by Willow Aster
“I’ll make it worth your while, I promise,” she says, her voice husky.
“You always do,” I whisper, adjusting myself. My regular state of being when it comes to her.
When I get to Jesse and Mya’s, Jesse opens the door and there’s explosive laughter inside.
“Sounds like the party is well underway.” I glance at my watch and I’m a couple minutes early.
“Oh, that’s just Estella and the girls. Estella has been telling us about being sent a sample to try.” He leans in closer. “For women and camping.”
I frown, not getting the picture he’s laying out. “Women and camping?”
“You know, so they can pee in the woods and not make a mess.” He chuckles under his breath. “Estella thought it was a cooking gadget.”
I snort and we both crack up when we hear a roar of laughter in the other room. I walk into the living room and Cosette’s head is thrown back and she’s holding her stomach. When she sees me, she fans her face.
Estella turns and jumps up. “There you are. I’ve been getting to know your beauty queen here. She is just beautiful.” She smiles back at Cosi. “I hope you never let her walk outside alone. With looks like that—the last Dateline I saw was a beauty pageant girl. On her way to a blind date. She walked, the poor thing. You can just imagine what happened to her.” Estella clicks her tongue against her teeth and gives me a huge hug. “So good to see you!”
I laugh. Never a dull moment with Mya’s mom around. Spence comes in and Estella squeals.
“So proud of you for making our Emma an honest woman … well, almost!”
“Mama!” Mya says. “What does that make me?”
Estella lifts one eyebrow and purses her lips. “Well, I just hope you’re saying your prayers at night. I know I’m sayin’ them for you.” She cackles then and we all laugh with her.
She looks a little different, but I haven’t put my finger on it yet.
“What have you done with Estella?” Spence asks, when she hugs him.
She beams up at him. “Forty pounds gone, just like that.” She snaps her fingers.
Shit. I just thought my observation skills were on point. Turns out, not so much. I didn’t think she had any weight to lose, but she does look tinier than ever.
“Gus said he’s on his way,” Jesse said. “We could go ahead and sit down at the table. Mya made pulled pork and Emma made the mac and cheese.” He gives Spence and me pointed looks, so we know if we veer from those dishes, it’s our own damn fault.
“And I made my special punch! It’s all I had time to make since my flight got in so late,” Estella says, clapping her hands together.
The rest of us avoid looking at each other and my sweet Cosette speaks up.
“Oh, I can’t wait to try it.”
I squeeze her hand. She glances over at me and my eyes plead with her to not ingest the poison. Jesse starts laughing and tries to cover it with a cough, but he can’t.
“You look great, Estella,” Emma speaks up.
“This is part of my news,” Estella says. “I wanted to wait until Gus is here since he was so vital in helping me figure it out!”
“What’s going on, Mama? Tell us,” Mya says. She gives Jesse a stern look for laughing but looks like she might start laughing herself. Too many memories of past holidays with Estella’s cooking has us gun-shy and on the verge of hysterical laughter.
We hear a yell from the door. “The party has arrived!” And there’s Gus.
He walks through the kitchen and glances at the table where we’ve all taken our places. It’s more formal here than usual and he grins when he sees us sitting down.
“Estella, my lady! Good to see you.” He points at the punch bowl and whistles. “Yes. My kind of party.” He fills a glass with it and then finds his place at the table. “Sorry, I’m late. Had a hot date that wouldn’t let me go.”
He takes a long pull of the punch and it goes spewing across the table. “What the fuck is that?”
Estella cackles. “Now that we’re all here, I can tell you my news! Because of everyone’s love for my recipes, I got to thinking I needed to expand my reach. I’m being published!” She whips a book out from under the table and it’s a cookbook—Estella’s Electrolytes, Lose 20 Pounds in 10 Days!
I don’t even know what to fucking say.
She stands up and passes a cookbook to everyone. I glance under the table and she has a box stashed under there and we’re all the lucky recipients. I just watch her and try my best not to glance at anyone else or I will never get it back together.
She smooths down her blouse. “I’ve lost forty pounds and it just keeps dropping.”
Wow.
“Juniper fucking Holloway, the gift that just keeps on giving,” Gus mutters. He wipes his mouth and lets out a huge burp. “Pardon me. I’m about to go lose five right now,” he says, heading to the bathroom.
“Take that to your condo,” Jesse yells. “We don’t want that here.”
“Better steer clear of the punch then,” I say under my breath.
“A good gut is like a working garbage disposal,” Estella says. She’s the happiest woman I know. And we all adore her. Just never ever want to eat anything she touches. And would rather not talk about a good gut and garbage disposals at the table, not after what happened to Gus last Christmas.
“So you’ve got a book deal?” Mya says, her voice quiet. I think she’s in shock.
“This is the mockup, but yes! The real thing will be even more beautiful. They are saying I will be the next face of weight loss programs with these recipes, I will be taking the diet industry by storm.” Estella’s proud smile hasn’t left her face once.
“That’s … amazing,” I say.
“Can’t believe it,” Spence speaks up.
“What an … unbelievable thing,” Emma finishes.
