What Family Means (9 page)

Present Day
Buffalo, New York

W
ILL’S DRIVE TO THE OFFICE
was uneventful, despite the slushy mess on the streets. The skies were growing darker, he noted, and the air was already getting chillier. That storm was definitely on its way.

He turned into his spot in the parking garage and killed the engine. He sat for a moment, gathering his thoughts. His love for Debra and the kids was unquestionable, and he knew Debra understood that. Yet there were times in a marriage when one of them had to speak up, to keep the other on track.

Deb had kept him on track through so much. She’d even bridged the chasm his father’s death had created between him and his mother.

But now it was his turn to keep her on track. Some time ago Deb had decided she knew best for everyone in the family. He hadn’t paid much attention. He’d been too busy with his career.

Now Debra had a chance to really shine with her own career accomplishments, but she still distracted
herself from her work with the kids’ problems and concerns.

She’d seemed crushed last night when he’d told her how he felt—that she’d been ashamed after all these years of their mixed marriage.

He shook his head.
Ashamed
wasn’t the right word.

Apologetic, maybe?

His watch beeped as it did on the hour, every hour. The teleconference was in thirty minutes.

He’d reopen the discussion with Debra when he got home.

July 1973
Buffalo, New York

W
ILL DROVE UP
his parents’ driveway, knowing this could be the last time he’d come to their house. After he told his parents his intentions, he knew his father would kick him out for upsetting his mother, and his mother would disown him.

So be it.

He parked in front of the house he’d been raised in. It was a good house. It had been fun when he was younger, with him and his little sister and brother running through the halls, playing hide-and-seek in all the closets and even on the dumbwaiter.

The house was almost two hundred years old. His dad had kept up with renovations and repairs over the years, but in the past while, there’d been more of a strain on the family budget, with his younger siblings in college and now Doreen getting married.

She was getting married at age twenty-one, three days after her graduation from Hampton University. His parents should be more concerned about Doreen marrying that sly dog Thomas than his marriage to Debra. He and Debra were well-suited, emotionally and intellectually. Doreen and Thomas, however, were two spoiled, immature kids who still expected everything to be handed to them. They even expected their parents to help with their first home and, sure enough, Mom and Dad had donated to the cause.

Will growled to himself. He wasn’t asking his parents for a dime. He just wanted their love and understanding.

He’d always been the dutiful oldest son, taking care of the younger kids and still getting the best grades, achieving whatever challenge was presented to him.

Yet now it seemed none of that mattered. He should’ve screwed off and had more fun if it was all going to come to this anyhow. It would’ve been a lot more entertaining to be the prodigal son.

He found Mom in his parents’ room. It was really his mother’s room; his dad merely slept there. Purple flowers, Violet’s namesake, dotted the wallpaper. His mother sat in her lavender easy chair, reading one of her beloved mystery novels.

“Will! I didn’t expect you back so soon.” Was that a spark of hope in her eyes that he’d broken off his date with Debra?

“Where’s Dad?”

“In the bathroom. His stomach’s acting up again.” Will’s gaze took in the closed bathroom door.

“Dad!”

“In a minute!” The muted response was clear even through the thick oak.

“What’s got you all riled up?” Violet Bradley thought she could solve the world’s problems, including Will’s, with a motherly chat.

“It’s time we settled something, Mama. I was at Sarah’s tonight—”

“You were?” Anticipation flared in Violet’s eyes.

“Yes, but it’s not for the reason you want, Mom. I don’t love Sarah. I don’t even
like
her all that much. We have nothing in common. It’s wrong of you to lead her on and encourage her infatuation. She doesn’t even know the real me.”

“But she could learn to.” Violet’s equanimity stirred his anger to the breaking point.

“No, Mother. No!” He clenched his fists. “You’ve done nothing but try to control my life, especially my love life, since I was in high school.” He took a step toward her. “Well, it’s done, Mother. I’m in love with Debra and I’m going to marry her.”

As the words came out of his mouth and hung in the air, he watched his mother gasp, pale, then flush with fury. Her gaze drilled daggers into his heart, but Will was prepared. His lifetime happiness depended on it.

“Listen here, son. If it wasn’t for your father and me you wouldn’t have met this girl you think you’re in love with. I should’ve cut her out of the picture long ago. I never should’ve let you play together.” Violet crossed her arms.

“How, Mom? By locking me in my room every day after school? By not allowing Daddy to hire Deb’s mother?”

The bathroom door opened and Will’s dad strode out.

“What’s going on?”

“Will’s crazy, William. He says he’s marrying that, that who—”

“Mother! You don’t have to like it but I will not have you talking about my future wife like this.”

“Hold on a minute.” William looked from Will to Violet and his gaze stayed on Violet.

“Since when did your relationship get to such a serious point?”

“It’s always been serious, Dad. You two just didn’t want to admit it.” Will stood in front of both his parents, his hands reaching out to them.

“Ever since Mom scared the hell out of Debra when we were together on the front porch, we’ve all denied the truth—the truth that this is the woman I’m meant to be with, to marry. To have children with.”

When Will uttered the word
children
Violet cried out and clutched her chest.

