Chapter 17 - Family #2
“She wasn’t having as much trouble breathing as earlier this week.
She might be a little improved. She’s definitely not worse.
I asked whether they would move her out of ICU if she remains like this, and they said they weren’t thinking about that yet, that it’s a day-to-day situation .
. . relapses happen. They don’t know enough about the virus yet. ”
“What did she say when you talked to her?” Tina asked quietly.
He turned to Tina. “She misses everybody, especially the boys and me.” His voice broke again, but he closed his eyes, took a breath, and went on.
“She loves us all — Oh—,” he turned to Robby, “I gave her your message. She said, ‘Finally. It’s time. I hope he makes it work.’ I think those were her exact words.
That’s about it. Then they took the phone away from her and gave me that report.
How’s it going here?” He looked from Robby to Tina and back.
“What’s the matter? Is somebody else sick? Tell me.”
“Nobody’s sick,” Robby said.
“Robby’s just being his self-centered, rocker self. A big shit.”
“Ohhh. You two are at it again.”
“I’m standing up for my friend. Robby’s focused on satisfying his sexual appetite without a thought for anyone else. I pointed out that’s not the way we do things here, and if he doesn’t remember that, maybe he doesn’t belong here anymore.” Tina glared at Robby.
Russell said, “Oh, I thought it was something serious,” and shook his head. “Switching to a more pleasant subject, Grace is nice.”
“Yes.” Robby looked at Tina.
“Maybe. If so, she’s way more than you deserve, and if she’s smart, she’ll run like hell.”
“Is that a car door I hear, or gizhe-manidoo sounding the buzzer that this round is over?” Russell turned and went out the front door.
Robby stepped closer to Tina and said in a hushed voice, “You leave Grace out of this. And you leave her alone.”
“That girl is no fool. She’s not going to take you screwing around on her, which means you’ll lose her sooner or later.”
“You don’t know me. I’m not like that. Don’t believe everything you see in the media.”
Tina laughed. “What about Rennie?”
The door opened and Grace walked in and held the door for those behind her.
The boys each had a plastic container marked with their names.
Then Russell came in with a crockpot that left a cloud of tantalizing smells in its wake.
Finally, a plump, older woman came in hugging a bag to her chest. She nodded to Grace. “Miigwech, Grace.”
Robby stepped in her path. “Let me take that, Aunt Suzan. How’re you?”
Tina followed them into the kitchen, saying, “Aunt Suzan . . .”
Grace shut the front door, leaned against it, and closed her eyes.
Robby reappeared. “I need to get out of here.”
“I’m okay with that as long as we don’t offend anyone.”
“Let me think.” He walked over to the window and looked out for a few moments. “Got it, but you should come.” He walked past her, taking her hand.
They walked into the kitchen and Robby said to Russell, “We’ve got to leave. I need to get home before dark. There’s been a strange, large dog — maybe part wolf — hanging around between the house and the lake all day, and I want to see if it’s still there.”
Russell said, “Wow. I understand. Will we see you again this weekend?” He looked at both of them.
“Probably. I’ll call. But you call me if you hear anything from the hospital.” He turned to his aunt. “Greetings to Uncle Evan. Thanks for bringing all this.”
She laughed. “This is normal for me. I only know how to cook for a crowd. Ours may be grown and gone, but there’s always bellies to fill, and we never gave up our garden.” She looked at Grace. “Nice to meet you.”
Robby said, “I’m sorry, Aunt Suzan. You’ve met my girlfriend, Grace Wheeler?”
“Yes, Danny introduced us in the yard.”
“I’m sorry to cut this short, but we really must go.” He looked at the boys. “Don’t wear your dad out and practice like I showed you. I’ll start searching for that guitar. Be back soon.”
He turned to go, still holding Grace’s hand but she didn’t move. “I’m glad to have met all y’all. Have a good evening.”
They left to a chorus of “Bye’s” and one little voice saying, “That means you guys.”
