Chapter 15
LOUISE LET OUT A SCREECH AS the man on her TV screen suddenly appeared out of the shadows on his neighbor’s back patio. “Oh, my gosh, don’t let him in,” she said to the woman.
Of course, fictional people never listened to you. The woman invited him in.
“What do you know about what I do for a living?” he asked.
“Never mind that. Ask him what he does in his off hours,” Louise commanded, and Martin, who was keeping her company, chuckled.
“She can’t die, Lou. She’s the main character.”
“You can’t be sure with these modern movies,” Louise said.
Martin helped himself to more of the Parmesan popcorn Zona had made for them before she’d disappeared into her bedroom. “I’m sure,” he said.
She looked suspiciously at him. “Have you already seen this?”
“Maybe.”
The man on the screen took a pair of thin surgical gloves out of the back pocket of his jeans. It wasn’t looking good for their heroine.
But their heroine just happened to have her handy-dandy pink Taser, and she was ready for him.
“I knew all along who you were,” she told him as he writhed on her kitchen floor.
“Good,” Louise said, happy to see that this story was turning out exactly as it should. Maybe she needed to look online for a Taser. You never knew when you might need one. A pink one.
The ending credits were rolling when Zona wandered into the living room and helped herself to the few kernels of popcorn left in the bowl. “How was the movie?” she asked.
“Chilling,” Louise replied. “And proof that you never really know about the people who live around you.”
Zona’s smile flat-lined. “You never really know about the people you live with, either.”
Martin turned the subject into more pleasant avenues, asking Zona, “How did your latest eBay items do?”
That put a smile back on Zona’s face. “Excellent. In fact, I’m going to reward myself and take the night off. I’m meeting Gracie at Mariposa.”
“Good. I’m glad you’re getting out. You deserve to have a little fun,” said Louise.
“I won’t be late,” Zona said. Looking at Martin. As if Louise needed a babysitter every second of the day.
“Stay out as long as you want,” she said to her daughter. Then to Martin, “And you don’t need to feel like you have to stick around here all night.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” he teased.
“Of course not. But I am perfectly fine on my own,” Louise said, looking pointedly at Zona.
There were times when mothers needed to be allowed the last word, and Zona obviously sensed this was one of them. “All right. I’ll see you later.”
“Have fun,” Louise said.
Darling had assumed he’d be going, too. “Not you,” Zona said. “We’ll go out after I get back.”
Walking around so late at night with a dog who would probably lick an attacker rather than bite him? Louise didn’t like the sound of that. She was definitely going to buy a Taser for her daughter.
“Do you want me to leave?” Martin asked after the front door had closed.
“No, of course not. I’m wide awake. That dark chocolate we had earlier plus my late afternoon iced coffee have taken effect and I feel like an owl.”
“Well, night owl. We could play some cards.”
“An excellent idea,” Louise approved. “But first, would you mind doing me a favor?”
“Name it,” he said.
“Would you take Darling for a walk? I really don’t like the idea of Zona being out late at night all by herself.”
He nodded. “I understand. Happy to.”
Darling was happy that he was happy, jumping with excitement as Martin took his leash from where it hung on the coat closet doorknob.
“Be back in a few,” Martin said. “Lock the door after me.”
Louise swung herself over to the door and locked it.
She texted Zona that Martin was walking Darling and there was no need to hurry home.
Then she got the cards from the kitchen junk drawer, put them in her sweater pocket along with a pen and a folded piece of paper, and set everything out on the kitchen table. There. She wasn’t totally helpless.
But if they wanted anything to drink, Martin would have to fetch the glasses. Sigh.
She frowned. She wasn’t helpless, but she wasn’t independent, either. She couldn’t take her own dog for a walk. She couldn’t trust herself with a pitcher of lemonade or a cup of tea. This was not how her summer should have been going.
By the time Martin and Darling returned from their walk, she had a list of complaints waiting to be shared.
“I know. It’s no fun hobbling around,” he said. “But come September it will be off. Meanwhile, you’re finding time to write your novel.”
Finding time and making progress were two different things. She hadn’t written a word since those first two pages. Maybe Louise was meant to be a reader rather than a writer. Maybe she should become an influencer and talk about books instead.
“You know, I thought it would be so much fun to write a book, but I had no idea it was so hard.”
Martin shrugged. “Most things turn out to be harder than we think.”
“Like getting a glass of lemonade,” she complained.
