Authors: Sandi Perry
"I
like
her,"
he
said.
Allison
laughed,
"She
was
formidable.
She
told
Martin
that
he
could
atone
for
his
sin
by
paying
the
ultimate
respect
to
his
father
and
come
to
his
burial.
My
father
asked
that
he
be
allowed
to
sit
Shiva
with
them
and
Bubby
concurred.
So
that's
how
Martin
got
reinstated
into
the
family."
Alex
shook
his
head
as
he
refolded
his
napkin.
He
wiped
the
last
bits
of
marinara
off
his
plate
with
his
garlic
knot.
“Wow,
that’s
some
story.
What
about
Bradley?"
"He
chose
to
miss
the
funeral—he
didn’t
want
to
have
anything
to
do
with
a
family
that
didn’t
accept
his
mother,”
she
answered.
“Yet,
he's
part
of
the
family
business,”
Alexander
added.
“Yes,”
she
replied
slowly.
“But,
I
wonder
about
that
sometimes.
Anyway,
enough
of
my
family—was
there
anything
else
on
your
mind?”
“Yes,
but
it’s
not
for
now,”
he
said
with
a
twinkle
of
intent
in
his
clear,
green
eyes.
"Would
you
like
dessert?"
She
looked
at
her
watch
and
was
shocked
to
see
the
hour.
“Oh,
thank
you,
but
no.
I
didn't
realize
how
late
it
is."
"I’ll
get
the
bill
and
walk
you
back
to
the
gallery.”
"It's
okay;
really,
I’ll
grab
a
cab
home.
Thank
you
for
dinner.”
She
got
up
hastily
and
said
goodnight.
As
she
got
to
the
door,
she
looked
over
her
shoulder
to
see
Alex
smiling
and
flirting
with
their
server.
He
winked
at
her
and
doffed
his
imaginary
hat.
Allison
quickly
turned
face
front
and
nearly
barged
into
a
woman
heading
in
as
she
made
a
dash
for
the
street.
She
gritted
her
teeth
as
his
raucous
laugh
followed
her
out
the
door.
Allison
was
getting
ready
for
the
auction
the
next
evening
when
Jeremy
called.
"Listen,
Ally,
I'm
not
going
to
make
the
event
until
much
later;
as
I
was
going
off
shift
an
MVA
was
called
in
and
I've
got
to
stick
around
and
lend
a
hand,"
he
said.
"Fine.
Whatever,
Jeremy,"
she
responded.
"What
does
that
mean?"
"It
means
that
dying
people
are
more
important
to
you
than
the
real,
living
ones.
I
guess
they
don't
talk
back."
"Are
you
still
mad
because
I
put
you
on
a
guilt
trip
that
you're
not
visiting
Mom
often
enough?
You
didn't
visit
her
last
week
or
the
week
before.
That's
your
mess
up.
Geez,
Ally."
"Don't
geez
at
me
Jeremy.
I'm
juggling
Zeidy's
foundation
and
the
gallery
and
RossAir.
Some
days
I
don't
have
time
to
pee."
"Selling
overpriced
squiggles
on
a
canvas
to
pretentious
jerks
is
not
as
earth
shatteringly
important
as
you
make
it
out
to
be."
"It
is
important
because
it's
important
to
ME,"
she
said,
"and
you're
the
pretentious
jerk.
I
would
think
a
brilliant
doctor
such
as
yourself
would
have
better
weapons
in
his
arsenal
than
bullying
and
intimidation."
"You
know
what?
I
don't
have
time
for
your
crap
right
now.
I
have
lives
to
save.
Just
make
sure
you
go
visit
Mom,
alright?"
"Don't
bark
orders
at
me!
You're
just
like
Dad."
They
were
both
silent
for
a
beat,
then
Jeremy
spoke
up.
"His
heart
was
always
in
the
right
place,
just
his
message
delivery
system
was
flawed,"
he
said
gently.
"Look,
I'm
sorry.
I'm
not
supportive
of
you,
of
what's
important
to
you,
and
that
does
make
me
a
jerk.
But
let's
try
to
get
past
ourselves
and
work
at
keeping
it
together
for
Mom."
"Fine.
I'll
try
if
you
do."
"Done.
And
I'll
try
to
get
to
the
auction
at
some
point."
"Thanks...and
thank
you
for
saying
you're
sorry.
I
believe
that
was
a
first."
"Well,
that's
because
it
was
the
first
time
I
was
wrong,"
he
said
lightly.
*****
“Kenyon
thanks
for
filling
in
for
Jeremy
on
such
short
notice,”
Allison
said
as
she
opened
the
door
to
her
loft.
“He
had
an
emergency
but
he’s
going
to
try
to
catch
up
later.”
“No
big
deal,
that’s
why
I
always
have
my
favorite
Armani
pressed
and
cleaned.”
He
smiled
warmly,
“And
you
do
look
amazing.
The
classic
emerald
green
slip
dress—I
like
it.
I’ve
never
seen
your
hair
done
this
way.”