Authors: Kate Sweeney
Chapter 13
Roz looked at her watch. Her stomach was in knots thinking of Kit jumping out of a plane. “If anything happens to her, I’ll kill that kid,” she said, examining the receipts at the front desk. She looked up and took off her glasses when Kit stormed through the door, followed by Bess. Roz’s smile quickly faded when she saw the angry red face.
“Hi,” Kit said angrily. “Are you bartending? I need a drink.”
Without another word, she marched through the living and dining rooms.
Roz had her mouth open as she watched the swinging door nearly come off its hinges; Bess sighed and rubbed her foot. “I should have worn flats. I can’t keep up with her when she storms around like that.”
“What happened?” Roz walked around the desk and cautiously followed Bess.
“Oh, Roz, it was horrifying and at the same time hysterical. I thought Kit would actually do Dale serious damage.” She laughed as they entered the dining room. Kit was already sitting at the bar. “Well, damage enough. She hit Dale with her helmet.”
“On purpose?” Roz whispered as they approached the bar.
Bess laughed. “Oh, yes. You remember the Weston fury.”
Now Roz laughed. “The poor kid.” She walked behind the bar while glancing at Kit, who was still fuming. She didn’t ask, she knew what Kit wanted. She made a gin and tonic and put it in front of Bess.
Roz took the rum, pineapple, and orange juice, and set them on the bar. She gave Kit a questioning look, and Kit laughed. “Yes. I’d love a
mai
tai.”
“Good,” Roz said and prepared the tropical cocktail. She garnished it with a couple of maraschino cherries and set it in front of her. “This’ll cure whatever ails
ya
. Happy birthday.”
“Thank you,” Kit said almost shyly and took a drink. “Perfect.”
“You’re welcome.” Roz flipped the towel over her shoulder.
“Feel better?” Bess reached over and gently rubbed Kit’s back.
Kit laughed. “I made a jackass out of myself,” she said to Roz.
“Not you,” Roz said in mock horror.
“I know, right?” Kit said, trying not to smile.
“Tell me.”
“Everything was going well. I jumped out, well, pushed is a better word. Dale was harnessed to me. Before this, while the plane was getting altitude, Dale said when she taps me on the shoulder, I should count to fifty and she’ll open the chute. She did not do this. And I tried to communicate with her, but I couldn’t move. I was petrified. And finally the chute opened. And when we landed, I went ballistic.”
“And that is the right word. She went off like a rocket.” Bess laughed as she took a drink.
“Why didn’t she open the chute when she said she would?” Roz asked.
“She wanted me to experience the thrill she felt. So she waited to open it.”
“What?” Roz asked in a dark voice.
Kit wasn’t prepared for this reaction. “It’s fine. She was just…”
“Trying to scare the fuck out of you?”
“No, the adrenaline, I think.” Kit tried to laugh it off, but the dark look on Roz’s face showed she would have none of it.
“Roz, we’ve both seen her angry, but this? Gotta be menopause, but she took her helmet and clobbered Dale right on top of the noggin. Luckily, Dale still had her helmet on.”
As Roz listened to their explanation, she ran her finger under her nose, trying desperately not to laugh at the mental picture. “You hit her? Now I feel better.”
Kit cringed. “Yes. It seemed so appropriate at the time.” She sighed and took another drink. “But now I feel horrible. Her intentions were good. But she truly scared the life out of me.”
“That little shit,” Roz said, getting angry again. “So no adrenaline rush?”
“Well, yes. But not from the thrill of it, just the terror. I’ll never do that again.”
“Good,” Roz said, then realized what she said.
Kit cocked her head. “Why?”
“I-I was worried, I guess.”
“About?”
“About you being hurt, I suppose.” Roz took the bar towel and wiped off the surface.
Bess took a drink but remained silent. If she could get off the damned barstool without causing a major incident…
“I was fine the whole time. I just got scared.”
“Rightfully so,” Roz said with a shrug. “She played a dangerous game.”
“Well…”
“And if she wants to play like that, then she’d better do it on her own time.”
“I know. I think she got the message. And besides, Mom is talking to her as we speak. So there’s that to contend with. But thanks for your concern,” Kit whispered, toying with the little umbrella; she chuckled then. “Remember Florida?” She twirled the umbrella between her thumb and forefinger.
Roz laughed. “That was a great weekend, but the weather sucked.”
“It wasn’t so bad. Just the one day.”
“And we got stuck right in the middle of it,” Roz said. “Never been that close to lightning before.”
Kit laughed and sat back. “It was close.” She looked at Bess, who sniffed loudly. “What’s the matter?”
“This is just so familiar. It’s like old times when we’d go out and laugh till one of us wet their pants…”
“Usually, it was you,” Roz said affectionately.
Bess laughed and picked up a cocktail napkin, dabbing under her eyes. “Why do I wear makeup?”
“I have no idea,” Roz said. “You should do as Kit does and let your natural beauty come through.” She smiled, then realized what she said.
Kit could feel the color rush to her face. She remembered all the conversations between them about hiding behind mascara and all the rest. In the end, Kit wore less and less and felt even better without it.
“You were a big bully about my makeup,” Kit said.
“Only because you were hiding how pretty you were,” Roz said.
“That was a sweet thing to say,” Kit said, twirling the umbrella. “I’ve forgotten how full of shit you can be.”
Roz laughed then. “You always knew me.”
“I thought I did,” Kit said softly.
Roz reached across and ran her fingers across the back of Kit’s hand. “You do. You put up with a lot of crap from me.”
“Not really,” Kit said simply. She then smiled. “I know how to get around you.”
Roz laughed again. “That you do. It’s annoying.”
“Still?” Kit said teasingly.
“Even more so now.” Roz patted her hand. “You’re like your mother.”
“Now that was just plain uncalled for.”
