Out Of Love Part 22

"Good help is expensive. I try to keep my job performance in line with my salary so you won't ever have to give me a raise."

"Sometimes I think I should just fire you all and go back to working out of my house."

"You'd have a heart attack within a month. Now go call Brooke and tell her we're on."

151.

Carmen walked out, fantasizing again that this was her company and she was in charge.

"No, Victor. That's too big for one bite." Judith got up from her chair and went around the table. "Switch your fork to this hand." She tapped his left wrist. "Now take your knife and cut your meat. You remember how to do that."

This was a difficult task for her brother, one he didn't practice much at the group home, since the food was always presented in bite-size portions.

"Tell her kielbasa's your favorite food, honey. That's why you try to eat it so fast." Judith knew, for Halina Kowalczyk, there was no better feeling in the world than having her daughter and son at her dinner table on Sunday. And this week was extra special because it was Victor's forty-seventh birthday.

"Doesn't he look handsome in his new shirt?" Judith grinned joyously as Victor smiled and blushed. "I bet Stacey likes it."

The mention of his favorite staffer made his smile even wider.

"Good job, Victor." She returned to her seat to finish her meal. "I'm going to be out of town next weekend, Mom."

"Will you be back in time to bring Victor on Sunday afternoon?"

"No, I'm going to Chicago to visit someone. I won't get back until Sunday night."

"So I won't get to see Victor next week," her mother said dis-mally.

It had been at least a year since they last talked about her mother going to the group home on her own. But with Carmen in the picture-and the hope for Judith that she might visit Chicago on a regular basis-it was a good time to raise the issue again.

"You know, you could go on your own very easily."

Halina shook her head. "You know I don't like to go to that 152 place."

"It's a very nice facility, very comfortable."

"But it's still a facility," she hissed.

"It's Victor's home, Mom. He likes it there and he's doing very well." She hated to talk about her brother as if he weren't there. "Isn't that right, Victor? You like living at Wyckoff, don't you?"

He gave a weak smile and began to rock forward and back in his chair, a sign he was getting agitated at the tone of the conversation.

"It's okay. Everyone's okay," Judith said in her most rea.s.suring voice. She looked at her mother, who was also smiling and patting Victor's hand. "Why don't we walk to McCarren Park before we come back and have dessert?"

"That's a great idea," her mother said with exaggerated enthusiasm. "And guess what we're having for dessert, Victor."

"I bet it's someone's birthday cake," Judith answered, relieved to see her brother growing calmer. "Let's go get our coats on."

She put on her fleece pullover before helping Victor with his Windbreaker.

"Do you have another convention in Chicago?" Halina asked as they walked out.

"No, I'm going to visit a friend." Moments like these always made Judith squirm with discomfort. Telling the whole truth- that she was romantically involved with another woman-wasn't an option where her mother was concerned. Judith had imagined the hysterical scene a thousand times. Yet, she couldn't resist the chance to talk about the fascinating woman who filled her thoughts. "I met her at the convention a few weeks ago. She's a research consultant and knows everybody in the travel business."

"Are you still thinking about changing jobs?"

"I wouldn't say no to better commissions." Her mother understood how her job worked, but she had no idea of her agency's clientele.

153.

"I hope you're not thinking about moving to Chicago."

"No, Mom." Judith took her brother's arm as they neared Bedford Street. "Victor, show Mom when you're supposed to cross the street."

She and her mother grinned with pride as Victor led the way when the pedestrian light flashed white.

"You're so smart, honey," Halina gushed.

"Tell her you learn a lot at Wyckoff, Victor." She said that just to get under her mother's skin. No, she wasn't moving to Chicago, but she wouldn't mind visiting-a lot. That meant being gone on weekends, though, and her mother would have to step up for Victor.

Without speaking, they followed the path through the park to a bench, where they settled with Victor in the middle. Halina fussed over the zipper in her son's jacket. "You need to keep warm, honey."

"Mom, I have an idea for when I get back from Chicago.

What if I come by here on Monday after work and we both go down to Wyckoff? That way, he gets to visit with you and show you some of his new pictures. We don't have to stay there long.

We can take him out for a walk." She rubbed her brother's back as she talked about him. "He likes going out in that neighborhood too." She held her breath while waiting to see how her mother would handle the invitation.

"I can miss a week without seeing him here and there."

"But what about him? He wants to see you."

"I know that. That's why I think you should come back early on Sunday. He gets to walk around in that neighborhood all the time, but he only gets to come home when you bring him."

The guilt trip was an old routine, but Judith had learned how to play that game too. "Why can't you go get him on Sunday and bring him back here by yourself? They can have him ready to leave and all you have to do is drop him at the door when you go back."

154.

This time, her mother wouldn't answer.

"I bet Victor would like to show you his room and how nice he keeps his things. And he has a lot of new pictures up. Isn't that right, Victor?"

Her brother began to rock again.

