Three Rivers (11 page)

"Good, because I'm so excited for Johnny to meet Nick."

"Who's Nick?"

"He was one of Jack's oldest friends growing up. He left town ages ago, but I was always friends with his mom. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not. You know, I remember Jack mentioning him. Football, right? I never met him, he couldn't make it to the wedding."

"Oh, that's right. He went to Pitt for a couple years and then left to travel the world. Honestly, I'm not sure if Jack and he ever saw each other after high school, but they were so close growing up. Jack probably showed you pictures."

"Yes, I think so. When we were planning the wedding. God, that was so long ago," Althea's hand trembled around the cheese wrapper she'd been opening up. She felt her heart rate pick up as images of their perfect wedding day invaded her brain and she took a step away from the table.

"Oh honey," Carol reached over and hugged her tight until she started breathing again. "Are you okay, Tea?"

"I'm fine, thanks," she said, pasting a weak smile on her face. "It's just hard, hearing about Jack's childhood friend, thinking about the wedding, all on this day..." She looked away again.

"I can tell Valerie and Nick not to come if it's too upsetting. I just thought Nick should meet little Johnny."

"God no, don't un-invite them because of me. I need to be able to do this."

"Oh good. He really is a total sweetheart. He was a lady killer in high school, just like Jack. Now he's some sort of world-famous investigative journalist writer type but he'll always be little Nicky to me."

Althea tried to act normally, returning to slicing cubes of cheese for the meat and cheese tray. "So just him and his mom, not his dad?"

"Oh no, he died ages ago. Good riddance. He was a horrible abusive drunk, just a general piece of crap. Best thing he ever did for them was dying."

"Gosh, how terrible! Are you still close with his mom?"

"Not as much as when he and Jack were in school. I still see her around some, she lives on the other side of Mt. Washington, but you know how it is. We chat on Facebook and the phone, though."

"Have I met her?"

"Um, well, she went to the funeral, but I don't think you met her."

No, Althea wouldn't remember anyone she met at Jack's funeral. It had been packed with people because Jack had been extremely popular his whole life and so young when he died.

"I talk about you to her all the time, so she probably feels like she knows you," Carol continued.

Thoughts of Jack and his funeral had effectively put a fierce damper on Althea's mood. No more daydreaming about a hot night with a sexy stranger she'll never see again.

It was back to reality for her — the reality of being Jack Taylor's widow.

Hours later Althea was giving herself a mental pat on the back. She had all the food laid out, her cutest little sundress on and sweet tea chilling in the fridge. Johnny was outside in a T-shirt of a punk band she'd never heard of, playing with his best friend. It was a moment of solitude for her in the kitchen before the craziness of a houseful of five year olds descended upon her.

"Ahh, peace. I think you may finally be getting this mom thing down, Tea," she sighed to herself, only to jump in her seat at the crash of Jenna and Aubrey stampeding into her kitchen.

"We have collected your mother from the airport!" Aubrey boasted with arms spread wide, as though she'd made an accomplishment right up there with resolving all tensions in the Middle East.

"And we are back not a moment too soon. Are you talking to yourself girl? Should we be worried?" Jenna added.

"No, just enjoying thirty seconds of peace and quiet. Please tell me my mother is behind you and not fussing with the decorations in the living room?"

"I'm right here Sweet Tea, though I must say you've gone kind of dark for a kid's party, don't you think? I was just going to move some pieces around to make it look more cheery..."

"It's fine mom, please, relax," she said through teeth gritted in that way that only a beloved mother can cause. "Johnny wants the whole party to be punk. I'm not sure what that means, but I know he won't want cheery."

"Thank goodness I had a girl. Boys are too weird," Althea's mother said as she placed a warm kiss on her daughter's cheek.

"Good to have you here Mom. How about a bourbon with a splash of Diet Coke?"

"Gentleman Jack?"

"Of course."

