Primary Colors (6 page)

“I am.”

Her phone buzzed. Nia slid it out of her pocket. When she saw the caller, her pulse skyrocketed. “Benjamin Franklin Elementary. Oh, my God, I hope nothing’s happened to the boys.”

Paulina stiffened. “Answer it.” Her voice was hoarse.

“Nia speaking.”

“Mrs.
Pettrone, this is Carrie Anderson from your son’s school?”

“Yes, Mrs. Anderson. Has something happened?”

“Everybody’s physically safe, but you and your sister need to come over to the school.”

To Paulie, she said, “They’re okay.” Into the phone, “Why?”

“Your three boys were involved in a fight after they got off the bus. I think it started on the ride over.”

“Who did they fight
with?”

“Each other.”

“We’ll be right there, Mrs. Anderson.” After she disconnected, she relayed the situation to Paulina.

“I can’t believe it. They rarely fight.”

“Sal was involved.”

“Which makes this even more unusual.”

“I know. They’ve always been close because of our circumstances.”

Paulina took a deep breath. “At least they’re okay.”

A meaningful look was exchanged.
Tragedy, they knew, could ambush you at any time.

All business now, Paulina removed her hard hat. “Let me tell Frank we’re going.”

They arrived at school twenty minutes later. The parking lot was full of cars, but the grounds were quiet. Both women hurried into the school and strode to the office. Just before they went inside, Paulina said, “It’s going to be all right, sis.”

“I know.
This is minor compared to everything else we’ve been through.”

A secretary greeted them and opened the principal’s office door. Mrs. Anderson stood and crossed to them. “Thank you for coming right in.”

“Of course.” Nia went to Sal, Paulina to her boys.

Nia asked, “Are you all right, Sal?” He nodded, but his eyes were red. Not from punches. He’d been crying.

Paulina knelt in front
of the twins. “Are either of you hurt?”

Shakes of their heads. Paulina and Nia took seats beside their sons and turned their attention to Mrs. Anderson.

The principal leaned forward on her desk. “The teachers on outside duty said the boys got off the bus together, saying mean things to each.”

“Like what?”

“You tell them, boys.”

Ben raised his chin. “I said my opinion. You told
us that was okay.”

“Within reason.” Nia could hear the clip in Paulina’s voice. “Your opinion on what?”

“Art stuff. I said it was stupid.”

“That was unkind.”

“It’s true.”

“I don’t care if you think that young man, but you know how important his art is to Sal.”

“Sal was bragging about Rafe. How the guy liked him.”

The twins had been happy when Sal won the prize. Perhaps
their negative reaction today was because he was getting so much attention from Rafe now. Or worse, had this been about not having a father in their lives? She said, “Ben, you get a lot of attention from Adam.”

Now Ben’s lip came out in a pout. “So does he.”

“What about you, Tommy?” Paulina asked
.

“He agrees with me.” God, Ben could be stubborn.

“Do you?” Paulina asked her other
son.

“I said I did.” He glanced guiltily at Sal. “I didn’t mean it, Sal.”

Mrs. Anderson stood and came around the front of the desk, leaned on it. “There’s more. Ben pushed Sal against the bus.” She shook her head. “Sal pushed him back. They ended up wrangling on the ground.”

“Are you kidding?” Nia couldn’t believe Sal had gotten physical with his cousins.

“The only one that didn’t
push is Tommy,” Mrs. Anderson added
.

Paulina and Nia exchanged looks, then Paulina transferred her gaze to the teacher. “This is unacceptable behavior. It isn’t tolerated in our household.”

“I expected as much. It isn’t allowed here, either. We have a zero tolerance for violence.”

“Violence?”

“Perhaps that’s too strong a word. Fighting will do.”

“Yes, we agree.” This from Nia.

“Then I hope you understand why Ben and Sal aren’t allowed back in school for forty-eight hours.”

“No fair,” Ben said. “We got a special gym class today.”

Tommy shouldered him. “Shut up, Ben.”

Nia added, “That’s not all you guys are going to miss for this behavior.”

Paulina finished the thought. “You two are grounded the entire week.” To Tommy, she added, “You get two days.
You didn’t fight, which was the right thing to do, but you were in on the teasing.”

