Newton Neighbors (New England Trilogy) (46 page)

“Has anyone ever said you look like Jude Law?” Jessie asked, feeling more relaxed as the champagne moved into her system.

“Yes—and no, we’re not related, nor can I get you an introduction. Now tell me, do you want pasta or chicken?”

“Chicken. Let’s get more champagne, too.”

They laughed their way through the night sky and had quite a few more drinks before Jessie finally fell asleep on Bruce’s shoulder. In a very short time, the lights were flicking back on while the stewardesses handed out prepacked orange juices.

“I feel like I slept for five minutes. It can’t be the morning already.”

“It’s not if you’re in Boston, but we’re in London, my girl.”
 

“Oh, it’ll be good to be home for a while.” She stretched. “Did you know I go to Wiswall College? Is it spelt the same as your last name?”

“Um, it should be.”

“I know you’re not related to Jude, but I don’t suppose you’re connected to my college.”

“As a matter of fact, I am. Well, not
I
per se, but way back in the family my great-great-lots-of-greats-grandfather Thomas Wiswall set up your college.”

“Shit!”

“No, ice actually.”

“Excuse me?”

“Crystal Lake. The one behind our houses? It was just one of the ways he made his money. Old man Thomas used to own the lot, all thirty-three acres of it. It was called Wiswall’s Pond way back then. When it froze in the winters, he’d sell the ice. In the summers it was used for baptisms. They changed the name to Baptist Pond, but I don’t think that did the ice trade any favors, so they changed it to Crystal Lake. People like the idea of drinking ice from a crystal lake, I guess.”

“Well, I never.” Jessie gave him a wide-eyed look like she was seeing him for the first time. “So you’re kind of royalty in Newton.”

Bruce laughed and shook his head. “All the money’s gone now, more or less. The house is the end of it, and I’ve been commissioned by the family back in England to sell it. There’s no more family left in Newton.”

“That’s kind of sad. The end of an era.”

“Life is ever onward, no?”

“Yeah.” Then Jessie said something that really surprised her. “I lied to you earlier.”

“What about? When?”

“Before I fell asleep. Tristan isn’t my brother—he’s my son. I had him when I was fifteen.”

Bruce let out a low whistle. “That was young. It must have been tough.”

She shrugged. “It’s all good now. I don’t even know why I’m telling you. It’s just we seem to be becoming good friends, and I don’t want to start on a lie. I told Ely earlier today, too, so maybe that’s what has it so much on my mind. Normally it doesn’t enter my head. I kind of think of him as a kid brother, but living so far away has given me a different perspective. I miss him so much.”

Jessie flopped her head down on Bruce’s shoulder, and he stroked her hair. “I understand—really I do. Now is your seat belt fastened? We’re about to land.”

Maria checked Cody’s seat belt and managed to keep Alice asleep as the plane commenced its descent into San Juan. The entire day had passed her by in a sort of haze.

Since agreeing with Ricky they should take a temporary break, all the anger had left her. Now she just felt a dull pain. He had been so civil—a true gentleman about the entire thing. In a strange way, the fighting and shouting was easier. Ricky had even suggested they tell the kids together. Alice wouldn’t understand much, but Cody sure would.
 

Maria glanced over to Cody then looked out the airplane window beyond him. The street lights of San Juan winked up at them, and her son was trying to recognize the places he knew. She was relieved to see him happy. The welfare of her kids was her main concern. That, at least, was something she and Ricky could agree about. Looking back, Maria thought he’d been fantastic with Cody earlier that day when it was time to discuss it with their son.
 

“Look, buddy,” Rick had said as they were having lunch. “You know how hard I’ve been working these last few weeks, don’t you?”

The boy nodded at his dad, his big brown eyes open wide with trust.

“Cody, the thing is, I’m afraid I’m going to have to work right through the holidays again. I won’t be here at all, so your mom and I . . .” He glanced up at her, and Maria almost asked him to stop. Were they really doing this? But she said nothing and he kept talking. Maria busied herself feeding Alice lunch.

“Your mom and I were wondering if it wouldn’t be more fun for you guys to spend the holidays in Puerto Rico.”

“Score.” Cody punched the air. “I love Grandma’s house. We have our own pool there, and there’s no snow. It’s like the summer.”

Rick tried to mask his disappointment, but Maria could see it. “Yeah, buddy,” he said. “San Juan is an amazing place. Did you know they even have schools there?”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Who knows, it might even be cool to stay a few months there and even go to school, too. It could end up being a one or two month holiday. How cool would that be?”

Maria was shocked when she heard Ricky talking longer term, but maybe he was right to leave the door open for any eventuality.

“What about Todd? He’s my best friend.” Cody was focused on the immediate.

“Maybe he’d come visit in a few weeks, and you could show him the pool.”

“Well, at least I’d get away from Mr. Travers and his extra math class,” Cody said.

“And you could swim every day,” Ricky said.

“Can Orga come with us?”

“Not just yet. If you wanted to stay longer, I could send her down, but I think she should stay here with me for now.” Rick looked to Maria for backup. “Right, Maria?”

She nodded, unable to speak.

“Are we talking about moving house?” Cody was wide-eyed, and there was excitement in his voice.