“Oh, my-God-sweet-Lord-in-heaven, you don’t know what you’re doing, Will! You’re too young to know the consequences of your actions.”

“I’m not a kid anymore. You have to accept that.”

“Don’t tell your mother what she has to accept or not, Will. I, uh—” William gasped for air and grabbed at his chest. But it wasn’t for dramatic effect.

“Dad? Dad!”

“William!”

Will ran the few steps to his father and eased him to the ground.

“I can’t, I can’t—” William Bradley kept gasping for
breath and trying to talk, but wasn’t managing to do either.

“It’s okay, Dad, we’re here.” Will undid his dad’s pajama top as he spoke.

“Mom, call the operator! Get an ambulance!”

Violet, shocked into a frozen stare, snapped out of it and picked up the white bedroom phone.

“Dad, can you hear me?”

His father looked up at Will.

“…love you…take care of your mother, son.” William’s face stilled, his expression half pained, half surprised. When his father exhaled a final time, and the foam seeped from his mouth, Will knew his mother’s strident call for an ambulance didn’t matter anymore.

July 1973
Buffalo, New York

D
EBRA HAD DOZED OFF
by the time her mother got back from bingo, but Linda woke her up. Debra opened her eyes to the sight of her mother leaning against the doorjamb.

“Will’s mother called.”

“Here?” Deb rubbed her eyelids and forced herself to sit up.

Violet Bradley had never made any attempt to contact Debra or her mother. She’d never even spoken to Debra’s mother except in passing at the doctor’s office, years ago. Linda had worked as a receptionist at a law firm for the past ten years.

Linda eyed her through the haze of her cigarette smoke. Earlier Debra couldn’t wait to get out of the restaurant kitchen and the smell of burning oil and garlic. Now she longed for it.

“Will’s father died. Heart attack.”

“No.” The word came out on the exhalation of her breath. Quick, shocked.

Debra got out of bed and followed her mother into the kitchen. She sank into the worn vinyl-covered chair across the table from where her mother sat.

For once, the Formica table was comforting in its familiarity. Her elbows stuck to the plastic surface and Debra wondered why she was focusing on physical details when Will’s father was dead.

Dr. Bradley
gone?

He was larger than life, the rock of Will’s family. He’d given Debra’s mother a lifesaving job. He’d been Debra’s hope for change in all matters involving Violet.

And he was dead.

“She doesn’t like you, Debbie. Her husband just died, but all she did was spit venom about you. What on earth did you do to her?”

“What did I do to her? Mother, she’s hated me since the day I met Will.”

Linda took a long drag on her cigarette and blew it out her nose.

“You’re young. You’ll have good sex with other men. Will isn’t the right choice for you. Why don’t you just accept it?”

Debra said nothing. Leave it to her mother to reduce everything to sex or money. The lowest common denominators.

She had two weeks left in this house before she’d be gone forever. Back to college for the year, then beginning a career next summer. She’d hoped it was going to be with Will.

It sure as hell wasn’t going to be in Buffalo.

“What else did she say, Mother?”

“She told me to keep my daughter away from her precious son.” Linda stubbed out her cigarette and lit up another. Her mother put chain-smoking on turbo speed.

“Trust me, Debbie, you don’t want to go into a marriage with a mother-in-law like that. She’ll ruin anything you have between the two of you.”

“I can’t deal with this right now.”

Debra grabbed her purse from where she’d dropped it on the floor.

“Don’t wait up, Mom.”

The last was a purposeful jibe as Linda never waited up for Debra. Her beauty sleep was too important.

T
HE LIGHTS IN THE
Baptist church reflected off the cream walls like tiny halos. Chandeliers hung over the main aisle, which was carpeted in red. At the end of the carpet, in front of the altar, was a smooth, ebony casket with gold handles and trim.

No one noticed Debra when she slipped in, as the service had started. She arrived late to avoid any unnecessary attention drawn to her or, more importantly, Will.

She could make out his form as he sat next to his mother with his siblings flanking either side of them. She had to come just so Will would know she was here. And that she loved him through thick and thin.

The pastor gave a beautiful eulogy. He’d obviously known Will’s family for a long time. Debra wasn’t used to a church service other than the Mass she attended
weekly, but she enjoyed the warmth and obvious faith that united this community.

So moved was she that she didn’t think twice about going up to the casket to say goodbye to Will’s father, and to offer him a private thank-you for being such a great dad to Will.

She approached the casket as part of the slow line that reached to the back of the church, allowing the other mourners to take time with their final farewells.

When she arrived at the casket she looked down at the face that was so similar to Will’s. The handsome profile, the full head of hair. She closed her eyes and held her hand to his hands. They were cold, of course, but it gave Debra a sense of strength and peace she hadn’t had this entire summer.

The shriek that erupted behind her made her eyes fly open and she instinctively flinched. Hard blows rained down on her back and she turned to find Will, his brother and his sister pulling Violet away from her. Violet’s eyes blazed with rage.

“Leave my family alone and go back to your white-trash home.” Violet’s words were quiet but the fury in each syllable echoed the shriek she’d let out.

