Chapter Thirty - Lu
Chapter Thirty
Lu
L u smiled as she listened to Kenya’s message for a second time.
“I’ll have you know that Yana, your mother, has that inn in tip-top shape. You won’t recognize it.” Kenya laughed. “When you get home, have Lorenzo make one of his famous Friday night dinners for us. We’re going to sit on your veranda and talk about some things. There is a lot that we need to catch up on. All I can tell you is, brace yourself. Natalia and I will both be there, and all will be well in the universe. I promise.”
“What are you up to, Kenya Lewis?” she whispered, and then glanced over at Zach, who was sleeping in the seat next to hers. Then she glanced at her watch. It was three o’clock in Jersey, and she hoped that Lorenzo was able to prepare a meal by seven. When he prepared their usual Friday meals, he spent a great deal of time shopping for the right ingredients at the market, choosing the best wines. Some meals took time, preparation, thought. She would message him the minute their flight landed, but there were no guarantees. The excitement of them getting together had her giddy, though, even if he just whipped up something simple. It had been weeks since they’d gathered on Friday. She couldn’t help but wonder how Kenya had managed to get Natalia there, but she was grateful. She needed to see her face when she apologized profusely for the umpteenth time.
She gazed upon the clouds outside her window. She thought about the meeting that had taken place at John Samuels’s attorney’s office that morning—the reading of his will. Her stomach had churned as she sat across the table from Milan, who had scoffed at her the entire time, with flared nostrils and a clenched jaw.
“. . . and to my daughter’s mother, Yana ábalos, I leave the sum of $214,000. This should satisfy my half of tuition for Lualhati’s undergraduate studies, as well as her tuition for law school. I have already instructed my attorney to write her a check and ensure that she receives it immediately upon my death. To my daughter, Lualhati Samuels, I leave my vacation home in Napa Valley, California. The property’s last appraised value was $985,000. She is not allowed to sell the property for profit but must use it as a vacation home or as a second location for Lu’s Seaside Inn, should she choose to expand. Should she choose not to expand, the property currently nets a significant amount of income each month as a vacation rental. The property will remain in the Samuels family and can only be passed down as an inheritance.”
Lu had been blown away by John’s generosity toward her and Yana. She was amused by the way Milan’s and Lillian’s eyes had bulged as John’s attorney read that part of the will.
“That’s our family vacation home.” With a huff, Milan crossed her arms over her chest.
“It’s been years since we vacationed there. The last time we were there, I was in my first year of college,” John Jr. said.
“Still, it should remain in the family,” Milan argued.
“Lu is family, Milan. Whether you like it or not.” John Jr.’s brow had raised, and he gave Lu a wink of the eye from across the table.
Zach had squeezed her hand beneath the table. Lu’s mind had raced rapidly, a mile a minute, as she tried to sort things out, make sense of what was really happening. She’d told John that she didn’t want anything. After hearing the thought and care that had gone into how he’d distributed his will, he’d given her much more than money. He’d invested in her future. He’d gained her respect.
As the wheels on the jet hit the runway and began its taxi to the gate, Lu took her cell phone off airplane mode and sent a quick text to Lorenzo, asking him to prepare a special dinner for her and the girls.
His response was swift. “ I know just the thing. Headed to the market now.”
Zach opened his eyes and gave her a smile when she looked at him.
“We’re home,” Lu said.
“Finally.” He grabbed her hand. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good. Lorenzo is going to prepare dinner for the girls and me.”
“You mean you and Kenya?”
“And Natalia.”
“Wow, she’s coming, too? That’s good news. Maybe you all can finally squash your differences. Reconnect.”
“Yes. I’d like that more than anything.”
“I’m going to drop you off at the inn and then head over to the hospital for a bit, but I’d like to come back later, after the girls leave, so we can talk. Is that okay?”
“I’d like that.”
She’d insisted on separate rooms in Sacramento, so that there would be no lines crossed, vision blurred. She didn’t want there to be intimacy while she grieved John’s death. However, Zach had no idea that every single second that she lay awake in her bed, in the adjoining room next to his, she thought of him, yearned for him.
* * *
She crept into the Vintage Hollywood suite, the one with the portrait of Ginger Rogers on the wall and peeked her head inside. Yana was humming a song that she used to sing to Lu as a child. “Paru-Parong Bukid , ” an old Filipino folk song, was one of Lu’s favorites . It reminded her of Lolo, and how he would fill her head with stories and their rich family history. Though Lu had never visited the Philippines, Yana and Lolo made sure she knew everything there was to know about it. She would visit one day—it was on her bucket list. She stood there listening to her mother and watching as she folded towels.
“Well, something’s got you in a good mood this evening.” Lu startled her mother.
“Ooh! You scared me.” Yana jumped and then reached for her daughter, hugging her tight. “How are you, sweetheart?”
“I’m fine. The guests are down there asking for you. They have been raving about how wonderful you’ve been to them. Your mom is so sweet. Your mom is the cutest little thing. She’s been so good to us. Lu giggled. “Max told me that you tried to take over his kitchen.”
“I did not try to take over his kitchen. I taught him to make turon.” Yana mentioned her best dish, a Filipino treat made with plantains and jackfruit. It was something she made often when Lu was a child. “He was bragging about his French toast. But now he’ll be making turon for your guests and they’ll be bragging about it.”
“You’re something else.”
“Thank you for trusting me with the inn. I’ve really enjoyed myself.”
“I’m glad.”
“Now tell me about your trip. What was John’s memorial service like? Was it sad?”
“It was really upbeat. John insisted on it being celebratory, not sad. He pretty much planned it all himself.”
