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Helen laughed. “Thirty-nine.”
“Twenty-seven.”
“Seriously?” Helen asked. “I was guessing twenty-four at most.”
“Hard to be a brain surgeon by twenty-four,” Annie pointed out.
“And what exactly brought you to Los Angeles?”
“If we’re playing twenty questions, it’s my turn,” Annie said.
But she didn’t get to ask because a woman came with their food. Then, everyone in the dining area close to the small TV cheered, and when things quieted down again, the moment had passed.
* * *
They managed to squeeze a wooden chest of drawers into the Jeep, leaving just enough room to pick up Zach on the way home. They compromised on the cost, with Annie buying thechest of drawers and Helen purchasing a twin mattress and a box-spring to be delivered the next day. Helen had suggested full-sized, but Annie said a twin would feel roomy after sleeping on a cot.
They arrived at the day care, and Annie went inside with Helen. The colorful room was loud and bright, and it smelled like formula and diapers and disinfectant. While she liked Zach well enough, didn’t even mind Ashley and Kevin, she had no desire for a life with children. The realization washed over her like a wave.
“Here he is!” a woman in a yellow sweatshirt announced brightly. Helen smiled and reached for Zach, who stretched out his arms for her.
“Thank you, Maureen,” Helen said.
“Our pleasure,” she said, then glanced at Annie.
“This is Annie. She’s…”
“One of her students.” Annie filled in the gap. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” Maureen was clearly older than her—older than Helen too—and Annie called anyone older than herma’am.
“Zach just loves her,” Helen said when Maureen looked at Annie curiously.
After going out to the car and buckling Zach into his car seat, they headed for home.
“You didn’t have to lie to her, you know,” Helen said. “To Maureen. About who you are.”
“You seemed not to know what to say.”
“I was figuring out how to word it, that’s all.”
“Tenant?” Annie said. “This is my tenant?”
“I was about to settle onfriend.” Helen looked up into the rearview mirror at the baby, who had started to fuss. “It’s okay, kiddo. Shh, shh, shh. We’re almost home.”
Annie thought about it.Friend. Well, not like she had a thousand and one of those here. She chatted with people inher classes but made no social plans. She hadn’t even talked to Lori yet, the whole reason she’d thought about California in the first place. She’d left her a message that first week in the motel, promising to leave a number when she was settled, but hadn’t yet followed up. She’d call her tonight.
Helen pulled the Jeep into the alley and parked.
“I didn’t mean to lie.” The irony of the statement wasn’t lost on her. “Sometimes my mouth fills gaps before my brain thinks about it.”
“Let’s just get this chest in before the baby loses it completely,” Helen said.
It was heavy and awkward, but they finally got it out of the car and into the room. Then Helen took the Jeep back to the house, leaving Annie to move the chest to where she wanted it. She pushed it across the floor, only to have the area rug bunch up beneath it. She was still puzzling out how to fix it when Helen came back with Zach on her hip and the plastic bags containing Annie’s showerhead and batteries.
“Annie,” Helen said, “I enjoyed going out with you today. Thank you for going with me.”
“I had a nice time.” Annie pushed her hair out of her sweaty face. She took the bags and set them on the cot.
“I just haven’t had a lot of time for friends since Bruce left,” Helen confessed.
