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“No. No clue,” I said.
“Have you thought…”
“What?” I pressed.
“About seeing someone? A therapist, I mean.”
“We don’t talk to therapists.”
“Maybe we should,” she said. “Maybe a therapist will help you work through the things you’re still holding on to.”
“And what about you?” I asked. “Are you going to see a therapist to help you work through things you’re still holding on to?”
“I’m thinking about it,” she said. “Even though the idea of unveiling my private issues to a stranger without a vodka gimlet in hand is borderline terrifying.”
“Maybe we should do the terrifying things, Mom.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for that level of self-awareness.” She chuckled.
“Has Arnold returned any of your calls?” I asked.
“No. I thought for sure he’d attempt contact by now, but it’s been silent.”
“Do you think he left town?”
“It’s possible. Who knows, though. It will make trying to serve him divorce papers more difficult if I can’t find him. But right now, I’m so angry that if I see him, I’m liable to do something completely out of character.”
The front door burst open, and I heard the clack of high heels on the wooden floor before Charlie appeared in the living room. She glared at me in anger.
“Mom, I gotta go,” I said suddenly. “Charlie just showed up. And she looks pissed.”
“She probably saw the marriage announcement,” Mom said.
“What marriage announcement?” I asked.
“Bye, darling. I’ll be in touch when I have news about the restaurant.”
She hung up and I set my phone aside. “Hey, Charlie.”
“Hey, Charlie?” she snapped. She marched around to the couch and waved her phone in my face. “Why am I reading about your marriage announcement after the fact?”
“Charlie, none of this was planned,” I said simply. “And for your information, I had no idea my mother was going to put out a public announcement about my marriage.”
“You got married without me and didn’t even have the decency to let me know? I was supposed to be your maid of honor.”
I looked her up and down and couldn’t fight the smile. She was wearing a man’s white button-down shirt that was cinched at the waist with a tie—and a pair of black heels. “Maid of honor? Or maid of dishonor?”
Her eyes bugged out of her head. “You’re not seriously cracking jokes at my appearance right now.”
I patted the couch. “Sit. And I’ll explain everything. And then you’re going to explain why you’re dressed the way you’re dressed. And before you continue ranting, you should know that Bones called you last night and left a message.”
She sighed. “I dropped my phone. Again. I had to get a new one this morning.”
“Well, that explains the radio silence,” I said. “And I won’t hold it against you that you didn’t visit me in the hospital last night.”
“Hospital?”
“Sit down, Charlie.”