“What’s his wife like? Is she nice or snooty?”
“She’s okay. Nothing special.”
“Is she still pretty? I saw pictures of her years ago, but she was much younger then. Did she age gracefully?”
“She’s still very pretty, Ina.” Lu changed the subject. “I stayed for the reading of the will.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” Lu reached into her purse and handed Yana a check folded in half. “This is from John’s attorney.”
“What? What is it?” Yana unfolded the check, observed it. “What is this, Lualhati?”
“It’s from John Samuels. It’s reimbursement for half of my school’s tuition—my undergrad as well as law school.”
“What? Why would he do this?”
“Because he wanted to do his part, as my father, as a man, Ina. He wanted to die admirably.”
“I told him that I didn’t want his money. This is much too generous.”
“Yes, I know. But you denied him an important part of his life— me .”
“You can send this right back to that fancy attorney of John’s in California. I don’t want it.”
“Give it here.” Lu grabbed the check from Yana. “I’ll just deposit it into your account. You denied him a relationship with me. You must allow the man something, Ina. Let him rest peacefully, knowing that he took care of his responsibility.”
Yana opened her mouth to say something. “I . . .”
Lu interrupted. “I don’t want to hear anything more about it. You and I both know this would be a great help to you.”
Yana smiled. “And what did he leave to his precious Lualhati?”
Lu walked over to the window, gazed at the ocean, and thought of John. “He left me a vacation home. He gave me the choice to either keep it as a vacation property or to transform it into another inn.”
“Did you see it?”
“Not in person. I’ve only seen it in pictures. It’s a beautiful Victorian home in the Napa Valley, about an hour and a half from Sacramento,” Lu explained. “Apparently, the family vacationed there in the past because his daughter, Milan, was in a tizzy about him giving it to me. She went on and on about it having sentimental value. Blah, blah, blah. She’s such a brat.”
“She’s a daddy’s girl.” Yana laughed.
“They hadn’t vacationed there in years. He has only rented it out, which means it already has a significant stream of income. It has six bedrooms and a huge kitchen. It’s very beautiful. I can’t wait to see it in person. There just wasn’t time during this trip.”
“That’s great, my darling. I know you will do the property justice.”
“Thank you for taking such good care of the inn, Ina.” Lu kissed her mother’s cheek and then walked toward the door. “Now I have to get showered and changed. The girls are coming for our Friday night dinner.”
“The girls as in Kenya and Natalia?”
“Yes.”
“So, you’ve made amends?” Yana clasped her hands together.
“Something like that. Kenya flew to California to support me during John’s memorial service. Natalia and I will talk tonight.”
“That’s good, sweetheart. I’m glad,” said Yana. “What about you and Zach? Have you two squashed your differences? Is he going to be my son-in-law or what?”
“Not quite. We haven’t had a chance to talk. And as of right now, the wedding is still off, Ina.”
“Oh, Lualhati, you’re even more stubborn than your mother.”
“By the way, Ina, you’re welcome to join us for dinner tonight. I’m sure that Lorenzo is whipping up something spectacular.”
“I can’t, sweetheart. I need to head back to the city before sunset. Bingo tonight.”
“Of course.” Lu walked back into the room and kissed Yana’s cheek. “Drive safe.”
“I will.”
“I love you, Ina.”
“I love you more.”
Lu stood in the doorway, watching her mother as she continued to fold linens for a moment, and then rushed to take a shower.
* * *
The fragrance from Lorenzo’s Mediterranean shrimp swept through the entire inn. Lu set the table on the veranda with beautiful vintage china, lit candles, placed a vase at the center, filled with fresh flowers—a medley of scarlet pimpernel, California poppy, and fall phlox. She had chilled a bottle of Pinot Grigio and pulled it from the fridge. She grabbed three wineglasses. When she looked up, she could see Kenya and Natalia walking the stretch of beach, arm in arm, as they’d done so many times before. Watching them made her smile. She was giddy.
“Good evening, ladies.”
“Good evening.” Kenya smiled lightly. “I could smell the food before I left home. Smells so good.”
“Me, too. Smells wonderful. I’m sure Lorenzo has whipped up something superyummy.” Natalia smiled. “Hello, Lu.”
“Natalia.” Lu nodded at her friend. Things felt awkward.
She poured wine into each of their glasses and handed one to each of them.
“Let’s toast.” Kenya held her glass into the air. Natalia and Lu did the same. “Here’s to friendship. No , to sisterhood. Even though we go through tough things, we endure.”
Lu tapped her glass against Kenya’s, then Natalia’s. She looked into her friend’s eyes. “Sisters.”
Natalia took a sip of her wine and then placed the glass on the table. She reached for Lu and hugged her tight. “Sisters.”
Lorenzo emerged from the house carrying a tray with three bowls. “If you ladies would take your seats, we’re going to start with the balela salad.”
“What exactly is balela salad, Lorenzo?” Kenya asked.
“It’s an ancient Middle Eastern chickpea salad. It’s easy to whip up in such a short time; wholesome, colorful, and packed with flavor.” Lorenzo placed a bowl in front of each of them.
The ladies took their seats at the table.
“This looks wonderful, Lorenzo.” Natalia gave him a smile.
“Thank you. Please enjoy.” Lorenzo vanished into the kitchen again to finish preparing whatever had the entire inn smelling like a four-star restaurant.
Lu smiled to herself. She was happy in that moment. The last time the three of them had been together at the inn, she’d thought for sure it would be the last. But it seemed the stars had aligned in the sky, and all was at peace in the heavens.