Sal asked, “What about my lesson with Rafe Friday?”

“It’s not going to happen. That’ll have to be canceled.”

Big fat tears welled in his eyes
.

Again, Tommy glanced at his cousin. “Sorry, Sal.”

“Me, too,” Sal got out.

No words of apology from Ben
.

When all five of them got in the car,
Paulina said to Nia from the backseat, where she sat between the twins, “So, how are we going to handle these punishments? We can’t expect
Matka
to discipline them.”

“We’ll have to tag team. I’ll stay home during the day with them, then you come home and I’ll go to the office.”

In the rearview mirror, Nia saw Paulina shake her head and give an exaggerated frown. “That’ll be really hard
on you, Nia.”

“It’s hard that the boys fought.”

Silence from the three perpetrators. Nia sighed. She hated to do this. But it was necessary. For the millionth time, she wished Peter was here to help her.

In his bathrobe, Gerald walked out of the bedroom to his kitchen, where Donuta was scrambling eggs. “What are you doing?”

Glancing over, she smiled at him.
“Dzie
ń dobry!”

“Good morning to you, too.” He kissed her cheek. “Now, why are you cooking?”

“I like to cook.”

“I thought I’d take you out for breakfast.”

“Why?” Sometimes, this man’s penchant for luxury bothered her.

“Because I want to spoil you.” He moved in, and her heartbeat speeded up just from his nearness, especially after the wonderful closeness of last night
.

“I do not
need to be spoiled.”

He slid his arms around her waist. “Did I offend you?”

“No, Gerald, of course not.” She stopped mixing the pancakes. “But I should say your wealth makes me uncomfortable sometimes.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“I may have just realized it myself. Breakfast for example. Why spend money out, when cooking is so easy?”

“Most women would love to be treated that way.”

A spark of something lit inside her. She didn’t recognize the emotion. “Gerald, I never asked, but are you dating others?” Her gaze strayed to the bedroom. Was he doing those things with other women?
Gowna!

Grasping her by the shoulders, he stared hard at her. “Would you mind if I did?”

“You are?” Her throat got tight.

“No, I’m not. I assumed you weren’t.”

“Me?” This made her
laugh out loud. “Of course not.”

“Hmm. This is progress.”

“I do not understand.”

“Donuta, you’re as closemouthed as a clam. I can’t read how you feel.”

Her brows skyrocketed. “I would not do those things with you if I did not feel much for you.”

“Maybe I need to hear that.”

She grinned. “I will remember to say it more often, Gerald.”

Donuta was still thinking about
him when his car service dropped her off at the house at ten o’clock. She was shocked to see Nia’s car in the driveway. Now her heart speeded up for a different reason. She hurried inside. Nia sat at the computer, seeming unharmed. “Antonia, why are you home?”

She checked her watch. “Little late getting in, aren’t you?”

“I, well, I am. Now tell me.”

When Nia finished the story, Donuta
gave a sigh of relief. “Fighting is a natural part of being siblings.”

Her daughter’s eyes were rounded. “But our kids never fought before.

“Because the house was in turmoil for so long, they knew inside to behave.”

“And now?”

“Now things are normalizing.”

“I hope so. For Paulina and the twins, at least.”

“So it is your turn.”

“You sound like Paulina.”

“It’s time,
Nia. You need to push yourself. Take yourself out of your comfort zone.”

“Is that self-reflection I hear?”

“
Tak
. It’s time for us all to move on.” She felt the uncontrollable blush. “But Gerald and I were not fighting, I will tell you that.”

Nia’s shocked expression made her mother laugh aloud.
“Matka!”
then she got up and threw herself into Donuta’s arms. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Then make me happy for you. Take some risks. Be spontaneous, like Paulina was. You may be surprised at how much you gain from that.”

Nia sat back. “Okay,
Matka
. I’ll try.”

She texted Rafe:
I have to cancel your lesson with Sal this week. Call sometime and I’ll explain.

Stuffing the phone in her jacket, Nia kicked the ground, and the swing she sat on moved gently
back in forth. The set was faux wood with tires to play on, bars to do chin-ups, a slide that emptied into a sandbox. The same colleagues who’d done the addition had put up this set for the kids, who were a little over two then. Nia had been so sad, she couldn’t even take pleasure in all their unselfish efforts to make the Ludzecky family more comfortable during the worst period in their lives
.

