Kate’s daughter Julie came to visit a few days later, after work. She loved seeing what her mother found. They shared a passion for exquisitely made clothes, especially haute couture, and Julie had learned much about designing from what she had seen in her mother’s store since she was twelve years old. Her own style was modern and more extreme and fashion forward, but she always said that she’d been heavily influenced in what she designed by what her mother had shown her and taught her over the years. They spent an hour going over everything, and Kate invited her to dinner at a restaurant nearby. The neighborhood had improved a lot since Kate had opened the store. The shops and restaurants around her were trendier and more elegant now, and there were many places to eat well with her children when they had time to drop by.
They went to a nearby restaurant best known for its wholesome food, fresh vegetables, homemade pasta, and salads, where Julie liked to have lunch, and they talked about the latest collection she was working on. She was frustrated at times, because she would have liked to do more exciting clothes for their line, but the designer she worked for wanted her to maintain the image and style of the house. But she enjoyed her job and the people she worked with, and she was making a healthy salary now. It was an excellent job, and prestigious, as the head designer for an up-and-coming firm. Her learning disability had caused her problems in school with reading and math, but she had enormous talent with anything involving art or design.
“You should have been a designer, Mom,” she said to her mother with a warm smile, as they shared a Mediterranean salad. Julie looked nothing like her. She had her father’s dark eyes and dark hair, and was smaller than her mother and older sister, who were both tall, thin, and blond and looked more like sisters than mother and daughter.
“I’m better at appreciating other people’s designs,” Kate said with a smile in response. She loved spending time with Julie. She was a gentle person, and they always got along. Izzie had a stronger personality, and was sharper and more critical at times, particularly since her broken engagement, which had left her bitter about men, and often harsh in the past two years. Kate hoped it wasn’t permanent, and that she’d mellow again when she met a man she cared about, but it hadn’t happened so far. “I’m a better shopper,” Kate said honestly, laughing at herself.
“What’s Grandma up to?” Julie asked her. “I haven’t talked to her in weeks. Where’s she off to now?” All of the children enjoyed their grandmother, who was a fiercely independent woman. She loved to travel, and had a widowed friend close to her own age, whom she dragged halfway around the world at every opportunity. She loved going to exotic places, and Frances tagged along. They had been schoolteachers together before they both retired. Grandma Lou, as they called her, had taken each of her grandchildren on an adventure trip when they turned twenty-one. She and Julie had gone on a fabulous trip to India nine years before, which Julie had never forgotten. It had influenced the fabrics she was drawn to for several years. And three years ago, she and Willie, her youngest grandchild, had gone to Dubai. Izzie had insisted on going to Scotland and Ireland, which Grandma Lou thought was too tame. She had added four days in Venice and a weekend in Paris before she brought her home, and Izzie had loved the trip. And she and Justin had gone on a walking trip in Nepal, which was more her style. She had been an important person for them ever since they’d been born, adding spice and adventure to their lives on a weekend trip to Quebec, a tour of the battlefields of the South, and visits to Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon when they were small. She brought them interesting books and told them tales of her own trips to Africa and Asia. She was always open to learning new things, and had recently started taking Mandarin lessons, in preparation for a trip she was planning to Beijing in a year. It was hard to keep up with her.
“I think she’s going to Australia this summer, on some kind of museum tour. She’s already planning a trip to China next summer. She’s taking Mandarin lessons to get ready for it. And she’s going to Argentina after Christmas.” She already spoke Spanish. Kate’s mother was an exciting person to have in their lives, and at the same time, a solid, stable one. She had been invaluable to Kate, bringing up four children alone. They didn’t have a father, but they had a grandmother who added immeasurably to their lives. She had a thirst for knowledge and wanted to see everything firsthand. Nothing daunted her. She was a remarkable woman, and at seventy-eight she didn’t seem to be slowing down. Her traveling companions always had trouble keeping up with her. She stayed in remarkable shape, and was an expert in yoga. She had tried to convince Kate to try it for years, but Kate was less athletic than her mother and insisted she didn’t have time. Kate went to the gym and took a spinning class once a week, which was exercise enough for her.
The two women had an enjoyable dinner before Julie went home to her apartment. Kate didn’t ask her if she was seeing anyone, because she knew the answer to the question. Julie hadn’t gone out with anyone in months. By the time she got home from work late at night, she was too tired to go anywhere, and she was content to stay home in her loft in the East Village. Her siblings were far more social than she was. Julie never minded being at home, and felt no pressure to meet a man. When she had time to spare, she went to Vermont to stay with her twin brother and his partner for a few days, usually between collections. They were a happy threesome whenever they were together. Kate was pleased that her children were all close, even more so to one another than to her, although they liked spending time with her too. And Grandma Lou was welcome at any family meal or plan. The best times they all shared were on holidays when they were all together, and Justin’s partner Richard had been a happy addition to the group for the past four years.
