The Larsen Sisters 3: All that Jazz

  “Anything for you.” He smiled.

  We were quiet for a moment and then he spoke.

  “So,” He said, shoving his hands in his pockets, “You’re leaving.”

  I nodded my head. “But uhm…I have something to show you. Can you come by tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Sure,” He said, “Of course.”

  I smiled, “Thanks,” I gave him a peck on the cheek, “See you.”

  “See you.”

  9

  "I’ll spend forever wonderin if you knew, i was enchanted to meet you..."

  -Taylor Swift, “Enchanted”

  “Ready for my surprise?” I asked Paul the next afternoon when he came over to the house.

  “I sure am,” He said.

  I smiled and we went up to my room. I closed the door behind us. There was an unopened parcel on the floor.

  “So?” He said as he looked at me.

  I picked up the parcel, noticing my luggage, which was now packed. I stood up and handed the parcel to Paul.

  “That’s for you,” I said, “Open it.”

  He did and my painting, the one I did just for him came into view. It was a portrait of his face, John Lennon style, you know, with the glasses and all.

  “Wow,” He said, “Wow…”

  “Do you like it? I’m sorry, it was rushed and—“

  “Are you kidding me?” He asked, “This is beautiful. It’s exceptional…Mindy, you didn’t have to—“

  “I wanted to.” I smiled, “You were a good friend.”

  “Were?” He smiled, “Hey, not just because you’re leaving does it mean you’re losing me.”

  “I know,” I smiled, “But still…”

  He held my hand. Surprisingly, I didn’t budge. “We’ll still see each other,” He said, “Besides, I have more to be thankful for. You helped me open up again…Well, maybe not to everyone, but…being with you, spending all these time with you, it was really wonderful. You’re wonderful.”

  I smiled, “I’ll miss you,” I said, “And your parents!”

  He laughed, “We’ll keep in touch.” He said.

  “You must.”

  We sat down on bed and didn’t say anything for a while. We just stayed there, enjoying each other’s company, enjoying the silence. Enjoying what we had left.

  “So,” He said, “What are your plans? Is that shop with Belinda it?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, “Who does?” I smiled, “Maybe, I’d even put up my own hole in the wall shop at home…Leigh’s house, I mean. I’m staying there with my brother.”

  He nodded his head.

  “What about you?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” He answered and smiled, “There’s always the Cove…”

  “Of course,” I said, “They love you there.”

  He took a deep breath, “Will Belinda and Dan pick you up?”

  “No, they’re taking a later flight…”

  “I see,” He said, “So…uhm…well…can I bring you to the airport then?”

  I smiled, “I’d love to.” I said, “Just be sure not to cry, okay?”

  He laughed, “You be sure not to cry.”

  “Shut up.”

  He smiled, and I smiled back. It was goodbye.

  10

  It’s a funny thing about coming home—looks the same, smells the same, feels the same…You’ll realize what’s changed is YOU.

  -The Curious case of Benjamin Button

  “Are you sure they don’t know I’m coming?” I said as I was speaking to my brother, Drake, on the phone. They were at Caroline and her husband, Robbie’s place that Sunday lunch. I wanted to surprise them. After all, what’s coming home without a blast, right?

  “Positive,” He spoke, “Where are you?”

  “Near.” I said, “K, I’m almost there…Wait for me at the gate, be subtle. See you.

  The cab dropped me off in front of Caroline and Robbie’s humble abode. It was beautiful—white picket fence, lots of flowers, two cute dogs. Home sweet home. I carried my luggage and found Drake by the gate.

  “You have so many bags!” He said as he helped me off with one.

  “Shut it,” I quipped.

  “Dang, I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.” I smiled, “Now, let me in.”

  He laughed, “Fine,” He said and we walked to the front door. “Where’s everyone?” I asked him.

  “Dining room,” He said, and I allowed him to lead me inside, leaving my bags at the living room.

  And then, there they were.

