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Authors: Jennifer Ziegler
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strong—even if she didn’t feel it. That would calm her mother better than any hug.
She glanced back at the screen, searching for the most uplifting detail she could find. “There’s a duplex on Briar Street. It’s only one bedroom, but we’ve got that sleeper sofa.”
Her mother turned just enough to shoot her a pained expression. “Please don’t tell me it’s come to that.”
“No, no. There are other postings. I mean … not right now. But people put up new posts every day.”
“I just can’t do a sleeper sofa every night. Not at my age.” Her mom shook her head over and over and over.
“
I
could sleep on it,” Gabby suggested.
“And I sleep with Daphne?”
“Or maybe we could set up your bed in the living room and get rid of the couch?”
“God, that sounds so pathetic,” her mom said, massaging her forehead with her fingertips. She slumped onto the stool in front of her vanity and faced herself in the mirror.
“It’s just for a little while,” Gabby said, rising to her feet. She walked over and stood behind her mom. “I’m sure we could do it.”
Her mom’s reflection shot her a wry smile. “By ‘we’ you mean me and you, right? My god, can you imagine your sister’s reaction?” she asked, chuckling. “She’d disown us.”
“Hey. Another plus.”
“Be nice, now.”
Gabby shrugged. “I’m just saying, more room for us. That’s all.”
“Where is Daphne, anyway?”
“Not here helping, that’s for sure. Probably off somewhere moping. Or daydreaming over her latest guy obsession.”
“What am I going to do with that girl?” her mom muttered. “I have this horrible feeling she’s going to end up making the same mistakes I made.”
“Like what?” Gabby asked, knowing she needed to let her mom vent the way Mule did for her. Meanwhile, she moved to the dresser, picking up and putting down displayed keepsakes as if she were browsing in a gift shop. Framed school portraits of her and her sister. A green ceramic box where her mom stored her earrings. A sculpture Gabby had made in second grade of what was supposed to be a peacock but instead resembled an emaciated turkey.
It was a lame attempt to appear calm when, in fact, her insides felt heavy and twisted, just like the grade-school art in her hand. She knew exactly what her mother was going to say.
“Making a man my whole life.”
Gabby had listened to this lament many times, and it never failed to brew up a frothy mix of emotions. On the one hand, she was proud that her mom thought her mature enough to confide in, treating Gabby as if she were an equal. But it also made her feel a little insecure. She wished her mother would stop blaming herself for putting too much faith in her marriage, especially since she wasn’t the one who had given up on it.
Plus, there was still a side of Gabby that hated hearing it. The marriage couldn’t have been
all
bad. After all, Gabby and Daphne had come out of it. So did their mother regret having them, too?
Gabby set down the deformed peacock and walked up behind her mother, resting her hands on her shoulders. “It’ll be okay,” she said, staring at her mom’s image in the mirror. Her face looked as if it had cracked from too much pressure, creating stern fissures on her brow and around her mouth. Her mom seemed literally broken. Gabby had to protect her.
“And don’t waste time worrying about Daphne,” Gabby added. “You know she’ll be fine. The girl can bounce back from anything.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“We’ll find a place to move into. You’ll see. Tomorrow they’ll have new ads online, I’ll be able to ask Pinkwater for a raise, and Daphne will get that hostess job. It’ll all work out.”
Gabby’s mom reached up and patted her left hand. “Thanks, sweetie. I’m so glad you’re sensible. Promise me you’ll always keep both feet on the ground, okay? Promise me you won’t go crazy over a handsome face and mess up your life.”
“Not
She glanced back at the screen, searching for the most uplifting detail she could find. “There’s a duplex on Briar Street. It’s only one bedroom, but we’ve got that sleeper sofa.”
Her mother turned just enough to shoot her a pained expression. “Please don’t tell me it’s come to that.”
“No, no. There are other postings. I mean … not right now. But people put up new posts every day.”
“I just can’t do a sleeper sofa every night. Not at my age.” Her mom shook her head over and over and over.
“
I
could sleep on it,” Gabby suggested.
“And I sleep with Daphne?”
“Or maybe we could set up your bed in the living room and get rid of the couch?”
“God, that sounds so pathetic,” her mom said, massaging her forehead with her fingertips. She slumped onto the stool in front of her vanity and faced herself in the mirror.
“It’s just for a little while,” Gabby said, rising to her feet. She walked over and stood behind her mom. “I’m sure we could do it.”
Her mom’s reflection shot her a wry smile. “By ‘we’ you mean me and you, right? My god, can you imagine your sister’s reaction?” she asked, chuckling. “She’d disown us.”
“Hey. Another plus.”
“Be nice, now.”
Gabby shrugged. “I’m just saying, more room for us. That’s all.”
“Where is Daphne, anyway?”
“Not here helping, that’s for sure. Probably off somewhere moping. Or daydreaming over her latest guy obsession.”
“What am I going to do with that girl?” her mom muttered. “I have this horrible feeling she’s going to end up making the same mistakes I made.”
“Like what?” Gabby asked, knowing she needed to let her mom vent the way Mule did for her. Meanwhile, she moved to the dresser, picking up and putting down displayed keepsakes as if she were browsing in a gift shop. Framed school portraits of her and her sister. A green ceramic box where her mom stored her earrings. A sculpture Gabby had made in second grade of what was supposed to be a peacock but instead resembled an emaciated turkey.
It was a lame attempt to appear calm when, in fact, her insides felt heavy and twisted, just like the grade-school art in her hand. She knew exactly what her mother was going to say.
“Making a man my whole life.”
Gabby had listened to this lament many times, and it never failed to brew up a frothy mix of emotions. On the one hand, she was proud that her mom thought her mature enough to confide in, treating Gabby as if she were an equal. But it also made her feel a little insecure. She wished her mother would stop blaming herself for putting too much faith in her marriage, especially since she wasn’t the one who had given up on it.
Plus, there was still a side of Gabby that hated hearing it. The marriage couldn’t have been
all
bad. After all, Gabby and Daphne had come out of it. So did their mother regret having them, too?
Gabby set down the deformed peacock and walked up behind her mother, resting her hands on her shoulders. “It’ll be okay,” she said, staring at her mom’s image in the mirror. Her face looked as if it had cracked from too much pressure, creating stern fissures on her brow and around her mouth. Her mom seemed literally broken. Gabby had to protect her.
“And don’t waste time worrying about Daphne,” Gabby added. “You know she’ll be fine. The girl can bounce back from anything.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“We’ll find a place to move into. You’ll see. Tomorrow they’ll have new ads online, I’ll be able to ask Pinkwater for a raise, and Daphne will get that hostess job. It’ll all work out.”
Gabby’s mom reached up and patted her left hand. “Thanks, sweetie. I’m so glad you’re sensible. Promise me you’ll always keep both feet on the ground, okay? Promise me you won’t go crazy over a handsome face and mess up your life.”
“Not
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