None of Justin’s siblings had significant others for the time being, nor did Kate, although her longtime friend Liam, her best friend since college, sometimes joined them. He was like a brother to Kate and an uncle to the kids. He was married to a quiet woman who didn’t like to go out at night, and he had two daughters who were in college in Europe, so he was always happy to be with Kate and her kids. He worked for a bank and led a serious, circumspect life, and had been a big support to her when Tom died. They had been good friends now for more than thirty years.
Liam had advised her in setting up the financial foundation of her business, and helped her get loans a couple of times in the beginning. She said she couldn’t have done it without him, and he was always available to counsel her, even about the kids. He said he had a good marriage, but as much as Kate loved him like a brother, she had never warmed up to his wife, nor Maureen to her, so her friendship with Liam flourished separately from the rest of his life. Kate always invited them as a couple when she gave cocktail parties, or invited them as a family to events with her children, but Maureen rarely came. She was a shy, retiring woman and preferred to let Liam see Kate on his own. She wasn’t jealous of Kate. She just had nothing to say when they were together. Maureen was from Maine, and spare with words. Kate’s lively family, and her own style and enthusiasm about life, had always been too much for Maureen. But she was a solid support for her husband, and a good mother to their kids. And for the spice and fun in his life, Liam had Kate and her busy tribe. And he always said that he had been in love with Grandma Lou since the day he met Kate. He called her sometimes just to see how she was, and ask what she was up to. The answer to that question was always interesting and unexpected. Louise was the only world traveler he knew who was almost eighty years old.
Grandma Lou had spent her seventy-fifth birthday on safari in Africa, and had returned with incredible photographs. It embarrassed Kate sometimes how much more adventurous her mother was than she was herself. Kate was happier staying closer to her home, her business, and her kids, even now that they were grown up. Her mother had always been fiercely independent, even in her youth and during her marriage, and her husband had admired her for it and encouraged her. She grew even more so once she was widowed, and had the chance to do all the things she had
dreamed of for years but never could do while she was married. And she had opened the world as a learning experience for her grandchildren. They loved spending time with her and hearing about her travels. They confided their secrets to her, and asked for her advice. She was always candid with them, even if she didn’t agree with their mother. She thought Kate was a terrific mother, even better than she herself had been with her only child, but at times she thought she protected them too much. Grandma Lou believed they needed to learn their own lessons about life. Kate didn’t want them to get hurt, but as their grandmother pointed out, sometimes that was the only way to learn. It was the subject of many discussions between Kate and her mother, to what extent one could shield one’s kids from the hard lessons in life. It was an age-old question to which there was no answer, only different opinions.
When they talked about it, Liam was more inclined to think as she did, and had a tendency to overprotect his two girls. It had taken every ounce of self-restraint he’d had to let them both attend college in Europe. And having been so sheltered at home, they were hungry for the world. Penny was at the University of Edinburgh, and Elizabeth was in Madrid. He had already been to visit them several times, although Maureen didn’t like to travel and hadn’t gone with him. The girls were ecstatic to be where they were, and far from home, although they loved their parents.
—
Kate’s mother dropped by to see her at the store the day after she had dinner with her younger daughter. Grandma Lou had been on a walk in SoHo on her way home after yoga.
“Hi, Mom,” Kate said, happy to see her. “I have something for you.” It was a beautiful navy blue Chanel suit from her latest intake, and was the perfect size for her mother, and Kate thought it would be useful for her. It still had the tags on it from the woman in Connecticut, and had never been worn. She brought it out of a locked closet with pride. She kept special finds there, waiting for clients she had promised them to or had called them about. She had saved the suit for her mother. Grandma Lou stood staring at it for a minute, and squinted. Her straight gray hair was cut in a bob like she had worn all her life. Her hair was thick and full, her blue eyes bright and alive. She was wearing leggings, a pink Lacoste shirt, and the running shoes she wore on her hikes. Her figure was still trim and her face surprisingly unlined, and she had the stride of a much younger woman, particularly when she picked up speed when she was walking. She hadn’t bothered with a handbag, and had her keys and wallet in her pocket. She hated to be encumbered, and she didn’t care if she looked chic or not. She thought of clothes as functional, unlike Kate, who’d had a passion for fashion all her life.
“Do you really think that’s me?” Louise asked, seeming worried, and her daughter smiled. “It’s awfully serious looking, isn’t it?” She was less excited about the suit than Kate had hoped.
“You can wear it out to dinner, Mom, or if you go to the theater.” Louise looked dubious at the thought. She was more comfortable in jeans and the easy clothes she wore to travel. She thought comfort was more important. And Kate always looked stylish, whatever she wore, even in jeans. She would never have left her house without a bag, usually a Chanel or a well-seasoned Hermès that had come through the store. And Kate loved high heels. Louise had always preferred flats.
“Why don’t you try it on?” Kate encouraged her about the navy suit. It was a classic, and she knew her mother would look great in it, if she could convince her to wear it. “Humor me.” Her mother laughed, disappeared into a fitting room, and emerged a few minutes later with her Lacoste shirt under the jacket, her leggings showing under the skirt, in her beaten-up old running shoes, as Kate laughed. “Now that’s a look, Mom.” They both considered her image in the mirror, as Kate’s mother stuck her arms out like a kid in an outfit her mother had forced her to wear but didn’t want to.
