Page 49 of Dreams of Falling
“Pretty much.” I didn’t tell her that my boss had said I could work remotely for two more weeks if I needed additional time at home. If it got out that I didn’t have to rush back, I’d be forced to stay longer. The thought of remaining scared me. Like I’d start shedding my new, shiny skin I’d worked so hard to achieve, revealing the scarred and ugly person beneath.
“You going shopping?” Mabry asked with excitement, her eyes widening.
“Yes, actually. I’ve heard it’s something people do.”
She slapped my shoulder as if we were still twelve. “Good one. But really, I’ve heard they have serious shopping in New York. Can’t imagine we have something here that you can’t find there.”
I sighed, knowing she’d get it out of me sooner or later. “Date-night clothes. I have absolutely nothing to wear tonight for dinner with Jackson.”
“May I suggest something with lots of buttons and layers? And maybe a chastity belt?” I stilled, unable to look away from her reddening face. “Oh, gosh—I didn’t mean it like that, Larkin. Promise. I’m so sorry.”
“Larkin!” I looked behind Mabry and saw her mother, Carol Anne, walking toward us and juggling an armful of shopping bags. “Oh, my, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” Before I could say anything, I found myself enveloped in a cloud of Trésor perfume, Carol Anne’s signature scent. She had the same hairstyle she’d had since 1988, a dark brown cap of chin-length hair, curled under neatly at her jawbone, and sideswept bangs. I found it comforting, as if this woman and her hairstyle were a reminder that the best things in life were the things that never changed.
She kissed me loudly on the cheek, then held me at arm’s length to better examine me—something I was becoming used to. “I’m just heartbroken about your mama—I can’t even imagine how you’re feeling. I’ve been going to see her as often as I can and talking with her and readingPeoplemagazine.” She frowned, her face serious. “I’ve been Googling comas, and I’ve learned that people in comas can heareverything and the best thing is to keep talking to them, and read to them. And the music-speaker-box thing you put in her room was brilliant, Larkin. But we always knew you were smart.”
She beamed at me and took a couple of steps back. “You’ve always been a stunner, Larkin, but you’ve really blossomed.” She faced Mabry. “Hasn’t she?”
“She certainly has,” Mabry said enthusiastically. “And she has a date tonight, and we’re going shopping to find an outfit for her. Could you take Ellis home with you for a little while?”
“A date?” Carol Anne’s eyebrows rose to perfect half circles. “With Ben...”
“With Jackson Porter,” Mabry quickly interjected.
Carol Anne took a step back, a confused look on her face. “Jackson? Is that the same Jackson...?”
“So, will you, Mama?” Mabry gave Ellis a hug and a big kiss on the cheek before steering him toward her mother.
“Of course,” Carol Anne said, distracted by Ellis tugging on her hand and making the shopping bags bounce. She looked down at her grandson and smiled. “Maybe we’ll make cookies. Does that sound like a good plan?”
“Cookies!” Ellis shouted, jumping up and down as if on a pogo stick.
“Because he sure needs more sugar,” I said wryly, glad to have everyone’s attention diverted.
Carol Anne squeezed my hand. “It’s so good seeing you, Larkin. I’m guessing Bennett forgot to extend my invitation to supper, because we haven’t seen you, but please know you have an open invitation to stop by anytime. I’d love to talk about your new life in New York, and I can show you all the articles I’ve printed out about comas.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lynch. I don’t know if I’ll be able to—I’m at the hospital a lot—but I promise to try.”
“You be sure and do that. It’ll be just like old times with you at our kitchen table.” She tugged on Ellis’s hand and waved it like he was a string puppet, causing him to giggle.
They began to walk away, but I called them back. “One quickquestion, if you don’t mind. Did Mama ever mention Carrowmore to you?”
Carol Anne shook her head. “No, dear. We never talked about it. Not even as girls. I remember stories about how it was haunted. But I knew Ivy’s mama died there in a fire, so I never brought it up. And Ivy, well, you can imagine why she wouldn’t want to talk about it.” She leaned toward me. “We’ve always been the best of friends, but I suppose there are some things we keep to ourselves. Maybe we believe deep down that sharing the darkest parts of ourselves makes them more real. Kept to ourselves, well, then we can just pretend they were a bad dream.”
I nodded, then said good-bye again, and I stared after them, deep in thought over what she’d said.
“You ready?” Mabry asked, jerking her head in the direction of the boutique.
“As ready as I’ll ever be. I hope they have what I need, because I’m not in the mood to go to multiple stores to find a single outfit.”
“This is a great store,” Mabry said, holding the door open for me. “They have terrific belts, too.”
I glanced at her and she winked, and I knew everything was okay between us again.
Despite my attempts to gravitate toward every black article of clothing in the store, Mabry sent me to the dressing room with an armful of brightly hued outfits. I had to agree they were lovely, but I did notice a conservative trend—nothing too low-cut, or too short, or too revealing. It went along with my own clothing sensibilities, but I did draw the line when she selected several cotton sweaters to wear over the sleeveless dresses. She frowned when I handed the sweaters back to her, still on their hangers.
“This really isn’t necessary, Mabry. I’m not the same stupid eighteen-year-old with an infatuation, okay?”
She was thoughtful for a moment before speaking. “I know that. But sometimes it’s hard to see a person from our past with new eyes. Like they’ve become a statue to their previously perceived old wonderfulness, and that’s all we see—not the real person they are.”
