"I did her makeup, too," Jesse said, beaming. He hadn't overdone it. As far as Barbara could tell, he'd only accentuated her eyes with black liner. Her lips were glossed but not colored.
"Wow! You look fetching," Cuppa exclaimed while setting down some wine glasses.
Serene smiled again and fluttered past Erica, who followed her with their eyes.
"Want me to bring in anything from the kitchen?" Serene offered.
"Sure," Cuppa said. "Could you grab some more wine glasses, love?"
There was something different about their mother. She seemed lighter and happier ever since the day she'd come home after spending the night out at a friend's on Thursday. Barbara, Sara and Jesse had gone to the library and missed the argument that ensued Friday morning between Erica and their mother. Barbara heard about it later after asking Cuppa where Erica was.
"Your mother and Erica had a bit of a tiff about your mother not coming home."
Earlier that afternoon, Serene had wandered into the living room, humming to herself and asked them how their day was. She'd accepted a cup of tea from Cuppa and made herself comfortable on the sofa, suddenly laughing.
"What's so funny?" Jesse had asked her.
"I was just thinking of when your dad and I were kids." Her answer was like a magnet drawing Jesse and Sara closer, though Sara pretended to be interested in Erica and Cuppa's wedding magazine on the coffee table. Their mother then told them story after story of her life as a teenager, and the antics she and their dad got up to. Her eyes shone in a way Barbara had never seen before, her voice girlish, the accent slightly different. Sara was so enthralled that, without realizing she was supposed to be pretending disinterest, she had crept closer, finally sitting next to their mother. Cuppa had flitted back and forth, serving endless cups of tea until it was time to start dinner. When Barbara had gone to help her in the kitchen, she'd noticed Cuppa's lips pressed tight into a frown of worry.
"You okay?" Barbara had asked her.
She'd jumped like someone caught on a secret.
"Just being a bit of a worrywart."
"What are you worried about?"
"Erica." Cuppa's smile was quick, and she'd turned her back to Barbara to chop an onion.
Oddly, while their mother seemed to be opening up more, Erica was growing more somber.
Yesterday when Barbara texted Tera to let her know that they were moving the dinner hour from seven to six, Tera had texted back, I won't be there. There was no other explanation. Barbara tried calling her, and after two rings the call was cut short and went to voicemail. Barbara had stared at her phone for a moment, wondering if she'd done something to offend Tera. When Barbara called her dad, he'd cryptically said that he and Tera were having issues and she couldn't make it to dinner.
Barbara watched her mother set the wine glasses on the table next to the platter of cheese. She was wearing large copper hoop earrings, and they glinted under the lamplight. She looked so, so young.
"Mom, you look beautiful," Barbara said.
Her mother glanced up, her face darkening with a blush. "Thank you. Jesse's idea."
"That boy knows style," Barbara winked at her brother, who looked pleased as punch. Their mother went back into the kitchen and the doorbell rang.
They were all there at once––Dad, Aunt Carrie, Grandma Maggie and Grandpa Ron. Grandma Maggie and Aunt Carrie held saran wrapped bowls.
"Hi all," Aunt Carrie called out cheerfully as they spilled into the living room. Jesse ran to her and threw his arms around her waist, followed by Sara.
"You two look enchanting," Aunt Carrie said, handing her bowl to Cuppa, who reached to take it from her hands.
"I made a spinach dip and those are bagel chips," Grandma Maggie said, indicating the bowl Carrie was holding as Cuppa took hers.
"Thank you. Glass of wine?" Cuppa offered.
"I'll have a glass of red," their grandma replied, her eyes darting over the children. "My, you two look like princesses." Her mouth worked its way into a frown of a smile. "I didn't know we were dressing up." She was in jeans and a cashmere black and white sweater top. Grandpa Ron also wore blue jeans as well as a silver windbreaker and a Dodger's baseball cap. He frowned at Jesse and Sara, but gave them a curt nod.
"Hi Barbara," he said and let his eyes drift over Erica and toward the kitchen. "Who's that?" He said, gesturing toward their mother, whose back was to them. She was pulling a dish out of one of the cabinets.
"Mom," Barbara said.
"Oh. Is that Dora? I thought she was one of your friends."
Their mother turned around, her big dark eyes blinking surprise as she stared at Barbara's grandparents for a moment, but then her eyes lingered on their dad. He seemed to freeze as if under some kind of spell.
"You're looking well, Dora," Grandpa Ron said, breaking the moment.
"Thank you.”
Grandma Maggie tilted her head as if she were trying to figure something out.
"I'll have a beer," Grandpa Ron said to Cuppa.
"I'm afraid we haven't any beer," Cuppa replied tersely, pouring a glass of wine for Grandma Maggie.
Barbara's dad clapped his father on the arm. "Don't worry, I've got your beer right here." He held up a small black cooler and grinned.
"Well," Grandma Maggie said. "You didn't have to go through all that. I could have just brought some of ours over."
"Don't worry about it, Mom." He made his way into the kitchen, brushing past Erica after saying a quick hello to them. Erica blinked and went to stand by the table. Cuppa handed them a glass of wine.
"Can I put these beers in the fridge?" Steve called out.
"I'll take care of it," Cuppa said.
Their dad emerged with two beers and handed one to their grandpa, saying, "The place looks nice. I like the flowers."
"I arranged them," Jesse piped up, bouncing on his toes. "I made wreaths for everyone, too. Come on, Sara." He darted over to
