Page 205 of The Maxwell Brothers
"We don't have rules or anything. We just say whatever is weighing on us or on our minds."
"Should we start now? I mean, it seems as good a time as any. We have drinks. They have dodgy ways of getting our money. There's a dance floor for us and more drinks. And oh, a hot bartender." Kimberly looked behind the bar before focusing back on us.
Reese nodded. "I’ll go first. I'm seeing a new therapist, and I need to know why I still care enough to be hurt by Malcolm and my ex-best friend getting married. The old therapist couldn't help, so I needed an upgrade." She was saying this in a playful tone, but it was obvious she was suffering.
Kimberly put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. "We're not therapists, but we can listen."
Lexi held up a finger. "We can also throw eggs at his car. I offered it once, and it still stands, especially now when I've got some extra liquid courage from the tequila… or from the cocktail."
"Or we can throw them at hers," Emma suggested.
I felt bolder than usual, so I offered, "Or both of them?"
Kimberly looked at her sister intently. The chatter of the people around us was pretty loud, though, so we all had to lean in whenever we spoke so we could hear anything.
"You could come to Paris for a while. I stand by my offer to introduce you to a Frenchman or two. And they'll take your mind off that asshole."
Reese blushed.
Lexi did a little shimmy in her seat and pointed at Kimberly with both her forefingers, moving her shoulders up and down. "You are a genius. I think that's exactly what Reese needs: a change of scenery."
Reese ran a hand through her hair, straightening up at the table, and we all came a bit closer. "You know what? I might do it, but only if you can take some time off. I don't want to be in Paris on my own."
"I'll try," Kimberly said. "There's a lot going on at the travel agency, but it won't go under without me."
"That must be so fun," Emma said, "to work as a travel agent."
"Oh, it is fun," Kimberly said. Clearing her throat, she looked around the table. "I think Gran’s seeing someone." Groaning, she tipped her chin into her chest. "That was not my secret to share. I’m terrible. I just felt like exploding if I didn’t tell someone.”
Reese jerked her head back. "Wait, what? How?"
Somewhere behind us, the bartender turned the music louder. We had to hover around our table even more.
Kimberly bit her lip. "I saw her drinking coffee with an elderly gentleman at the coffee shop next to The Happy Place.”
“I go to The Happy Place every day. How come I didn't see this?" Reese asked indignantly.
"I guess she's careful around you,” Lexi said.
“I'm happy for her but also stunned. Well, maybe it was just a coffee anyway, and we can't say anything until she does."
"I agree," Kimberly added. Turning to me, Emma, and Lexi, she said, "Sorry, girls, we hijacked this evening."
“Hey, we’re enjoying this, aren’t we, sis?” Emma exclaimed.
I nodded. “We are.”
Lexi was drumming her fingers on the table. "I wish that for Beatrice. But I don't want to get my hopes up, because you know how much she cares about your granddad.”
“Has she been a widow for long?" I asked.
"Oh yeah. I think she's been a widow for longer than she was married. To be honest, I can't do the math after so much alcohol," Reese said.
"We never even met Grandad. He died before we were born when Dad was still in college. But I know what you mean, Lexi. She's still so attached to him. Part of why she keeps The Happy Place is because it was the first thing they built together. And every year around the anniversary of his death, she just goes into this sad place inside her, where we can’t reach her," Kimberly explained.
My heart hurt for the poor woman.
"But Paisley can," Lexi said. "I mean, not consciously. They don't talk about it, but she's happy when she's around Paisley."