"He likes it better when you bring him home and we can all be together. Don't you, honey?"

Judith was on the verge of losing her temper, but she had been the one to start this. It was clear they couldn't have this conversation with Victor present. She smiled at her mother in an effort to quell his anxiety, but her words were on point. "All I'm saying is that I can make time to go to Wyckoff and see him at least once a week, but that might not mean every Sunday if I start traveling more or doing things with my friends. I don't want you to miss out on seeing Victor just because I might be busy."

"You could always invite your friends to come along to Sunday dinner if you want to spend time with them. If they're real friends, they'll want to know your brother too."

Judith bit the inside of her cheek, holding back a burst of anger. As long as she could remember, her mother had discouraged her from bringing friends to the house because it interfered with her attention to Victor. Now she suddenly wanted to be the Welcome Wagon.

Victor suddenly stood and spun around. No matter how much they tried to disguise the tension in their voices, he picked up on it with uncanny acuity.

"Looks like someone I know is ready for his birthday cake, Mom."

"I think we should get ice cream too. Would you like that, Victor?"

Judith was glad to see her brother's smile return. This was his special day, and not a day for him to get upset. But the door to getting her mother down to Wyckoff had been opened. They would talk about it again, but not in front of Victor.

155.

"Prissy, no!" Carmen dropped her basting brush and took off in pursuit of the dachshund, who had appeared briefly in the kitchen doorway to taunt her with a slipper between her teeth.

"Give me that!"

The dog dashed into the guest bedroom and under the bed.

"Come on, Prissy. Don't do this to me right now. Mommy doesn't have time to play." Actually, the salads were tossed and the bread was b.u.t.tered and ready to go into the oven. "Oh, fine."

She retrieved a squeaky toy from the living room and gave it several sharp squeezes. As always, the sound drew Prissy out to play. "I can't believe how spoiled you are. Who did that to you?"

Prissy barked and pranced, demanding she throw the toy. She did, and in a flash, the dog was back in front of her, dropping it at her feet for another toss. Carmen threw it a few more times before kneeling to cover Prissy with a playful hug and force her onto her back for a belly rub. "You better not tell a soul I treat you like this. You're such a big baby, but you're Mommy's girl, aren't you?"

The doorbell rang.

"Someone's here. Act aloof."

No such luck, as Prissy barreled toward the door yapping.

Carmen opened it to Priscilla.

"Prissy!" Priscilla dropped to all fours as Carmen had to lavish the dog with attention.

"I'll be up here whenever you're ready to say h.e.l.lo."

"Your mommy's ill-tempered, isn't she? Come to Auntie Priscilla and let me love you."

Carmen rolled her eyes at the love-fest on the floor. "Be sure to wash your hands with antibacterial soap because I think she has worms."

Priscilla stopped suddenly and withdrew her hands. "Are you serious?"

156.

"No."

"You're mean to everyone, aren't you?"

"I cooked."

"Here, I brought wine."

"Any sign of the others?"

"What? You think I spotted them on the street and raced to the elevator to get here first?"

"Knowing you?"

Priscilla tugged her coat off and tossed it onto the guest bed.

"I wish Sofia could be here when we have nights like this. It was fun getting together in New York."

"Except Brooke wasn't there."

"No, but we had a reasonable facsimile, didn't we?"

Carmen decided to ignore that crack. "I saw Sofia again last week in New York."

"I hear you saw Judith too."

"Great. You're all talking about me behind my back. What else have you learned?"

"Now don't get all paranoid. I wanted to stop by with the grandkids last weekend and Cathy said you were staying over in New York to see her. I thought it was nice."

The doorbell rang again. "Do me a favor, Priscilla. Don't say anything about Judith in front of Brooke, okay? I haven't decided how to handle that one yet." She started for the door.

"Does it need to be handled?"

Carmen stopped and turned back, whispering, "She's coming next weekend. Now open the wine."

Before she could reach the door, Cathy and Brooke let themselves in. "You need to keep this locked if you're going to keep out the riff-raff," Brooke proclaimed with a wide grin.

Carmen froze in the entryway, momentarily stunned by the physical resemblance between Brooke and Judith. She had gotten past that with Judith, but this was different. For once, it wasn't Brooke who was pushing her b.u.t.tons and causing her to 157 well up with emotion.

From their confused expressions, she had been staring too long. "Don't just stand there. Come on in. Priscilla's pouring the wine."

"Make mine a double," Brooke said, bussing Carmen's cheek as she strode past her into the living room. "Priscilla!" She held her arms wide. "I haven't seen you in ages. I'm so glad you and Cathy said yes."

"And me?" Carmen asked.

"I see you all the time."

"In other words, how can you miss me if I won't go away?"

Carmen was teasing, but she knew Cathy and Priscilla were probably weighing the merits of her question.

"I never want you to go away, silly. You're the easiest one of all my friends to talk to because you don't put up with men."

Like Priscilla, Brooke got down on the floor to play with Prissy.