Five(26)

“What? Why?”

“Because you are rude, and this policy, if it is in fact a policy, which seems dubious, is nonsensical, and I would like to purchase these items and be on my way,” Mrs. Worth says, looking around for someone with half a brain to help her.

“Oh my God, fine,” the girl says, as she starts to scan Mrs. Worth’s things.

There is thick, angry silence between them for the few moments while the young woman completes the transaction.

“Thank you,” Mrs. Worth says, in a clipped tone. As she walks away, relieved the confrontation is over, she distinctly hears the words “stupid old cow” muttered behind her.

She approaches the door, and just as she is about to open it, the rude young man crosses in front of her, takes the door handle, and shouts out, “All right, Livs?” in greeting to the awful young woman, who calls back, “All right, Babes, see ya later,” and waves at him and smiles. He pulls open the door as though Mrs. Worth were invisible, as though he could put his hand straight through her. The heavy door shuts abruptly in her face. She looks over her shoulder at the shopgirl telling the lubricant woman that her nail shade is pussy pink, and they laugh as she scans her items, none of which, Mrs. Worth notes, are cosmetics.

Livs. That is who Nicholas has chosen. Mrs. Worth recognized her as soon as she saw the perfect pink nails on the hand extended to her at their first meeting. Livvie was just a girl when they’d had their encounter, perhaps she has changed. But Mrs. Worth knows that people don’t change all that much, not really, except for the fact that sons leave their mothers. She does not know how to tell him that he is the only person in the world that she has ever loved. That to be his mother was the privilege of her life. That he will regret tying himself to this empty-headed, shallow woman and her ugly, spoiled dog. So she says, “I’ve had enough for today, Nicholas. Have a lovely time.”

Though abruptly leaving the wedding before the cake is even cut without saying goodbye to the bride might be a reason that many people feel would justify not speaking to one’s mother for five years, this was not the moment that did it for Nicholas. He knew his mother was strange and he knew he couldn’t change her, and he loved his wife for her bubblegum view of the world, and he had so much else to think about and look forward to. He told Livvie that his mother loved the wedding, she just wasn’t feeling well. She thought Livvie was beautiful. And he put all her other words to the side. For now.

A year later, Livvie is pregnant with their first child and announces it at a family Christmas that Mrs. Worth reluctantly attends at the newlyweds’ home with Livvie’s parents. The announcement is made as they all drink “Mimosas!” by the tree, and Livvie opens a gift addressed to Horatio.

“Oh my gwood-ness, Ho-wa-tio! What’s in he-were, gwood boy?” Livvie exclaims in the exaggerated baby talk she uses for her dog. She opens the box to reveal a doggie bandanna.

“What does this say, love bug?” Livvie says, a giggle in her voice, handing it to Nicholas.

“It says, ‘My parents are getting me a human!’?” he reads out, cheerfully, as Livvie squeals and her parents rise and gesticulate and almost spill their mimosas in happiness. Mrs. Worth stays in her seat.

“Isn’t it wonderful, Um, Uh…” Livvie’s mother says, warmly taking Mrs. Worth’s hand after hugging her daughter. She always refers to Mrs. Worth as “Um, Uh,” unsure what name to use for her that is both polite and also loyal to Livvie.

“Yes, it’s about time they thought about giving that dog away, very sensible, although I’m not sure what all the fuss is about,” Mrs. Worth says, pulling her hand away quickly from Livvie’s mother.

“What did you say?” Livvie cries, hysteria rising in her voice. “Give him away? We’re not giving him away!”

Nicholas catches his wife before she goes any further. “No, Mum—we’re having a baby. We’re not giving Horatio a new owner, we’re giving him a baby. Isn’t it great?” he says, trying to put a chuckle in the sentence.

“Why would you give a baby to a dog?” Mrs. Worth says, and then, after a beat, “Oh, I see.”

An awful silence descends on the room until Nicholas breaks it with faux lightness and says, “I think all the old folks are in shock, Livs!” trying to smooth it over. He sees his mother bristle, sees Livvie’s eyes quickly filling with tears.

“She ruined it!” Livvie cries, flying from the room with her dog under her arm and her mother in tow.

For many, this might be the moment that would justify not speaking to one’s mother for five years—her inability to be excited for the birth of one’s first child expressed through her unveiled hatred for one’s beloved pet, and on Christmas Day, no less. Yet this still is not what will sever Nicholas from his mother for half a decade.

Nicholas sighs deeply, rubs his forehead, and thinks about the two women in his life. He tells his gorgeous Livvie, “Look, her mum died when she was a baby. Her dad was weird, all messed up from the war. She never had a family except for me, she’s been on her own since she was sixteen. And you know, she has this crazy job that most people can’t even think about. You’re so loving, your heart is so big, darling, just make some space for her, okay?”

“Why does she hate Horatio?” Livvie asks, her impossibly blue, round eyes blinking at him.