by PE Kavanagh
As soon as Lola walked away, Claire turned her attention to Aidan.
“So, Mr. Perfect, what’s your deep dark secret?”
Lola imagined a chill running down Aidan’s spine.
Nora spoke up. “That’s rude, Claire. There’s no need for that.”
“Maybe there is. You know my sister. She likes to attract these Jekyll and Hyde guys.”
“I have no secrets from your sister. Don’t worry, Claire.” Lola couldn't remember ever hearing that degree of iciness in Aidan’s voice.
“I have to worry! I mean that girl is always minutes from a breakdown. And it’s on all of us to pick her back up.”
Lola stepped back into the main room. “You’ve never picked me up, Claire.” Her hands shook, jostling the wine in the large glasses, but her voice was sharpened steel.
“You must be kidding.” Claire flung her hands up. “It’s always about you needing to be rescued, Lola. By every guy, by Marco, by whoever is around. Why should we think this time is any different?”
Claire turned her attention to Aidan. “Isn’t that right mister hot stuff? You must have seen my sister fall apart at least once. Just wait… there’ll be plenty of that in your future. If you stick around.”
Nora and Marco stood up simultaneously. “Enough, Claire,” came Marco’s stern voice, while Nora had her by the arm, pulling her to standing. “We are taking you home.”
“What is wrong with you, Claire? What did I ever do to you?” Lola put down the two glasses in her hands and began the walk upstairs. Aidan got up to follow her, looking back to devastated expressions from the family.
“Good night,” Monique whispered.
Lola got to the bedroom, lay down on the bed and stared straight up towards the salmon-colored ceiling. Aidan sat next to her and ran his hands over her forehead.
“Welcome to my family.”
“I’m sorry, Lo. I’m so sorry. What can I do for you?”
“Take me away? Pack up the car, take me to the airport, and take me home.”
“I will do anything you want. Let’s go.”
Lola’s holding broke and she began to sob. He pulled her into his lap, stroking her until it was all out, never breaking the gentle hold.
She was nearly asleep when someone knocked on the bedroom door.
“Lola? Can I come in?”
Lola sprung up to sit. “Pablo!”
He peered through the slight crack in the door. “Querida hermana…” He gave a nod to Aidan before opening his arms to hold his sister.
Lola could not have been happier to see him. “When did you get here?”
“Just now. Dad filled me in. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, you know it’s always dramatic here. Claire is acting extra crazy. Just sent me over the edge, I guess. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Of course, my lovely Lolita.”
She remembered the two men hadn’t met. “Crap. Pablo, this is Aidan.”
“So nice to finally meet you. I’ve been looking forward to it.” Pablo freed one of the hands holding Lola to pat Aidan on the shoulder.
“Me too, Pablo. You’re one of my… of Lola’s favorite people.”
“And she, mine.”
“We have a lot in common.”
“That’s good to hear, man. Good to hear. Listen, I’ll let you two have some quiet time. I apologize in advance for the racket my kids are going to make in the morning. At their grandparent’s house, all bets are off. Anyway, te quiero mucho.” He kissed Lola on the top of her head.
Lola moved on autopilot to get ready for bed, then curled the full length of her body into Aidan.
“Babe, is there anything I can do for you?”
“You already have. Thanks for being here… with me. I feel your support. And love. I’m so sorry that it got messy so quickly.”
“That’s what families are. Messy. I don’t mind. Whatever you need… please ask. I don’t want to intrude, but I’m happy to take your sister out for a little chat.”
“She’s getting more and more deranged. I’m not sure what’s going on. Doesn’t matter right now. I want to go to sleep.”
“Me too.”
Pablo’s prediction had been correct. High-pitched squeals and the clack of fast-paced footsteps filled the house. Marco and the kids had begun their antics.
Lola groaned and Aidan tucked her under his arm. “Good morning, love.”
“Good morning, honey.” She rubbed his bare chest and took a deep breath of him.
“How are you feeling?”
“Really good.” She kissed the mound of his carved chest.
“Sounds like the house is up and running. Maybe we should head downstairs.”
“Wait…” Lola rolled herself on top of him and hungrily took his mouth.
He wrapped his arm around and palmed her bottom.
She pressed herself into him, unimpeded by her thin sleepshirt.
“Lo… baby…” he broke away. “I thought…”
The reminder brought her back. “Right…” Her body slumped onto one side.
“As much as I want you, and you know I do, I’m not sure… Are you still feeling conflicted?”
All the concerns of the previous day rushed back in. “I’m sorry for being inconsistent. Making it harder for you.”
“I understand. It’s nice to know you still want me, anyway.”
His smirk warmed her cheeks. “That’s a serious understatement. But everything gets so jumbled for me here.”
“So maybe we wait until we get back home and you feel clearer.”
She ran her finger down the center of his abdomen, stopping at his navel. “How are you so amazing?”
“Trust me, my body could not be screaming any louder right now. But I’m not willing to accept good enough with you anymore. What we have is extraordinary. Like Marco and your Mom, who can’t keep their hands off each other, even at their age. They are all in. That’s what I want.”
“They’ve had almost twenty years to work on it.”
