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“My uncle is in the hospital and has to wait to be admitted to rehab until sometime on Thursday.”
“So?”
“What do you mean, so?”
Yannick rubs his eyes, then squints at me. “Is the rehab place expecting you to bring him?”
“No, they’ll bring him over from the hospital.”
“Are you obligated to visit him and get him settled?”
“He can’t have any visitors for at least the first thirty days.”
Yannick is leaning over the table. He sticks out his right index finger and starts stabbing me in the chest.
“Why. Do. You. Need. To. Be. Here?”
“Hey, stop that.”
I slap his hand away and rub the sore spot on my chest. We’re silent while we drink our respective beverages. Then, enlightenment. I slap my forehead. Fool. Yannick is right. What do I need to do? Have it out with Maman, take Uncle François’ stuff to the rehab, change my ticket, return the car, let Case know my arrival time at O’Hare.
Yannick waves a hand in front of my face. “Where did you go?”
“Just thinking. Let me see when I can get a flight.”
I start on the internet, but in the end, I call the airline. Air Canada can get me out on the first flight tomorrow morning.”
“What time is that?”
“Eight thirty.”
“You need to return the car?”
I nod. He looks at his phone. “Let’s go now. Then I’ll drive you back to your mother’s house.” He winks. “Maybe she’ll invite me for dinner.”
Yannick as a buffer isn’t a bad idea.
“The only thing is…”
“Stop. You are just trying to find obstacles.”
“No. I need to get back to Chicago and straighten things out. But I’m supposed to take his stuff to the rehab facility.”
“We’ll pack it up after we return the car. You give me all the info, and I’ll get it there by Friday. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless you feel you have to do that yourself. In which case, I’ll fly to Chicago and see Micki.” His lascivious grin is another small burr under my thinning skin.
“Tu me prends pour un poisson!”
“Certainement.” He makes a hand gesture of a fish swimming.
We both laugh.
* * *
I knowMaman will be in the kitchen, so we plan to come in through the back. But she’s standing on the deck I built her, smoking. Her frown morphs into a smile when she sees Yannick.
