night of Merry's accident. She was distracted the rest of the evening. And she was winning at Clue.”
“I wish I could help, but I'd be in over my head.” Raney reached out and took my hand.
“Jeez, me too. I haven't a clue what to do next.”
“Do you think Em's psychic?”
“I don't know. Maybe. Whip doesn't remember anything like this happening before. Bette and the Colonel don't either. Alex has said Em acts weird sometimes. I thought he was making up stories. Now I don't think so.”
Raney waved for the check. It was her turn to treat.
“I don't know how to help both her and Merry. They need such different things.”
“They both need shrinks?”
“Merry does definitely. Haven't the foggiest idea of what kind of shrink Em might need.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I can't call the American Psychiatric Association and ask for a New Age shrink who specializes in psychic teens and just happens to live in or around Richmond.”
“Why not? You never know who might surface.”
“I'll sound like an idiot.”
“Do you care?”
“I don't give a rat's patoot. I'll try.”
It didn't much matter if I sounded like an idiot or not. If I could find someone to work with Emilie, that would take half the problem off my shoulders.
“You have too much to handle. Just take baby steps. No ‘but firsts.’”
“‘But firsts’?”
“You know, I need to clean the kitchen, but first I have to reread War and Peace.”
“Okay, no ‘but firsts.’”
We gathered our handbags and pushed away from the table.
We nodded to Gustavo's maître d' , assured him dinner was excellent as always and walked out onto the sidewalk where the Friday crowds were queuing up at the hot restaurants.
“I'm coming back next month with Em. Maybe a break and distance from her mother will help.”
“Be here on the twenty-sixth. I'll get tickets to Yo-Yo Ma at the Lincoln Center.”
“Isn't it sold out?”
“Not if you know the right people.” Raney was on the board at the Lincoln Center.
“That would be wonderful. Em'd love it. I'll bring Alex another time. Plan something a boy would enjoy.”
The spring night air was soft and warm. We stopped in front of Raney's building to hug our goodbyes.
“You know, Max, Merry may never come around. She may never be like she was.”
I shuddered. I didn't want to think what the most negative outcome could be.
“Remember what Eleanor told you when you left the day of Merry's accident?” Raney kept her hands on my shoulders.
“You mean, about my doo-wop? Because I didn't get it right with Merry the first time around, I have a chance to get it right with Alex and Em?”
“Merry thinks you didn't get it right. Make the most of every day with her and with the kids.”
“I know. I know.”
Raney shook me slightly. “Don't blow it.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I had no sooner landed in Richmond than my phone buzzed. Caller ID showed Darla's number.
“Hey, lady. I just got in.”
“Welcome back, I think.”
“You think? What's happened?”
This didn't sound good, but I'd heard so much from Emilie over the past couple of days I was prepared for almost anything.
“Can you come by my house? I just made some iced tea, and Em and Molly are at the movies.”
“As soon as I can get through traffic.”
I worried my way around Richmond and into Darla's suburb. She met me at the door, a strained look on her face.
“Wait'll I tell you about lunch with Merry yesterday.”
“She went out?”
If that were true, it would be the first time my daughter went to something other than a doctor's appointment or a therapy session with me driving.
“Not hardly. I took lunch to the house. We sat out on the patio like we used to.”
“Let me guess. Nothing you hoped for.”
“Not even close.”
Darla and Merry were alone for the first time since the night of the accident. Darla served lunch and settled down to eat. That is, Darla ate; Merry barely picked at the chicken salad.
“It
“I wish I could help, but I'd be in over my head.” Raney reached out and took my hand.
“Jeez, me too. I haven't a clue what to do next.”
“Do you think Em's psychic?”
“I don't know. Maybe. Whip doesn't remember anything like this happening before. Bette and the Colonel don't either. Alex has said Em acts weird sometimes. I thought he was making up stories. Now I don't think so.”
Raney waved for the check. It was her turn to treat.
“I don't know how to help both her and Merry. They need such different things.”
“They both need shrinks?”
“Merry does definitely. Haven't the foggiest idea of what kind of shrink Em might need.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I can't call the American Psychiatric Association and ask for a New Age shrink who specializes in psychic teens and just happens to live in or around Richmond.”
“Why not? You never know who might surface.”
“I'll sound like an idiot.”
“Do you care?”
“I don't give a rat's patoot. I'll try.”
It didn't much matter if I sounded like an idiot or not. If I could find someone to work with Emilie, that would take half the problem off my shoulders.
“You have too much to handle. Just take baby steps. No ‘but firsts.’”
“‘But firsts’?”
“You know, I need to clean the kitchen, but first I have to reread War and Peace.”
“Okay, no ‘but firsts.’”
We gathered our handbags and pushed away from the table.
We nodded to Gustavo's maître d' , assured him dinner was excellent as always and walked out onto the sidewalk where the Friday crowds were queuing up at the hot restaurants.
“I'm coming back next month with Em. Maybe a break and distance from her mother will help.”
“Be here on the twenty-sixth. I'll get tickets to Yo-Yo Ma at the Lincoln Center.”
“Isn't it sold out?”
“Not if you know the right people.” Raney was on the board at the Lincoln Center.
“That would be wonderful. Em'd love it. I'll bring Alex another time. Plan something a boy would enjoy.”
The spring night air was soft and warm. We stopped in front of Raney's building to hug our goodbyes.
“You know, Max, Merry may never come around. She may never be like she was.”
I shuddered. I didn't want to think what the most negative outcome could be.
“Remember what Eleanor told you when you left the day of Merry's accident?” Raney kept her hands on my shoulders.
“You mean, about my doo-wop? Because I didn't get it right with Merry the first time around, I have a chance to get it right with Alex and Em?”
“Merry thinks you didn't get it right. Make the most of every day with her and with the kids.”
“I know. I know.”
Raney shook me slightly. “Don't blow it.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I had no sooner landed in Richmond than my phone buzzed. Caller ID showed Darla's number.
“Hey, lady. I just got in.”
“Welcome back, I think.”
“You think? What's happened?”
This didn't sound good, but I'd heard so much from Emilie over the past couple of days I was prepared for almost anything.
“Can you come by my house? I just made some iced tea, and Em and Molly are at the movies.”
“As soon as I can get through traffic.”
I worried my way around Richmond and into Darla's suburb. She met me at the door, a strained look on her face.
“Wait'll I tell you about lunch with Merry yesterday.”
“She went out?”
If that were true, it would be the first time my daughter went to something other than a doctor's appointment or a therapy session with me driving.
“Not hardly. I took lunch to the house. We sat out on the patio like we used to.”
“Let me guess. Nothing you hoped for.”
“Not even close.”
Darla and Merry were alone for the first time since the night of the accident. Darla served lunch and settled down to eat. That is, Darla ate; Merry barely picked at the chicken salad.
“It
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