“No, I didn’t. That’s not what he told me about the call. He said he asked questions about his personality flaws. Why would he tell you about me?” The plate full of scrumptious food has lost its appeal. I’m not sure I could force the first bite past the lump in my throat now.
“Rod and I didn’t have the best childhood experience. Our dad left to pick up medicine for me and never came home. Mom worked herself to death just to make ends meet, so Rod became a parent in addition to my brother. No matter what we faced, we had each other, and he has more than tried to make up for what we went through as kids. But those experiences have scarred him in ways he doesn’t even recognize.
“When he called, he said he wanted me to verify if something Kevin said to him was true. But I know him better than he thinks. The underlying reason for the call was because he fell head over heels for you, and that scared the shit out of him. I had a frank conversation with him. He and I are extremely blunt with each other, and I thought I’d gotten through to him. Before we hung up, I even told him not to come home without you.”
“But he did. He made sure of that before our trip was even over.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, what happened? He wouldn’t tell me anything, only that I didn’t need to worry about him right now.”
Before I can catch myself, I word-vomit the entire story, beginning to end, telling her every humiliating detail of that day and how badly it ended. When I finish, I realize how quickly I unloaded on her and immediately regret it.
“I’m sorry. That was inappropriate of me, but now I can’t take it back. You probably weren’t expecting all that.”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you told me. Now I can kick his ass when he gets home.” She nibbles on a finger sandwich, but her pallor still hasn’t improved yet. “He knows better than to treat anyone like that. He has a lot of explaining to do.”
“When will he be home? Should we expect him anytime soon?”
“No, I told him to stay away until I call him. He confessed to approaching you in the restaurant parking lot and paraphrased what happened, so I banned him from this meeting so you and I can talk freely.”
“The last thing I want is to cause problems between you two. Even from the few times he mentioned you, it’s clear he loves you very much. What happened between us was a shame, but it’s hardly the worst thing I’ve endured. I’ll find a way to move on and put this behind me too.”
“Don’t worry about my relationship with my brother. After everything we’ve had thrown at us, no problem in this world will ever separate us. But you’re right, you need plausible deniability, so I’ll drop the subject for now. How is Isa doing in your class? I was so worried about her when my doctor put me in an isolation room in the hospital.”
“She has her good days and bad days, but I haven’t seen anything that would be considered out of the norm for kids her age. She’s very smart. I get the impression she understands more of what you’re going through than she has stated outright.”
“What do her bad days look like? What does she do?”
“Sometimes she’s quiet and doesn’t interact with the class as much. Other times she’s more irritable than usual and can’t seem to concentrate. Nothing has been severe enough to cause a specific concern about her, though. Should I be looking for something in particular?”
She shakes her head slowly, then stares at the food on her plate. “You’ll think I’m being a helicopter mom with an overactive imagination.”
“Try me. I had you two figured out in three seconds flat.”
“Her father, Gabriel, skipped out on us when she was three months old. The situation with the two of us was different than what my parents faced, though. I’ve become the queen of the Google symptoms search, and I’ve diagnosed him with either bipolar disorder or clinical depression. I haven’t decided which yet.
“Isa has so much on her at such a young age, moving in with Rod, the uncertainty she must feel when I’m in the hospital, knowing I’m sick. My fear is his mental health issues are hereditary, and they will surface in Isa because of all this stress.”
“I’m not a doctor by any means, but I have seen a lot of behavioral problems in children. Nothing in her demeanor has suggested an underlying mental health issue to me so far, but I’ll keep watching her. You’ll be the first to know if there’s the slightest concern.”
With her concerns about Isa settled for the time being, she finishes her meal and her color improves. We move to the lanai which has large patio heaters spaced between the lounge chairs surrounding the enormous pool. Why wouldn’t the outside be every bit as stylish as the inside?
Juliana and I talk for hours, sharing our life experiences and heartbreaks, until Louise interrupts to tell us the children fell asleep in the playroom floor. She and I built a genuine connection within the last few hours, and I feel as if I have a new friend for life. When I glance at my watch, I’m surprised to see it’s already almost eleven o’clock.
I can’t hide my smile when I realize we have banned Rod from his own home all night.
“Before you leave, can I ask for one more imposition?” Juliana bites her lower lip, obviously anxious to finish the question.
“Sure. What’s on your mind?”
“With my rigorous chemo and radiation schedule, I rarely have the energy to work with Isa when she gets home from school. Are you available to come over and help,