"Perfect. That will certainly refocus my DIY energies." Althea stood and fixed them all something a little stronger than sweet tea. On her way back to the table she saw Jenna catch sight of the rings on Althea's fingers. Jenna pursed her lips and gave Althea a disapproving look.

"Tea, I thought you were moving past wearing those all the time? They just make you sad."

"Carol saw and it upset her. I think I need to keep wearing them around her. It's no big deal."

Jenna, Aubrey and her mother exchanged worried looks before her mother finally cleared her throat and asked, "So Tea, honey, what else is new?"

"Yeeees, what
is
new Tea?" Aubrey asked in a singsong voice, followed by a giggle from Jenna.

"Oh my? Has something finally happened Tea? Please tell me it involves a naked man, because if you tell me you're grinning so wide right now because you took up knitting or some dumb crap like that, I'll be sorely disappointed."

"Keep your voices down," Althea whispered, "I don't want Carol to know. But yes, I followed doctor's orders."

"Wait, now I'm confused. What were doctor's orders?" her mother asked. "Tea, baby, are you sick? That's not your news, is it?"

"No, Mom."

"Don't worry, it was a man all right, Viv. I wasn't there the whole time they were together, so I can neither confirm nor deny that he was naked, but..." Aubrey intoned.

"She wasn't ill, Viv, she was just sick of being in the born-again virgin’s club. We took her out to get some no strings attached action and she landed herself a serious Hottie Mctottie! I had to pick her up after midnight! I have to admit, Tea, I wasn't sure you had it in ya," Jenna said with a grin.

"Oh honey, that's wonderful," Althea's mother cooed, as though she'd just come in first place in a piano recital. "I'm so happy to hear that!"

Vivian was always more of a friend than a mother to Althea. She lived from moment to moment, making Althea feel like she needed to be that much more grounded, more secure. Althea plugged her ears to block out the sounds of the three women's squeals. She could tell this would be one of those moments where her mother would bring out her particular brand of brashness.

"Though you really should have stayed till morning. That's when the really hot loving happens," her mother added.

Yup, there it is
, Althea thought.

"Eww, Mom, gross. Morning would have been complicated. Besides, I wanted to be home when Carol brought Johnny back today. This was great. I wasn't looking for more than that."

"Why on earth not, baby? You know, evolutionarily we are actually serial monogamists. That is why you see that many of those who lose a spouse are in a new relationship in the first year. At the very least, sex with a new partner after the loss of your last one is appropriate and healthy. Or maybe at least some repeated nooky before you receive your AARP card."

"Thanks Mom," she muttered.

"Though you have an AARP card and no shortage of admirers. Right, Viv?" Aubrey asked with a grin of idolizing glee.

"Yes, you're so right Aubrey darling. I've never let a little thing like menopause interfere with my love life. Believe me!"

Jenna stepped in to the rescue. Left unchecked, Althea's mother would go on for an hour about evolution and the mating rituals of mature humans. Althea would need a pitcher of cocktails before she could listen to that.

"So, point is, did our Tea get her groove back?" Jenna asked.

"Not fully back but definitely a bit more groove going on for sure," Althea answered with a happy smile. "I mean, I must say I do feel better — he was sexy, smart, funny, interesting, sexy."

"You said sexy twice," Aubrey pointed out.

"I know, it was worth repeating..." Althea said with a smirk. "And I'll never see him again, so I don't feel guilty, it was just a perfect one night stand..." Althea stated, standing and grabbing a tray of hot dogs and hamburgers to take to the serving table in the main party area.

Althea paused at the sound of loud voices at the front door. One was certainly Carol and an unfamiliar woman's voice but the gruff masculine voice that shot shivers up and down her spine and into her core was definitely familiar.

"Val, hi! And little Nicky Tate! You look wonderful, both of you!"

"Oh come on Mrs. Taylor," he drawled, "no one calls me Nicky anymore. I go by Griffen now, but I'll let it slide and give you a big hug."

