The Prince Charming Hoax (37 page)

Roxie swung door open and motioned for Leah and Ali to exit. Debbie was standing in the hallway, arm in air, positioned to knock.
“
Oh good, you
’
re all ready to go, too,
”
she said. She grinned and hugged everyone as they filed out of the room.

“
Aunt Leah, Ali and I finished reading your outline while we were waiting and I really want to talk to you about this book.
”

“
That
’
s great. Wait until you hear what Roxie and I were talking about. I think it
’
s even better than what I originally planned.
”

Roxie gently nudged everyone in the direction of the elevators.
“
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
”
she muttered as the elevator opened and she ran ahead to hold the door.
“
And maybe we can put our heads together over lunch and figure out what old unemployed Roxie is going to do, too.
”

Chapter
32

Leah surveyed the hotel room as she lay on Ali
’
s bed, exhausted after the day
’
s activities. Ali
’
s belongings were spread across the bed, nightstand, and floor. Assorted bottles of hairspray, styling mousse, gel, and perfume littered the dresser top, and her flatiron was plugged into a nearby wall socket.
“
Typical Ali,
”
Leah thought.

Crumpled bags and empty boxes from the day
’
s shopping spree spilled over the top of the trash can, surrounded by sales tags, packaging tissue, and plastic hangers that had missed the target and fallen on the floor. It was all Ali
’
s. True to her word, Debbie had shipped all her purchases home.

In stark contrast to her roommate, Debbie
’
s clothes were neatly hung and shoes lined up in the closet. A framed photo of Ronnie and the triplets was squeezed on the nightstand between the phone and the lamp and distinctly separated from the side where Ali had tossed her hairclip, earrings, and half dozen bead bracelets.

Ali and Roxie, the night owls, had taken off down the hall armed with handfuls of change in search of ice and vending machines for some late night snacks. Leah
’
s eyes traveled across the nightstand and rested on Debbie, who sat on the edge of her bed absently tapping on the picture frame.

Leah closed her eyes, but just as she drifted off Ali and Roxie returned, giggling as they tried to balance everything they were holding and open the door. Ali tripped over her own shoe, kicked off earlier, spilling the bucket of ice. Leah sat up quickly, startled by the noise. Tired and grumpy, she berated them.
“
Why do I feel like the chaperone here, compelled to reprimand the noisemakers?
”

Roxie shrugged.
“
Don
’
t know. Why do I feel like I
’
ve walked into a funeral?
”

“
I was dozing, not resting in peace,
”
Leah said.

“
Well, your next of kin over there is crying,
”
Roxie said, nodding to Debbie. As she stretched her arm to point, the snack bags of chips, pretzels, and candy she had cradled to her body fell to the floor.

Ali burst out laughing.
“
I
’
m sorry,
”
she said as all eyes turned on her.
“
I was laughing at Roxie.
”
She tried hard to straighten her face, but she was too giddy.
“
Are you all right, Deb?
”
She suppressed a giggle.

Debbie cracked a smile and brushed away the tears.
“
Yeah. Actually, you guys do look pretty funny…Busting in here, arms full, then dropping everything.
”

“
So what
’
s with the glum face?
”
Roxie sat down next to Debbie. She handed her a can of diet soda and scooped a bag of pretzels off the floor, opened it, and offered the contents around the room.
“
And don
’
t tell me you miss them crying,
”
she said, nodding toward the babies
’
picture.

“
No, I was thinking about how good they smell at night when I tiptoe in their room for a quick check before I go to bed. I usually put my face over their cribs and sniff. They have this wonderfully sweet baby smell, all fresh from their baths,
”
Debbie said, smiling.

She leaned back against the propped up pillows, closing her eyes and breathing in, as if she were imagining the scenario.
“
Sometimes I put my face right next to theirs and listen to them breathe and make their little baby gurgles.
”

She looked at Roxie with a sheepish grin, as if reading her thoughts.
“
They don
’
t always smell like poop and spit up, Roxie, really! It
’
s not all crying and dirty diapers, you know. When I
’
m feeding one of them or holding them in my lap and those little eyes look back at me and the little lips curl up in a smile, or I get one of those huge, toothless baby laughs—it
’
s a feeling like none other.
”
She leaned forward.
“
But that
’
s not why I was crying.
”

Leah had been watching Roxie
’
s face while Debbie spoke. She was surprised to see traces of compassion and understanding showing in the usually complacent and unsentimental Roxie. She kept her eyes on Roxie, listening for Debbie
’
s response when Roxie asked,
“
So, why were you crying?
”

“
Don
’
t think I
’
m terrible, but walking around New York today among people who are dressed for business and talking to you guys about art, theatre shows, and Aunt Leah
’
s book, well—I miss working. I miss the intellectual challenge.
”

Debbie looked down at her hands.
“
I can
’
t believe I
’
m telling you this. I waited so long to be a mom. Before I used to stare at women with babies and be jealous. I thought nothing could be more wonderful than loving and raising a child. Now I long for the days when I was working and out in the world with stimulating people. And,
”
she looked up at Roxie,
“
with three babies to support, I miss the income, too!
”

Leah opened her mouth to answer, but decided to stay quiet. She had the feeling that this was a conversation between Roxie and Debbie.

