Page 35 of Pity Party

“For a very good reason, though.” I walk toward her. “I think I found our new house today.”

“Really? Tell me about it.” She takes off the veil and lays it across an overstuffed pink chair.

I look around for Melissa, but don’t see her. “It’s huge, and your bedroom has its own bathroom. The walk-in closet is bigger than your bedroom in Chicago, and there’s a boat slip, along with a great outdoor hot tub.”

“When can I see it?” she asks excitedly.

“Tomorrow at ten thirty,” I tell her. “So, we’ll have a later start to the mall.”

“We need to buy a boat.”

“Let’s get the house first,” I tell her. “I forgot to mention the best part. It’s a log home.” Sammy used to beg to move into a log house during her Lincoln Log phase as a kid.

Before Sammy can respond, Melissa walks out of the back room with her arms full of wedding dresses. “Are you talking about the house on Wauwatosa Lane?”

“Do you know it?” I ask.

“I used to live next door before my parents got divorced. I was friends with a girl whose family lived there for a while. We even buried a time capsule on the grounds when we were in seventh grade.”

“Did you ever dig it up?” Sammy wants to know.

Melissa shakes her head. “I looked for it a couple of times but forgot where we put it.”

Before I can stop her, Sammy says, “Come with us to see the house. We’re going shopping right after that.”

I want to see the house with my daughter alone, but I don’t know how to say that without seeming rude. Melissa looks at me as though she’s asking my permission, so I bob my head sharply. “We’ll still pick you up at ten,” I tell her. “Then we’ll see the house on our way to Milwaukee.”

Melissa walks over to Sammy and drops her load of dresses on the same chair my daughter put her veil on. “Wait until you see the secret passage.”

“What secret passage?” I demand. I didn’t see a secret passage.

Melissa shrugs. “It leads from the garage to the boat house. It’s totally cool.”

I’m suddenly happy Melissa is coming with us. I’m a sucker for a good secret passage. Now if only one of the bookshelves in the living room pops open and leads to Narnia.

“I know it’s a little early, but do you mind if I take Sammy home now?” I ask.

“Not at all,” Melissa says while walking to the register. She opens it and pulls out forty dollars to hand to my daughter. Sammy reaches out to take it but watches my reaction the whole time.

“You can have it if you earned it,” I tell her.

She pockets it before giving Melissa a hug. I simply turn and walk out the door. Once we walk out onto the street, I tell her, “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“There’s something I need to talk to you about, too.”

“Do you want to go first?” I ask.

When she shakes her head, I change direction and lead her to the park where we sit side-by-side on a bench. “I found out something about your mom.”

“What?” Her face drains of all color.

“Beth is moving to Chicago to head a new marketing agency.” I can’t tell exactly what thoughts are going through Sam’s head, but none of them look good. “Are you okay?” I ask after several silent moments.

“Not really. Did she call you and tell you? Did she say she wanted to meet me?”

My heart breaks into a million tiny pieces. “I read an article online.”

“So, she didn’t even tell you herself?” Sammy’s voice cracks like she’s having a hard time reining in her emotions.

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