Home with My Sisters

by Mary Carter

  “Harrison and I have decided to take your advice, Hope,” Joy said. Hope rifled through every bit of advice she’d doled out to Joy lately and came up blank. “We’re going to save up for a coffee truck.”

  “Seriously?” Hope said. She wasn’t sure whether or not to congratulate her. If she accepted the credit, then she would also have to accept the blame if things went south.

  “You’re moving here?” Faith said.

  “Well, it will be a truck, so really we can drive it wherever we want, but yes. We’re moving here. We’ll stay with Granny while she’s still with us.”

  “You can’t do that,” Faith said.

  “It’s already done,” Joy said.

  “Haven’t you already put down money on a place in Seattle?” Hope asked. Not only did she not want to be blamed if the coffee truck failed, she also couldn’t push away the thought that Joy was just conniving to get what she wanted, and using Yvette in the process. She was already one meeting with a lawyer away from kicking their father off the property, and even if they only thought of him as Roger, the man had been living there for the past twenty years.

  “We’ve already lost that deposit,” Joy said. “We weren’t able to pay the next installment.”

  “We have bigger things to discuss,” Faith said.

  “Such as?”

  “Mom is missing for one.”

  “I told you she went to Cuba after all,” Joy said.

  “No,” Faith said. “She was coming here.”

  “Do you hear yourself? Why on earth would she come here?”

  Faith looked at Hope. She was handing over the Olympic Torch. Hope faced Joy. “First of all, we tried telling you earlier, but you were always busy.”

  “Telling me what?” Anger was on the surface, but Hope could also hear the fear in Joy’s voice.

  “Roger is our father.”

  Joy broke out in a fake smile, as if to say, ha-ha; then it slowly faded as her eyes bounced between Hope and Faith. “Excuse me?”

  Faith took the reins. “Roger is Thomas Garland. He’s our father. He’s your father.”

  “Get out,” Joy said. She kicked snow with her boot, trying to aim it at Hope, then kicked a pile toward Faith. Joy shook her head, smiling, eyes ping-ponging once again from Faith to Hope, waiting for one of them to admit it was a joke. Once again Hope and Faith remained serious. Joy flapped her arms. “What are you talking about?”

  “There was a moment when he looked at me and I just knew,” Hope said.

  “I didn’t know,” Faith interjected. “Until I knew. And now every time I look at him I wonder why I couldn’t see it.”

  Joy shook her head. “He died in a car accident. Granny said so. We saw his grave.”

  “We saw a cross in the dirt that Roger—I mean, our father—stuck there,” Hope said.

  “I’m sick of this. You two aren’t making any sense.”

  “He was in a coma after the car accident,” Faith explained. “He was never the same again. Yvette isn’t even sure if he’s fully aware of who he is.”

  “Oh my God,” Joy said. “Oh my God.” She stumbled forward. Hope caught one arm and Faith the other, as the most unexpected thing happened. Joy began to sob. Faith and Hope held her close. “It’s not fair,” she said. “It’s not fair.”

  Faith gently pushed Joy back so she could look her in the eyes. “It’s a miracle,” she said. “It’s more than fair. We’re getting him back.”

  “But he’s brain-damaged!”

  “Yes,” Hope said. “And that’s the reason he never wanted us to know he was still alive.”

  “I thought he was a con artist. Are you sure he’s not a con artist?”

  “We’re sure,” Faith said.

  “This is crazy. How can that man be our father? He’s nothing like you said he was.”

  “He was in a serious accident,” Hope said. “But he’s still our dad.”

  “He’s not my dad,” Joy said. “He never will be.”

  “Don’t say that,” Faith said.

  “He’s a total stranger,” Joy said. “I don’t feel anything.”

  “He still loves us,” Hope said. “He loves you.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “He’s decorating the entire grounds for Christmas. For us. Don’t you see?” Hope pleaded.

  “I don’t see,” Joy said. “You two are nuts.”

  Faith stepped up. “It’s not about us. It’s about him. We’re all going to mourn the father we lost. This doesn’t change that. But he’s still here. And he’s ours. He’s yours.”

