Relative Happiness (8 page)

She carried a tray full of teacups back into the dining room. Beth and Lexie looked at each other.

“She's pretending.”

“I'm not so sure,” Beth said. “Do you really think she'd be so calm if she knew?”

Adrian was quiet on the drive home. It got on her nerves.

She gripped the steering wheel. “So, what did you think of the entire family?”

“Everyone was lovely.”

That's all he said. She hated when he was quiet.

“I told you my sisters were good looking.”

She waited for him to say “not as good-looking as you.”

“Yes, they are. They're lovely.” He stared out the side window. That was twice he used the word lovely. Lexie kept her mouth shut the rest of the way home.

They walked in the house. Adrian went to bed, after thanking her for a lovely evening.

Gabby called the next day. Twice in the same week was unusual. She sounded chipper.

“Hi Lex.”

“Hi.”

“What are you doing?”

“Talking to you.”

“What's on for tonight? Do you and Adrian have plans?”

Lexie knew the magic name would crop up.

“No.”

“Right, right. Tell me. Exactly what is this relationship of yours with Adrian?”

“He's my roommate.”

“Is that it?”

“Look, why do you ask me stupid questions? Don't you have anything better to do, like spend time with Dick?”

“His name is Richard.”

“Richard then. Isn't he the one you're in love with this week?”

Gabby hung up. That was twice now.

“Hello?”

“Adrian?”

“Yes.”

“It's Gabby.”

He knew it was as soon as she said hello.

“Gabby. It's lovely to hear your voice.”

“Is it?”

There was a long pause.

“Yes.”

“Will you meet me?”

“Where?”

She gave him the address.

“I'll be there.”

“I'll be waiting.”

She opened the door and held her breath. He closed the door, stood and looked at her. He put out his hand. She took it. He put out his other hand. She took that. He pulled her slowly towards him. He pulled her until she stood toe to toe with him, their hands entwined down by their sides.

He touched her cheek with his own, tenderly. He moved his head slightly up and down and then back and forth. Just like that. They stood just like that for an endless moment.

His mouth was open. He brushed his lips on her face with the slightest touch, over and over until he reached her lips. When that happened, they forgot everything.

At rehearsal Adrian missed four cues. Donalda was annoyed. “What's going on with him?”

“Take a pill for God's sake. He's fine. Anyone can forget a line.”

Donalda put her hands on her hips. “He forgot his character's name.”

“It's true, Lexie,” Susie nodded. “He seems different. Not his usual happy self.”

“Adrian might pretend to be happy in front of you but he's often quiet by himself. He doesn't feel the need to run off at the mouth, like some.” Lexie looked at Donalda.

“I'd be in a foul mood too, if I had to live with you.”

“Oh shut up, the both of you,” Susan pleaded. “You drive me crazy.”

Lexie went to her mom's a few days later to copy out her recipe for chocolate cake.

Her mom peeled carrots by the sink. “Lexie, have you spoken to your sister recently?”

She grabbed a carrot and took a bite. “Which one? Why don't you ever say their name? I have three of them. I can't read your mind.”

“You got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning. That's not peeled by the way.”

She shrugged.

Her mother looked at her. “Are you okay, honey? You seem kind of down.”

She pouted. “I don't know.”

“Someone needs a hug.” Her mom reached over and gave her a big one. It felt good.

“I'm all right. Which sister?”

“Gabby.”

Of course. “Yeah. She called the other day and hung up on me.”

Mom talked to the carrots. “She hung up on you? Why did she do that? Did you say something to her?”

“Yes, I did. She bugged me about Adrian.” She leaned over her mother. “Pass me that glass…stupid carrot.”

She did. “Who's Adrian?”

Lexie coughed. “Mother. You only met him the other night.”

“Oh, your weird friend, yes, of course.”

She pushed the water button on the fridge and filled her glass. “He's not weird, Mom.”

“I'm sure he isn't, dear, but he wasn't very animated.”

She drank her water. “No, I guess not. He wasn't his usual self. We probably scared him to death.”

“No doubt. Only, I was supposed to pick Gabby up for lunch yesterday. She had three days off, but she wasn't at Karen's. She never called to cancel.” Her mother stopped peeling and looked out the window. “I don't know. It isn't like her, not to let me know.”

“She isn't like anyone.”

Since Gabby worked for an airline, she met most of her high flyers catering to businessmen in first class. She was gone most of the time. The family never knew her schedule. She flew all over the world and could have lived anywhere. She shared an apartment in Toronto with three co-workers because it was convenient for international flights. When she flew into Sydney, she stayed with her parents or Karen, a pal from high school.

