Chapter 23: Thursday

It was Thursday afternoon when I finally woke up and dragged myself out of Matt’s extra bedroom. I found my way into his home office, to say hello. Matt turned from his computer as I padded in, greeting me with a smile on his face. “Good afternoon, Sunshine.”

“If you say so.” I was conscious of my Medusa hair and had the urge to rub my eyes. “Any chance you have coffee lying around?” I asked.

“Sorry, I don’t touch the stuff.” He grinned.

“That’s it. We’re through.”

Matt pretended to stab his heart and fall backwards in his chair.

“You, uh, there’s been a few calls.” I saw the small smile as he reached behind him, grabbing my phone and a slip of paper. Handing me both, he said, “A popular woman, I see.”

“You were answering my phone?” It was a question, not an accusation.

Matt had the courtesy to look embarrassed. “I thought if it was a client, they might prefer a live body instead of voice mail. Or, if it was the guy who did this, I could talk to him, find out where he was and go and beat the hell out of him.”

Matt’s admission touched me. Taking the list, a groan escaped my lips as I started reading Matt’s scrawl. “Your mother called, wanted to know who I was, why I was answering your phone, what I did for a living, what my father did for a living and if I was Catholic.” I rolled my eyes. “Matt Hayden, your neighbor, you weren’t feeling well, computer consultant, fire fighter and yes,” were his answers.

I looked over at him. “Sorry about Mom.” I said. He shrugged.

“Jet called.” The one, two, three and four were struck over, and “five times,” was next to that note. “Lillian Fields called. I told her you weren’t feeling well. She said to call tomorrow or the next day. Said it wasn’t important. Also wanted to know who I was. Frieda called, she will be over this evening. Mr. Daniels called, he faxed over the paperwork you need. Please list the house today. I told him you weren’t feeling well and it would be tomorrow or the next day. He said fine. Val called, you there is a fax waiting for you. Dee called, heard from Val you were sick. Wanted to see how you were doing. The home inspection is set for next Thursday. Michael Taylor called. Heard from Dee you weren’t feeling well. Wished you well and said he would see ya’ll next week. Jimmy called. Said he loves you and to call him back. WHO is Jimmy?” The “who” in Matt’s message was capitalized and underlined six times.

I was amused at Matt’s sorry attempt at jealousy. I explained Jimmy was my brother and Mother probably put him up to calling me. I bet all the money I owed Carl, she wanted to know why Matt answered my phone.

I smiled a grateful smile. “Phone messages make up for no coffee?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Good try though.”

Frieda and Evan sat on Matt’s living room couch, Frieda with a murderous look and Evan’s hand perched gently on Frieda’s leg partially out of devotion and partially to hold her down. I was in Matt’s bachelor recliner, with the four television remotes balanced carefully on the arm and Matt standing next to me, against the wall.

“Spill it.” Frieda barked, pretense gone. “Where the hell is my daughter and grandsons?”

Matt looked at her with tremendous discomfort. “She’s in Vegas staying with my former-brother-in law. But, uh—,” He squirmed a bit, looking like he would rather deal with Juan than Frieda.

I felt a twinge of pity for Matt and jumped in, filling them in on everything Juan had shared with me yesterday.

Frieda shot up, Evan’s hand useless against her fury. “Why didn’t she tell me? I can’t believe this.” She put her head in her hands, a strangled wail escaping from her lips. Her voice breaking, “Of all things.”

Matt, relieved the worst was over, cleared his throat and moved next to Frieda. Kneeling down beside her, he said gently. “You know, when Laura moved in across the street. I was very sick. Marlene had just left and Laura—well—she took care of me. I can’t tell you how many nights I hugged the commode in Laura’s apartment after chemo. She took me to doctor’s appointments. She took care of me. Without her, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Frieda nodded, “I know she was grateful you watched the kids when she worked all those hours.” She told me she never would have made it without your friendship.

 “Well, I am grateful for her too,” he said softly. “But, while we were becoming friends, she told me what was going on. She was angry, Frieda. She was angry at Charlie for making a deal with this guy Carl. She was angry for being put in a position to run the Hacienda and raise the boys alone.

“Then Charlie getting caught and going to jail, abandoning her—a new mother with two babies, well, that was her breaking point. I think she figured if she was already doing this alone, why stay married to Charlie.” Frieda looked up, taking this all in.

“I… I wish I had done more to help her,” she said, not yet crying.

“You have done plenty. She is very grateful for all of your help with the boys. She knew how you felt about Charlie. But look, with Charlie out of the way, the Hacienda started to do well. Frieda,” Matt pleaded, “look how far she has come. She’s like any other kid, she wanted to make her mother proud.”

Matt’s eyes were pleading. He took Frieda’s silence as permission to continue. “For whatever reason, about two months ago she paid a day late. And, since then, her life has been a living hell. I talked to her a couple of weeks ago and she said if she needed to get out of town could I help her. Honestly, I had no idea how bad things were until then. I talked to her today, and she wanted to give things time to cool with Carl and then privately talk to the adjuster. But,” he looked over at me, “from what Tina said, the adjuster has become friends with Carl and his buddies. You can imagine what a position this puts her in.”

Frieda studied her hands. “Can I at least call her?”

Before Matt answered, I had gotten off the recliner, reached for the phone and handed it to Matt.