  Joy started sobbing again. “I was going to try to have him institutionalized.”

  “Not the best Christmas present,” Faith said. Joy swiped at her.

  “Wait,” Joy said. “That’s why Mom is coming?”

  “Yes,” Faith said. “But she doesn’t know that he’s not exactly himself—well—I don’t know what she knows because she’s missing.”

  “Does Roger—Dad—know that you guys know?”

  “No,” Hope said. “We can’t tell him yet. We have to talk to his doctors, make sure we’re not going to set him back in any way by confronting him with it.”

  “My God,” Joy said. “How long have you two been leaving me in the dark, like a chump?”

  “I told you, we’ve been trying to tell you. It’s only been a few days.”

  “A few days!”

  “Please,” Faith said. “We love you, Joy. We’re not trying to leave you out. Can we please not pile onto the stress here? I think a dying grandmother, an injured daughter, a suicidal teenager, a disgruntled soon to be ex-husband, a secret lesbian lover, a disabled lost father, and a missing mother is quite enough to deal with for one holiday season. I don’t even know if I can fit all of that into our annual Christmas letter. So can I please, please just have my relationship with my sisters intact?” Hope and Joy stared openmouthed at Faith.

  Joy started to laugh first. Then she began to softly pummel Faith with mittened fists. “I hate your annual Christmas letter.”

  “Stop it,” Faith said, but her laughter betrayed she was enjoying it. Hope grabbed her around the neck and messed up her beautiful hair. “Stop.”

  “You didn’t mention Mr. Jingles,” Hope said. “You like him.”

  “I do not!” Mr. Jingles jumped on Faith and licked her lips. “Gross!” Faith shouted.

  “You have the worst life!” Joy said, breaking into laughter again.

  “I have the worst sisters,” Faith said. Mr. Jingles barked and circled them, then once again jumped up and licked Faith’s face with his giant tongue from chin to forehead.

  * * *

  They stopped in town. Joy wanted to buy Roger a present. She’d agreed not to say a word to him about who they were, but insisted on the gift. For someone who said she wanted nothing to do with the man, she was coming around awfully quick. Hope was so grateful. It just so happened that Joy found her gift in the same store where Hope had her eye on that sweater for Austin. So while Joy was buying their father a scarf, she bought Austin a sweater.

  “Who’s that for?” Faith asked with a smile, nudging Joy.

  “None of your beeswax,” Hope said.

  “Would Dad like a sweater?” Joy asked.

  “Let’s get him one that’s big and soft,” Faith said. The three of them picked out a sweater that matched the scarf, and finally a new cap. They would have bought the entire store for him if they could have.

  “Do we have to wait for Christmas to give these to him?”

  “That’s usually how it goes,” Faith said.

  “I want to give it to him as soon as we get back,” Joy said. “That’s how it goes with me.”

  Hope laughed. “You always had all your gifts opened before Christmas. Except when Mom started locking them in the cedar chest.”

  “Oh no. I figured that lock out in no time.” Joy smiled.

  “You did not.”

  “I did too. I’d open it, unwrap
them, then wrap them back up.”

  “Unwrap them?” Faith said. “You opened ours too?”

  “Of course,” Joy said. “I switched them sometimes too.”

  “Oh my God,” Hope said. “I knew that purple radio was supposed to be mine. I asked for it.” Joy shrugged. “I’ve been mad at Mom for years over that.”

  “It’s not my fault,” Joy said. “I always expected her to confront me, but she never did.”

  “She hated Christmas so much she couldn’t even remember what she bought us,” Faith said.

  “Or she had somebody else buy them,” Hope said. “Speaking of which—shouldn’t we check with a few of the hotels in town to see if she’s here?”

  “I have to check my phone and see if her boyfriend answered my message,” Faith said. “But I agree, let’s check the inns in town.”

  “What do we do if there’s no room at the inn?” Joy deadpanned. Hope and Faith raced to see which one would be the first to smack her.

