Chapter 6 #2
Darling obviously didn’t trust her to come through. He kept right on moving.
“Darling! Come here!” Zona commanded, running after him.
Of course, he didn’t come. He’d spotted his friend Martin, out checking his mailbox.
Martin petted him and began looking around for Zona. At the sight of her, he waved. Then he gave Darling a good rub behind the ears, keeping him in place.
Darling’s tail was still wagging like a metronome when Zona reached them. “Thanks for holding him here,” she said. “I had him in the backyard, but he escaped.”
Martin nodded. “Ah, our boy is a digger, is he?”
“I guess so,” said Zona. She knelt to pet Darling, who was busy trying to lick Martin’s hand. “You are a bad dog,” she informed him.
Darling knew women loved bad boys, so he merely barked and licked her face.
“He’s a good boy. He just wanted to come say hi,” said Martin the softie. He looked at Zona, puzzled. “You’re not at work.”
“We’ve had a development,” Zona said. “I should have called you earlier, but it’s been crazy.”
His brows pulled together. “What’s going on?”
“Mom’s back home.”
“Back home?”
“She fell on the boat before they were even out to sea.”
Martin’s eyes instantly doubled in size. “Oh, no. How badly is she hurt?”
“Broken leg. She’s in a cast and she’s not happy.”
He frowned and shook his head. “I can imagine. I’m sorry. I know how much she was looking forward to that cruise.”
“She’s going to be stuck in a cast all summer,” Zona said. “I hope I’ve found someone to come in and help her when I’m at work.”
“I could do that,” Martin said.
“With showers,” Zona clarified, and he blushed. “But she could really use some cheering up if you’re interested in dropping by.”
“Of course,” he said. “How about I pick up something from Panda Express and bring you ladies dinner tonight?”
“That would be wonderful,” said Zona.
“Great. I’ll be over at six.”
Zona thanked him, then took Darling by the collar and led him home. “You are not to do this again. You scared Mom half to death. And I will find where you got out and patch it, so don’t think of pulling that stunt again.”
Darling seemed to have gotten the message, since he whined.
“It’s okay. You just can’t be doing this stuff. I’ve got my hands full right now.”
Back inside the house, Darling raced to Louise and buried his face in her lap, looking up at her soulfully and wagging his tail.
“What were you doing out there?” Louise scolded him as she rubbed his head.
“Looking for Martin. Who is, by the way, bringing us dinner tonight,” said Zona.
“So, I guess you told him what happened,” Louise said, sounding none too happy.
“I didn’t give him details, and he was properly sympathetic.”
Louise sighed. “I feel stupid.”
“You shouldn’t. Accidents happen.”
“Ones like that only happen to foolish women who are showing off,” Louise said, shaking her head.
“Accidents can happen anytime, anywhere,” said Zona. She smiled at Louise. “I bet you were rocking your moves.”
Louise smiled back. “I was.” She lost the smile. “Until I made a fool of myself. Now I’m the talk of the boat.”
“Only for a minute. People move on.”
“Including George and Wayne. I probably won’t hear from either of them. They’ll both find some cute forty-year-old and probably be engaged by the time the ship docks in Maui.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do,” said Louise. “Neither one has contacted me to see how I’m doing.”
“They don’t sound like keepers then.”
“Somebody’s keeping them. Probably Ursula,” Louise grumbled.
“Ursula?”
“Never mind,” Louise said with a flick of her hand. “Do you fancy an iced tea?”
Zona got the message. “That’s a great idea. I’ll make a pitcher.”
By the time they’d finished their drinks, Bree had arrived with writing supplies and a Starbucks blended drink.
“Oh, sweetie, that was so thoughtful,” cooed Louise.
“Mom and I figured you might get inspired and start your book. Maybe you can write a thriller about a woman who gets murdered on a cruise.”
Louise frowned at that. “I’d hoped to do some research on the cruise.”
Research into available men. Zona kept the remark to herself. Instead, she said, “You never know where you might find inspiration. Maybe something right here at home will inspire you.”
“Yes, I can write about a woman who breaks her leg and falls in the shower and drowns,” Louise muttered.
Then, catching herself being cranky, added, “Never mind me. I think I need a pain pill. And a nap.” She grabbed her crutches and struggled to get up.
Both Zona and Bree rushed to help her. “I can do it,” she said irritably, then fell back on the couch and swore.
