things to grow naturally,” Joe says. “Let nature takes its course.”
“Are you talking about relationships or farming?”
“Both.” Joe takes off his hat and his hair flops into his face, just grazing his cheekbone. With a dirty hand, Joe tucks his hair behind his ear.
It’s not that he is good-looking, I think. It’s that he’s earthy. Sensual.
Joe says, “I’d like to take you out. Someday. One day. Soon.”
“You let me know,” I tell him.
“I will.” Joe smiles and heads for the door. “Good night.”
“Good night.”
Women
After a particularly tiring Thursday, I park Sally in front of Mom’s townhouse. Looking at Sally’s clock, I see that it is only 11:30 P.M. It feels like 3 A.M.
“Mimi?” Following Mom’s voice, I go into the den.
Sitting on the couch are my mother and a man. I stare at the man. “Who are you?”
“Mimi, this is Sid Weiss. Dr. Sid Weiss.”
“Just Sid,” he says. “It’s nice to meet you.” Sid stands and extends his hand. He’s shorter than my father, and a lot grayer. Dr. Sid is wearing olive-colored pants and a white, short-sleeved polo shirt. He speaks in a quiet, educated voice.
I shake his hand. Then we stare at each other.
“Mimi, Sid is the man I told you about? We went to the Phillies game?” She’s nervous, turning all her statements into questions. “We’ve been spending quite a lot of time together the past few weeks?”
“Great.”
Mom waves at a vase. “Sid bought me flowers, see? Aren’t they beautiful?”
“Yes.”
“Tulips?” Mom squeaks. “My favorite?”
Sid clears his throat. “Your mom says that you are in the restaurant business.”
“Yes, I’m working at my father’s restaurant. He’s—” I stop.
Mom raises her eyebrows. “Sid knows your father died.”
“Right.” I rub my eyes. “I’m tired.”
Sid stands. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to use the restroom.”
Sid walks straight to the bathroom without asking for direction. Has Sid been here before? While I’ve been at the restaurant?
Mom comes toward me and whispers, “I waited until you got home so I could tell you in person that I’m spending the night at Sid’s. I didn’t want to just leave you a note.”
I stare at my mother.
She stares back at me. “You said you wanted to know where I am at all times.”
“I just changed my mind.”
“Mimi.”
“Mommy.”
“What can I say,” Mom says, “to make you okay with this?”
She’s not volunteering to stay home. What Mom is saying is that she’s going, and she’d like to help me deal with it. But she’s still going.
There’s nothing Mom can say to make me okay with her spending the night with a man who isn’t my father. I didn’t want to know about Mom having sex with Dad. I surely don’t want to know about her having sex with another man.
“Mom, you go do whatever you want to do. I’ll be fine. We don’t have to talk about it. Let’s not get Oedipal. Anyway, Oedipus was a man. I’m a woman.”
“So am I, Mimi. So am I.”
Family Business, Part Two
“The love of your life is sitting at the counter,” Christopher von Hecht tells me.
“Who?” I peer out the kitchen window and see Aaron Schein.
“Chrissie, please.” But Aaron looks particularly cute this evening. He’s smiling.
Christopher leans over my shoulder. “He asked to see you.”
Aaron smiles even wider when I come out of the kitchen. You know what? It’s nice to be wanted.
“I just ordered dinner,” Aaron tells me. “Will you join me?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Oh.” Aaron’s smile fades.
“But I’ll sit with you while you eat.”
“Yeah?” The smile returns. “Good.” He pats the stool next to him. When I sit on the stool, next to Aaron, I catch a whiff of his cologne. Normally I don’t like cologne on men. But it’s something light and summery and it smells good on Aaron.
“Guess what?” he says.
“What?”
“I made a big deal today.” Aaron shakes his head as if he’s somewhat amazed at his success. “Can I tell you about it?”
“Sure.” I expect him to chronicle the saga of the next great SHRED shopping center. Instead Aaron talks about residential development. Interrupting, I say, “I thought SHRED did commercial real estate development.”
Aaron nods. “My father specializes in commercial. I’ve never been very interested in commercial properties. There’s not a lot of room for creativity. As evidenced by almost every suburban shopping center. I worked on the commercial stuff to gain Dad’s trust so he’d give me the freedom to branch into residential. Which is what happened today.”
“The deal you made was with your father?”
“Yeah. It was just a handshake. But it was the biggest