  CHAPTER 36

  “Well, that was a waste of time,” Joy said. They had checked all the lodging in town and no sign of their mother. They stood at the corner of Main Street watching shoppers come and go. Hope was really starting to worry about Carla. She gravitated toward drama, not away from it. It wasn’t like her to disappear.

  “At least we managed to spread the word of our Christmas Extravaganza,” Faith said. The managers of the inns seemed excited about the invitation. Several of them mentioned how generous of a man Rupert had been; nobody commented on Yvette.

  “How much are we going to charge per person?” Joy asked.

  “We’re not charging,” Hope said.

  “Of course we are,” Joy said.

  “No,” Hope said. “We’re giving back. For Christmas.”

  “We can give and take at the same time,” Joy said. They piled in the car and were headed back to the estate.

  “Faith,” Hope said. “Would you like to jump in here?”

  “We’re not charging,” Faith said.

  “Thank you,” Hope said.

  “Harrison is going to make donuts and I’m going to make coffee, and we’re selling those,” Joy said. “You can’t stop us.”

  “You’re entirely missing the point of the season,” Hope said.

  “We might need the reward money to find Mom,” Joy said.

  “See?” Faith said. “There’s the selfless Joy we know and love.”

  “Who’s buying me a coffee truck for Christmas?” Joy said.

  Hope glanced ahead as they were approaching the estate. The gates were open and everyone was standing outside. She was thrilled to see Austin among them. He turned as their car pulled up and Hope smiled. He smiled back, then stepped to the side, revealing none other than their mother. Carla Garland was wearing a hot-pink trench coat, her highlighted hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun. She was holding court with Josh and Brittany, flapping her arms in high animation. Yvette was to her side, scowling. “She’s alive,” Hope said. “Thank God.”

  “I didn’t know they sold winter coats in Miami,” Faith remarked.

  “She looks like a flamingo,” Hope said. The two of them laughed.

  “Mom!” Joy said. “Looks like I get to keep the reward money.” She had the car door open before it had even come to a stop.

  “Wonder if she’s seen Dad yet?” Faith said. Hope had been wondering the same thing. They quickly scanned the grounds, but their father wasn’t in sight. The girls barreled out of the car and ran to their mother.

  “There you are,” Carla said. “Some welcome.” They gave their mother a group hug.

  “We were looking all over town for you,” Faith scolded.

  “I see you didn’t tell me that my only granddaughter was crippled,” Carla said the minute the hug was over.

  “I’m not really crippled,” Brittany said.

  “Like Tiny Tim!” Josh said.

  “Where’s Roger?” Faith said.

  “Don’t call him that,” Carla said. She turned to Yvette. “How dare you.”

  “Thank God,” Joy said. “We got here just in time for the good stuff.”

  Faith stepped forward. “Not in front of the kids,” she said.

  “Why is Grandma so mad?” Brittany asked Faith.

  “Why is the sky gray?” Faith answered.

  “You know what?” Austin said. “I was thinking of taking the kids downtown.”

  “Yay!” Brittany said. “I can practice my crutches.”

  “There’s still a lot of ice,” Austin said. “We’ll take the sled just in case.”

  “That’s what got her into this in the first place,” Faith muttered.

  “Not downhill this time,” Austin said with a wink. “Just down the sidewalk.”

  “Can I have some money, Mom?” Josh asked.

  “Sure,” Faith said.

  “How come that never works for me?” Joy said.

  “Because you’re not my child,” Faith said.

  “Where’s Harrison?” Joy asked.

  “He’s out in the woods chopping firewood,” Yvette said.

  “What has this place done to him?” Joy said.

  “I need to see Roger,” Carla said. She drew the name out and glared at Yvette, then headed for his cabin.

  “Not so fast,” Yvette said, lunging forward and grabbing a hot-pink sleeve. “We have to talk.”

  “You’ve had years to talk,” Carla said. “Too little and much too late.”

  “Mom, please,” Hope said. “She’s right. We do have to talk. All of us.” Carla’s eyes flicked to Faith. Hope cringed. She would never be seen as a decision maker.