“True. But I bet the commitment was clear from the beginning. Which is why it’s still strong twenty years later.”
He was right. Lola remembered being entranced by them when she was little. Instead of the love stories in books and movies, it was her mother and stepfather who formed the image of what love looked like when she was growing up. It had never been an option for her, to be loved like that, so she didn’t even try, settling instead for a much less satisfying alternative. A small tremor moved up her spine as she acknowledged the possibility of her new relationship going that far.
Lola lifted her head to look into his eyes. “I’m not sure what to do.”
“I think we should wait.”
“Are you playing hard to get?”
He grinned. “Maybe. Does it make you want me more?”
“No. It makes me want to push you off the side of the bed.”
“Small price to pay for forever.”
“I love you, Aidan.”
“I love you, Lola.” He moved her body to the side and sat up. “Come on, lazy bones. Let’s go see what fun and frolics lie in store for us downstairs.”
“Ughhh!” she groaned as she rolled onto her back and pulled the covers over her head.
* * *
When they finally made it downstairs, Aidan and Lola found everyone already sitting around the kitchen island, a slab of marble that looked as if it had been lifted off the Taj Mahal.
“Good morning, everyone!” Lola said in her most cheerful voice.
Her sister-in-law Gina was the first to pop up and run to them, giving Lola a hug and kiss, and then turning her attention to Aidan. “And you must be the famous new boyfriend.”
“Easy, G…” requested Lola.
Aidan put out his hand, which she playfully swatted away. “Come here! We hug in this family.” After releasing him, she held his arms and looked straight into his eyes.
“Wow, you look exactly like Lola’s best friend…�
�� he said.
She dropped her grip. “Maddie. I know. I think it’s a ploy by my husband to have a backup ready in case something happens to me.”
Pablo had to respond. “Darling, you know I never thought of that but it’s brilliant.”
Gina gave her husband a playful slap on the cheek. “What will I do with you?”
“Anything you want, mi amor.”
They turned back to the recently awoken couple.
“Good morning, Lo. Aidan. Did you guys sleep alright?” Monique asked.
“Great, actually.” It was true. Lola's night had been free of worry and nightmares.
“Coffee?” offered Marco.
“Oh, yes. Thanks.”
Monique gave Lola a warm hug. “I was thinking about you. I’m so sorry about last night, sweetie.”
“It’s okay, Mom. We don’t need to talk about it. Let’s just have a good morning.”
“Okay, my love. I’m so glad you’re here. It makes everything better.”
“Yes it does,” added Marco, holding out an enormous mug of steaming coffee.
“Aidan, how do you like your coffee?”
“Black is perfect. Thank you.”
Even before the hot liquid touched her lips, Lola was invigorated by the aroma. Mmmmm…“So what’s the plan for the day?”
Marco began. “The chefs will be embarking on building the culinary ark, I’m going to take the kids to the pumpkin patch, and then Diego and Timothy arrive around two. That’s all I know.”
Pablo asked, “Do you two have any plans?”
Lola and Aidan looked at each other blankly.
Lola shrugged. “Well… uhhh… haven’t really thought about it. I just figured it would be super busy.”
Aidan decided for them. “Marco, maybe we’ll come with you and the kids.”
“That would be great! I have been looking forward to this for a month. Time with my babies.”
Pablo gave his father a sweet smile. “I don’t think anybody loves being a grandparent more than you, Dad.”
“Well, that’s because you gave me the most perfect grandchildren in the world. And they will be the perfect age to babysit Lola and Aidan’s children.”
The house echoed with exclamations from nearly all the adults.
Aidan laughed out loud while Lola tried to hide her embarrassment. She could hardly look at him. “I’m so sorry about that. They apparently can’t help themselves.”
“He’s right.” The room quieted at Aidan’s statement. “We’ll have the perfect babysitters in Gina's and Pablo's kids. And maybe even some competition in the grandkids department.”
“Game on, brother!" Pablo held up his hand for a high five.
“Aha! I told you!” Marco exclaimed with pride.
Everyone laughed but Lola. She took a too large gulp of coffee, which burned her throat. The overlapping conversations faded to a distant hum in her head while she blinked against the clenching feeling in her chest and stomach. Everything needed to slow down. The high risk game she was playing was on the verge of collapse.
Lola had no idea how she was going to manage the intense scrutiny from her family, the consuming feelings for Aidan, and the deep anxiety about her sister's aggression. It was clear she had taken on more than she could handle and would have to control herself, and the people around her, more carefully.
15
Giving and Taking
LOLA CHANGED OUTFITS three times, avoiding the concerned looks from Aidan.
“Lola? Are you okay?”
She recognized that tone. He was treading lightly. “Yes. No. Not really.” She turned to look at him. “I don’t want to go tonight. I don’t want to see Claire and deal with her bullshit. I’m actually enjoying my time with everybody. Even my Mom and I are getting along great. I don’t know what’s going on with my sister, but I don’t want to be anywhere around her.”
“Okay. Let’s stay here. Or we can go out on our own, just the two of us.”
“That’s so sweet. But there’s no way. Opting out is not an option.”
“Why not? We’re all adults here.”
