Page 62 of The Lady on Esplanade
“Well, that explains a lot,” I said, staring at the back of Beau’s head.“Speaking of Mimi, how is she?”The last time I’d seen her, she’d been put on a gurney and was being taken to another hospital room, her protests carrying down the hallway to me.
“Embarrassed, mostly.She said the doll may or may not be worth anything, but she doesn’t want to see it ever again.She said there’s more to tell, but she only wants to relive the experience once, so she’s waiting until you, me, and Cooper are all together.When is Cooper leaving?”
“He’s flying to Kuala Lumpur tonight.”I grabbed the back of the front seat to brace myself as Jolene took a sharp turn before bouncing over the curb.“He said he’d stop by Mimi’s sometime this morning.I’d call to find out when, but I need both hands right now.”
Beau grinned as Bubba swerved again, clipping the edge of a large pothole and rattling my teeth.
“Has anyone heard from Sarah?”I asked.“She was so disappointed when I told her she wouldn’t be going to Mississippi, and now she won’t answer my texts or phone calls.”
Jolene and Beau shared a glance, but before I could question them Jolene bumped the two right tires over the curb and put the car in park.“Oh, look—we’re here!”
Mimi and Camille came bustling out of the front door of the house on Prytania and headed down the walkway.“Your welcoming committee is here!”Jolene said as she opened my door.
Beau retrieved my crutches from the trunk and leaned them against Bubba.I was attempting to exit the car by myself when he reached in and lifted me out.After studying the steps leading up to the front walk, and then the marble steps under the portico, he said, “I might as well carry you all the way inside.I hope my back can handle it.”
I gave him a small punch on the shoulder.“Be careful,” I said.“The next time I’m going to hit you where it hurts.”
“Don’t get me too excited, Nola.I might trip.”
I hit him again, harder this time.He carried me the entire way into the house while Camille and Jolene brought in the crutches and my overnight bag.I heard the sound of a video game from the parlor, and as Beau brought me closer I was surprised to see the backs of twofemales, one brunette and one blond, sitting on the sofa, facing the game.Henry, his arms crossed over his chest like a sulking little boy, sat in one of the two matching side chairs, frowning at the two people on the sofa.
“Hey, Nola,” he said with a brief nod in my direction, before returning his attention to the screen.It didn’t surprise me that he hadn’t rushed outside to help.
“Surprise!”Sarah jumped up from the couch, dropping a game controller on the floor, and ran to embrace me.
The girl I recognized as Felicity stood, too, making room for Beau to place me on the sofa before positioning me, while Mimi retrieved two cushions from a side chair and propped them under my legs.“How’s that?”
“Fine.But”—I turned to my sister, noticing the peacock brooch on her cardigan and the red rubber band around her wrist—“what are you doing here?”
“Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“Of course I am.It’s just…Does Melanie know you’re here?”
She rolled her eyes.“I’m not stupid, Nola.She still thinks I’m driving to Mississippi with you and Jolene.And as long as you don’t tell her, I won’t mention the ankle thing.”She smiled sweetly, her hands folded in front of her like a choirboy’s.
I frowned.“But where will you stay?You can’t stay by yourself at the apartment.”
“That’s why I’ve invited her to stay here with us,” Mimi said as she placed her arm around Sarah’s shoulders.“I don’t agree with keeping Melanie and Jack in the dark, but I know you two will find a way to tell them sooner rather than later, yes?”
Sarah and I nodded, and I was fairly confident that my sister was crossing her fingers behind her back, too.“I’m not keeping them in the dark, Mimi.I just know how…excitable they can be, and I don’t want to ruin JJ’s big event.Which is exactly what would happen, because my parents would be on the first flight to New Orleans, andit’s completely unnecessary.I know I’m in excellent hands.I just hate intruding on your grief.”
Mimi’s expression softened.“I welcome the company during this difficult time.Having something with which to occupy myself would be the distraction I need while saying good-bye to our darling Adele.”
“Of course,” Camille said, moving to Mimi’s side and gently squeezing her shoulders.
“And you must be Felicity,” I said to the young blond woman who looked almost exactly like the imposter we’d known as Sunny.Same yellow-gold hair and round blue eyes.Same elfin chin and warm smile.Which had been the point, I supposed.“I’m sorry about not picking you up at the airport as planned.”
“Are you kidding me?I’m so glad you’re okay—except for the ankle thing, I mean.”I noticed that she clutched both game controllers despite Henry’s hovering and avid interest in claiming one.“It’s good to officially meet you.We didn’t really get a chance the last time I was here.”
“There was a lot going on.”I didn’t feel it necessary to bring up the occurrences of the evening of her last visit, which included the appearance of an evil spirit and the chandelier crashing onto the dining room table.“I’m sorry we’re meeting at such a difficult time.”
She looked at Mimi and then Beau before returning her gaze to me and drawing in a deep breath.“We’ve agreed not to look at it that way.I think we all feel that even though Adele is no longer alive, being together to lay her to rest is bringing us more comfort than grief, so we are choosing to feel joy today instead of sadness.If I have learned anything in the last month, it’s that we get to choose how we interpret each day and each event.It’s hard to survive in this world of constant turmoil if we don’t, you know?”
I nodded, deciding that I liked this young woman very much.I hoped we could become friends.I’d already determined that we were destined to become close when I’d noticed her clutching the game controller simply to annoy Henry.
Camille moved to stand behind me.“Can I get you something to drink?Another pillow for behind your back?Mimi and I have rearranged the library into a cozy bedroom for you.The pullout couch is very comfortable—Henry tested it just to be sure.”
“That’s very nice of you,” I said, skirting the comment about Henry testing out my sleeping space.Despite Jolene’s claim that she wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers, I would for much less.