“You’ll get the hang of those crutches,” Zona said. “You just have to get your sea legs.” Oops. She pretended not to see her mother’s scowl as she helped Louise to her feet.
“Poor Gram,” said Bree once Louise was medicated and resting in the bedroom.
“Poor both of us,” said Zona.
“I can stay with Gram if you want to go out,” Bree offered.
And what? thought Zona. Go shopping? Ha! Like that would be happening anytime in the future. The temperature had climbed, and it was too hot to go for a hike or even a walk. Her biggest excitement would come in the evening when temperatures dropped and she took Darling out.
“I’m fine,” she said to Bree.
“You don’t look fine,” Bree countered.
Zona was pretty sure she hadn’t looked fine in a long time. She shrugged.
“I’m sorry your life sucks,” said Bree.
“So does yours, thanks to me.”
Bree didn’t correct her. Instead, she said, “At least I got to go to the beach.”
“You went to the beach? Who’d you go with?”
Bree suddenly looked wary. “Just a friend.”
“Fen?” guessed Zona.
“Like I said.”
“I don’t blame you for being cautious,” Zona began.
“It’s more than cautious. Never going where you’ve been, Mom.”
“I’m sorry I scarred you.”
“I’m not scarred. I’m smart. I learned from watching what happened to you.”
“Not all men are like Dad and Gary. You know that.” Didn’t she?
“Yeah, but you can’t tell the difference because they all walk around with masks.”
“Even Fen and his family?”
“They’re okay, but people change. Men change. Anyway, we’re fine just hanging out.”
“There might come a time when you want to do more than hang out,” Zona suggested.
“No way. Marriage is a trap designed by men.”
Zona sighed inwardly. It was hard to see her daughter so cynical at such a young age. “Your grandpa was a good man.”
“He never let Gram have a dog.”
That was all Bree remembered of her grandpa? Really? How about when they’d made birdhouses together when she was a kid? Or the times he’d taken them all out for burgers and shakes at The Habit?
“Gram wasn’t ready for another dog after losing Buster,” Zona explained.
“Until after Grandpa died.” Bree held up a hand before Zona could say anything. “I know. He was a nice man.”
“And he left your grandma well taken care of financially, which ought to prove to you that not all men leave their families messed up.”
“There’s more than one way to mess up a family,” said Bree.
Husband fail number one. “I know your dad hasn’t always been the best.”
That provoked a disgusted snort.
Luke had gotten busy with his hot young girlfriend and, other than a few random outings, had ignored his daughter, leaving Zona to have full custody.
He’d paid child support, mostly on time, but other than that and giving her presents on birthdays and at Christmas, he’d opted out of being part of Bree’s young life.
He’d tried to make up for it later, when she was a teenager, but by then she’d built a wall between them he couldn’t scale, no matter how many times he’d offered to take her to Disneyland . . . with his second family.
Bree shook her head. “If Dad comes through with any money for nursing school, I’ll keel over from shock.”
“He will,” said Zona. They both knew it would be a pittance though.
“You sure can pick ’em, Mom.”
The words stung and it was a welcome relief when Zona’s phone rang. Caller ID showed it to be Gilda Radovich. “It’s the nurse I called for your grandma,” Zona said, and took the call.
“This is Gilda Radovich, calling you back,” said the woman.
“I’m really glad to hear from you and I’m hoping you can help me,” Zona said.
“What do you need?” asked Gilda, making no promises.
“My mother broke her leg and is in a cast and I need someone to hang out with her during the day when I’m at work.”
“No housecleaning,” Gilda said firmly.
“No, just helping with bathroom duties and making lunch. Mom’s pretty easy, and she’s very nice.” When she wasn’t feeling grumpy. “We really could use some help,” Zona added.
“I’m not doing much home care these days. I’m semi-retired,” said Gilda. “It has to be a special case.”
But she had called. “This is pretty light duty,” Zona pushed. “Mostly hanging out watching true crime shows. Maybe playing some cards.”
“True crime shows? Does she watch Deathline?”
Well, well. A kindred soul for Louise. “Mom would like to be a mystery writer. She says that show is good research.”
“A writer.” Now Gilda sounded almost in awe.
“Could you maybe come over later this afternoon and meet us?” Zona asked.
There was a moment’s silence, but it was followed by a firm, “Give me your address.”
Oh, yes, it looked like Zona had found the perfect nurse for her mother.