“Congratulations, Estella!” Cosette says.
“So, I think we should all start the night with a toast.” Estella moves from the table and goes to the punch bowl. “Fill your plates and I’ll pass out the punch. Gus got ahead of himself, but what else is new?” She laughs and we all join in, relieved to let some of it out.
Cosette feels the tension in the room and I want to save her, God help me, I do, but Estella hands her the punch first. Cosette waits for everyone to get theirs and looks at me like what is going on with everyone?
I lean over and whisper in her ear, “Try to drink as little as possible.”
“What?” she asks, turning to face me.
I shake my head. “Try to drink as little as possible,” I mouth.
“Try to drink responsibly?” she whispers.
I shake my head frantically, but we’re running out of time.
“Don’t drink,” I try again.
“Grocery?”
I lift my eyes to the ceiling and pray for deliverance. We all have our glasses now and Estella lifts hers as she stands at the head of the table.
“To classy gas and trim waistlines around the world!”
We lose it on classy gas and I have to work to not spill the punch as I laugh my head off. But then Estella is still watching expectantly for us to take a drink, so I hold mine out to clink and everyone else joins in. There’s a collective breath as we all gather our nerve and then we all go in.
I know immediately why Gus ran. It has an overwhelming olive juice taste, which would send him sideways. But it’s also mixed with something fruity and as usual with Estella, fire from the demons.
I get a sip down and feel the fire travel down my intestines like a wildfire just getting started. Cosette starts coughing and I see to her even though my stomach is making me want to double over. Mya runs out of the room and Emma lets out a long groan.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper to Cosette. “Here, can you try some water?” She coughs and coughs and coughs until tears are streaming down her face, and then she clutches her stomach.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” I repeat.
&nb
sp; She looks at me with pain.
“Let’s get you home.”
She nods frantically and we rush out of there.
“Always so good to see you, Estella!” I yell before we make our escape. “Congratulations on your book deal! The world isn’t gonna know what hit ‘em!”
Cosette spends the rest of the night in the bathroom.
Through our group text the next morning, the fam reports a collected weight loss of ten pounds. Pretty good results from just one sip.
I think Estella is onto something.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cosette
Caden encourages me to reach out to my Aunt Chavon again. My mother has been so strange about everything with my father, and he still isn’t taking my calls. This is a whole new level of distant. We’ve never gone more than three days without speaking, and I don’t like it.
“Hell, Cosi, it’s nice to hear from you,” my aunt says. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you back before now.” Her French accent only makes her more beautiful. She helped me with my French and I helped her with her English when I lived there. We’ve always been close, but I’m surprised that she sounds so chipper, considering her husband is in such a dire situation.
“It’s nice to hear your voice too.”
“I hear you and Jeremy are going strong? Your mother says an engagement is in the near future?” she asks, and I push up from my desk chair and to my feet in frustration.
“I’m not with Jeremy. It’s been over for quite some time. I actually met someone and he makes me really happy.”
“Oh my darling, that is wonderful news. You know I wasn’t a huge fan of Jeremy,” she says, and we both chuckle. He’d behaved like a pompous ass when he met my aunt and uncle, and they’d never forgotten it. “It doesn’t surprise me that your mother refuses to acknowledge your choices. Not much has changed.”
I nod even though she can’t see me. “Yeah. That’s sort of why I’m calling.”
“You want me to speak to her? I do believe she’s a bit afraid of me,” Aunt Chavon says, and I can picture the smile on her face. Very few people intimidate my mother, but my aunt is a straight shooter and she says what she thinks, which I’ve always loved and admired.
“I might consider that at some point, but for now, I’m more concerned about Uncle Perry. I haven’t heard from my father, and I’ve left so many messages. It’s so unlike him.”
“Don’t you worry one bit about Uncle Perry. He’s fine. He’s happy to be spending time with his brother right now,” she says.
“You don’t need to be with him?” I ask, because I can’t fathom her being at home while he’s in the hospital. They are the most in-love couple I’ve ever known. Even all these years later. I’ve always hoped to find what they have. And for the first time in my life, I feel like I have found it.
“I see him every day, darling. And he’s been at the facility with your father every day and they are running a ton of tests. A lot of this stuff is cutting edge, you know, trial stuff.”
For a heart attack?
“I didn’t realize that. Maman didn’t mention it. I wonder why my father can’t sneak away for just a few minutes to call me back.”
“I think he’s exhausted from all the tests they’ve been running, and truthfully, my love … I think he’s a bit shaken at the moment. Maybe even a little insecure about where he stands with his wife.”
“Insecure about his wife? Why would he be exhausted from the tests they are running on Uncle Perry?”
There is a long silence on the other end of the phone.
“Auntie? Did I lose you?”
“I’m here, darling. I think there’s a bit of a misunderstanding. You know it’s your father who’s having tests run? Not Perry.”
My heart starts to race and I move back to my chair to sit. My legs feel a little wobbly and I want to prepare myself for the blow that I can feel coming.
“I thought my father was sitting bedside as Uncle Perry recovers from a heart attack. That’s why I kept sending you the texts that I was thinking of you,” I say, rubbing my temples to push away the oncoming headache.
