Con besos,
Kristina
P.S. Here’s Marlow’s info if you want to get in touch first. Up to you.
* * *
From: Javier Martinez
To: D. Marlow Devlin
Subject: Theater Night in NYC
Marlow—
I want to introduce myself before we meet. I’m Kristina’s friend and we’re all going to the theater together tomorrow night.
Dance is my first language. Spanish is my second language. English is my third language.
Es verdad que hablas español?
I met your mother and her Spanish was great! So was she!
All the best,
Javier
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Re: re: It’s our time
I can now play the song on the cello (even though the plan is still to just do the singing). But if we all do end up back here at our apartment (and there’s a big chance of that) then I’ll play the cello. So bring your recorder.
Also, I don’t know much about aromatherapy, but are there some candles or scented oils that we should consider? Smells can stir up memories, and maybe our dads would respond (and not even realize it at first).
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: A. Allenberry Bloom
Subject: Re: re: re: It’s our time
I’m at the airport right now with my dad. Don’t get mad, but I forgot the recorder + the scented candles. I bet Kristina has a whole drawer full. Could you check? We almost missed our plane because of a traffic problem, but the flight was delayed! So it really was OUR TIME. HA!
I’m GETTING OUT OF A DAY OF SCHOOL for this. There’s nothing better. But I have to write a report on the play for Mrs. Wetterling. She’s secretly a theater person.
We sent Gaga flowers today to say congratulations. We picked sunflowers because those are her favorite. I bet it’s hard to press a sunflower.
I’ll see you tonight in row F!
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Row F
Remember to act surprised when we’re seated next to each other. I’ll probably squeal a little.
I’m going to have my phone, and I could record my papa’s face (which might not be too excited when he first sees your dad, but will be excited as the night goes on). That footage would be fun to show at their wedding rehearsal dinner!
Gaga says that the first night you’re staying at her place but the next night you’re staying with me at Kristina’s. If things work out maybe on the last night you can come stay with me at Papa’s!
THE VERY NEXT DAY
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: A. Allenberry Bloom
Subject: I just woke up
It’s 7:00 a.m. + I have DISTURBING NEWS. Gaga is still asleep. I’m not going to go into how great the play was or how much fun it was to see you, because WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM.
Very awkward, but MY DAD IS HERE + SO IS JAVIER.
I guess they’ve been up talking all night long.
You read that right. Dad went with Javier for a drink AFTER the party after the play, which had all kinds of drinks so they were definitely NOT thirsty. They just wanted to spend more time together.
Gaga fell asleep + I stayed up waiting for Dad. It got so late that I started to wonder if he fell onto the subway tracks + was electrocuted by the third rail or was kidnapped by an Uber driver. You told me both of those things can happen in New York. But then I saw a text on Gaga’s phone that said:
I’M WITH JAVIER WALKING THE STREETS OF THIS AMAZING CITY. EVERYTHING IS FANTASTIC! HOME SOON!
After that is a thumbs-up.
So I went to sleep, hoping it was all nothing. But I just woke up + I can hear them in the living room + they can’t stop laughing.
What have we DONE? I mean, I liked Javier but this was NOT THE PLAN!
Your dad was supposed to get JEALOUS!
Do you think he got jealous? He didn’t look jealous.
BOB looked more interested in my dad + Javier than your dad, who kept staring at his phone. Was he checking sports scores? He was scrolling through a lot of things.
Please come GET ME as soon as possible. I need pancakes. This is a PANCAKE EMERGENCY. Do you think Kristina has any Bisquick mix? Probably not. But I bet Gaga does.
Okay, REALLY waiting to hear from you.
xo
Dogfish in 12B
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Disturbing news
I’m awake. I’m coming over right now. I’m not even looking for the pancake mix.
* * *
From: Javier Martinez
To: Kristina Allenberry
Subject: GRACIAS
I LOVE the play. I know the reviews will be amazing because the work is amazing. Betty (Gaga!) is the best. You said that a lot of that dialogue came straight from her. I don’t know if she’s acting or being herself, but either way she’s going to be a star.
Here’s another thing I want to say about last night: Right when I met Marlow I felt a kind of magic. We went from the party to the after-party and then back to the apartment, and we talked until the moon got lost in the river and the sun came up. Call it love at first sight?
But now what do I do? Move to California? And take the Ballet Hispánico company with me?
