by Zoe Fishman
“You’re kidding me!” exclaimed Naomi. “The cast is a great touch.” She paused. “By the way, thanks for being there for Noah at the hospital. I know I behaved pretty badly when I saw you there, but I really was grateful.”
“Hey, I understand. I would have a hard time trusting me with the whole dad thing, too. I’ve changed though, Naomi. Honestly. I. . .I really love that kid, you know? I would do anything for him.”
“I think I know that now,” replied Naomi. “You just have to be patient with me, if you don’t mind. It was just him and me for so long, you know? To have you come sailing back in. . .it’s not the easiest pill to swallow.”
Gene nodded. “I know.”
Naomi picked up Mini-Noah and examined him. “So, you actually had fun with this guy? I couldn’t decide if the project sounded adorable or like a giant pain in the ass. The science fair of 2006 comes to mind.”
“Noah had to enter a science fair when he was six?! What did he enter, a stool sample? Jesus, that’s a little young, isn’t it?”
“Totally,” answered Naomi. “I’m convinced these projects are just the government’s way of punishing us for procreating. We made a model of the solar system. It was beyond complicated and I think it shaved about two years off my life.”
Gene laughed. “I am telling you, Mini-Noah and I had a blast. After hearing your science fair woes, I feel bad. Almost like I’m rubbing your nose in our cardboard-human love affair.”
Naomi smiled. She had forgotten how charming Gene could be. “Don’t feel bad. You shouldn’t have to keep your new romance a secret. So, you had fun taking him all over town?”
“I really did. The pictures I took are hilarious. Here”—he pulled another envelope out of his bag—“have a look!”
“You already got them developed?” asked Naomi, surprised once again by Gene’s sense of responsibility.
“Oh yeah, it was nothing. I have a color printer at home, so I just hooked it up.”
Naomi took the photos and began to flip through them. “These are fantastic!” There was Mini-Noah in front of the Eiffel Tower, on the edge of a fashion runway, drinking red wine with Johnny Depp. Wait, with Johnny Depp!?
“Um, excuse me!” she practically shrieked, pointing to the photo with a wavering finger. “Is that who I think it is?”
Gene nodded sheepishly. “It’s Johnny.”
“Hello, I know it’s Johnny! Holy cow, how do you know him?” Naomi stared longingly at his perfectly chiseled face. He was pretending to be engrossed in a chess game with Mini-Noah. The way the board had been set up, it looked like Mini-Noah was about to pulverize Depp.
“He bought a few photographs of mine back in the day,” Gene explained. “We sort of became buddies. I always try to see him when I’m in Paris. He got a real kick out of Mini-Noah.”
“This is unbelievable!” She shook her head in wonder at the life that Gene led. As she looked down, she noticed a piece of cereal stuck to her breast. Ah, the irony. Gene was hobnobbing with Johnny Depp and she was a human cereal bowl.
“You think the pictures are okay? That Noah will like them? It really was so important to me to do a good job by him.”
“Gene, I know he’ll love them. No one in his class is even going to come close with their minis. It’s no contest.”
Gene smiled broadly. “Thanks, Naomi. I’m so psyched to show him. I was thinking I would take one more photo here, if you don’t mind.”
“Here? This is hardly Paris. Why?”
“Well, Mini-Noah lives here, you know?” answered Gene, suddenly looking so much like Noah that Naomi’s heart broke a little. “He went on a trip to Paris, but he comes home to his mom when it’s over. Just like the real Noah.”
“Oh, is that how it works?” asked Naomi, touched by the gesture, but also hoping that Gene did not want her actually in the photo.
“Yep, it’s my creative vision,” Gene teased. “I thought I’d lay Mini-Noah in Noah’s bed and take a shot of you kissing him good night.”
“Oh no, Gene, I am in no shape for pictures! I look like death. The photo might scare the kids.”
“Are you kidding me? You’re Noah’s beautiful mommy. I know he’d want you included in the montage. C’mon, pleeeeeeeeeeeaaase?” Gene begged.
