He paused and looked at Mom. “Joan, I’d appreciate it if you were around for this. I’d like to hear what happens. Everyone needs to understand there aren’t any guarantees.”
They all nodded and Suzanne leaned over to give Jeff a hug. This was a moment for them to share. Mom glanced at Kara and they took the tray back to the kitchen.
When Suzanne and Jeff left, Kara lingered to help Mom load the dishwasher.
“The worst is over,” Kara said with relief.
Mom was too quiet before speaking. “Maybe not,” she implied. “We’re making a big assumption.”
“What?” Kara questioned, a little annoyed. “We have Eleanor’s address and Jeff’s ok.”
“We’re assuming Eleanor wants to see Suzanne as much as Suzanne wants to see Eleanor. The three of us should talk, first.”
“Mom! That would really bring Suzanne down!”
Mom saw this was heading nowhere and asked Kara if she had homework.
Kara nodded and ran upstairs, anxious to blog.
Personal blog: ’I’ll go in order of what happened. The check from Dave is first. I bet for a sec Mom wanted to throw it in his face or say something like ‘Thanks, but Kara has an nice inheritance that will take care of college’. She didn’t because Mom put me first, and we can really use the money. Ok so he’s finally done something a dad should do, instead of asking me to one of his ‘meetings’.’
‘Next is the handwriting. It looked exactly the same as the postcard in Scott’s Chem book. I still don’t see why he didn’t just say Dave sent it. I could call and ask him, but we haven’t talked for awhile. I hate how he always brings up this ‘meeting’. He knows I don’t want to go, so why not just drop it?’
Kara paused, distracted by her frustration. She returned to thoughts of Suzanne and her dad.
‘Tonight was mostly about Suzanne. I really like her dad. For a sec I thought he was mad at us, like when he said ’so that’s what this is about’. I don’t get why it’s so hard to ask important things. I mean, Suzanne was a wreck over asking her dad about Eleanor…and I can’t bring up the postcard or his mother to Scott. Why? Shouldn’t it be easier if we care about each other?’
‘Suzanne is so ready to see her mother. I don’t get why Mom has a problem. Why wouldn’t Eleanor want to see her own daughter? The first time Suzanne calls might be a shock. She’s waited so long, I can’t see putting it off for a ‘talk’.’
3-COMPLICATIONS
They picked up Suzanne on Saturday, like they were off for a day of shopping. Mom wasn’t sure about this, she thought it was ‘lying’ to her grandparents. She agreed only because Jeff promised to tell them once a meeting was set up. Before she could say more, Kara reminded Mom Suzanne only wanted to see where Eleanor lived.
They pulled next to the curb in front of a huge old colonial. Except for the sign Casa Grande in front, it looked like every other house on the street.
“Here we are,” Mom said, looking over the seat at Suzanne.
She stared at Casa in silence. After a minute or so Mom started the engine. “Let me know when you call Eleanor and set up a time.”
Before she could finish Suzanne opened the car door and jumped out, heading for the front porch. Mom gave Kara a quick look and they followed.
“We really should call first,” Mom said, catching up to her. There was a determination in Suzanne’s stride. Kara got a sinking feeling in her stomach.
A sign on the door said ‘enter’ and the three stepped inside a huge foyer. Someone promptly sat down behind a desk and asked if she could help them. Mom held back, not quite sure what Suzanne wanted. Desk Lady focused on her.
“I’d like…” Suzanne began, then started over. “Is Eleanor here?”
“I’ll check,” Desk Lady offered, calling her room.
Kara looked around to avoid the growing suspense she felt. There was an arched entry into the dining room, with a huge fern overflowing in a bay window.
In no time steps were heard on the stairs. Kara tried not to stare at the approaching figure. The likeness was unmistakable; this was Eleanor. She stopped on a landing and gave Suzanne a hard look.
“I always knew you’d come back,” she said, sounding annoyed.
Suzanne was speechless.
“We’re friends of Suzanne’s,” Mom stepped in to explain. “Maybe some other time…”
“You got that right,” Eleanor answered, walking past Suzanne with her head down. Everyone sort of froze and watched her go down a hallway. “I can’t talk now,” she mumbled loud enough to hear. “I need a cup of coffee before I meet with my sponsor.”
They all watched her turn a corner, in the hope she’d turn around.
“Eleanor’s having a few…issues,” Desk Lady spoke up to say, “I don’t think it would matter if you had called. Why don’t you leave a number? I’ll give it to her sponsor.”
Kara left Suzanne’s cell number. They guided her outside and back in the car. Even Mom wasn’t sure what to do or say. They drove around the block several times, hoping Suzanne would say something. Kara finally broke the silence.
“I feel like a latte,” she suggested. It gave her a reason to look over the seat. “How about Ricardo’s?”
Suzanne was staring out the window. She slowly turned her head to look at Kara. “Yeah sure,” she answered, with a blank expression.
Mom pulled in the small parking lot. They waited for Suzanne to get out and Mom walked beside her to the door. She headed for a table and Mom stopped to order.
“Two mochas with skim?”
Kara nodded for both of them and followed Suzanne.
They sat down across from each other. Kara’s head was spinning with what to say, knowing she couldn’t make this better. She leaned forward to get her attention.
“I can only imagine how much you’ve thought about this…seeing your mom for the first time. You’ve never showed me a picture of her. So maybe you don’t have one and weren’t sure what she looks like. Then there’s what you would say…and she would say. You had it all planned out.”
Suzanne slowly looked at Kara, absorbing her words. Her eyes started to fill.
“I can’t believe how scared I am,” she admitted, covering her trembling lips with a hand. “If I let go too much…what if I can’t stop?”
Just
