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Come out with me and Meena later! We’re going to Trailer Park.
Cordelia paused outside the subway station. It was nice that Meena and Liz were still friends, but Cordelia always ended up feeling like a third wheel anyway. Like a mopey, miserable third wheel.
I can sense you trying to come up with an excuse, Liz wrote. I will not believe a single thing you say. See you at 7:30.
Cordelia sighed. It wasn’t like she’d had any pressing plans.
See you then, she texted back.
She got off the train at Smith Street and headed toward the café where she was meeting Louise. It was a cute little French spot, the door wrapped like a gift, the bar adorned with sprigs of holly. Christmas music played quietly over the speakers. Louise sat at a table in the corner, sipping a latte, and she waved Cordelia over.
“Hi, Mom,” Cordelia said, unwrapping her scarf from around her neck and kissing her mother on the cheek.
“How’d the meeting go?” Louise asked eagerly.
“Fine. They want more pictures of Niall.” Even saying his name out loud hurt.
“Of course they do, the photographs you took of him are stunning.” Louise pursed her lips. “How are you doing, sweetheart? And don’t say fine. How are you really doing?”
Cordelia shrugged. “Terrible?” she offered. “I mean, I got everything I wanted. I went to Inishmore to recharge my work and now I’ve got this book and my online store is doing well but . . .”
“But you lost something too,” Louise said. “It’s okay to mourn that.”
Ever since she’d come back home, Cordelia and her mother had been having more and more lunches together or dinners at the house with Gary. Louise had ceased all relationship pushiness and had morphed into Cordelia’s biggest fan, always asking her about her work or wanting to see what she’d shot that day. Cordelia had started working on a new project – going to find the places where her father felt most alive to her. Telling his story through photographs. Louise would help her by offering suggestions of spots to go or reminiscing about the places Christopher James had loved. Cordelia was glad of it – glad to feel close to the only parent she had left.
“Did I do the wrong thing?” she asked. “I was going to say yes. Should I have, I don’t know, gone to London?”
“First of all, darling, I don’t think rushing into marriage would have been the best thing for you. I know I was the one pushing for that, but we’ve all learned a bit, haven’t we?” She smiled and squeezed Cordelia’s shoulder. “I don’t think you would have been happy going to London because you would be going for him. You’re such an independent spirit, Cordie.”
“Yeah,” Cordelia said. “I guess.”
“What I don’t understand is why you don’t call him,” Louise said. “Or go visit! London is an easy trip from New York.”
“Mom, I can’t just show up in London,” Cordelia said.
“Why not? It’s romantic.”
“It’s embarrassing. If he wanted to talk to me, don’t you think he would have reached out by now?”
“Well, have you reached out to him? No. So maybe he’s in London thinking the same thing. I saw you two together, remember. I saw the connection you had. That doesn’t come around every day.”
“But you just said I made the right choice by saying no to him and coming home!” Cordelia cried.
“I’m flattered that you suddenly put so much stock in what I say,” Louise said. “And I didn’t say don’t be together. I said there was no need to get married. You two acted like it was marriage or nothing. You’re both smart people who could have sorted things out another way. Cordelia, it’s your life. If you want him, go get him. I really don’t see the big deal.”
“If Gary moved away would you jump on a plane to ‘go get him’?” Cordelia demanded.
“Without a second thought,” Louise said.
“Oh.” Cordelia sat back in her chair with a huff.
“Actually,” Louise said, toying with her napkin. “There is something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What, are you and Gary getting married?” Cordelia was joking, but Louise didn’t say anything. “Mom? Wait, are you getting married?”
“We’re talking about getting engaged,” Louise said delicately.
“Seriously?”