“Oh man. You are good. I guess I can do that. Just let me try to contain my hair for chrissake.”
“Yes!” said Gene, pumping his fist in victory. “This is going to be fantastic. He sprung off the couch with Mini-Noah in tow, headed for Noah’s room.
Naomi retreated to the bathroom. She smoothed some of Felicity’s pomade over her strands in a halfhearted attempt to style it. She thought about the day before—the confinement of the MRI tube and the haunting, spaceship noises it made as it scanned the interior of her skull. As she sat in the waiting room beforehand, shivering in her hospital robe and flimsy socks, she had thought about how she would tell people, particularly Gene. It was hard to conceptualize an easy way to drop such a bomb. She had decided to just make it as casual as possible—no fuss, no muss—but now, in the moment, that was much easier said than done. “Just tell him, already,” she said to her reflection in the mirror.
“Okay, I’m ready for my close-up,” she announced, as she entered Noah’s room. Mini-Noah lay on his pillow, but Gene had positioned him so that just his tiny cartoon head poked out from underneath the blanket.
“Perfect!” exclaimed Naomi. “That is too funny.”
“I know, you would not believe how much fun I had with this ridiculous paper doll. Okay, so just lean over the little guy and give him a good night kiss.”
“But what about the light?”
“Already took care of it.” He pointed to the drawn blinds. “I thought I’d shut off the overhead light and just switch on his bedside lamp—kind of frame your profile a bit.”
“Sounds good.” She let Gene do his thing and then leaned in for the kiss. Gene shot away in the corner with his digital camera.
“Looks fantastic! That’s a wrap. Here, Naomi, have a look.”
Naomi approached him. “Hey, that is nice.” Her profile looked pretty. “Cool shot, Gene.”
“Thanks. I’ll print this out later,” said Gene, switching off the camera. “Have you been taking any pictures lately?”
Naomi immediately tensed up at the question. If only Gene knew how intertwined her photography was with her memories of their life together. He had no idea that she had abandoned photography as soon as they had broken up.
“Oh, I take shots here and there,” she said, as nonchalantly as she could. “Mostly of Noah, you know.”
“You always had such an amazing eye. You taught me so much. I probably never told you that when we were together—mostly because I’m an asshole. But you really did.”
“Really?” asked Naomi, touched by his honesty. “Yeah, we did some good stuff together.” Feeling awkward suddenly, Naomi fluffed Noah’s pillows and smoothed his comforter.
“I started taking some photos again recently,” she offered—surprising herself with the ease of her revelation.
“Oh yeah? Excellent. Of what?”
“I’m taking this yoga class on Saturdays in Bushwick. They’ve asked me to design their website, so I figured I might as well take some shots of the staff and the studio to weave in.”
“Yoga! Nice! That is really cool. Have you been taking some candids and stuff?”
“Yeah, trying to capture the essence of the studio itself,” explained Naomi. “The people there are so cool. . .. And the space is so inviting. There’s nothing even remotely pretentious about it.”
“Wow, you’re the right woman for the job then. Your photos were always so pure—not an ounce of ego in them. They’re so special. I mean, I don’t mean to be a total kiss-ass, but. . .I just have a lot of respect for your eye. For you.”
Naomi was taken aback by Gene’s gush of kindness. A small part of her wondered what his angle was, but she decided to ignore her cynicism and take th
e compliment, just this once. “Thank you, Gene. You know, actually. . .I need to talk to you about something.”
“Sure,” said Gene, nervousness clouding his perfect face. “What’s up?”
“Some health stuff came up while you were gone. With me, not with Noah. I, uh. . .I may have MS.”
“Oh no, Naomi. Wow. Are you okay? When will they know? Shit, I’m asking too many questions. Forgive me.”
She went on to give him the condensed version of the story. The headaches, the flare-up, the doctor, and the MRIs.
“Nay, I’m so sorry. This is terrible news. How have you been dealing?”