"Griffen? I don't know if I can get used to that, but if it will get me some of your great hugs, I'll manage."

"Mom brought cookies. I'll add them to the pile," Griffen said. "I missed a lot of things when I left, but I think I dreamed of tables full of cookies at weddings and birthday parties the most."

Their conversation continued to float into the kitchen as Althea's chest grew tighter.

Oh God,
Althea thought as she started to get cold sweats and shake. The world was slowing down, but her heart was racing. She started to mentally consider methods of escape.
Would Johnny like a private birthday somewhere far away?
she wondered.
Maybe in the witness protection program
?

Jenna jumped forward and steadied the tray Althea was close to tipping forward, as all three of them quickly figured out who was there. She needed support but they all looked stunned right along with her.

"
Griffen,
come and meet everyone. This is Tea, Jack's wife." Althea came out of her stupor enough to cringe. Carol still referred to Althea as Jack's wife. It generally didn't bother her, actually making her feel good — feeding into her feeling that she was always his — but then again, she'd never had sex with his best friend without knowing it.

Oh God
,
please don't throw up in the kitchen, please don't throw up in the kitchen
.

Carol barreled on, "And this is Jenna, and Aubrey. Jenna is an orthopedic surgeon at UPMC — very successful, this one. And Aubrey is a great freelance photographer. Both single, wink wink."

Oh God, Carol actually
said
wink wink!

Althea had thought it couldn't get worse, but she was wrong.

"Tea, honey, are you all right?" Carol asked.

"Oh she's fine. Just worked too hard to wrap up the party plans.
Right
Tea?" Jenna asked pointedly.

"Right." Althea nodded.

"And Tea's mother, Vivian," Carol added. "I'm so glad you could meet everyone. Guys, Griffen here was like Jack's second brother!"

A wave of nausea passed over Althea and she finally looked up straight into Griffen's bright aqua blue eyes. She was relieved to see he looked dumbstruck, as well. At least she wasn't the only one shocked and uncomfortable.

The voice of the woman Althea presumed was Griffen's mother broke through. "Carol, is there anything we can do to help?"

"Don't be silly, but you can come into the living room and see Johnny and the rest of the guests. We're going to put out lunch any second now." With that, Carol started ushering them out of the kitchen, not noticing that Griffen almost broke his neck staring back at Althea as he walked out of the kitchen.

As soon as they'd left the kitchen it exploded with sound but Althea remained silent and continued to stare at where Griffen used to be. Althea could barely make out that her mother, Aubrey, and Jenna were all trying to sort out the facts. She finally broke in.

"Shh, all of you."

"Do you realize what this means?" Jenna asked.

"It means I slept with my husband's best friend."

"Your dearly departed husband who's been gone almost
six
years. Don't you dare think for a second that you did anything wrong baby," her mother said, steering her into a chair.

"Only me. Only I could finally decide to take one little baby step forward with my life, to have one fun night, and it ends up being with my husband's best friend. I think I'm gonna be sick. Jenna, Aubrey,
FYI,
I'm going to kill you both. And I'm going to make it hurt."

Althea thought that to their credit they also looked mortified, but that wouldn't save them.

"But you were so happy last night. You said you were glad you did it. That you love us," Jenna moaned.

"That was when I was in a post-crazy awesome sex haze and I thought I'd never see him again.
Before
I knew he was the prodigal BFF to my dead husband, now returned!" Althea flopped her head in her hands with a satisfying thump. "What a disaster."

Vivian stepped toward Althea, shuffling away her befuddled friends with two well-placed knocks of her hips. "Honey, please. Just breathe."

"I kind of like sitting here feeling sorry for myself, actually."

"Oh, just stop it, baby girl, that is
quite
enough. Aubrey, Jenna, get this girl another bourbon with a splash of Diet Coke, stat." They started scurrying around the kitchen. Althea had to smile, no one rallied the troops like her mother.