  Sitting in Caroline and Robbie’s dining room was my family. Well, can I still call them that? They all looked at me and I couldn’t tell if they were excited, or just shocked. I couldn’t tell if they were happy, or if they just wished I was gone. Maybe, I’m thinking too much.

  Mom was with this Latino-looking guy whom she was with at Leigh’s wedding, feeding him cherries when I arrived. She almost crushed the goblet of water she was holding. Dad was with this girl, Dana, his girlfriend. Dana smiled at me, while Dad gave a…I don’t know, it was this look he gave me at Leigh’s wedding. A look of embarrassment? I don’t know. And then there was Leigh, with her husband (and bestfriend, I always thought they would get married, Neil), Caroline with Robbie (who’s probably scared of me up to this point. I mean, I was drunk out of my wits when we first met at Kim’s wedding), and then there’s Kim and Mark and their three little kids.

  “Surprise,” I smiled.

  “You bitch!” Leigh joked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home today?!” She hugged me.

  “Well, I wanted to surprise you guys,” I said, “Except for Drake, of course.”

  There was laughter.

  “Welcome home,” Neil smiled.

  “Thanks.” I smiled back.

  Caroline hugged me with tears in her eyes, “Finally,” She said, “We all missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.” I then looked at Robbie, “Hello…” I smiled.

  “H-hi,” He said, “Welcome back.”

  I then caught Kim’s eye. We never got along. Well, none of us really got along with her before, but they all seemed to love each other now, I wonder if there’s still a place for me left in this family.

  “Hi,” She said, hugging me. She never hugged me before.

  “Hey,” I said.

  Her husband, Mark, smiled at me and I smiled back.

  “Hello little kids,” I said as I knelt to say hello to Mark and Kim’s kids.

  I stood up again and saw my parents and their, well, partners.

  “Hi,” It was Dana who spoke first, “We’re glad you’re home.”

  “Thanks,” I said. She was a nice woman, or so Leigh said.

  “Yeah, welcome back, sweetheart,” Mom said.

  Sweetheart? Eew. “Wow, sweetheart…” I muttered and smiled a bit, “Thanks…”

  “We’re glad you’re back, Miranda,” Dad said, without really looking at me.

  I nodded my head, “You look uhm…good, dad.”

  “Thanks,” He said, “You do, too.”

  “Sit down,” Caroline said and offered me a chair next to her.

  “Wow, so, uhm, you guys always do Sunday lunches?” I asked.

  “Oh, just sometimes,” Drake said, “but today Caroline said she and Robbie are gonna announce something…”

  “Ooh, hot stuff,” I said, “I guess I came home right on time, then…”

  Caroline laughed and nudged me.

  “Yes, Caroline, I think it’s high time you tell us what it is…” Mom prodded.

  Caroline took a deep breath, “Well,” She started, “Uhm…I’m sure you’re all thinking like…when would Robbie and I become parents or so…well…I could tell you that….that we won’t be.”

  “What?” Kim asked.

  “Carol, dear, you can’t say that, you don’t know what’s in the stars for you?
??” Mom said.

  “Oh, actually, we do,” Caroline said, “Uhm…I’m…infertile. Robbie and I couldn’t have kids.”

  “B-but t-that’s fine,” Robbie said, “I love her, and we’ll…we’ll just see what happens.”

  “Of course that ain’t fine,” Mom said, “That’s…Well, the essence of being a woman is about having kids—“

  “Of course it’s not,” I said. Oops, Mom Vs Mindy is back, “I think kids won’t make you complete. I mean, it’s not the only thing that could make you complete. There’s always art, passion, love, or whatever…”

  Mom sighed, “But—“

  “I think it’s fine,” Dad said, “Caroline and Robbie is a functioning couple. There’s always adoption, and if they don’t want to, then that’s their decision.”

  “Thanks, Minds, dad,” Caroline said and smiled, “So, yeah that’s it. Robbie and I are fine, and happy, and we just wanted to tell you the truth. Now, enough about us, why don’t well all just turn the attention to Mindy…she just came back, we wouldn’t want her to go away again just because we’re dysfunctional, aren’t we?”

