19

WATCH YOUR STEP

Evvie and Joe are making an effort to pull me out of the wretched mood I’m in. It’s not working. Joe tries with the dinner he prepares. He made a special pasta for me with eggplant and mushrooms. The two of them even set the table with what I recognize as Evvie’s best dishes, used only for special occasions. Evvie delights Joe with reporting our antics at the bridal shop. I’m in their apartment because I know Jack will phone me at home. He may even have done so by now but I don’t want to talk to him. Obviously Mme. Michelle is calling the shots. You don’t take a possible murder target out of a safe room in a hotel to go dancing in a nonsecure park. That’s unprofessional. And dangerous, and Jack knows it. Incredible how she is able to control him.

“Didn’t we look cute in the matching gowns?”

I suddenly realize Evvie is trying to get me to join in the conversation. “Yes, adorable,” I answer.

Evvie says softly, “Joe has good news. His new medication seems to be working. The doctor says he’s in remission.”

I perk up. “That’s good news indeed.”

Joe grins. “I may be around longer than ol’ Ev would have wanted. You know. Like the movie, The Man Who Came to Dinner. I think she expected me to take the last leap into the great unknown a lot sooner.”

Evvie gets up from her dining room chair and bends to hug him. “You know that isn’t so, you silly fool.”

To the surprise of both of us, she holds onto Joe’s chair and lowers herself down to her knees. No easy feat with her arthritis.

“Hey, doll, what are you doing?” Joe looks worried. “Are you hurting or something?”

She grins. “No, dummy, I’m about to propose to you.” She looks up at me. “Maybe I was kidding in the store, but I’m serious now.” She takes both of Joe’s hands in hers. “Joe Markowitz, would you marry me? Again.”

As Joe stares at her, startled and thrilled, I feel she is doing this partly because she really means it and partly to do something dramatic that might stop me from agonizing over Jack.

Joe bends down, kisses her hair. “You’re serious? You want this old fossil back in your life for good?” She nods, with a smile so bright as to be luminous. He helps her up, nuzzling her as he does. “You betcha.”

They both stand hugging each other. Joe grins at me. “And you can’t get out of it, because we have a witness.”

They are practically jumping up and down with joy. Evvie says, “A double wedding, Joe, with Gladdy and Jack.”

Bless my sister who loves me so much. She is sending a message to me, the way she always does, her thoughts reaching out to my heart. She’s telling me Jack will marry me. Of course he will. He loves me no matter what this nonsense is with Michelle. She wants this to comfort me, but instead it’s breaking my heart.

She adds, giggling, “But of course, not with wedding gowns. It’s a little late to be wearing white.”

We’re all laughing, but I’ve got tears in my eyes.

I’m finally allowed to leave, though they keep trying to hold me there. “Shall we play cards? Watch some TV? Phone the kids and tell them the news?” But as much as I don’t want to go back to my apartment, I need to be alone.

*   *   *

My thoughts are elsewhere as I leave Evvie and Joe’s apartment, and in my hurry toward the elevator I don’t see the package of vitamins in front of Bella’s door. I trip and suddenly I’m falling. And now I’m on the ground and I know I’ve hurt something. My ankle is throbbing.

I shout for Evvie. “Evvie, help. Help!” She comes running out with Joe. But so does Bella who lives to the left of Evvie. And so do Lola and Hy at the farthest end of the walkway. In moments, Joe and Hy get me up, but I can’t stand on my left foot. So careless. Did I unconsciously want to hurt myself?

So back to Evvie’s. On her couch. Everyone scurries about to help. Evvie has ice cubes in a kitchen towel on my ankle. Lola brings a pillow to elevate my leg, at the same time asking if Evvie has any frozen peas in the freezer. She used them once on a hurt knee. They’re easier to wrap around than ice. No peas so I settle for the ice. The two men chat about the walkway not having enough light and insisting that it should be taken up with the condo committee. Evvie reminds them she is on that committee. My sister wants to call a doctor but I talk her out of it. It’s probably only sprained. Everyone is involved with my condition and I could punch myself for not being more careful.

Bella has disappeared, but now she returns. She walks over to me and hands me her candy pink decorated cane. “Now you can join Cane Fu class for real,” she says helpfully.

Finally Tylenol lowers the pain enough that I’m able to limp back to my apartment with Joe and Evvie holding on to me.

Evvie insists, over and over, that I call Jack. “Tell him you’re hurt. He’ll rush right home and that will be that.”

“No. Absolutely not.” I repeat this every time she mentions it. “I’ll tell him in my own time.” I am weary. “Thank you both, but please go home. Please.”

Reluctantly they leave me, Evvie not happy about my being alone. And yes, there is a message from Jack telling me to call, no matter what time. How ironic. Suddenly it’s all right to call him. But I don’t want to because I know I’ll weaken and end up confessing about my fall.

Jack paces the living room in Michelle’s hotel suite. From the master bedroom he can hear Michelle talking to her niece, Colette. She is almost ready to leave the hospital, thank goodness. Let this be over and done with. He’s bungled things with her and with Gladdy. How could he have been so stupid as to take Michelle outside? He feels he is no longer able to think clearly.

He needs to talk to Gladdy. To explain what’s going on. He assumes she is not answering the phone on purpose because she’s angry at him. And rightly so. When Morrie put the phone on speaker, Jack should have guessed that Gladdy was in the room. But why was she there? Probably to get news of him through his son, because he hadn’t gotten in touch with her. He cannot believe how poorly he’s behaving. Michelle is clouding his judgment. Maybe after this Gladdy won’t even want him back.

“Gladdy, please pick up the phone. Please.”

Jack looks up. Something’s different. Suddenly he realizes what it is. Michelle is standing behind him. He turns. She’s changed her clothes, and this time she’s in a gorgeous black silk negligee. She comes closer and he can smell her heady perfume.

“Chéri, we must speak. Something most important.”

“Yes.” He clears his throat. “We need to clear the air once and for all. Michelle, I can’t—”

Michelle holds out her arms to him. Her voice is tender. “I cannot help myself. Je t’aime. I love you. I never stopped loving you.”