She sighed. She was sick of the grief. The mourning. Yet it fit her like old shoes, and she was afraid to get a new pair, afraid they’d pinch and be too tight, that she’d be hurting even more in them. “You are such a coward.” Rising, she crossed to the garden. Where once there were blossoms of yellows and pinks, now everything was gray. The symbolism wasn’t lost on her. The dead plants needed
to be dug up and the dirt turned over. Since she was home today, the boys were banished to separate rooms, and
Matka
was inside in case they needed something, Nia sank down on her knees to do the grimy task. But she didn’t mind. She needed the physical exercise and she’d dressed in old jeans and a sweatshirt. It was late in the year to be doing this, but they’d put it off in warm weather. Luckily,
the beginning of November had turned mild.

“Want some help?” she heard after a while.

It couldn’t be. She turned around and found Rafe in the yard. He appeared freshly showered, wearing pressed jeans and a beige cable-knit sweater. His hair was windblown. Nia felt a slice of desire go through her. Clean, quick and potent.

Sitting back on her haunches, she peered up at him. “You’re
too dressed up to be pulling weeds and dead plants.”

“I have old clothes in the car.”

She was about to say no, when she remembered her earlier thoughts about moving on. And his words.
I like you a lot, Nia.
“Sure if you want to. You can change in the bathroom just off the back entrance.”

Without saying more, he turned and left the yard. Five minutes later, he came back in paint-stained
faded sweatpants and an equally tattered sweatshirt. He dropped down beside her. His male presence, the sheer power of his body warmed her. His blue eyes were made liquid by the sun. “Let’s work while you fill me in on what happened.”

“Before we do, tell me you didn’t drive all the way out here to see me.”

“Would that have been bad, Nia?”

“No, of course not.” She bit the inside of
her cheek in order to avoid saying that she was worried about taking up his time. “Where were you?”

“At the music hall site. Adam asked me to consult on the sculpture garden. He drew up plans and wanted to show them to me.”

“Did you like them?”

“Yeah, but I had a few suggestions. At one time, I dabbled in sculpture.”

“I didn’t know that. At least you were in the neighborhood, so
to speak.”

He attacked the plants as she explained about the boys fighting, how she and Paulina had decided to ground them for a week. She was truthful about the cause of their argument. “Don’t feel bad about this, Rafe. It’s not your fault.”

“I don’t.” He shot her a knowing glance. “Boys fight, Nia. And I
am
giving one more attention.”

“Adam gives the twins plenty of attention.”

“Yeah, but I’m more of a catch.”

She giggled. “And modest, too.”

“Seriously, do you want me to talk to Sal?”

“I don’t think so. But thanks.”

“If you change your mind, I’ll do it.”

“I appreciate the thought.”

He glanced at the house. “He won’t see me out here, will he? I don’t want him to feel worse.”

She was struck by the thoughtfulness. She didn’t want her son hurt
more than necessary, either, and that this man felt the same meant something to her. “No, his room is on the other side of the house. And they can’t come out for two days.”

“Wow, high-treason punishment.”

She pulled out a long-rooted weed. “More so now that they’re separated. It always drives them crazy.”

“Interesting.”

The bright rays beamed down on them. And the rich scent of
loam rose up to her as they worked for a half hour. Nia couldn’t help but think the warm weather was a blessing of sorts
.

Rafe got the wheelbarrow from the garage and carted the brush to the curb, to be picked up by the city. When he returned, Nia was sitting at a table on the patio. “Can I pour you some?” She nodded to the coffeepot. “I brought milk and sugar and even whipped cream.”

“You remembered.” He stretched out his legs and linked his hands behind his neck as she poured the coffee. “
Matka
made some
packzi
.”

“They look like donuts. The Polish kind, I guess.” He studied her, then sat up, leaned over and, with his sleeve, wiped her face.

“Dirty?”

“Cute.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Digging in the dirt is earthy. Good for the soul.”

“You know, I feel connected to
nature when I do it.”

“Me, too. What else do you do with your free time besides keep a garden?”