“I’m not sure it’s me,” she said cautiously. In fact, it wasn’t. But Kate hoped it could be, if her mother was willing. “Where would I wear it?”
“Out to dinner with me sometime.” Kate tried to inspire her and her mother laughed.
“Do I have to? I will if you want me to. I always knew you wanted a mother who dressed like this.” Her mother had worn jeans for as long as Kate could remember, when other mothers were wearing wraparound skirts and cute dresses and high heels. Kate’s mother hated dressing up, and it had never mattered to her father, who thought she was gorgeous whatever she wore. They had had a terrific marriage, and accepted each other as they were. He had owned a successful contracting business, and they had a good life, and Kate had been happy growing up. She had always felt safe and protected in her parents’ world, and wanted her children to have the same sense of security with her, even without a father, after Tom died.
Kate’s financial situation had been far less secure than her parents’, once she was the children’s sole support, but she had always managed, and something had always happened to help her pull a rabbit out of the hat when she needed it most. And when she was in dire need, her mother had helped her, although she didn’t have a fortune either. But they had never known serious lack thanks to Kate’s ingenuity about providing for them, and her willingness to work hard. And she had conveyed the same work ethic to all her children, with good results. All her children worked hard at their jobs.
“So what do you think about the suit?” Kate asked as her mother wandered around the store in the chic navy Chanel with her running shoes and pink shirt, and Kate could see she didn’t like it and didn’t really care, which was a waste. Someone should have it who really loved it and for whom it would be a fantastic find. For her mother, it looked more like a punishment than a prize. “You don’t have to take it if you don’t want to,” she said, gently letting her mother off the hook, and Grandma Lou laughed and was relieved.
“I don’t think you’ll ever make me into a respectable-looking mother in a Chanel suit. What I really need are new hiking boots before my summer trip. You wouldn’t have any of those, would you? We’re going to do some hiking after our museum tour,” she said earnestly and her daughter laughed. Hiking boots were definitely not the look Kate had spent almost twenty years cultivating at Still Fabulous.
“I’m afraid we’re fresh out,” she said and gave her mother a hug, and a few minutes later, Louise took off the suit, handed it to Kate, and left, delighted to have escaped the Chanel suit, although she appreciated the thought. Once in a while, Kate actually found something her mother liked, but this recent attempt was definitely not her look. She had given her mother a wonderful lamb and suede coat she had worn two years before on a trip to Tibet, and some fun Chinese pajamas she wore at home. But for the most part, despite her daughter and granddaughter being steeped in fashion, Grandma Lou had no desire to be chic, and was content to dress as she chose.
—
Grandma Lou was in Australia with Frances in August, the week after Izzie returned from a weekend in Vermont at her brother’s, when Zach Holbrook called Izzie at her office to discuss his case. She had sent him several emails to which he hadn’t responded, and she was about to report it to the court and attempt to get excused from the case, but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. If he didn’t care about his court case and the felony charges against him, why should she? She took the call as soon as her paralegal said he was on the phone.
“Hello, Isabelle,” he said, sounding relaxed and friendly, far more so than she felt about him. “How about our lunch?”
“How about your pending case that could send you to prison? Do you have any interest in talking about that?” she responded tartly, and for an instant he was silent on the other end.
“Did I catch you on a bad day?” He sounded like a chastised child.
“Not at all,” she said coolly. “You haven’t answered my emails, and I was planning to resign from the case. I can’t deal with a client who won’t respond. If you’re not interested in your own defense, why should I be?” He was startled by her bluntness and chilly tone.
“I’ve be
en busy. I kept meaning to answer you. My grandmother had a stroke in Palm Beach, and I was staying with her.” Izzie didn’t know if it was true or not, but suddenly she felt sympathetic toward him. Despite her resistance to him, and disapproval of his lifestyle, he somehow made her feel as though she should be nice to him, because life had handed him some tough breaks.
“I’m sorry to hear it,” she said quietly. “Is she okay?” It made her think of her own grandmother, and how grateful she was that she was in good health. She had talked to her on Skype a few days before. Her grandmother was proficient with computers and Willie was always showing her something new. She had a state-of-the-art computer at home, a laptop for when she traveled, and she always carried an iPad in her purse. She had taken several classes and had even mastered Excel.
“She’s better now, thanks for asking,” Zach said. “She’s a plucky old girl. I love her a lot. She’s the only member of my family who ever gave a damn about me. I’ve been staying with her for the past two months. So where are we with my case?” he said warmly.
“I’ve looked over all the details of the arrest, and I can’t find anything wrong with it. I think the only thing we can do is try for a plea bargain, have you plead guilty, and ask for probation.”
“Won’t it go on my record then?” He sounded disappointed that she couldn’t get him out of it, but she was an attorney, not a magician, and he had been arrested with the drugs in his possession.
“Yes, it will,” she said honestly. “But if you don’t plead and you push it to trial and are found guilty as charged, you could go to prison for a few years. I’d like to try to avoid that for you. How do you feel about a plea bargain?”
Against All Odds Page 3