  I laughed, “Well, I’m the most dysfunctional one.”

  Leigh shook her head, “Nah, Neil is.”

  We laughed.

  “So…you’re…you are the one from rehab?” Enrique asked me, in full latino twang.

  “Why, yes, I am,” I said, “And I sure could tell you used to smoke pot before…No, no, make that last night?”

  He blushed.

  “Sorry,” I said, “You have stoned eyes.”

  “Miranda,” Mom said.

  Caroline, Leigh and I laughed.

  “I’m glad you’re back,” Leigh whispered in my ear.

  I smiled.

  “Excuse me,” Enrique said, “I’ll just be in the…bathroom…” He said and stood up.

  “Enrique!” My mom called out and then looked at me and shook her head with a sigh. She followed him.

  “Oh, little lovebirds,” I muttered and smiled, “Sorry…”

  Leigh laughed, “See? That’s what we missed!”

  ***

  “We’re really glad you’re back,” Caroline said as she, Leigh, Kim and I were left alone in the dining room, after lunch.

  “Yeah, it was boring without you,” Leigh said, “And at least now, someone can babysit Drake…”

  I laughed, “I’m sure he doesn’t need any,” I said, “How’s that girlfriend of his? Cheska or something?”

  “He keeps on saying they’re just friends,” Leigh said.

  “Oh, like you and Neil!”

  She laughed, “Well, that’s different…”

  Kim laughed and drank some water, “So,” She said, looking at me, “How are you?” I could tell there was something different in her—like, she has this lighter aura, like, she’s no longer miss busybody who’s trying to prove to everyone that she’s on top.

  “I’m good,” I said, “New Orleans was great. And Auntie Muriel was wonderful…It’s so classy and artsy there.”

  She smiled, “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re back.”

  Wow, what a surprise. “Wow.”

  “Wow?” Kim said.

  “I just never thought you’d be glad to see me back.”

  “Hey, you’re my sister.”

  “I know,” I said, “But I’m not like you.”

  “Well, no one’s like Kim,” Caroline said.

  “Yeah, no one can be like Kim…” Leigh winked.

  “Shut it, you two,” Kim said, “I know I’ve been a bitch to you three growing up…but…I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, so you know?” I joked.

  “Come on,” Kim said, “You guys are way better than me.”

  “Kim being humble, wow…” I quipped.

  We all laughed.

  “Imagine if we all got along before…” Kim said.

  “Well, then we won’t be where we are now,” Caroline smiled, “Things happen for a reason, ya know?”

  More laughter, “So,” I said, looking at Carol, “what are your plans?”

  She shrugged, “We’re just enjoying each other’s company right now,” She said, glancing at Robbie at the porch, “I love him he loves me, we’re married and happy. Kid or no kid, we’re alright. Actually, we’re thinking of getting back to traveling the world…Okay, just Europe first, starting next month.”

  “Cool,” I said, “Don’t forget the souvenirs.”

  “We sure won’t.” She smiled.

  I smiled back and looked at Leigh, “You know, I still can’t believe you’re married. I mean, you, of all people!”

  She laughed, “I know,” She said, “But well…I love Neil.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all those years back but you kept your focus of nasty Chris!”

  “Well, at least, I learned.” She winked, “Kim here’s the surprise…I mean, she’s so motherly now, who’d have thought?”

  “Yeah, I never thought about that before…” Kim said, “But what can I say? Mark and I are passionately in love.”

  “Yuck!” The three of us said in unison.

  Kim laughed, “Okay, seriously, those kids, are my life.” She smiled, probably thinking of her darling children, “So,” She said, “Mindy, what are your plans? I mean, with dad…”

  I shrugged, “I’m not so sure about that.”

  “Well, yeah, that’s complicated…” Leigh said, “But one of you has got to have some nerve to say something.”

  “Oh, let’s just cross the bridge when we get there…” I said.