Besos,
Javi
* * *
From: Betty Devlin
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Plans are changing
Bett honey,
Javier left to go home to Brooklyn and your daddy’s thinking of heading out there, too. He wants you to go with him but he says you’re not answering his calls or texts.
I feel like I got hit with a sledgehammer. Too much celebrating. Dinos the doorman brought me up a cup of coffee. Good thing, or I’d be back asleep for two days. And I’ve got a show to do tonight.
It meant so much to have you there last night, Bett. I’m keeping your flowers in my dressing room. Maybe you and Avery want to try and press one? The memories I have from last night will last forever.
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: Betty Devlin
Subject: Pollo con arroz y frijoles
I’m with Dad in Brooklyn at Javier’s. They’re cooking pollo con arroz y frijoles. The place smells really good.
Gaga, I only saw part of the play when we were at Seelocken, so it was fun to watch the whole thing. I’m not sure I understand it all but I can see it again when I’m older + it will make more sense. I think. But you were amazing. That much is for real.
I’m having fun, but nothing is going like Avery + I planned.
We thought BOB was going to mess stuff up. But it turns out that TROUBLE has a new name: JAVIER.
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Everybody but us
Kristina is really happy because of the reviews.
Gaga is really happy eating something called baklava with the doorman downstairs.
Your dad is really happy hanging out in Brooklyn with Javier.
I guess my papa and Bob are really happy somewhere.
And then there’s us.
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: A. Allenberry Bloom
Subject: Re: Everybody but us
I’ll tell you one thing. We don’t need to rehearse “It’s Our Time.”
* * *
From: Sam Bloom
To: Marlow Devlin
Subject: Coffee?
Marlow, I had no idea you would be at the play. The girls obviously planned the whole thing, since we were all in the same row. Hope that wasn’t too awkward for you. I’m going to confess it was awkward for me, though seeing Bett and Avery together was really something. Their bond is totally obvious. They came out of the bathroom at intermission dancing.
I’m not proud of some of my behavior when it comes to the two of us. I hadn’t been in a real relationship in a long time when we met in Chicago at the Building Expo. What I wanted to tell you last night, but didn’t get a chance, was that I’m sorry. And in that spirit of explanation, I want to tell you that I got an email from Shanghai last week. They found my leather bag. It was in a ditch on the side of one of the roads to Xinjiang. Everything was still in it.
So I guess that means you didn’t leave it in the hotel after all. The bag fell off the back of the motorcycle. We both packed that morning, so in the end we were both to blame.
Maybe you and I (without the kids) could get coffee before you head back home to California?
Sam
P.S. Your mother was incredible onstage!
* * *
From: Marlow Devlin
To: Sam Bloom
Subject: Re: Coffee
Yes, I guess our girls were excited to see each other, and for us to be together as well. You’re right, they were behind it all. They’re really a force, those two.
I appreciate your apology. I’m sorry as well. But good news about the bag—right? Even if it’s so long after our trip. So now that we’ve got that out of the way, you looked happy with Bob at the play. I’ve found someone else, too. It happened really fast, and I’m not going to make myself nuts forming fantasies about the future (okay, I admit, I’m already figuring out how to make two lives work as one. You know the drill—we did that).
Sam, you opened up my heart, and I’m hoping the mistakes I made with you won’t be repeated. Thank God we each have our girls—right? Bett is the one thing in my life that is pure joy. And even though I change my password every week, she somehow cracks the code. So if you’re reading this, my darling girl, STOP RIGHT NOW.
I wish getting coffee would work, but I’m going to have to take a rain check because every minute is spoken for.
Marlow
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: A. Allenberry Bloom
Subject: Re: re: Everybody but us
Javier doesn’t have TV + I forgot to bring my book so I’m just sitting here in Brooklyn with my phone + I’m thinking about Kristina’s play.
When Gaga came out onstage + started crying + said that women have different choices to make in their lives, my dad reached over + took my hand.
What did you think when that tall actor, playing a gay guy, yelled at that short lady carrying a picket sign, “I will HAVE a family or NOT have a family. It’s up to me!”?
Gay people having families doesn’t seem like something anyone should have to shout about anymore. Some people are a lot more interested in raising kids than other people. From what I can see, the person most interested usually does the best job.
I probably want to have a family someday.
But I also want to raise a capybara. They are the largest rodents in the world (but SUPER CUTE) + can weigh up to 140 pounds, so if you wanted to take one anywhere it would be like carrying around a person, unless you could get them used to a leash. But I’m not sure that’s how capybaras roll.
