Page 76 of The Lady on Esplanade
“You’re not taking advantage, Nola.I hope you realize that we consider you part of the family,” Mimi said.“You and Sarah are more than welcome to stay as long as you need.Besides, I have Camille and Henry here to help me.”
On top of Sarah’s desperate plea to leave, the mention of Henry was enough to convince me that I couldn’t stay.Trevor and I were in agreement on Camille’s husband.It wasn’t as if I knew Henry well enough to dislike him.It was more that what I did know convinced me that I didn’t need to get to know him better.
“I know,” I said, “but I couldn’t sleep thinking about WWMD.”
Mimi’s thin gray eyebrows rose in question.
“ ‘What would Melanie do?’ ” Sarah explained.“It’s something my dad taught us to say before we did anything.It made life easier.And sometimes it even made sense.”
“Especially as I’ve gotten older,” I said, thinking about the spreadsheets I now used to organize my life.“It’s an acquired thing, I think.”
“I see,” Mimi said slowly, although I wasn’t sure she did.“But I can’t think of where you could possibly go until you’re mobile again.You don’t even get your boot for at least two weeks.”
“I’ve been thinking about it.Honestly, it makes sense that I should go back to my apartment and my own bed.You’ve made this room so comfortable, and I do appreciate it, but I think the familiarity of being home will speed up my recovery.I’m a runner, so my quads are pretty strong, which means that hopping up the steps on one leg won’t be a problem, and I’ll only have to do it once.”
“She’s got a point,” Beau interjected, making me think that he also didn’t consider relying on assistance from Henry a solid plan.“I could help haul you up the stairs, Nola, but leaving you alone in the apartment doesn’t sound like a good idea.”
I frowned at his use of the word “haul,” but I decided to let it go so I could make my point.“I won’t be alone—I’ll have Mardi.”
Sarah crawled out from under the desk.“And I can be there to help!And to take Mardi for walks.Then I can stay until Jolene gets back from Mississippi.”
“I could make enough casseroles to stick in the freezer to last for a month,” Jolene said.“Maybe more than that.You do have a healthy appetite, Nola.”
I began to have a sense of what Caesar must have felt like when his friends betrayed him, but I could see Mimi’s resolve wavering, so I let the insult slide.“Now that I have the scooter, I can make my way from room to room—very carefully until I get my boot.It’s all wood floors in the apartment, and I’m sure Jolene won’t mind rolling up the area rugs for the time being.”
Mimi smoothed her hands on her lap, her fingers empty of rings.“I suppose that might work.But I must insist on being allowed to visit to make sure you’re all right.”
“Of course,” Sarah and I said at the same time.
Beau’s phone rang.“Excuse me a minute.It’s Thibaut.”
I could hear Thibaut’s voice but couldn’t understand what he was saying, but the frown on Beau’s face made me worry that something bad was happening with my house again.I never envisioned that I’d have such a love-hate relationship with an inanimate structure.It had certainly chosen me, but sometimes I couldn’t help but feel as if it had a questionable sense of humor, combined with a mean streak.To make me feel better after the recent roof fiasco, Jolene had started to use design software to plan the furnishing of the house.I hadn’t even minded that she’d added labels like Jolene’s Kitchen, Mardi’s Wardrobe Closet, and Nola’s Beauty Space.But now, listening to Beau and Thibaut on the phone, I began to wonder if any of it would ever become a reality.
When Beau ended the call, he wasn’t smiling.
I felt bile rise in the back of my throat.“What is it now?Did the foundation split?Chimney collapse?Roof catch fire?”
“Not at your house, if that’s any consolation.”
“Is it the house on Esplanade?”Mimi asked.
Beau nodded.“Yeah.”
I struggled to hide my relief.I had painstakingly reglazed each and every window in my Creole cottage, and my fingers almost bled from the memory.Not that I wanted anything to happen to the house on Esplanade, but we hadn’t even begun the renovation yet, so there was a lot less to lose.
Beau continued.“Apparently that da—that doll showed up on the porch this morning, and when Thibaut entered the front door, the windows in the upstairs camelback addition blew out like a freak tornado.Jorge was so scared he left his toolbox and drove off in his truck.”
My eyes met Sarah’s, and I knew we were both thinking about the doll and its hidden secret.
He walked over to where Mimi sat and took her hand.“Could you and Felicity meet with the funeral director without me?I need to find out what’s going on.”
“You can’t go alone, Beau.”I had managed to forget that I had a broken ankle and had made like I was going to stand before Sarah tugged on my arm to hold me back.
“You’re right,” he said.“I’ll take Sam.”
“But…” I’d been about to sayBut we’re a team, but I let the words dissolve on my tongue.Instead, I said, “Could you FaceTime with me when you get there?I need to assess how bad the damage is so I can tell Cooper.”
“Sure.”He looked uncomfortable, his eyes avoiding mine.“There’s one more thing he told me.”
