed the door behind David, then she motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen.
Arriving in the kitchen, David set the food on top of the kitchen counter. From her spot at the table, Alexis eyed the bags.
“Hi, Alexis.” David unpacked several boxes of food. “Claire told me Chinese food was your favorite.”
Alexis closed her textbook, placing it and her notebook into her backpack. Standing, she strode across the kitchen, joining them. Peering over the food, Alexis said, “As long as you have orange chicken and chow mein, then I’ll be fine.”
David grabbed two cartons marked as orange chicken and chow mein respectively. “Here, these are just for you.” He held them out to her.
Taking the cartons from him, Alexis smiled warmly. “Thanks, can I keep the leftovers for tomorrow?”
“Of course,” replied David.
“Great,” Alexis nudged Claire with her shoulder. “You should see the stuff Claire tries to feed me.”
“Ha. Ha. You’re hilarious.” Claire sighed. “You’re lucky I don’t let you starve. I’ve never claimed to be a good cook.”
With food in hand, Alexis slumped into her chair at the table, placing the food in front of herself. Blankly, Alexis stared at the boxes of food. “No…” She sighed, making her shoulders noticeably droop. Her eyes became misty, and she swiped the moisture away with her index finger. “Mom was the cook.”
Claire gripped the end of the counter with her hands as the room spiraled around her. Lungs burning, she gasped for air. Grief was tricky. One moment you were fine, then the next you couldn’t breathe. Blinking rapidly, Claire fought hard against the floodgate starting to break. Someday, she hoped it wasn’t this difficult, wished she could remember Mom without overwhelming, debilitating sadness.
Forcing herself to find her equilibrium, Claire finally said, “Mom was the best cook.” Her voice cracked as a few tears ran down her cheeks.
Glancing out the kitchen window, Claire remembered Mom cooking in this very kitchen too many times to count. Some meals were made on a shoestring budget, other times Mom managed to find nice cuts of meat at discount prices at the supermarket, and her concoctions were closer to what a gourmet chef served in the very finest restaurants. Mom spent hours cooking for her and Alexis, a labor of love, Claire didn’t fully appreciate the act until this moment.
David’s voice broke the stillness. “What’s your favorite dish that your mom made?” He leaned against the counter, folding his arms, and crossing his ankles.
Claire shifted toward David, locking eyes with him. Gratitude seeped into her entire being. How did he manage to pivot everything back to positivity? It was a quality Claire loved in him.
Thank you, Claire mouthed to David. Then Claire glanced at Alexis, wondering if Alexis wanted to share first.
A smile spread across Alexis’s face. “I loved her chicken enchiladas.” Alexis swiped at her eyes with the back of her palm. “Or her garlic pesto chicken.”
“You had me at enchiladas,” replied David. Grabbing the rest of the bags of food, he walked them to the table and sat in the seat across from Alexis. Opening a carton of fried rice, David continued, “Did she ever teach you how to make her enchiladas?”
Following suit, Claire grabbed some forks and plates before joining Alexis and David at the table. Alexis opened her orange chicken, filling the room with its tantalizing aroma. Claire’s stomach rumbled as Alexis spooned the food onto her plate.
“You know Mom and I made them once together,” remarked Alexis. Spearing a piece of her orange chicken, Alexis continued, “but I wouldn’t remember how to make them now.”
Claire opened a carton of broccoli beef, putting some onto her plate before handing the carton to David. David handed her the spicy shrimp in return.
“I’m pretty decent at reading a recipe.” David speared a piece of beef and took a bite. After swallowing, he said, “I’d love to learn how to make enchiladas. Maybe we could do it together, Alexis?”
Shifting in her seat, Alexis’s gaze darted quickly between Claire and David. “Wouldn’t you want to do that with Claire?”
David nudged Claire with his shoulder. “No, you already told me she can’t cook.”
“Hey…” Claire suddenly felt defensive even though she couldn’t argue. “I could maybe try.”
Wrapping an arm around Claire’s shoulders, David kissed her on the temple. “It’s okay you can’t cook. You have lots of other wonderful qualities. Besides, I was asking Alexis if she wanted to take a crack at the recipe with me.”
Alexis smirked. “I’d like that, David.” She leaned across the table and looked at Claire. “Have you already packed up Mom’s cookbooks?”
Claire shook her head. “No. I haven’t gotten to it yet.” She served herself some of the chow mein then took a bite. “That was the next cupboard I was going to tackle.”
Jumping up, Alexis went to the cupboard where Mom kept her cookbooks. She rummaged through a few of them until she found the one she wanted. Enthusiastically, Alexis held it up and tapped the cover with her index finger. “I remember this is the cookbook with the recipe in it.” Alexis brought it back to the table, putting it down on the table next to her.
David finished chewing, then said, “If you make a list of the ingredients, then we can go shopping together to get everything we need to make them.”
“Can I come too?” asked Claire.
Claire appreciated David taking an interest in Alexis, but she didn’t want to be left out.
“No,” replied Alexis. “You weren’t invited.”
David patted Claire’s thigh. “Sorry, Claire.” He took another bite of the broccoli beef. “You heard the boss.” David made a head tilt toward Alexis.
Claire scoffed. “Why can’t I come, Alexis?” Folding her arms against her body, she acted more hurt than she felt.
“Because…” Alexis rolled her eyes. “You’ll just try and take over, and then I’ll never learn.”
“Geez, please don’t hold back on how you really feel,” replied Claire.
Smugly, Alexis said, “I won’t.”
Claire’s shoulders drooped, embarrassed Alexis found it imperative to point out to David she was both a bad cook and needed to be in control. Two big strikes against her. If she kept going, Alexis might manage to scare David away.
David leaned in closer to Claire. His breath tickled her neck as he cupped her ear and whispered. “Claire, don’t you worry, I like you just the way you are.” His hand slid away from her ear, down the length of her arm, smoothing out the knot in between her shoulder blades. “This is going to be our project.” David winked at Claire. “We promise you can eat the finished product. Right, Alexis?” He glanced at Alexis with a raised eyebrow.
“Yep.” Alexis nodded. “We’ll make dinner. You won’t have to do a thing. You deserve a break.”
Leaning back in her chair, Claire folded her arms. “Do I?”
“Yes, you do.” David fiddled with her hair, swiping it over her shoulder. “Alexis and I have this.”
Her skin tingled. Claire threw up her hands. “Fine. You’ll make dinner, and I’ll eat it.”
“See,” Alexis said. “You can’t say I don’t do anything for you.”
Claire laughed. “Touché.”