“Oh my darling, I thought you were just being sweet, Cosette. No, Perry has not had a heart attack, and I won’t let my anger get the best of me that your mother would tell you that. Your father is the one that is staying with us as he goes through all of these bouts of tests.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “What does he need tests for?”
“He’s okay, Cosi, I promise he is. I mean, physically, he’s okay. It’s, ummm, it’s all part of the aging process. Everything doesn’t work the same, you know? Your mother married a man twenty-two years her senior, and some of this is to be expected.”
“I don’t know what we’re talking about? What is going on?” My words are shaky as panic courses through my veins. “I thought he was just being distant because of my breakup with Jeremy. He’s sick?”
“He’s not sick per se. He has some issues with his hearing, and they’ve been running tests. They want him to use a hearing aid, which the doctor back in the States also recommended. Your mother didn’t want him to do that. She feels it will make him appear old and not be good for business. But that’s not the major issue going on with them at the moment.”
“That sounds like such an easy fix. I’ve noticed him not joining in on conversations lately, and that must be why. That actually breaks my heart. What is the major issue if it’s not his hearing?”
“Oh, darling. This is slightly uncomfortable, but I’m just going to say it.”
“Please do.”
“Your father is having some issues in the, er, the bedroom. It’s normal for a man his age. But your mother thinks it’s a much bigger deal than it really is, so she demanded that he see a specialist here in Paris.”
My ears threaten to catch on fire. This is not a conversation that I want to have. It certainly explains Louie’s reaction to sex.
“Um. Wow. I did not expect that. What kind of specialist is he seeing?”
“Well, he spent ten days seeing multiple doctors looking for anyone that said they could repair his hearing without needing the assistance of a hearing aid. It’s ridiculous, really, darling, a hearing aid is not a big deal. And this past week, he’s been seeing a sex therapist.”
I choke on the sip of water I’ve just taken. “This is madness. I cannot believe my mother sent him away—for what? Because he’s aging?” I ask, as I push to my feet and reach for my purse. “I’m catching the next flight out. Can you pick me up? I need to see him. He needs to know that he’s loved and that this is not a big deal.”
“Of course, my love. But be prepared. He’s pretty down at the moment.”
Of course he is. His wife has all but rejected him. “Okay. I’ll text you my flight information.”
I yank my office door open and try to calm my breathing as I march to my mother’s office. Her door is open and Juliette is inside sitting in the chair across from Maman. She is going to blow her top when she hears what my mother’s been keeping from us.
“Cosi, what’s wrong?” Maman hurries to stand and rushes over to me. “Did Caden end things?”
A maniacal laugh leaves my mouth. One I’ve never heard before. “No. This has nothing to do with Caden. Would you like to tell Juliette about the secret you’ve been keeping about our father? About the fact that you claimed Uncle Perry had a heart attack? Mother, you’ve always been controlling, but this is a new low, even for you.” I step back, needing to put space between us.
“It was a necessary lie until your father gets better.”
“Gets better? Are you aware, Juliette, that our mother sent Dad away because he’s getting old? Because he can’t hear as well as he used to and apparently isn’t rocking her world in the bedroom. So what did she do? She flew him to France and left him there.” Anger is radiating from me, and I don’t think I’ve ever been this upset with her before.
“Stop making a scene. People will hear.” M
aman rushes to the door and closes it.
“I don’t care who hears. You lied to me. You can’t be okay with this, Juliette,” I say, watching my sister who seems notably calm considering what our mother has done.
“I’m aware of the situation. We knew you would overreact. We are trying to keep this under wraps. We don’t want people to know he’s … unfit,” Juliette says, and she shows zero emotion.
Of course she knew.
“He’s getting older. It’s part of life,” I shout, and my mother’s bottom lip starts to tremble, which surprises me.
“I was afraid to tell you,” Maman quakes, and she grips her desk like she needs the support. “He’s not the same man lately.”
“Would you not have a problem if Jeremy couldn’t hold a conversation with you and was unable to perform his husbandly duties?” Juliette rolls her eyes and it takes all I have not to pummel her.
Her lack of compassion and empathy is criminal.
“Well, I don’t think that would be a problem seeing as I am not with Jeremy anymore. But no, if Caden had physical limitations, it would certainly not make me love him less. What is wrong with both of you? Do you not have hearts?” Frustration takes over. I don’t relate to them, and they’re my family. I’ve always felt disconnected, but this is just unbelievable.
“My heart is fine, thank you very much. I just don’t behave like a blubbering fool over trivial things.” She pushes to her feet and grabs her Chanel bag and storms to the door.
“If it’s trivial, why was he flown to another country and left there?” I shout.
“He’s old, Cosette. It’s part of life. Maman wants to fix him,” she says. “There’s no shame in that.”
Um, really? I think there’s actually a lot of shame in that. My jaw is on the ground as she storms out of the office.
“I’m getting on the next flight. I can’t believe you aren’t with him.” I shake my head at my mother.
“I sent him to the best doctor in France. They will fix him and he’ll come home.”
