Every Happy Family Read Free Page A

chicken wire and black plastic bags.” Four flower boxes on benches are the extent of her mother’s gardening now.
    â€œLike you saw on that show,” Jill says, feeling sheepish because last spring Nancy asked if Les might be able to devise such a thing, and she’d forgotten to mention it to him.
    â€œWe planted kale seeds in one planter. He has this wonderful recipe for winter kale apple soup.”
    â€œBut you used to make that.”
    â€œOh? It was John’s recipe. His wife’s.”
    â€œIt was good soup.”
    â€œExtremely good, yes. Very good soup. And nutritious.”
    â€œSo, if John’s building things, it sounds like he’s recovered then?”
    â€œBut his house has stairs and he uses a cane. Though he says, and I agree, that moving to a walker is a slippery slope to a scooter.”
    Jill heard that very remark on The Daily Show the other night. The scoundrel is stealing Stewart’s jokes.
    â€œThis morning my throat’s sore from singing.”
    â€œSinging?” Jill looks at the phone in her hand.
    â€œJohn plays the piano. Gershwin, Rogers and Hammerstein, all the old show tunes.”
    Her mother had a quiet but pretty singing voice from what Jill can remember. She gets a small thrill thinking of her singing. “Sounds like a regular party over there.”
    â€œWe did have a little wine with our dinner.”
    â€œMom, since when do you drink wine?” She’s surprised by her scolding tone. Her mother usually celebrates with an extra cup or two of coffee.
    â€œNever too late to start.”
    â€œJohn’s a drinker then?” she has to ask.
    â€œNo. No. Just one glass. Helps the aches and pains.”
    Jill waits for the usual questions about the kids, but they don’t come. “Mom, I need to talk about some –”
    â€œWe began the day with a game of rummy. We’ve been playing all week, a penny a point.”
    â€œYou and Dad used to do that.”
    â€œYes. And then we took a hobble up and down the block. I enjoy going to visit Dixie, that cat I told you about, in the Bergman’s old house?”
    â€œThe white cat?”
    â€œDixie. Long hair. A handsome thing but he’s been in for a shave. His skin under all that white fur is a lovely pink. Looks like a pink and white poodle. I had such a laugh. John too.”
    â€œWhere’s John now?”
    â€œHe’s where... out on the patio, putting a clever handle on those cages to make them easy to lift.”
    â€œA regular handyman.”
    â€œSo how are things there?” Nancy asks, sounding almost smug.
    â€œWe’re all fighting some stomach bug.” It’s been a wretched week. Rainy and cold, everyone off their food, her classes flat, Quinn almost getting himself fired after singeing off his eyebrows – too much rum on a flaming goat cheese appetizer. He looks like a startled baby.
    â€œDrink ginger tea,” says Nancy.
    â€œYes, we will. But I wanted to talk to you about Pema who, by the way, has decided to go with Katie and family to their place in the interior this summer.”
    â€œThat sounds good.”
    â€œHer first time away. Nearly six weeks. I was going to get her a summer tutor – she still struggles with basic math concepts – but I think the independence will be good for her. Beau’ll miss her. Like twins, those two. Anyway, I got this crazy letter in the mail.”
    â€œYou’ve had lots of rain,” says Nancy.
    â€œWe have.” Why is she changing the subject?
    â€œWe had a thunderstorm,” Nancy adds, quietly.
    â€œYou hate thunderstorms.”
    â€œThis one she didn’t hate.”
    Jill laughs.
    â€œJohn took her by the hand and made her sit with him on the deck.”
    â€œMom, you’re speaking in third person.”
    â€œHe told her that lightning opens the sky to give us a glimpse of heaven.”
    â€œHe held your hand?” says