“Eh, each day is a little easier. Or, well, some days are easier than others. It helps that my symptoms are going away.” Out of habit she touched her stomach. The numbness was pretty much all gone, save for a lingering tingle here and there.
“You’re an amazing woman, Naomi. You always have been. I don’t know how I would deal if I was hit with something like this. But you, you just get on with it. It’s inspiring as hell.”
“Gene, it’s not like I have a choice, you know? I have a son and a career and a life that needs me. Even so, I have my sad, ‘why me?’ moments. They’re just not public.”
“You know, you can make them public with me. I want to help. With Noah, with you, with anything. What can I do?”
“Right now, I’m all right. We’re all right. But next Monday, could you pick Noah up from school? I have a doctor’s appointment.”
“Of course. Done. Does he know anything, by the way?”
“No, I’ve decided not to tell him until I have a better idea of what’s happening. He just thinks I have a nasty cold. Or at least he’s pretending to buy it. He’s a smart kid, so who knows what he picks up on.” Naomi was looking forward to Monday, only because that would mean some clarity about the MRIs and the chance to really talk to Noah about what was happening. She hated being so secretive with him, but she didn’t feel as though there was an alternative at this point. Just a few more days.
“That’s probably wise,” said Gene. “Tough on you though, I’m sure.”
“Yeah. But what can I do?” They smiled at each other. Naomi looked at the clock and gasped.
“What’s the matter?” asked Gene.
“I have to pick up Noah at school in twenty minutes!” she explained. “Where did this afternoon go?”
“Oh, okay, let me get out of your hair,” said Gene, moving out of the bedroom and gathering his things. He slid Mini-Noah back into his envelope. “Here, you can give this to Noah,” he said, handing her both Mini-Noah and the photos. “I’ll give him the one of you and the mini when I see him on Sunday.”
“Wait!” said Naomi. “What am I doing? Why am I rushing around like a lunatic? You should pick Noah up. He would love it.”
“Really?”
“Sure, go ahead,” said Naomi. “Take him out for a cookie or something and tell him about Mini-Noah’s adventure. He is going to be so thrilled about the photos.”
Awkwardly, Gene moved to embrace her but then thought better of it. “Thanks a million. I’ll have him home by four, promise.”
“No problem, Gene. And thanks for being so supportive. It means a lot that I can lean on you.”
“Naomi, I am so glad you came to me about this. Whatever I can do, please let me do it.” He hugged her then, pulling her toward him before she could make it awkward. It felt nice to be hugged by someone who wasn’t a female or four foot eleven.
“Okay. I will.” She swallowed the lump in her throat.
Gene closed the door behind him and left, clomping his way down the stairs the same way he had come up them.
Naomi exhaled and sat on the couch. What a strange afternoon. A very nice afternoon, but a strange one. Gene had changed so much. And so had she.
She thought about her looming doctor’s appointment. Whatever the MRI revealed, she knew she would be able to handle it. And although her maybe-MS was a nightmare on so many levels, it had shaken her out of her self-sufficient to the point of insanity coma. For the first time in what felt like forever, Naomi was open to help, and she actually felt stronger as a result. It was amazing how the universe delivered its lessons. Or maybe she was the amazing part—is it okay to call myself “amazing” or is that obnoxious? Oh hell, why not—for trying to see the positive in such a negative. Either way, the cloud was lifting, and for that she was infinitely grateful.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Class Five
Charlie lay on her mat like a lazy cat, relishing the sun that filled the studio with buttery morning light. She hoped that the recent warmer weather was not just a tease and that spring firmly had its foot in the door.
“Mornin’, Charlie,” called Felicity, as she arrived. “Look at you, soakin’ up the sun!” she said, poking her head into the studio as she disrobed. “It is somethin’ out, isn’t it?! Hope it’s here to stay.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” agreed Charlie. “If this is just a tease, I will be sorely disappointed.” Charlie got up from the floor and rolled her mat up.