“Mama, stop!”

“That’s enough, Mama.”

“Will, stop her!”

Will and his siblings all attempted to calm Violet. Will didn’t even look at Debra. She didn’t wait to see his reaction. She needed to get out of there.

What a mistake to think she could bring comfort to anyone, especially Will.

Present Day
Buffalo, New York
Debra

“I’
M GOING TO HAVE
to stay here tonight, babe.”

“I know. I don’t want you to even try to come home, do you hear me, Will?” I muted the volume of the television that perched on our kitchen counter. Images of whiteouts and cars with barely discernible headlights filled the screen.

Will laughed. “I couldn’t if I wanted to. The police department just sent out a mass e-mail to all the business owners. It’s an offense to go out except in an emergency—they’re telling us all to stay put.”

“It’s supposed to last through tomorrow. You have enough in the pantry?” I smiled into the receiver.
Pantry
wasn’t the appropriate word. Will owned an office in a business high-rise that had every possible amenity needed by today’s businessperson on-site. Yoga studio, gym, pool, three different eating areas, a small movie theater. The various companies could continue to function even when the weather locked them in for an indefinite length of time.

“They’re getting ready to serve chili tonight.”

“I wish I was there to join you.”

“No, you don’t.” We both laughed as he called my bluff.

“Okay, so I like being at home and having my work nearby. Sue me.”

“Is Angie safe at her apartment or is she bunking in at the weather station?”

“This morning she told me she was going back to her place for some things, then back to work for the duration. I don’t think it’ll be much fun for her, even with her morning sickness easing up.”

“At least she isn’t out on the road.”

“No. She was supposed to call me when she got to her place but I imagine she’s back at work. I’ll call her on her cell in a bit.”

“She’s fine, Deb.”

Silence draped comfortably across the miles of phone line. I knew Will wanted to continue the conversation as much as I did, but since we weren’t in the same room it was difficult.

“I’m going to get some work done before dinner,” he said. “I’ll call you later.”

“Okay. Bye for now.” I hung up and looked at Rose.

“Time to go get Violet, sweet dog.” After breakfast I’d walked Vi back to her cottage to get more things for her overnight stay with us. I needed to bring her back to the house before the snow made it too difficult for her to walk.

Rose’s tail thumped on the plush cream carpet. She loved going out in the snow, even if it was only for a short walk to Violet’s cottage.

Before I could get my outer clothes on, the doorbell rang. Violet. I thought it was odd that she’d walked around the house instead of just to the kitchen door. Was the snow blowing that fiercely despite the protection of the tall pine trees?

I yanked open the front door and gasped in surprise.

“Angie!”

“Hey, Mom.”

Angie hurried in, her face visible through a tiny space between her snow-covered scarf and hood.

“Wow, what did you do, walk from the station?”

My question was purely rhetorical, since the weather station was on the other side of town, near the airport.

“No, just from my car. Which, thank God, is a four-wheel drive.”

“I thought you were going back to work and staying there?” My stomach began to jump. What was Angie thinking, driving through a blizzard—especially now that she was pregnant?

“I was, but I got delayed leaving the station. I didn’t expect it to be a problem, though. This wasn’t supposed to pick up until later, around seven.”

“You know better than anyone how quickly the weather can change in Buffalo. Have you forgotten?”

“I guess I have. The radar picture looked great when I left work, and I was sure I had a minimum of two hours to get home and back.” The trip usually took her twenty minutes each way. “But I didn’t count on all the traffic from the folks leaving work or the slow school busses from early dismissal.”

“The news said they let the kids out at noon.”

“Yes, and at three-thirty some of them still weren’t home. The bus drivers will probably be stuck in the depot.”

“So why are you here? I mean, I’m glad you are, but weren’t you concerned about driving in this?”

“I figured that if I have to be stuck during a storm and it can’t be at work, I want to be with you. Besides, my cupboards are bare and I need to eat when I can handle it.”

I remembered my own pregnancies. The nausea ran my life the first three months, both times.

“The phone and Internet are still on, so you should be able to get some work done if you need to. I’m on my way to get Violet.”

“She won’t come over if she still has power and heat.”

“You’re right, but I’ll drag her back with me. Once she finds out you’re here, she’ll come over in a flash.”

“Let me go get her, Mom.”

“You want to? Okay, that would be great.” I put my coat back on its hook. “I’ll make a pot of tea and throw something in the oven for dinner.”

“Be right back.”

Angie flounced through the foyer and into the kitchen, dripping all the way. Rose chased after her, tail wagging.

“Take Rose with you!”

“Okay.”

The sound of the wind rose as Angie opened the kitchen door and then it slammed shut. I stared at the puddles of melted snow Angie had left. I supposed I should begin cleaning up the mess but at the moment all I felt was gratitude that my family was safe.

I needed to check in on the boys. As I went to the phone I caught my reflection in the sliding-glass door window. Wearing my hand-knit brown alpaca sweater and with my hair in corkscrews, I looked like a grizzly bear.

I laughed. I was still Mama bear, despite what Will had said. I wouldn’t be happy until I knew all my cubs were safe. No matter what their age.