“Here we are, in our forties, and our parents are still torturing us,” she said.
“I hate that Mom always comes out on top. Shit. Bad choice of words.” Because yes, Mom had been . . . Never mind. I shuddered.
“She’s like Voldemort, except there’s no Harry Potter,” Hannah said, her voice forlorn.
“You know what?” I said. “There is. You need a Dylan fix. Let me call him.” I pulled out my phone. “And obviously, say nothing about this. Let him cling to his innocence a little longer.”
There. I got her to smile. And fortunately, my wonderful son answered. “Hey, Mom!”
“Hi, honey, how are you?”
“I’m fine. Just laying around. What’s up?”
“Your auntie Hannah is having a rough day. We’re out at the Mews, drowning her sorrows. Want to say hi?”
“Of course.”
I passed the phone to my sister, and she brightened. “Hi, sweetheart. Oh, no, it’s . . . nothing.” She gave a slight dry heave. “What’s new with you? How much snow do you have?”
They chatted in their easy way, and I felt something move in my heart. Hannah and I might not have been close for many years, but she’d always been great to Dylan, taking him to Fenway, always giving him the best presents, swapping inside jokes （about me, probably, but hey）。 I was glad they had each other.
When she hung up, her eyes were wet. “Thank you,” she said.
“Thank you,” I said. “You’re paying. You gonna eat, or what? We need our strength.”
My sister smiled at me reluctantly. “I love you, Lillie,” she said.
I stopped chewing. “I love you, too, Han. Now order another drink, because yours is gone, and you have a designated driver. Maybe we should go see Filipe at the Crown and Anchor. Nothing like a drag show to cheer a person up.”
“He doesn’t perform in the winter.”
“Damn. Well. Another time, sis. We’ll make a date of it, how’s that?”
“Yes, Nurse,” she said. “Whatever you say.”
I asked Hannah to sleep over, but she had to give Thomasina some medicine and wanted to sleep in her own bed. She asked me if I’d like to stay there, but the snow was sticking now, and I figured I should get home. It would be a snug night, and I’d make a fire, have a glass of wine, curl up with my dog and google “hypnosis to erase traumatic images.”
The studio lights were off—Ben was in Boston, visiting his daughter, who’d come in for a friend’s wedding. I was glad he had another chance to see her. He didn’t talk about Reese much, but when he did, his face softened, and the pride and love were evident.
The snow was deep and heavy and would be a bear to shovel tomorrow. I made my way up the steps from the driveway and gave a start.
Ophelia sat on my steps, dressed in a parka and carrying a backpack. “Hi,” she said. “Can I hang out here for a little while?”
CHAPTER 30
Lillie
Hey!” I said. “What are you doing here, honey?”
“I took a walk.”
Pretty long walk, especially in the snow and dark. “Well, come on in. Have you been here long?”
“About an hour,” she said, brushing snow from the top of her parka.
“You must be freezing.”
A thousand questions ran through my mind, but first things first. Get the kid warmed up and settled. Zeus greeted her with utter delight that Mommy had brought home a friend.
“Teeny’s in my backpack,” Ophelia said. “Will your dog eat her?”
“No. Zeus loves all living creatures. Even mice.”
She reached into her canvas backpack and withdrew her Chihuahua, wrapped in a blanket and wearing a plaid sweater. She presented the bundle to Zeus, who began licking Teeny’s head with great excitement. Teeny wagged her little tail and smiled, and they were in love. Ophelia put the dog down, and Teeny trotted around the house, Zeus following like a gracious host.
“How about some cocoa?” I asked as I turned on lights. She didn’t have gloves on.
“Sure. Your house is way cool.”
“Make yourself at home. Why don’t you change, sweetie . . . your pants are soaked through. I’ve got some sweats or scrubs that would fit you. Do you need a hot shower?”
“No, I’m good. The dry clothes will be great, though.”
“Right in there,” I said, pointing to my bedroom. “Wear whatever you want. Nice warm socks in the top drawer. I’ll start the cocoa, so come down when you’ve changed.”