“How’s tricks?” she asked Felicity, approaching the front desk.
“Good, good. Can’t complain. Hey, listen, I wanted to apologize for something.”
“Oh no, what did you do?!”
“No, seriously. I gave you such a hard time about your Saturday Basics class when you were starting it up. I was stuck in business mode—couldn’t see the forest for the trees.”
“Oh, it’s okay, Felicity,” interrupted Charlie. “It wasn’t exactly a sound business proposition.”
“No, I know, but those women are so lovely. And I can see them really opening up to yoga in a way that I don’t think being part of a larger class would have allowed. You were right to create such a haven for them.”
“Hey, thanks, Felicity. I appreciate that.” She really did. Felicity was not one to bullshit, that was the truth. For her to go out of her way to admit she was wrong was a really big deal.
“And now, with Naomi creating the website, it’s all good. All of it. And you. . .you look like a different person since you started teaching this class.”
“What do you mean?”
“You look good,” explained Felicity. “Relaxed, open. Accessible in a way that you were not two months ago. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear you were in love.” She smiled coyly at Charlie.
“I’m not in love! But I am happy. I feel freer than I have in a very long time.”
“You’re over that creep finally, huh?” Felicity put her warm hand on top of Charlie’s. “Sometimes it takes a village?” she asked knowingly.
“It really does,” agreed Charlie. The woman had a sixth sense. Whatever was bothering you, she knew. Charlie was sure that she was an amazing mother.
“I’m proud of you, Charlie,” she whispered. “You took your time and fought that demon on your own terms. I did the same thing with my ex-husband. Took me a minute, but when I let him go, I felt like a million bucks for doing it my way. Giving myself permission to mourn the death of that relationship might have been the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”
Charlie hugged Felicity fiercely. “Thank you, Felicity. That means a lot. You sure are sweet this morning,” she added, releasing Felicity from her embrace.
“I can’t help it. Spring brings out the sweetness in me.” She winked at Charlie.
“Good morninnnnng,” greeted Sabine, breaking the women out of their love fest.
“Hey!” replied Charlie, genuinely thrilled to see Sabine’s rosy-cheeked face. “How are you?”
“I’m well! How could I not be? Spring is practically knocking at our doors!” She had decided to focus on the weather rather than her love life. The weather was getting better every day and promised good things to come. Her love life, not so much. She was supposed to go out with Zach tonight, and the time away from him had only made her more confused. It didn’t help that she had talked to him only once.
&n
bsp; “Happy spring!” sang Naomi, shuffling into the studio next. It was much easier to focus on the positive when the sun was shining and the birds were chirping.
“I know, isn’t it amazing out?” asked Sabine. “You can feel it coming, right?”
Charlie smiled at their enthusiasm. They were like two little squirrels, scurrying up and down tree branches with unbridled glee.
“Mornin’,” echoed Bess—the last to arrive.
“Bess!” Sabine yelled. “Welcome back!”
“Yeah,” echoed Naomi. “We missed you!” She walked over to give Bess a hug.
Bess hugged her back. “I was in LA, visiting Dan. Sorry I didn’t let all of you guys know. It was sort of a last-minute decision.” She laughed. “Because, you know, spontaneity is my forte.” She realized that Charlie, Naomi, and Sabine did know her well enough by now to know that it was anything but.
“Is everything okay?” asked Charlie.
“Everything is great. I had such an awesome time out there—”
“Holy shit, are you moving there!?” squealed Sabine.
“Take it easy!” said Bess. “I don’t know what I’m doing. But I do know that I had a much better time in LA than I expected to. I ended up talking to a couple of friends in the business out there, just to see what was what. I think I could work out there if I really hustled.” And this article is well received. She had been working on it all week and really liked where it was going.
“I think it’s awesome that you went out there,” said Sabine. “You opened yourself up to the idea of moving, and were surprised by what you found.”
“Yeah, it’s amazing what happens when your attitude shifts,” added Naomi. I’m trying, I swear.
