Daughters (32 page)

She shot Marie a look. “I could never do that.”

“Why not?”

“It’s for people with…”

“With what?”

“I don’t know. Can we get something to eat?”

Marie tried to continue the conversation while they ate barbeque sandwiches in the makeshift lunchroom in the building next to the arena, but Rachael kept changing the subject. “So what’s going on after this?” she asked.

“Reining competition. Do you know what that is?”

“Riding through circles and doing spins and how well you can get the horse to stop?”

“Mm-hmm.”

The judges were looking for how responsive the horses were to their riders’ commands and how effortless the rider made it look. At the end of the competition, after the awards were given out, the master of ceremonies asked the crowd if there were any experienced riders who wanted to give it a try.

“Raise your hand, Rachael.”

“No. Are you kidding?”

“Go ahead. You’re an experienced rider, and it may be fun.”

“I said no!”

“Okay. Sorry. I didn’t mean to push you.”

Rachael got up and headed for the door. Marie followed.

Rachael was quiet on the way home. Marie wondered if her silence was just more normal teenager behavior or spurred on by Marie’s suggestion she try her hand at reining. Either way, it was disturbing.

“Should we go out for pizza tonight?” she asked her, knowing it was her favorite food.

“Cool.”

Jonathan followed doctor’s orders and felt better with each day, and while he grumbled at Claire’s strict oversight every chance he got, he was an obedient patient. Ten days out of the hospital, he and Marie went on a short ride.

“It’s been almost three weeks since I’ve been on a horse. I don’t think I’ve ever gone that long, ever. It’s good to be back.”

“It’s good to have you back.” Her emotions got the better of her. She stopped her horse.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart?”

Marie looked at her father through tearful eyes. “When I thought we were going to lose you…”

“I’m not going anywhere, and...”

“And what?”

“I’m fine, my dear daughter, here with you.”

“I know, but while you were in the…”

“I’m fine. And thanks to my wonderful wife, I think I’m in better health than before.” He laughed nervously. “She calls me her champion, but really she’s mine.”

“And mine.”

Marie picked Rachael up from school on her last day before Christmas break. “Hey, what are you doin’ here?” she asked when she got into the car.

“I’m taking you home so you can pack.”

“Pack? Where are we going?”

“I thought we’d go on a little weekend shopping spree for your birthday.”

“What? Where?”

“Downtown Chicago. Where else?”

“Get out of here. What did Dad say?”

“He said yes, of course.”

“So he didn’t tell you the trouble I got into at school?”

“Yes, he told me.” Rachael had been caught with three other students who had stuffed birdseed in all the nooks and crevices of the principal’s car. The principal found his car that day covered in bird droppings.

“And he’s still letting me go?”

“Well, he didn’t say yes right off. But I assured him…and I really went out on a limb for you. I assured him you would benefit from the trip and give serious thought to what it meant to be a mature, respectful soon-to-be fifteen-year-old.”

“Really? He was so mad at me. Said I was grounded for a month.”

Once in Rachael’s room, as she helped her pack, Marie realized how few clothes she had. Ben could easily have afforded to buy nice clothes for her, but Marie suspected that was something he wouldn’t have come up with on his own. While Rachael finished packing, Marie talked to Ben in the living room.

“I was going to let Rachael spend the Christmas money I intended to give her on anything she wanted, within reason, of course, but now that I see her closet, I think I’m going to steer her toward clothes.” Ben gave her that “have I loused up again?” look. Marie confirmed his thoughts with her weak smile.

“So how do I resolve this?”

Marie shrugged.

“How about if I give you what I would have spent on her for Christmas and her birthday, and you two can have a…dare I say, a ball shopping?”

“Cool.”

They talked mostly about school and boys on the way to Chicago.

After settling into their hotel room, they went to dinner and then saw
Angels in the Outfield
. They talked about it on their walk back to the hotel.

“So what do you think the lesson was in that movie,” Marie asked her.

“Lesson? What lesson?”

“There was an important lesson in that movie. Think about it.”

Rachael sighed. “Marie, school’s out, remember?”

“And I told your dad you would come back a more mature fourteen-year-old, remember?”

“Okay. Uh, okay, the manager was a different person at the end of the movie.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“What did you notice about him that was different?”

Rachael thought about it for awhile. “He had a better attitude.”

“Bingo.”

“Why do I get the feeling this has something to do with me?”