  “I second,” Faith said. Hope and Faith looked at Joy. For a second Joy seemed startled that they included her. Then she straightened up and looked Carla in the eye.

  “Third,” Joy said. “I third.”

  * * *

  It took a lot of whiskey and repetition, but Carla finally heard what they all had to say. They were huddled on the sofas in front of the fireplace, tucked under blankets, as if trying to squeeze out any bit of comfort they could. Tears were pooling in Carla’s eyes and running down her cheeks. Streaks of black mascara ran down her cheeks. Hope handed her a tissue. She clutched it, then looked at Yvette.

  “You still should have told us,” Carla said. “He was my husband. Their father. We loved him.”

  “I know that now,” Yvette said. “And I’m sorry.”

  “So what? We just pretend he’s not Thomas?” Carla looked to the girls for an answer.

  “At the least we need to speak with his doctor,” Faith said. “It’s obvious he’s not the dad we knew. But he functions and seems relatively happy. I couldn’t forgive myself if we made things worse.”

  “Me neither,” Hope said.

  Harrison entered the house. Joy ran to him and jumped into his arms. Carla looked him over.

  “Hi, Mrs. G,” Harrison called.

  “Hi, Harrison.”

  “You two know each other?” Faith said.

  “We’re Facebook friends,” Carla said.

  “Top friends,” Harrison said, putting Joy down.

  “Lovely to meet you in person.” Carla unfolded herself from the sofa and wiped the mascara off her cheeks. Then she sauntered over and hugged Harrison. Their mother. The eternal flirt.

  “Was Roger with you in the woods?” Carla asked, eagerly scanning the windows. Hope found herself doing the same thing. They were going to have to watch Carla or she was going to go rogue.

  “For a bit. He went back to his cabin,” Harrison said.

  “Do you think he saw me?”

  Harrison was sporting a grin, but it faded slightly as he frowned. “I don’t think so. Why?”

  “He’s my father,” Joy said. “Her ex-husband.”

  Harrison looked behind him as if expecting someone to jump out. “Who?” he said. “What?”

  “Not ex-husband,” Carla said. “Husband. I never had him declared dead, and w
e never divorced.”

  “I’m lost,” Harrison said.

  “Roger, the caretaker, is our father,” Joy said.

  “Funny,” Harrison said.

  “Not joking,” Joy said. She pulled Harrison aside and began to quietly fill him in. A few seconds later he was hugging Joy, wrapping her into his arms. I really like him, Hope thought. She never imagined anyone who could calm Joy down like that.

  “You’re still married,” Yvette said slowly, turning to Carla. “I never even thought of that.”

  “It means whatever decisions get made for him are mine,” Carla said.

  “I’ll change my will. The girls won’t get the house. Is that what you want?”

  “Let’s all calm down,” Hope said. “It’s Christmas.” She walked up to Yvette, took her hands. “You can leave the house to whomever you want. You won’t get your way by hanging that over our heads anymore. We actually like you now. We’re not just here for the inheritance.”

  “I second,” Faith said. They turned to Joy. Joy stared for a long time.

  “Third,” Joy said finally, albeit in a dejected tone.

  “How is that possible?” Yvette said. Her tone still had an edge to it, but she looked hopeful, as if she wanted to believe them.

  “We like you,” Joy said. “It’s a Christmas miracle.”

  “I don’t like you,” Carla said.

  “Mom,” Hope said. “You will not start pushing your weight around.”

  “Wouldn’t do any good,” Carla said. “I’ve been on the South Beach Diet. I’ve barely anything to push. Not that anyone noticed.”

  Hope faced her mother. “You have to agree not to say anything to Roger until after the holidays and after we’ve talked to his doctors.”

  “Why don’t we talk to his doctors right now?”

  “We can make an appointment,” Hope said. “We were waiting for you.”

  “Fine,” Carla said. “Call them right now.”

  “I’m on it,” Faith said. The door opened and Austin and the kids piled in. Stephen followed them in.