  Leigh drank some water, “Hey, by the way, you told me last time that…you know, you were at a party with someone and his parents…Is he a guy?”

  “Gossipmonger!” I quipped and we all laughed.

  “Come on, spill!” Leigh said.

  “Well, yeah, he’s a guy,” I said, “And we’re just friends.”

  “Yeah, like we haven’t heard that before…” Caroline said sarcastically.

  “I’m serious,” I said, “He’s nice, and attractive and charming, and he’s a singer, but…well, that’s that. And he’s still in love with his ex-girlfriend who accidentally died in a skiing incident in Scotland.”

  “Oh,” Leigh muttered. “But still…we’d like to meet him sometime.” She winked.

  “Yeah, we sure do.” Caroline added.

  “Well, fly to New Orleans then.”

  Leigh said, “You know, I have a feeling he’ll follow you here.”

  I just laughed.

  “We should go out sometime,” Caroline said, “the four of us, you know, girl bonding or something…We haven’t done that before. I mean, well, the three of us did for sometime, and then there was just Leigh and I, but Kim, we never did it with you…”

  “Well—“ Kim said.

  “Well,” Leigh said, “I’m in, and you should be, too. I’m sure Mark wouldn’t mind.”

  “Fine,” Kim said.

  “Let’s get it on,” I smiled.

  11

  "iI lived in stories

  but inside i kept a mystery"

  -Mandy Moore, “Extraordinary”

  “Mindy?” Drake called out from outside my bedroom in Leigh’s house the following morning, “Uhm, some people are outside looking for you, they said they’re your friends from Orleans…”

  Oh, God, I thought. What time is it? I glanced at my bedside drawer and noticed that it was already 3 pm. 3 pm! I never wake up like this anymore. But well, maybe because I’m back in New York, and I went out with my sisters last night so…

  “I’ll be downstairs in a bit,” I told Drake and hurriedly got out of bed.

  “You’re here!” I said as I saw Belinda and Dan downstairs.

  “We are!” They exclaimed and we all hugged each other.

  “Come on in,” I said and closed the door behind them. Drake was in the kitchen.

&nbs
p; “So, this is you here…” Belinda said, “Nice place.”

  “Uh-huh,” I smiled, “It’s Leigh’s pad but she’s married so Drake and I are allowed to use it…Where are you two staying, by the way?”

  “Chateau Marmont,” Belinda smiled.

  “No way, seriously?”

  “Stop messing around, B,” Dan smiled, “Nah, just some apartment out there…It was my cousin’s but since he’s in Chicago, he said I could have it, til we find a house.”

  “Awesome,” I said.

  Drake came out of the kitchen and brought us some juice and cookies, “I’ll just be outside,” He said.

  “Fly away,” I smiled.

  “So…” Dan said, “We were thinking…”

  “Yeah, we were,” Belinda said, “And…”

  “And?” I said.

  “And we think that maybe…well…maybe you’d want to sell your paintings.”

  “My paintings?”

  “Yeah, you’re a really good artist, and you know, maybe you could do it online, put them on etsy, or create your own website, start right there…”

  “Whoa, so you wouldn’t want me as a business partner anymore?”

  “It’s not like that,” Belinda said, “It’s just, you’re more than that, you know? You’re more than selling easels or something. You need to show the world what you can do, and we know you’re perfectly fine at doing that in your own home. And…well…Dan and I are planning to get married here like, real soon, like next week. In Vegas. And we’re bringing you there to see us get hitched.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know,” Dan said, “But…I can’t wait for B and I to have our own family.”

  I smiled, “Okay, okay, I understand.”

  “Please don’t be mad?” Belinda said.

  “Are you insane? Of course, I ain’t mad.” I smiled, “You two should’ve been married ages ago!”

  They laughed, “Don’t worry,” She said, “We’ll still be around for you.”

  I smiled, “I’ll be alright,” I said.

  Belinda smiled, “So,” She said, “You and Paul?”

  “What about Paul and I?”

  They looked at each other.

  “Aren’t you two together already?” Dan asked.