Because everyone said Gabby should have gone to Hollywood, Lexie and her sisters basked in second-hand glory. Lexie got a kick out of people when they'd do a double take as she walked by. The woman herself never noticed. But on Lexie's crabbier days, it ticked her off that people held doors open for her sister but not for her.

Their worst moment together was when they walked down the street one day after school. A gang of teenage boys spotted Gabby and started to drool. One of them shouted, “Look, its Beauty and the Beast.” Lexie's cheeks went blood red. She was so humiliated. As they walked by, Gabby put her arm around her. She tilted her head and whispered, “I hate it when boys call me the Beast.”

Lexie presented Adrian with a big piece of cake after supper. He looked up and smiled.

“You spoil me.”

She sat down with a piece for herself. “That's okay. I like to spoil people.” She took a bite. It was good.

“You do too much for everyone. Why don't you save some kindness for yourself?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you never give yourself credit for anything. You give and never take. Most people are selfish, Lexie.”

“I like to do things for people I…like.”

He stabbed his cake with a fork. “I don't deserve someone like you. I've always been selfish.”

“Adrian, you're so kind. Why do you say you're selfish?”

He put his fork down. “I think of myself first.”

“There's nothing wrong with that.”

“You don't.” His hand went through his hair. She loved that. She wanted to reach out and do it too.

“Sure I do. You said you wanted mashed potatoes last night. I was too lazy and threw on French fries.”

“Oh, Lexie, that's not what I mean.”

“Well, what then?”

“You took in a stranger you didn't know. You treat me better than I deserve and yet you expect nothing in return.”

She held up her finger and pointed at the ceiling. “As Mark Twain once said, ‘Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest.”

He looked miserable. She lowered her arm and said gently, “You're my friend, Adrian. How else should I treat you?”

“I'm so glad you're my friend, Lexie.” He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “Always remember that. I love you for what you've done for me. You opened your heart and let me in. I never deserved it.”

It was hard to focus on anything except the way his skin felt against hers. “Of course you did.”

“I'll never forget this. Never. You are the one memory I'll cherish forever.”

She cleared her throat and took her hand away. “Adrian, just have your cake. And eat it too.”

A week went by. Lexie was preoccupied. Everyone said so at the library.

“What's wrong with that one?” she heard Marlene gripe. Marlene was a big mouth. She cracked gum all day and passed judgement on everyone she came across. Lexie couldn't begin to imagine how she ever got her job. Her vocabulary was atrocious and her people skills were even worse. Lexie's best guess was that she was related to the head librarian. She just never had the guts to ask.

But Lexie sure didn't need her shit today. She ignored Marlene for as long as possible, but she kept it up.

“You've got a face like a poker. What's your problem? Can't get a man?”

“Fuck off.”

The two little boys who sat at a table nearby dissolved into snorts. The head librarian resorted to her famous “SHHHHHHH,” but it was a lost cause. She'd made their day.

Lexie left work early, pleading a migraine. She wanted to make Adrian his favourite supper. He loved beef stew and he needed something to put meat on his bones. She wondered if he was coming down with something. He swore he wasn't, but she knew better. He didn't even tease Sophie, even after she purposely walked on him as he lay on the floor reading.

She stopped by the local corner store on her way home from work. The little bell tinkled when she pushed the door open. There was Lester, behind the counter. He was always behind the counter. He lived there.

He smiled his toothy grin. “Hey girlie, how's my best customer?”

She was his best customer. With the amount of chocolate she'd purchased over the years, he could have retired and moved to Florida years ago. “Hi Lester. Are ya being good?” He loved it when she said that.

His shoulders moved up and down as he laughed without making a sound. She'd never known anyone who could do that. His eyes would crinkle; his face would light up. His head and shoulders would shake frantically, but he never made a peep.

“I'm good girl, good. Are you getting a little somethin' for Sophie?”

Her cat was famous. She nodded.

“I hear tell them fellas over at the pier landed a six-hundred-pound tuna today. Might keep her going for a day or two.” His shoulders moved up and down so quickly they were a blur.

“Oh Lester, what would I do without you?”

“Well girlie,” he wiped his eyes, “I'm afraid I'm spoken for.”

Lester had two widows fighting for his affection. They kept him well supplied with hot tea biscuits, oatcakes and mincemeat tarts.