Read Online Ciao by Melody Carlson - Free Book Online

…” Helen sets the pen on her desk. “I suppose I should’ve considered this possibility before. It just seemed so handy, and rather sweet—a mother and her daughters doing a show together. But maybe it’s unrealistic.” She laughs uneasily. “Or maybe it’s just an entirely different reality show.”
    Mom looks at me. “So did it feel awkward like this to you in the Bahamas?” She turns to Paige. “Or to you?”
    “No,” I tell her. “I thought you did a great job of jumping into Fran’s role.”
    “I did too,” Paige admits. “But it’s like you’ve changed since then … like you’ve got some kind of ownership thinggoing on. I’m not sure if it’s because we’re your daughters or you’re just taking the responsibility of producing and directing too seriously.”
    Mom frowns. “Well, producing the news was always rather serious.”
    “And perhaps you’re unable to take the news hat off,” Helen tells her. “Not everyone can do reality TV, Brynn. Take it from me, I know from experience. You’re either cut out for it or you’re not.”
    Mom sighs. “Well, I’m not sure. I did enjoy working with the girls in the Bahamas. And I’d like another chance to prove myself.” She stands and faces Paige. “But I’ll understand if you’d rather have someone else.”
    “Oh, Mom.” Paige looks like she’s about to cry. “I would like you to come. It’s just that I don’t want you to take over.”
    “I know.” Mom nods. “And I think I can learn how to keep my mouth shut.”
    “Unless you see us doing something really crazy,” I tell her.
    “Fran always knew when to reel us back,” Paige says. “But she did it gently and professionally.”
    “Right.” Mom nods.
    “And not because we were embarrassing her either,” Paige adds.
    “Well, you don’t want to embarrass yourselves, do you?”
    Suddenly Paige and Mom are starting to go at it again, so I hold up my hands. “I know this meeting needs to end at ten,” I say more to Helen than anyone.
    “That’s right.” Helen nods to the clock on the wall.
    “And this afternoon is Fran’s transplant, so I thought maybe we could give her a minute or so of our thoughts and prayers. Is that okay, Helen?”
    “It’s perfect. Let’s do it.”
    And so the room gets quiet again, but this time it’s not a harsh sort of silence. I can tell that everyone’s changed focus now. I pray silently and after a couple of minutes, Helen actually says, “amen.”
    Helen stands, gathers some things from her desk, and slips them into her briefcase. “I’m going to let you ladies sort this out. Just let me know if we need to track down another director. And, if so, I want to know by four o’clock sharp. Good day!” With that, she is gone.
    “So …” Paige purses her lips like she’s thinking.
    “So … I think you girls should make the decision without me.” Mom picks up her purse. “All I have to say is that
if
you decide you want me to come, I will try to direct the show the way I think Fran would. I can’t promise that it’ll go perfectly smoothly, but I promise I’ll try to be less of a mother and more of a coworker.” She slips out of the room.
    Then it’s just Paige and me, still sitting in Helen’s executive office. “So,” I begin, “what do
you
want to do?”
    “You’re going to make me decide?” Paige scowls. “So I can be the bad guy?”
    “No, I’m not trying to put it all on you. I just think we need to discuss this.”
    “It’s such a mess,” she grumbles.
    “I know … and I feel sad for Mom.”
    “Me too.” Paige sighs as she sits back down.
    “What do we do?”
    Her mouth twists to one side, like she’s thinking hard.
    Suddenly I’m curious. “Also, I want to know if you have a specific plan for Eliza. I mean, you wouldn’t do anything seriously messed up, would you?”
    “Of course not.” And yet her smile is mischievous. “I mean you wouldn’t embarrass yourself or the show, would