Chapter 60
LUCY
“Hello, Mom. To what do we owe this surprise?”
It was Friday morning, and I was about ten minutes from heading off to work when I got a call from my mother. Eddie had left about ten minutes before.
“I can’t call my own daughter?”
I laughed. “Of course you can. We just usually talk at night. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. Your father is in the next room, and we’re going to see a matinee today. Some ping-pong movie starring Timothée Chalamet. That’s his name, right?”
“It sure is. Good job, Mom.”
“I’m young and hip and keep up with all the people from your generation. Didn’t he date a Kardashian?”
“You’re two for two.”
My mother laughed. “I doubt your father has any idea who he is, but at least he agreed to go see the movie with me.”
“Good old Dad. You guys doing anything special the next week or so? Besides seeing movies.”
“We are. That’s kind of why I called. We were thinking about heading up to Tahoe next weekend, and wanted to know if you and Eddie wanted to join.”
I paused for longer than was necessary.
“Cat got your tongue?”
“My trial starts that Monday, Mom. I can’t.”
“Your father and I thought you could do some of your preparation up there. I know you do great thinking by the lake.”
“I need to be down here, so I can talk with my co-counsels.”
“I understand.”
“Plus, it’s not the best time for me and Eddie to go to Tahoe anyway, Mom.”
“Oh, no. I know that voice. What’s up, sweetheart?”
I could never keep things from my parents for very long. It had been almost a week since I’d had Nia crash our lunch, and I’m surprised I’d held out this long.
“Do you remember how Eddie and I met?”
“Of course. He’d read that book you love so much.”
“Right. Well, after all of my talks with you and Dad about Eddie, I became suspicious of our origin story.”
“Origin story?”
“It’s just a cheesy way to describe how we met.”
“I’m lost.”
“Anyway, I started to doubt that he’d really enjoyed that book as much as he claimed. So I planned a little something.”
“What did you do, Lucy?”
I went on to tell her about our lunch and how Eddie couldn’t even remember the main character’s name.
“Nia is such a good friend. That wasn’t easy to put her on the spot like that.”
“No, it wasn’t. And yes, she is a great friend.”
“I’m so sorry to hear all this, Lucy.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Do you want me to come over?”
“No. I’m going to work in like ten minutes. Plus, I’m not going to divorce him this week. I’ll be okay.”
“Well, I’m going to cancel Lake Tahoe. We can’t be up there if you’re in hell down here.”
“I’m not in hell, Mom. I’m just considering getting a divorce. It’s not the end of the world. And weirdly, Eddie has been really nice lately. He brought me flowers and even cooked for me.”
“That doesn’t sound like him. Maybe he knows you’re getting suspicious of his story origin.”
I laughed. “Origin story, Mom.”
“Whatever. Was he suspicious at the lunch with Nia?”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“Then his being nice now is just another charade.”
“That’s definitely possible.”
“When do you think you’re going to talk with him?”
“Probably the weekend after next. I’m so swamped with work right now that it would just be too much on my plate. Especially with the trial starting.”
“I know. I’m so excited for you. Do you want us to be there when you talk with Eddie?”
“No, Mom. I want you and Dad to go to Tahoe next weekend. Honestly, I do. Once you get back, we can talk about my plans. Plus, after next Monday, I can tell you how my first trial is going.”
“I’m so excited for you. Second chair this time, but you’ll for sure be the lead attorney on the next one.”
“Third chair, but who’s counting? I just started the job, Mom. They don’t just let anyone sit first chair when they first start.”
“Well, if anyone can, it’s you.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Do you want to talk to Dad?”
“Give him my love, and tell him I’ll call him tonight. I really do need to head to work. And I really want you two to go to Tahoe. If I know you’re in LA worrying about me, that will just make me more nervous with all that’s going on.”
“I get it. We’ll go to Tahoe.”
“Great. Love you, Mom.”
“Love you, Lucy.”