17. CHAPTER SIXTEEN #2
“Yup. I guess she decided she wanted to start a life with him out there. I think she was scared to come home, to live here without her parents. But Ricky was a disaster, and me and Joyce felt some sort of way about the two of them together. We tried to get Jenny to come back home. Joyce majored in business at 4Cs and wanted to start her own company on the Cape. She told Jenny if we all worked together, we could open up a dental practice. Joyce could manage the business end of things, I could do all the marketing and social media, and Jenny could be the dentist, if she’d finish up her degree and get her license.
But Jenny was hell -bent on staying put, and we couldn’t understand it.
Jenny didn’t tell us that she was pregnant until the third trimester.
She didn’t want anyone to try and talk her out of keeping the baby. ”
“Wow,” I say. “That’s a whole lot of family drama.”
“I’m not done,” Cherry says. “So, Jenny goes out there. And she and Ricky were living together, right? Well, one day, like literally a week before the baby was born, the cops issued a warrant for Ricky’s arrest and he skipped town on her.”
“Seriously? Arrest for what?”
“Identity theft. Apparently, he stole dozens of social security numbers during the pandemic to collect unemployment benefits. He opened up PO Boxes in several different locations and had the checks sent to them. And then, when the cops came after him, he took off. They caught him at the border of Nogales, Mexico, and he was sentenced to two years in prison. So Jenny had the baby all by herself out there, and of course she called Joyce for help, because – well, who else was she going to call? Joyce was royally pissed at her for being so stupid, but still, she begged her to come home. Like, now you’re going to stay in Arizona for some criminal ?
And put the baby in potential danger once he gets out of jail? ”
“Shit.”
“Jenny was a total wreck. She suffered from post-partum depression on top of still having residual feelings about what had happened with their parents, and she desperately wanted to stay where she was. She had a little girl, Katherine. We call her Kit. Joyce went out there to be with them and to help raise Kit for the first few months. She fell in love with the baby – like, real deal love at first sight. I always thought Kit was the biggest blessing in disguise that ever happened to the two of them. She gives them both something to live for, you know? Like, something positive to negate the sadness of what happened to their parents. Anyway, by the time Kit was four or five months old, Jenny’s post-partum faded, which was good, but she still didn’t want to come back here. ”
“Was she still taking meds?”
“Yeah. She did a brief stint in rehab at that same place, Desert Breeze. That’s how I know the name.
But it seemed like that helped her. At least, it did at the time.
She got herself some job in retail. Not exactly living the dream, but at least she was able to take care of her daughter.
” Cherry clucks her tongue. “Comparatively speaking, of course.”
“Right.”
“Joyce was still upset, though. Jenny would call asking for money from time to time so we worried that things weren’t all roses and sunshine, you know?
Ricky was in jail, and he had to pay a hefty fine that wiped out any financial assistance he might have provided them, so he was useless.
Joyce kept trying to convince Jenny to come home.
She promised we would all pitch in and take care of Kit. But I think Jenny was embarrassed.”
“I get that.”
“Joyce even considered moving to Arizona. But she had a life here: friends, her parents’ house to take care of, not to mention the memories of her entire childhood that she wasn’t ready to walk away from yet.”
“Wait – Arrow still lives in Plymouth?”
“Yeah. She co uch surfs at my place in Hyannis sometimes, but her actual house is in Plymouth. It’s the house she grew up in. My parents live across the street.”
“That’s a hike.”
“Yep. Truth be told, I think she’s been holding on to the house instead of selling it in the hopes that Jenny will come back home with Kit,” Cherry explains.
“Anyway, right after Kit’s first birthday, Ricky got out early for good behavior and moved back in with Jenny.
That was when Joyce decided to buckle down and open Cosmo.
She knew she could be making real money if she set it up the right way.
Now, she Venmos Jenny and Kit money every week.
She just couldn’t stand the thought of them living in squalor with an asshole like Ricky because Jenny’s too proud to do the right thing and come back here. ”
“How old is Kit?” I wonder.
“She just turned four.”
“So, Cosmo has been around for three years?”
“No,” Cherry says. “Joyce opened it last year. We had to study pole first, which is how we met Saffron and Indigo. Joyce also had to figure out all the necessary parts of running her own business. We had to scout out a location, paint, get the poles, find clients, all that stuff.” She pauses, as if she’s remembering.
“It’s been really good for Joyce, though.
It’s given her something to focus on, especially since it benefits Kit and Jenny. ”
I let everything she’s told me sink in. “Man,” I exhale. “It’s crazy, if you think about it. ”
“What is?”
“How little you can know about someone who you see every day.”
“Yeah. Joyce keeps everything real close to the vest,” she says. “I mean, I get it. This is the only family she’s got. She’s protective. I would be, too.”
“So, how long do you think she’ll be gone for?”
“No clue. Doesn’t sound good, though. I’m sure she’ll be out at least a few days.”
“And you’re not coming back for…”
“My post-op care plan says two to four weeks. But I can probably come back in about a week and a half. I just can’t dance for a while, because of the incision.”
“Got it,” I reply. I take a breath. “Okay. So, what can we do to help?”
“You’re doing it. Just keep the business running smoothly. I’ll be back in action next week. I can run shots if you can cover the pole for me.”
“That’s fine. And I’m here if you think of anything else.”
“Try not to worry. Joyce chose you for a reason. I mean, you’re smart, you’ve got a good work ethic, you’re always on time, you’re willing to do basically whatever she tells you to, and your job includes running things that matter a lot to her without anyone around.”
"I don’t get any of those vibes from her, to be completely honest. But I’ll take your word for it.”
“How do you mean?”
“She’s not particularly nice to me.”
"Joyce isn’t nice to anyone. She figures that if she gets attached, she’ll only get hurt.
You’re a temp, Summer – it makes sense that she would put her faith in someone who’s go ing to leave no matter what.
That way, she doesn’t have to get all invested in caring about you personally.
Like I said, you’re a hard worker, so I think she expects that you’re not going to disappoint her, but if you do, she won’t have to worry about losing a friend over it, seeing as how you have an expiration date. ”
“Wow,” I say. “That’s… that’s a pretty sad outlook.”
“Yeah. Well, she’s had a pretty sad life.”
I let this thought marinate. It all kind of makes sense now, I decide. Hurt people hurt people, right?
“I’ll keep you posted if I find out anything else,” Cherry says.
“Thanks, Cherry. Same here.”
“Catch you later,” she says, and ends the call.