She looks uneasy, in the way people who don’t often get a break do when they’re given something for free. “Well alright, but I still want to try this... what is this here? In the pretty cups.”
“They’re like parfait cups. It’s a play on mango sticky rice. I used my mother’s recipe. She used to make it all the time for Jane and me.”
Her eyes turn sympathetic. “I am so sorry to hear about her passing.”
What?“What do you mean?”
“I saw her obituary in the paper.”
“I’m sorry?” What is she talking about? “Paper?”
“Her obituary. In the local paper. If you or Jane need anything, please let me know. Anything at all.” She goes back to the window, leaving me stunned. The paper? I don’t know... What is she talking about.
Then it hits me.
Jane.Goddammit, Jane.
“Oh, I’ll take two of those.”
The sticky rice. Right. “Would you like to sample it first?”
“Oh no. I’m sure it’s delicious if you made it. Would you ring me up two of those, and a dozen of those lemon cookies. Jenny can take them back to her delinquents.”
I laugh. “Not very grandmotherly.”
She smiles, her eyes twinkling. “I love those little goblins just as much as I do her, but she was my baby first. You know what? Why don’t you also put in a slice of that cheesecake. I’ve been telling my knitting group for ages about this place. They don’t get out much, but I think with one taste of this they’ll be banging down your door.”
I gather the things she wants, putting them in another box and tying it with a bow, then I grab a plastic container for the cheesecake. When I reach for the lemon cookies, heat squeezes my eyes. I don’t know where it comes from. Maybe it’s because she was talking about her, but it strikes me hard and fast.
Lemon desserts were my mother’s favorite. She loved anything lemon.
I get my shit together and finish ringing her up. “Thank you very much. Tell your granddaughter I said hi.”
“You know...” she drawls.Shit, here we go. “Emmanuel is still single.” She flutters her eyelashes, mischief bright in her eyes. “I know you’ve been busy, but I can get you his number.”
I laugh it off.Oh if she only knew.“Thank you, but no thank you. No time.”
What Mrs. Ramirez doesn’t know is that I’ve already been on dates with her grandson. Unlike Mrs. Ramirez who is lovely, sweet, and funny, her grandson lacks any of those characteristics.
The last time we had a date he was more preoccupied with his phone than anything else. Yes, he’s wealthy. Great for him. But if he couldn’t stop working for just one date, I can’t imagine what it would be like dating him. With my busy schedule it’s not like I have much free time as it is.
I don’t tell her any of that, though. I just smile and wave as she concedes.
I barely wait for her to leave the store before I grab my phone and call my fucking sister.
I’m going to strangle her.
It rings a couple of times, and I squeeze it harder in my hand the longer it rings. I want to kick her ass. Metaphorically. I’d never actually lay a hand on her and logically, I know she’d win. Jane doesn’t fight fair. She goes for all the weak spots and doesn’t blink twice about it.
Finally, she picks up. “What do you want?” she groans. “What time is it?”
“It’s nearly eleven, give me a break.”
Jane doesn’t run on normal business-hours time. She runs on Jane time. She’s an art dealer who lives in the city, but she came home nearly three months ago when it was clear Mom wasn’t going to make it much longer.
She hasn’t left yet, but she acts like she’s still living on city nightlife time. I know she’s waiting for Mom’s house to sell before she leaves. I also know she feels guilty about leaving me with most of the responsibility while Mom was sick. I understand, though. Jane’s incredibly busy and Mom didn’t want her to worry.
I worried enough for everyone.