Rick sat up straight. “No, no, nothing that drastic. We’re just talking about getting out of the New England winter. It’s too darn cold here, and I’m never around to help your mom. So it might be fun. This house will still be ours.” Rick looked straight at Maria. “It’s just for a short while. We’ll be back together soon.”
 

At that moment, Maria would have given up the whole plan. She would have stayed and rushed into his arms if he gave her the slightest indication it was what he wanted, but he didn’t. Instead, Ricky stood up and patted himself down like he wanted to shake the family off.

“Right, well, I guess you guys have a lot to get done if you’re going to get on the evening flight tonight.”
 

Cody jumped to his feet, too. “When will you come down, Dad?”

Ricky gave him a big bear hug. “Soon, buddy. As soon as I can. Now, finish your lunch and then go up to your room to make a list of the toys you want to bring with you, because this is a long holiday. You can fill two suitcases.”

“Aw, no—how will Santa know we’ve moved?”

Maria thought her heart would break, but Rick was on top of it. “I’ll leave a note in the fireplace. Don’t worry, I got your back.”

Cody seemed satisfied. He shoved another slice of pizza into his mouth and tore out of the kitchen with bigger things to do.

“Thanks for doing that,” Maria said to her husband.

Ricky threw her a small smile and tried to look indifferent, but she could see how tense he was. He reached out to take Alice in his arms. “Can I?”

“Of course.” She handed over their daughter.

“Hey, you’re growing up, little lady.” His tone softened, and he walked around the kitchen with her. “Tomorrow you’re gonna be one year old. Wow. How fast did that year go by? I remember this time last year like it was yesterday.”

Maria looked away to stop herself from crying. She focused on clearing the lunch things from the table.
 

Rick concentrated on his daughter. “You be a good girl for your mama. No crying, and play nice with your cousins. I’ll see you as soon as I can,
cosa guapa
.”

To hear him call Alice
pretty thing
in Spanish was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Maria’s tears started to flow while she filled the sink with water.

Rick’s tone changed to a colder, more businesslike one. “Do you want me to book the flights or will you?”

She bit her lip and looked out the window at Crystal Lake. “I can do it.”

“Fine.” She heard him kiss his daughter and say good-bye and then put her down on the floor. “I’ll get out of here and make it easier for you. Text or e-mail me if you need anything.”

She bit her lip and wiped her eyes. When she turned around to say good-bye, he was already gone. Alice sat on the floor grinning up at her.
 

Rick didn’t say good-bye or even attempt a kiss or a hug. That hurt so much. Even if they were breaking up, she wanted to kiss him good-bye. The rules, it seemed, had changed, and Maria didn’t know how to play this new game.

When the kitchen was clean, Maria called her mother to say she was coming home, and then she booked their flights—one way. That would have made her cry again, but Cody was in and out all afternoon discussing the merits of various toys, and Maria wanted to keep it together for his sake. Later on, Alice took a big nap in the afternoon, so they were in good shape for the flight back to Puerto Rico that evening.

“We’re almost there,” Cody said, looking very excited as he gazed out the airplane window.

“We are. It’s going to be amazing.” Maria tried to keep him enthused.

“Yeah, I’m excited about coming to live here for a while.”

Maria smiled but inside she was anxious. What if a while turned out to be forever? Would her darling boy be okay with that? Would Ricky fight her for custody? He would never win, because he was married to his job and didn’t have the freedom to care for his kids full time. Rick had no idea how much work was involved.
 

Maria was miserable. Was all of this her fault? How did other women do it? Did they lock away their own hopes and needs for the sake of their kids and husbands? Was she a selfish bitch?
 

She thought about her fight with Cathi the night before. It was a horrendous thing Maria had done, blowing her friend’s cover like that. She wanted to call and apologize, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Maria was still too mad at Cathi. The woman had lost touch with reality.
Or was it me?
she wondered now. Maybe she was the one who had lost touch, while Cathi was playing it just right, keeping her man in line by manipulating and telling little white lies—or in her case, big, huge lies.

All Maria knew for sure was she was miserable and, for the time being anyway, separated. Ricky wasn’t there for her anymore, and she had to stay on the functioning side of sanity in order to raise her two kids. San Juan seemed to afford an anchor, something she could cling to. Her mother was a huge help and so were her sisters.
 

The wheels touched down on the runway.

“Score, we’re here,” Cody said, excitement winning over fatigue for the moment.

Alice woke up and looked around, but Maria was ready with a pacifier and plugged the little girl in before she erupted.

“Score.” Maria echoed her son’s words. “We’re home.”

Things will get better
, she promised herself. Puerto Rico would make her strong again, whether or not Rick was part of her future.

Maria switched on her phone as the plane taxied to the terminal, and it pinged with a new text message. It was from her husband.

Please kiss Alice Happy Birthday from me.

Maria kissed the soft baby hair on the crown of her daughter’s head. “That’s from your daddy,” she whispered. “He says happy birthday, baby.” Maria cuddled Alice a little tighter.

Chapter Thirty-Two

An Early Christmas Present

Early Monday morning, Ely hugged Noreen tight and kissed her good-bye. She caught her plane and picked up a car rental easy enough, and she used the GPS from there.

Ely was beyond nervous. It was still difficult to believe she was pregnant at all. The morning sickness was a nightmare, but her figure still looked the same. It was impossible to think that unless she did something about it, she would be a mom in about seven months. She would turn twenty-four before the baby was born. Insane.