Roxie didn
’
t answer right away, either. Her eyes never left Debbie
’
s face, and she appeared to carefully considering what Debbie said. Finally she spoke.
“
I bet there are lots of mothers like you who either want or need to work, but also want to stay at home with their kids.
”

“
Well, yeah. I don
’
t know any one of my friends who wouldn
’
t love the diversion or, at least, the money. Even for the ones who are working now, it
’
s hard because of babysitters and they feel guilty when they miss doing stuff with their kids.
”

Roxie stood up and got a bottle of water from the stash of drinks she and Ali brought in. She unscrewed the top and took a long swig from the bottle, leaning her head back. She wiped her mouth with her sleeve and pointed to Debbie with the bottle.
“
I know of at least six or seven different businesses that you can run out of your house around the kids. If I were to put together a presentation that showed how to start and run a business from home, even with small children around, do you think your friends would be interested?
”

Leah looked closely at Debbie. For the first time since her arrival in Philadelphia on Tuesday, she saw a trace of the young woman who had an infectious laugh and was always brimming with energy about what was going on in her life. Debbie
’
s eyes were bright and clear, and she nodded her head with excitement.
“
Definitely! When do you want to do it?
”

Roxie seemed to gather strength as she continued to play out the new idea in her mind.
“
Soon, soon.
”
She grabbed a candy bar.
“
But, you, Ms. Debbie, have to promise me something, first.
”

“
Sure, what?
”

“
You have to promise to take time every day to do something just for yourself. And, when you get back to Philadelphia, find a good support group with other mothers of multiple births, because you have exceptional challenges that I can
’
t begin to help you with.
”

Debbie nodded.

“
And when your group meets, you can tell them all about Roxie and how they can have kids and work at home, too,
”
said a sleepy voice from the floor.

All eyes turned to Ali again as she sat up from where she had stretched out on the carpet.
“
Doesn
’
t it make sense that some of them would be like Debbie and want the same thing?
”

Leah exchanged looks with Roxie.
“
Didn
’
t I tell you she had a natural instinct for marketing? Rox, I love your idea. What a natural for you—a business consultant for mothers. You know what? This is perfect for single moms, too. I was lucky to be able have a writing business when Ali was little, but most women then had to choose to stay at home with the kids or put them in daycare if they were working.
”

Roxie was writing on the pad next to the phone on the desk.
“
Mmhmm. Besides investments, there are so many businesses that I could teach women to do at home.
”
She looked up and frowned.
“
If this is such a good idea, there must be other people doing it.
”

“
Well, even if there are, you can do it better,
”
Ali said. She pulled herself up on the bed and snuggled up on the clear space near Leah and picked up the remote from the nightstand.
“
You guys don
’
t mind if I watch a movie or something, do you? I need the television on to go to sleep.
”

Leah kissed her lightly on the head.
“
Going to sleep sounds great.
”
She got up and kissed Debbie.
“
I love you, Sweetie.
”

“
Love you, too, Aunt Leah.
”
Debbie got under the covers.
“
Put on whatever you want, Ali. I
’
ll be asleep in two minutes.
”

Leah watched as Roxie continued to write furiously on the pad.
“
I
’
m going back to the room, Rox. Are you coming? It looks like the girls are ready for bed.
”

Roxie stopped and looked up.
“
What?
”
She saw Debbie with her eyes closed and Ali staring at the television.
“
I guess I can work on this in our room. Good night, Ladies.
”
She took her water and a bag of cookies and followed Leah out.

They walked down the hall, arms linked, each absorbed in her thoughts. When they got in the room, Leah sat on the bed and reached in her purse for her cell phone.

“
Who are you calling at this time of night?
”

“
No one. I haven
’
t checked my voicemail at home, though, since we got into New York. I want to see if there are any messages.
”

“
Take it from me, Leah. Never check your messages or open your mail unless it
’
s a day and time when you can do something about the bad news.
”

“
What are you talking about?
”

“
If there
’
s some bad news, you won
’
t be able to do anything about it now, and you
’
ll be tossing and turning all night.
”

Leah laughed.
“
Don
’
t be silly. My bad news is behind me. I want to see if I got any responses from the magazines I queried before we left.
”

“
Or maybe a message from Jonathan?
”

Leah grinned.
“
Yeah, maybe that, too.
”

She dialed the phone and starting writing information down on the notepad on the nightstand. Suddenly she stopped writing and listened. She pushed a few buttons, programming the phone and then tossed it on the bed.
“
You are not going to believe this, Rox. That bitchy ex-boss of yours, Iris, called and left a message for me. She said she
’
s taken over the Vanderholt account and she wants me out of the penthouse by the end of the month.
”
Leah grabbed her planner from her bag and rifled through the pages.
“
That leaves roughly ten days for me to get back to Florida and find a new place.
”