*******
They drove back to Robby’s without a word.
Grace had never seen him like this — obviously upset.
They turned off the highway to go down to his house.
“If you need to go to Fond du Lac—” he looked over at her quickly, then back at the bumpy driveway, “it’s fine.
I’ll be okay. Stay as long as you need to. ”
When they reached the house, Robby didn’t take the curve to the garage; he drove straight to the deck. They got out, went up the steps, and over to the front door, which Robby unlocked. “Have you got your cell phone?” Grace pulled it out of her right back pocket. “Check to see if you have service.”
“Yes.”
“Sometimes if it’s weak, it works better out here. I’ll text you Russell’s number, in case you have a problem and can’t get me.”
“Why wouldn’t I be able to get you? What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know exactly.” He texted Russell’s number. “The studio . . . maybe something else. What time is it?”
Grace looked at her phone. She knew it was after 5:00, but how much, she couldn’t say. “5:31.”
“I’ll be back by about 10:00.”
“You will come back?”
Robby looked at her with surprise. “Of course I’m coming back.
I need to think and play and maybe talk to somebody, then I’ll come back.
” He turned to go, then turned back and put his hands on her shoulders.
“You were great with the boys. I’m sorry you had to hear all that between Tina and me, but I need to think some things through.
Not about us.” He searched her face. “Are you okay? Are you okay about us?”
Grace nodded. “I’m fine. Do what you need to do, so you can come back.”
He pulled her close, kissed the top of her head, then went quickly down the steps.
As he drove off, Grace remembered the dog.
*******
Robby’s head was clearing. Just like when he left Grace before the lockdown, he knew what the outcome had to be, he just had to figure out how to make it happen.
And now he knew the way was through a face-to-face meeting.
With Rennie. So, as soon as he could, he pulled off 61 and called her. No thinking about it now. Just doing.
“Rennie, it’s Robby. I want to talk, as soon as possible, in a public place.
I won’t take a lot of your time, but I’d really appreciate it.
” Then he added, “At your convenience,” but he was praying — for the sake of his sanity — that it could be soon.
“Okay . . . Wherever you say, as long as it’s public, preferably outside .
. . Sure. That’s fine. Thanks. See you ‘round 7. . .”
He got to Duluth early enough to go to the drive-through at Caribou Coffee where he ordered a double espresso with sugar.
When he got to the free parking for the Rose Garden, he got out, leaned against the back of his truck, and sipped his coffee, trying to still his thoughts .
. . He suddenly realized caffeine was the last thing he needed, poured it out, and walked to a trash can.
Rennie drove up as he was walking back and parked one space away from his truck in a white Honda Civic. She got out, in jeans, sandals, and a long-sleeved white t-shirt. She walked around and leaned against the passenger side of her car, crossing her ankles.
Robby stood in front of her. “Thanks for coming. I want to apologize. I was wrong to take advantage of you.” She started to interrupt but he said, “Please let me finish, then you can have your say, whatever it is. I won’t interrupt.
” She nodded. “I know — and you know — we used each other, but that does not absolve me of my part. Using anybody, Anishinaabe or anyone else, is not the person I want to be. It’s the person I’ve slipped into being, but I’m changing that.
I’ll help you because I can, and I want to.
It won’t be fast because of Covid, but I’ll start making inquiries and let you know when I find something. ”
“That’s all I can ask. I don’t have anything to add. I wasn’t looking for an apology, really.” Rennie stood straight, walked around her car, and looked over it at Robby.
“Thanks for hearing me out.”
Rennie nodded. “Let me know if you need more vocals.” She opened her door, got in, and drove off.
Robby got in his truck and drove to the studio. He let himself in, picked up a guitar, cranked it all the way up, and played it next to the amp for almost an hour. Then, he drove back up the shore.
************
Grace went straight to the sunroom. The dog was on the landing outside the door, his head on his paws. He lifted it and looked at Grace. Their eyes met, and he held her gaze until she turned and walked back in the house.