“Do you think we should say hello to your mother before we go?” said Lisa. “It would make her happy to see us dressed up like this.”
Josh hesitated.
“We don’t have to,” said Lisa.
“No, we should,” he said. “It’s just that her hair fell out over the past few days, and ever since it happened, she hasn’t wanted to leave her room. She’s been lethargic all afternoon. My dad keeps on checking her temperature, but she doesn’t have a fever. It’s hard to know if anything is physically wrong with her or if she’s depressed.”
“Maybe she’s just worn out,” said Lisa.
“I hope that’s all it is,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll cheer up when she sees you. Let me ask my dad if it’s okay, and then we’ll go in.”
He returned soon, carrying a cup of tea.
“My dad made this for her to help with the nausea,” he said. “She might not be able to drink it, though. Her mouth is so inflamed that she can barely even swallow. She hasn’t eaten anything all day.”
They went down the hall. The bedroom door was open. Josh’s mother was sitting on the edge of the bed. She was wearing a robe, but it had slipped off her shoulders, and Lisa saw her bones jutting out under her skin. Her face looked older, now that it wasn’t framed by the gentle waves of her hair.
“Mom, can we come in?” said Josh.
She looked up, and her eyes brightened.
“Josh,” she said in a barely audible voice.
“Dad made you some tea,” he said. “Do you want it?”
She shook her head, and as she gazed at them, the contentment in her eyes was more expressive than words. Lisa glanced at Josh and realized he was trying not to cry. She knew he didn’t want to fall apart in front of his mother, so she got him out of the room as quickly as possible without being impolite. They sat down on the couch, and Josh made a valiant attempt to pull himself together while Lisa did her best to comfort him.
“I just feel so sad when I think about what’s happening to her,” he said, blinking the tears out of his eyes. “I’m sorry, Lisa.”
“Josh, you don’t have to apologize,” said Lisa.
“Yes, I do,” he said. “It’s shameful. You shouldn’t have to deal with your boyfriend having an emotional breakdown.” He took a deep breath and managed to smile. “It’ll pass. Don’t pay any attention to me. The only thing worse than blubbering about something is making a scene about it. Let’s just pretend it never happened. Where is Shannon? I don’t want to keep your mom waiting.”
Shannon hurried around the corner.
“Speak of the devil,” she said.
Lisa thought the statement was eerily accurate. Shannon was wearing a black satin gown that sparkled when she moved. Her blond hair was pulled back so severely that it distorted the shape of her face, and combined with the effects of her dark eyeshadow, she looked truly diabolical. She gave Lisa a withering glance.
“I like your dress,” she said. “I went to the beach last summer—”
“Shannon, shut up,” said Josh.
“I’m just trying to make conversation,” said Shannon.
“No, I’m pretty sure you’re looking for an opportunity to say something rude,” said Josh.
“You couldn’t be more wrong,” said Shannon. “I thought it would be impolite not to comment, especially since Mom practically broke the bank when she wrote that check. We’ll be lucky if we can pay rent next month. There’s no excuse for spending a fortune on a fancy outfit you’ll only wear once, especially if it’s the color of a sunburn—not to mention that it leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.”
“Lisa, let’s go,” said Josh. “We don’t have to listen to this.”
He said goodbye to his father and guided Lisa out of the apartment.
“I’m sorry,” said Shannon, rushing after them. “I’m really not trying to be offensive. I’m just clueless when it comes to giving compliments. Lisa, that corsage you’re wearing is a nice touch. I almost bought one for myself, but I decided against it. I don’t see the point of tying a dead plant around my wrist. Flowers are pretty, but I always get depressed when they eventually shrivel up.”
Lisa knew better than to reply. She got into the car, arranging her dress carefully to avoid wrinkling it. Josh sat down beside her, while Shannon scrambled into the front seat, acknowledging Lisa’s mother with an awkward nod.
“Shannon, you look very nice,” said Lisa’s mother.
“Thanks,” said Shannon, rummaging around in her purse. “I got this dress for my mom’s funeral, but I figured I’d wear it tonight since she’s already dead to me. Ah, here’s what I was looking for.” She pulled out a flask and took a sip from it while Lisa’s mother watched in horror. “Oh, don’t worry. My dad is totally okay with it. I actually borrowed it from his secret stash. He’s got a serious drinking problem.”
“No, he doesn’t,” said Josh. “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Shannon, he bought that stuff for Mom because it helps her sleep, and you shouldn’t have taken any of it. Besides, if the chaperones see you with it, they’ll throw you out.”
“I won’t get caught,” said Shannon, rolling her eyes. She turned on the radio and gazed out the window in silence as if she knew she had pushed the limits as far as she safely could. Lisa felt relieved. She hoped Shannon wouldn’t continue to be a nuisance. All she wanted was to focus on Josh and ignore everything else.
The hotel where the festivities were taking place was in the oldest part of the town on the near side of the river. As Lisa climbed out of the car, she paused to look around in wonder. The building was