“I forget that when I’m back in this house. You’re right. We’re all going to be together tomorrow. I can skip tonight.”
Bracing herself, she walked to the other side of the house, to her mother’s room, and knocked.
“Come in!”
“Hey Mom.”
“Hey sweetie. You look gorgeous.”
“Thanks. You too. Hey, listen. I think that Aidan and I are going to do something else tonight. Just the two of us.”
Her mother dropped onto the bed with a deep exhale. “Is this because of your sister?”
There was no point in lying. “Yes. It’s been great, Mom. I’m glad to be here. But I just don’t want to deal with her again tonight.”
“I don’t blame you, baby. She’s been… challenging for a while.”
“What’s going on?”
“It’s complicated.” Monique took a long pause, perhaps struggling with whether to talk about one daughter’s issues with the other. “It mostly has to do with Lewis, I think. She threw herself into that job to the exclusion of everything, and I don’t think he’s been happy with that. He agreed to stay until after the IPO, for public perception, then he’s gone. Which is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. But Claire says the CEO has to look completely invulnerable. It’s not a world I understand very well.”
“So her relationship is ending. That’s hard. I know that, you know that. Is that really an excuse to act the way she did?”
“Lo, when your Dad and I got divorced, it wrecked me. Marco and I had a short breakup, too. And I behaved much more badly than Claire. But I had the two of you to pull me back from the edge. She doesn’t have that.”
“She has her career, which has always been the most important thing to her. And it’s going perfectly well.”
“Yes and no. You see, she’s pretty certain that after they go public, the board is going to try to replace her with someone more seasoned. So she might get ousted from the company she built. Can you imagine?”
“No, Mom. I can’t.” Lola began to feel sorry for her sister.
“So her relationship and her career are blowing up simultaneously. I’m not trying to make excuses for her, Lo. Her behavior was inexcusable. But you have to understand…”
“Okay, Mom.”
“And Aunt Nora is having this dinner for you. We all see each other all the time. But you are a rare and treasured guest. We’re all getting together for you.”
She knew not going would be impossible. “Okay. I’ll put on my big girl panties and go.”
“You wanna borrow some?”
They both giggled. “You’ll have Aidan there, to lean on. I like him, Lo. I like the way he treats you. I’m fairly certain that I will not attempt to throw anything at him,” she joked in reference to the incident with Lola’s previous boyfriend.
“That’s good, Mom. But I wouldn’t make any promises. You never know…”
Lola found Aidan sitting on the edge of the bed. “Everything alright?” He looked anxious.
“We’re going.”
“I thought so. Are you okay with that?”
“I’m going to have to be. I’ll just give Claire lots of space.”
* * *
Most of the evening went much more smoothly than expected. The addition of Diego, Timothy, and Lola's cousins added even more levity to the night. As usual, Sam, the philosopher, and Nora, the scientist, seeded a wide range of interesting conversations. By the time they sat at the large table, Lola had been successful at dodging and ducking all of Claire’s attempted jabs.
“I’d like to make the toast, here at our twenty first annual pre-Thanksgiving fiesta,” said a slightly tipsy Sam. He stood up and held his glass aloft, looking at each of the family members, one at a time. “There’s nothing I like better than this view, everyone together, from near and far. Thank you to the love of my life
and all the wonderfulness she’s brought to our lives. Cheers!” Nora stood up to kiss her husband before they drank.
“Since I’m up…” the crowd groaned, knowing how much Nora loved to give extended speeches. “I’ll be quick. Don’t worry. I just want to give a special thanks to our East Coast contingent for being here. We love and miss you!”
“How about those of us who still took time out from our busy lives to be here?!” A collective sigh followed Claire’s comment and signaled the beginning of the evening’s descent.
“Yes, Claire. Deep thanks to you. We all know what a busy and stressful time you’re having.” Nora could not hide her annoyance, perhaps didn't even try. “To Claire!”
Lola squeezed Aidan’s leg - hard - under the table to hold in the scream pressing at the back of her throat. My sister is the most selfish, self-centered person on the planet. Aidan leaned over, whispered 'I love you' in her ear, and gave her a small kiss on the neck.
With full sarcasm, Claire shouted, “Oh, the lovebirds are at it again!”
“Claire!” This time Sam, who almost never raised his voice, interrupted. He and Nora were still standing at the head of the table. “We are about to sit down to a dinner that many people took time and effort to create. We are fortunate to be able to all be together, despite the sacrifices some of us have had to make to be here. I, personally, would like to have a dinner free from whining and sarcasm. Will that be possible?”
Claire's lip quivered. “Sam…”
Nora took her husband’s arm and brought him to his seat. “Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”
The dinner was painfully silent from that point on. Before desert, Lewis pulled his chair back and announced he was leaving. Lewis was liked well enough by the family, although he had never really gotten close to anyone.
“Don’t go, Lewis. We haven’t had a chance to catch up!” Diego, with whom Lewis shared a love of tennis, was the closest thing to an ally.
“He’s free to go if he wants.” Claire could not have been more hateful.
“Obviously!” A wave of tension crashed across the table after Lola’s statement.
Claire looked at her sister quizzically.