“That’s what you’ve got me for,” he said with a smile.
“You are a good friend. Thank you,” she said.
He bit off a corner of that smile and went to fetch the pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator.
“I’ll make this up to you when I’m walking again,” she said.
“I’m not keeping score.” He returned to the kitchen table with the pitcher, then fetched their glasses.
“I know. But I am. I hate being a pain in the neck.”
“No one thinks that, especially not me. Louise, you must know how much I care for you.”
She knew. She’d hoped he wouldn’t ever bring it up. “I do. And I care for you, too, but only in a platonic way.”
She saw the disappointment on his face. He hid it by concentrating on filling their glasses. “Feelings can deepen, you know,” he said in an attempt to keep hope alive.
“Yes, they can,” she agreed, then felt compelled to add, “Martin, you must know how much I appreciate you.” Offering a thirsty a man a thimble of water.
“I’m not sexy. I get it.”
He wasn’t. He was sweet and fun and a good friend.
But Martin had never done anything to make her heart beat any faster.
Being with him was like having an emotional pacemaker—her emotions stayed steady, boringly steady, and never spiked.
She appreciated his friendship, enjoyed doing things with him. That was as far as it went.
She’d hate to lose what they had. “Martin, you are a wonderful man. Are you okay if we stay as we are? I don’t want to lose your friendship.”
“You know you’ll never lose that,” he said. He returned the pitcher to the refrigerator. “Of course, a lovely woman like you isn’t going to settle. You’ll want a Sam Elliott or a Kevin Costner.”
That was hard to deny, but she had no intention of hurting his feelings. “I don’t think you have to worry because neither of them has called. And last I heard neither one has a twin. Come on, let’s play gin.”
He nodded, managed a smile, and they got busy with their cards.
IT WAS KARAOKE time at the Mariposa Bar and Grill in Covina, and Zona and Gracie sat eating chips and salsa and drinking Millionaire Martinis. (“Thinking positive about the future,” Gracie had said when she’d ordered them.)
“You have to be insane to get up there and make a fool of yourself,” Zona said as a woman sang an off-key version of “I Will Always Love You.”
“Or drunk. Either way, it’s always entertaining. Bradley and I love coming here,” said Gracie.
“Is he feeling left out?”
“A little.” Gracie smiled, took a sip of her drink. “He knows he’ll get rewarded later.”
Zona experienced a twinge of jealousy. She wouldn’t mind enjoying some rewards herself.
Have another chip.
“Hey, things are bound to get better,” Gracie said, sensing her discontent.
“No way to go but up,” Zona said, and took a slurp of her drink.
“Your mom’s doing good.”
“Yep, she is.” There was always something to be grateful for. “And Gilda’s working out. She and Mom do a great job of feeding each other’s appetite for murder and mayhem.”
“Aunt Gilda does have the stories to tell.”
“And Mom eats them up.” Zona gave her glass a thoughtful twirl. “I guess that’s okay. It keeps her from being bored. I just wish she’d quit focusing on our neighbor.”
“Things have calmed down now, right?”
“Yes, thank God. Hopefully, they’ll stay that way.” The less they had to do with the neighbor the better.
THREE GAMES AND a little more chocolate later Louise was wide awake and ready to play another round of cards, but Martin was yawning.
“You should have had more chocolate,” she told him.
“I guess I should have.” He reached for the cards.
She pulled them away. “You need to go home and get some sleep.”
“I’m fine,” he said.
“Martin, I’m all right on my own. Truly.”
He looked dubious.
“I am capable of putting myself to bed.” She said it firmly to make sure he got the message.
“Okay, if you’re sure. But if you need anything, all you have to do is call.”
She patted the sweater pocket where she kept her cell phone. “I know.”
He gave up insisting on watching over her and she walked him to the door. “I’m glad you could come over,” she said.
“I’m always glad to spend time with you,” he said. “Garage sales tomorrow?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’ll be over at eight thirty.”
“We’ll be ready,” Louise said.
Of course, Zona would go with them. Her daughter was obsessed with making money. Louise had been surprised that Zona had gone out at all. She was glad she had though. Her daughter was going hard and pushing hard, and she looked exhausted. A time out had been exactly what she needed.
Life was such a mixture of sweet and sour, she thought as she made her way to the bathroom. One minute you were biting into a Tootsie Pop, the next you’d lost a filling and were on your way to the dentist. Or you’d broken a leg. Lost a husband. Lost all your savings.