Bess could have been invisible. She finished her drink. “I can’t believe you two are flirting with each other like kids. Well, I’ll leave you two to reminisce. I have to get these shoes off before they become a permanent part of my foot. I may call down for a shoehorn or a jackhammer.” She slipped off the barstool easier than she thought. “What time is dinner? Helen already told us there’s something going on…”
“What?” Kit asked.
Roz frowned. “That woman is a blabbermouth.”
“What have you planned?” Kit asked. “Tell me. You know I have ways…”
“See?” Roz said with a sigh. “You’re turning into Helen as we speak. Fine. Cocktails at six and—”
They all jumped when the dining room door nearly swung off its hinges. There stood Helen, or someone who looked like Helen. She had one hand on the doorjamb, the other holding the door open while she swayed precariously. Wild-eyed and grinning, she wore a pink jumpsuit, goggles around her neck, her stone-white hair looked like she’d been through a wind tunnel.
“I can’t believe it!” she exclaimed in an uncharacteristically loud voice. Right behind her was Dale, who looked petrified. “Dale was right! What a rush.”
Kit’s mouth dropped. “What did you do to my mother?”
Dale held her hands up. “Nothing. Nothing. She’s perfectly fine. She’s still on the adrenaline high, that’s all. I promise you. I couldn’t get her out of the jumpsuit, though. She wanted to come back right away…” Dale laughed and scratched her head. “She adrenaline-babbled all the way here.”
Helen walked up to them, still grinning, still wild-eyed, and still loud. “It was magnificent. I was magnificent! The world is magnificent!”
“She’s the best student ever,” Dale said. “No offense, Kit. But she’s a natural.” Dale laughed nervously, glancing at everyone as she put her arm around Helen. “Now, Mrs. W., calm down now before they think I’ve damaged you.”
“I’m paying you,” Helen said loudly as if her ears were plugged.
“You are not. It’s on me,” Dale said. “And remember how I told you to pop your ears.”
Kit shook her head, not knowing what to say. Roz laughed and opened a beer for Dale and offered it to her.
“Thanks,” Dale said.
“Thanks for not killing my mother-in-law,” Roz said seriously. She leaned forward. “But I’d like to kick your ass for what you did to my wife.”
Dale swallowed and held up her hands. “I’m sorry about that. I apologized.”
Kit’s head shot in Roz’s direction when she heard the “my wife” comment.
Helen giggled like a child. “I was petrified and exhilarated all at once. It was like flying. What am I saying? I was flying,” she said, still loudly and looked at Kit. “I was flying.”
“Calm down, Peter Pan.”
“Never have I felt such, such...I think I want sex!”
Kit grimaced. “Aw, man.”
Roz winced, as well. “That’s just wrong.”
“Good for you!” Bess let out another belly laugh and hugged Helen. “Come and sit down before you collapse. And we’ll talk of flying and sex.”
They all sat at the closest table. All of them fawning over Helen, making sure she was all right. She laughed and giggled.
“Mom, calm down.”
“Okay,” Helen said with a happy sigh. She looked at Dale. “Thank you.”
“Well, considering what I did to Kit, you’re welcome.” Dale reached across the table and took Kit’s hand. “I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry I hit you.”
Dale gently rapped her knuckles on the side of her head. “Hard as a rock. No problem. I
kinda
deserved it. So we’re even.”
Kit gave Dale’s hand a reassuring squeeze and noticed Roz watching them. Roz walked over and opened the French doors leading out to the patio.
“It’s warmed up a bit. Can I get anyone anything?”
“I need to calm down first,” Helen said with a laugh. She tried to run her fingers through her hair. “How about some gin? Just kidding, water is fine.”
Roz nodded and headed back to the bar.
“Well, if you gals don’t mind, I need to go back and get my gear. I borrowed Sandy’s car to get home. Helen and I left in a hurry,” she said and winked at Helen. “I’ll be back later.”
Kit was still stunned as she watched Dale leave. She turned to her mother. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Never better,” Helen said. “I definitely underestimated that child.”
“So you’re changing your opinion…?” Bess looked horrified.
“Oh, good Lord, no. Kit still doesn’t belong with her,” Helen said. “But she’s a good girl. And I emphasize girl.”
“I know. I hear you,” Kit said, finishing her drink.
“What have you got there?”
“A
mai
tai. And no, you cannot have one until you eat.”
“Hey. I just jumped out of a plane,” Helen said indignantly. “And so did you.”
“Yeah, we did,” Kit said proudly.
“Although I was not screaming like an eight-year-old.”
“Mother…”
Helen held her hands up. “All right. I’m just saying.”
Roz came back and set the glass of water down. “Well, you crazy
Westons
enjoy…”
“Sit,” Helen ordered.
Roz glanced at Kit; she knew that tone from Helen and sat down.
“Mother—”
Helen raised her hand. “I’ll do the talking for now, thank you.” She took a drink of water before continuing, “I think today’s aerial event had an impact on all of us. Roz, I saw the way you looked at Kit when we left. You’re not very good at hiding your feelings, kiddo. I saw the concern and the worry.”
“I just told Kit,” Roz said, almost in defense.
“Did you? Good.” Helen looked at Kit. “And you? What went through your mind as you were screaming, literally, toward earth like a meteor? Besides wanting to murder Dale?”
Kit looked at her glass for a moment. “I thought of both of you,” she said in a small voice.
“And?” Helen gently prodded.
“And I thought of all the time we’ve shared together as a family.”
Bess reached over and took her hand. “I think of them, too.”
It broke Roz’s heart when she heard the crack in Kit’s voice. She wanted to reach over and take her hand, hating that she was unsure.
“I thought of something similar to that, as well,” Helen said wistfully. “Though I had a little more time in the air to think than you did.”