“Because, my dear, you’re a very smart girl. What should it mean for you?”

“Okay, so my attitude isn’t always that great. So what?”

“What did a change in attitude mean for the baseball manager?”

“His players played better.”

“You are smarter than you think. That’s exactly right. A positive attitude can affect the whole team, and your team is you and your dad.”

“Hmmm.”

“That’s all I get is a hmmm?”

“Let me think about it.”

“Okay. That’s fair.”

The next morning, they headed out to Marshall Field’s. Before they started their shopping spree, Marie tracked down Esther, who cried when she saw Marie.

“God, I think about you all the time. How are you, and who’s this?”

Marie introduced her to Rachael and asked if she was able to meet them for lunch so they could catch up.

“Are you kidding? Of course, I can.”

Esther walked with them to the young adults section of the store. “You girls have fun, and I’ll meet you downstairs at one.”

Marie steered Rachael toward the dresses, but Rachael kept looking over at the racks of trousers instead.

“Okay, I have something to tell you.” When she got Rachael’s attention, she told her about the money Ben had given her. Rachael shrieked.

“Keep your voice down, will you?”

“I can’t believe he did that. How much do I have to spend?”

“Enough to buy several outfits, maybe a couple pairs of shoes, and some accessories.”

“So why is he being so nice all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. Could it possibly be that I presented your case to him with a very positive attitude?”

Rachael smiled and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I get it. I get it.”

They managed to spend half of Ben’s money before meeting Esther for lunch. Esther brought Marie up to date on everything and everyone at Marshall Field’s, and Marie reciprocated by filling her in on her business and family.

“What about lover boy?” Esther asked.

Rachael’s ears perked up. “Yeah, what about lover boy?”

“Never mind, young lady.” She turned to Esther. “We’re divorced…finally.”

“No kidding.”

They said their goodbyes to Esther and finished shopping. Burdened with almost too many packages to manage, Marie and Rachael collapsed on the bed of their hotel room. “I can’t believe we bought all this stuff,” Rachael said. “It’s crazy.”

“Are you saying ‘crazy’ because it’s current slang, or are you really in disbelief?”

“Both, maybe. I’m in shock I have all these nice clothes.”

“Do other girls in your class have nice clothes like these?”

“They all do.”

“But you didn’t.”

“Right.”

“Why do you think you didn’t?”

“‘Cause I’m not as good as them.”

“By whose standards?”

“Dad’s. Otherwise he would have bought me nice clothes long before this.”

Marie fought to keep back the tears. “Rachael, sweetheart, that is
not
the reason.”

“Why then? When I was with Mom I didn’t have nice clothes because she couldn’t afford them. But Dad can.”

“You’ve got to understand that your dad came into your life late. We’ve talked about that. What has it been, a little over three years? So he had no experience raising you when you were little. It wasn’t gradual like with most parents. And even while your mother was living with the two of you, I’ll bet she didn’t parent with him, did she?”

Rachael shook her head. “She wasn’t there most of the time.”

“So you see, you can’t expect him to know very much about being a parent. You’ve got to cut him some slack, Rachael.”

Rachael pursed her lips. “But I’m just a kid.”

“Are you a kid, or a teenager who’s not that far away from graduating high school and deciding what you’re going to do with the rest of your life?”

“Okay. I get it.” Rachael paused. “I’m hungry.”

“When aren’t you hungry?”

Rachael, Ben, Gregory, and Gloria were expected for Christmas Eve dinner along with the whole Brooks clan. This year, Claire made a healthy pasta dish instead of her famous lasagna. Jonathan made a face but didn’t say anything.

After dinner, everyone sat around the table and sang “Happy Birthday” to Rachael. After she blew out the candles, she looked at her father and smiled. “I know I already got my birthday gift. Thanks, Dad.”

“You didn’t get mine though.” Marie handed her an envelope. “Read it out loud, Rachael.”

Happy birthday, dear Rachael

As you turn fifteen

I have no present to wrap

But I’m not being mean.

Think ahead to April

When you’re on spring break

A trip to Atchison

Will be a kick, for corn’s sake.

So I hope you’re excited

And you think this is boss

Because if you don’t

I’m just at a loss!

Love,
Marie

“You better not be kidding.” The tears welled up in her eyes. She got up, ran over to Marie, and then whispered, “I love you.”

The sweet aroma of Claire’s cinnamon rolls wafted through the house on Christmas morning.