poured in the boiling water, swilled it around then emptied it down the drain.
Jen’s pale brows gathered with consternation. “What are you doing?”
“Warming the pot. It makes the tea taste better,” I explained.
“You’re so full of shit,” Dan joked, grinning at me. I must have looked aghast, because he added, “Just kidding.”
I raised my eyebrows in mock surprise, secretly enjoying his cheekiness. “Excuse me, young man, but you shouldn’t speak to your elders that way.” His intimacy was unnerving, yet charismatic at the same time. He had the same sort of confidence as Juan. Not taking “no” for an answer. Cocky. Self-assured. California boy. I couldn’t help but be as charmed as I was disarmed.
“Speaking of elders, how old are you, anyway?’ Dan asked.
I feigned an expression of shock. “Another thing a man should never ask a woman. A man should never ask a woman her age. It’s bad manners. Did your mother never teach you any manners?”
The triplets all went silent and looked at each other, their radiant smiles instantly wiped out. Their delight smeared right off their faces because of what I’d said. Something very hurtful, obviously. Oops. Kate looked as if she was about to burst out crying.
“Just joking,” I assured them, shoveling myself out of my grave. I didn’t want them to leave, however inquisitive or cocky they were. “I didn’t mean it, I’m sure your mum is a wonderful person. I was just joking.”
“It’s because of our mom we had to sell this house,” Dan said solemnly.
I concentrated on reaching for a new tin of Harrods Earl Grey from the cupboard. “Oh.”
“She has lung cancer,” Kate said, in a monotone. “That’s why we had to sell. We needed the money to pay for her treatment. Her medical insurance didn’t even scratch the surface. It’s been real tough.”
My heart jumped right into my stomach. Why hadn’t Juan known about this when he bought the house from them? “How awful,” I said. “Where is she now?”
“In this special treatment center in Switzerland. She’s stage four. It’s real bad.”
“How awful,” I repeated dumbly. “So where are you all living now while she’s away in Switzerland? You’re in college, I assume?”
“We had to drop out,” Jen said. “One more year to go, but there was no way. I mean, it wasn’t just the fees; none of us could concentrate on our studies. I’m a musicology major, Kate and Dan chemistry majors. A shitload of studying. We got real behind. Taking a year off was, like, the smartest thing to do—till things get better.”
Kate was playing with her hair, twisting it around her fingers. Nervous. Terrified. A tear ran down her cheek. “If things get better,” she said in a trembly voice.
“Where are you all living?” I asked.
“On couches, with friends.”
“What? You don’t even have a home?” My heart pinched. These poor things without their mum, no real place to go, it was simply awful. I felt an instant need to help them somehow.
Dan cleared his throat, looked at the others again then spoke. “We’d do anything to have a real home again. We were in school when Mom got diagnosed. First she was in the hospital then she moved to an apartment, after she sold this house. There was no point getting something for all four of us, us being away at college and stuff, and besides, you know what rent costs around here? This is Big Sur, man, it’s freakishly expensive. Then Mom had to go to Switzerland. We wanted to go, too, to be near her, but it’s even more crazy expensive there—she’s near Zurich—like impossible, unless you’re a Swiss banker or something. So we got jobs round here.”
I so ached for them all, being flung into such a hopeless situation, that I found myself awkwardly changing the subject. “You waited on my table the other day, didn’t you?” I asked Dan. “The corner restaurant in Carmel?”
“Yeah, I work there. But I don’t remember seeing you before today.”
What Dan said didn’t surprise me. My face is the forgettable kind. I’ve always been a wallflower, a listener, a blending-in-the-background type. Still, his comment chipped another little chink off my shoulder.
“You want to see a photo of our mom?” Jen said brightly. “I carry it with me everywhere. Brings me good luck.” She grabbed her jacket from the pile on the chair and pulled out a faded green wallet, opened it up and showed me a dog-eared photo—one from a photo booth—of a beautiful blonde. Laughing. Carefree. Head tilted