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Re: re: re: Everybody but us
Kristina was talking to me about the play and she explained that most artists work on something that “animates their soul.” She said she means we all have things we care about in a big way. Or at least we should.
She asked me what animates my soul and I didn’t have an answer.
I’m not sure I want to be a writer anymore (don’t tell Kristina or Gaga that I said that). I might want to go into stem cell research. I was interested in that before CIGI, so the camp doesn’t get the credit.
I think medical facts animate my soul. Because I’m afraid of diseases, I’ve learned a lot. It can be scary but also very interesting.
A
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: A. Allenberry Bloom
Subject: Re: re: re: re: Everybody but us
What animates my soul is having a friend like you. We’re so different, but we’re the same in the ways that matter. Mrs. Maynard, who teaches PE, gave us a quote to think about when we’re going through something hard.
It was “Someday EVEN THIS will be a good memory.”
A guy named Virgil wrote it. I guess a lot of people think he was a white guy, but Mrs. Maynard said that he might have been a person of color. He wrote those words a long time ago + they still read his stuff today.
Maybe you’ll be a doctor + I’ll be a writer. I’d probably write books about animals + kids. When you think about it, doctors + writers aren’t that different.
Both of them have to care about living things in order to be any good at their job.
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Someday EVEN THIS will be a good memory
Thanks.
And it’s the same for me. The idea of you as my sister animates my soul.
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: A. Allenberry Bloom
Subject: Re: Someday EVEN THIS will be a good memory
Also night owls + dogfish + puppies + hummingbirds + raccoons + pigs named Wilbur + Minnie + a chicken named J.K. Rowling + any animal in need of help.
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Re: re: Someday EVEN THIS will be a good memory
Especially any animal in need of help.
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: A. Allenberry Bloom
Subject: Re: re: re: Someday EVEN THIS will be a good memory
MOST especially.
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: A tangled web
I’m hoping you get Wi-Fi on the plane and can read this.
After you and your dad left Gaga’s, my papa picked me up. We went home for dinner and talked about the play, which he said was interesting. He won’t say “good”—that would be too much of a compliment—but he did say that Gaga was great. Then he brought up Bob Bilderback and said that he’s such a solid guy, only maybe he’s too solid.
He was saying Bob was a stump.
I wanted to leap up and shout: “You got that right!” but I didn’t, because then the worst part happened. Papa started to cry. It made me feel so bad that I started to cry, too. I was crying because he was crying, but he thought I was crying about Bob Bilderback.
Papa said, “You really like Bob—am I right?”
I got out, through my tears, “No! I don’t like Bob. I mean, I really don’t.”
Then Papa started to laugh. He was crying, but he was also laughing.
It was totally great.
I think this means Bob is out of the picture (but might not know it yet).
Now we just have to get rid of Javier, the most amazing ballet dancer in the world. Who I guess is also a cook with a great sense of humor and a cool rooftop apartment in Brooklyn.
But we have no one to be mad at except ourselves. Gaga said we were the ones who were setting the honey trap. Fingers crossed that what’s happening now is some kind of love-at-first-sight crush, and your dad and Javier the ballet dancer get over it very quickly.
And we can get back to the business of making our dads fall
in love again.
Message me when you’re home with any updates. I’m seeing Kristina and Gaga twice this week. Papa has suddenly eased up on the schedule. Not sure what any of it means, but as Gaga would say, “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!”
And I don’t even eat chicken.
* * *
From: Bett Devlin
To: A. Allenberry Bloom
Subject: Re: A tangled web
Thanks to us, your dad ditched Bob + is now in the right place. Only my dad is in the wrong place. He’s suddenly some kind of ballet SUPER FAN. On the plane he signed up online for BEGINNING BALLET CLASS at a dance studio in Culver City. That means crossing the 405 freeway. No one crosses the 405 freeway for fun.
* * *
From: A. Allenberry Bloom
To: Bett Devlin
Subject: Re: re: A tangled web
Your dad is signed up for ballet. My papa is now going to take a Spanish class. I think learning a new skill is good, but is this all because of Javier?
My papa really is a jealous and competitive man. I guess he couldn’t stand seeing your dad and Javier speaking Spanish together. He took French in college.
There was a study that said that people who suffer from chronic daily headaches get amazing relief when they fall in love. It’s because of the chemical that’s released, which is called oxytocin.
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