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“Well,” I groused, still coughing a little. “That’ll teach us toreadthe menu before ordering!”
“Why don’t we order something different? Somethingmild?”
We did. While waiting for it, we sipped the spice-neutralizing lassi beverages we’d also ordered without thinking.
Samantha started laughing again. Quietly. Then her laughter was effervescent. It was like chimes in the breeze.
She finally reached for my hand and said, “Leighton? It suddenly occurs to me that someone was behind us meeting in front of the shop this afternoon. I mean, when was the last time your sister was out walking with you? When was the last time—besides our one dinner date—that you were out at that hour?”
I thought about this. “You know, I'm sort of scatterbrained about practical matters. But I did find it somewhat odd that Roberta insisted that I go for a walk right then and there with her. She's never done anything like that.”
Samantha got wider-eyed than before. I asked her, “What have you just thought of?”
She said, “Amy.” She saw the bewildered look on my face.
She added, “Amy got me to admit the other day that I was distressed that you had a girlfriend or a wife. I don't know how either of those women figured this out. But I'm betting they're the ones. They beat you and me to it, didn't they?”
And the chimes of her laughter aroused me this time.
I said, “Perhaps we should torture them. Put both of them in the same room with the two of us until they admit to the conspiracy. I can't imagine my older sister was involved in this.”
Samantha asked, “Do you come from a big family?”
I noticed instantly that she had a bittersweet sort of look on her face.
I took her hand and sought the reason for her feelings in her face as I answered, “No, just two sisters and me and both ourparents. I get the feeling I shouldn’t ask you about your family. Why is that, Samantha?”
Her face cleared somewhat, “Oh no, you can certainly ask. It's just that you've met my family. David is my only family. More exactly, he's my half-sibling, but to me, he’s only ever been my big brother. Our respective parents have been out of the picture for a very, very long time.”
And she got that sad sort of look on her face again.
I was honest, “I see the look on your face. It doesn't seem like family brings happy memories to you, my darling Samantha. I … I'm sorry I asked. I don't want to stir up hurt. I'm sorry.”
But this wonderful woman surprised me, “No, Leighton. I can talk about it. I haven’t much, but I can.”
She took a deep breath. “David is almost seven years older than me. We have the same mother. At least that's what we believe. We can't imaginethatwoman would have kept us and spent money on us, as little as it was, unless she felt some sort of maternal obligation. Davie never knew his dad. He says that after age five or so, he doesn’t even remember a man in the house at all. He always figured it was some drug dealer who came and went and finally left one day never to return. For all either of us know, he’s also my father. Dunno. We haven't talked about him in almost fifteen years. The last time we did, Davie thought he was probably rotting in prison. Or dead.”
I was holding both her hands, our food forgotten. I lifted one of her hands to my mouth and kissed it. Never taking my eyes from hers.
“Davie and his now-husband Jerry have been fast friends forever. They were friends way back in elementary school. Then lovers. Then married to each other. When they were sixteen and could get jobs, they saved every penny so they could get out, get an apartment together, and pursue their education. Davie hashis own security company and helped with that vandalism thing at my shop. Jerry’s an accounting and finance guy.”
I needed to ask more about that ‘vandalism thing’, knowing it was much more to her than that. Not right now, though. Not now. My heart was in my throat trying to picture the life she must’ve had.
“Long story short, the boys were gone and I was eleven or so in junior high school. Soon Mom stopped coming home. I called Davie and Jerry. I've been living with them ever since. They raised me. They made sure I didn't miss a day of school. They made sure the foster care system didn't find me.”
I had tears in my eyes and my heart in my throat. “I can’t imagine. I had it so good. I can’t …”
She squeezed my hands, “Oh, baby, don't cry. It's … it's over. It's in the past. A lot of us—maybe too many of us—have tosurviveour childhood. But there's an advantage to that. Davie made himself. Jerry made himself. I made myself. We decided what we were going to make of our lives and we pretty much have. And all three of us still have lots of goals to achieve.”
By this time, the front of my shirt was drenched in my tears.
Samantha scooted her chair around next to me and hugged me close.
I settled. I said to her, “I want you to …”
“Me, too, baby …”
“Now? …”
