Leftovers: A Novel (26 page)

“Why?”

“First you’re forced to work in mills and then my mother buys you out and turns you into her slave.”

“Now don’t be disrespecting me.”

“Oh I didn’t mean to offend.”

“I am proud of my job and I am, I was, the best at it.”

There was a long pause as Maid 4 closed her eyes. Vivian wasn’t sure if she was resting or sleeping, if she should stay or go. And then she started to speak again.

“Your mother never forgave her mother. The day she was farmed out to the mills was the last time she ever saw her and her siblings. And it confuses me, why she passed that anger and frustration onto you, Vivian. Your mother did the best she could with what she had to work with. I’m not saying how she handled you was right, but I don’t think she knew any better. Maybe in understanding that, the two of you can have a bit of healing between you.”

“It may be too late for that.”

Maid 4 tried to sit up and Vivian rearranged the pillows behind her.

“Vivian, the important thing is I know you. I know your heart. You’ll break the cycle. One day you’ll have children of your own and you’ll love them fiercely.”

“I know that too. Oh thank you . . . ” Suddenly Vivian stopped mid-sentence and looked very distraught.

“What’s wrong, child? Did I say too much?”

Vivian’s eyes welled up with tears. “No. No I’m glad you’re telling me all of this. I’m upset, I’m horrified because . . . ” She broke down crying. “Because I don’t know your name.”

Exhausted, Maid 4 signaled for her to come close. “My name is Mary. Mary O’Connor.”

Consumed with emotion, Vivian pressed her face against hers. “Hello Mary.”

Vivian held on for a moment longer and then realized she had fallen asleep. She quietly got up and left her room. She thanked the nun and walked up the flight of stairs to the fourth floor.

Babs was waiting for her at the nurse’s station. “A nurse just told me he was conscious.”

A doctor came out of Paul’s room. “Miss Lawson?”

Vivian stepped forward. “How is he?”

“We’re keeping him overnight. Want to monitor the concussion. The dislocated shoulder will heal on its own. You can see him now if you like.”

The doctor continued down the hallway as Vivian turned to Babs.

“Please don’t leave. I need to talk to you.”

“Do you want me to go in with you?”

Vivian shook her head, walked over to his door and hesitated before she entered.

Paul was propped up in bed with his arm in a sling looking like he had been run over by the car that didn’t run him over. She stood by his side and there was a moment where they studied each other.

Paul spoke first. “So, he saved my life?”

“Probably.”

“I owe the little jerk.”

“Big time. And you’re not blackmailing me.”

“Aw geez, Vivian.”

“You can’t because I’m sending the pictures to Brownie myself. I’m sure she’ll find them quite amusing.”

“Nah, don’t do that. I won’t use them against you.”

She looked at him incredulously. “Did the concussion knock some sense into you?”

He tried to laugh but obviously it hurt too much. “I’m still moving away.”

Vivian opened up her purse. “I think that’s a good idea.”

Paul watched as she took out her checkbook and a pen and started to write.

“Vivian, what are you doing?”

“How much do you need?”

“No. You don’t have to.”

She stopped writing and looked at him. “No, I don’t. But I want to make sure that you do leave and hopefully never come back.”

“Well then, maybe a little something just to get me on my feet?” he asked, sheepishly.

She shook her head as she finished writing. “You’ll never change.”

“You wouldn’t consider coming along with me, would you?”

Vivian laughed out loud. “Not on your life.”

She handed the check to him as someone knocked on the door and opened it slightly. Vivian went over to it.

Out of Paul’s view, a woman whispered to Vivian. “Thank you for calling me.”

“Who is it?” he asked.

Vivian opened the door wide and Eleanor rushed in and to Paul’s side. “Oh baby, I got here as quickly as I could.”

Paul looked at Vivian and smiled as she left the room. She walked over to Babs who was shaking her head.

“Did you mastermind that?”

“They deserve each other,” Vivian snickered. “And please accept my apologies.”

“For what?”

“I just got a bit off center there for a while.”

“Hey, I’m off center all the time and I plan on staying there.”

Just then a young, tall, dark, and handsome doctor walked by. He winked at Babs. “Thanks again for your number, Babs. Drinks will be a pleasure.”

She winked back. “The pleasure’s all mine, I’m sure.”

They watched him walk away as Babs elbowed Vivian. “I double checked and made sure he was single.”

“You never stop,” Vivian laughed. “Say, do you know where Stewie is?”

She shook her head. “I do know that he dropped Gloria off at her house because she called to see if he was all right.”

“How will I ever tell him exactly how I feel?”

Babs nudged her. “You’ll find a way.”

Vivian embraced Babs and rushed out the door.

•  •  •

Before she left Bon Secours, Vivian called Babs’ house to see if Stew was home but there was no answer. So she drove back into Abbot and checked DeQuatro’s restaurant thinking maybe he was at the bar but the waitstaff were cleaning up and the sign said they were closed.

She then traveled on down to MacDonald’s and pulled into their parking lot but could clearly see that he wasn’t in there.

As she headed back home she passed the movie house and noticed that there was a late showing of
The Seven Year Itch
playing. She bought a ticket and as discreetly as possible, walked up and down the aisles of the theater as the light from the film flickered on the faces of a handful of people smoking cigarettes in the audience. Exhausted and unable to find Stew, she sat down to watch the movie.

It was at a point where Tom Ewell was in the middle of a scene with Marilyn Monroe declaring that pretty girls would never like a man who looked like him. He knew they preferred guys with movie star looks, like Gregory Peck. But Marilyn set him straight. She explained that when at a party, instead of being attracted to the smartly dressed guy that thinks he’s God’s gift to women, she’s drawn to the shy and nervous type that may be sitting by himself in the corner. The kind she could sense is gentle and kind and worried. What she found really exciting was knowing that he’d be tender, nice and sweet to her.

Vivian totally agreed with what she had said. Overwhelmed with emotion, she got up and rushed out of the theatre. Back in her car, she wracked her brain trying to think of where Stew might be and then suddenly it dawned on her. She sped down Route 1 till she saw the giant sign with the pink neon lights blinking and turned into Danny’s.

Not surprisingly, the tiki lounge was packed full of late night lovers of good jazz. Danny and the boys were just finishing up a set when Vivian entered and saw Stew sitting at the far end of the bar, with his head hung low, sucking on a Molten Mona. Not seeing her, she quickly went over to Danny and whispered something to him. He smiled and nodded and then told the musicians what Vivian was going to sing.

Knowing she didn’t have a strong voice or a good ear, Vivian stepped onto the platform, took a deep breath and walked up to the microphone as the men played a few bars of intro. Nervous, she began to sing quietly and tentatively.

“
You made me love you, I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t want to do it . . . ”

She looked over in Stew’s direction. He didn’t turn around but his head came up. With a little more strength and confidence, she continued.

“You made me want you, and all the time you knew it, I guess you always knew it...”

Knowing it couldn’t be true, he turned around to see who was singing.

“You made me happy, sometimes you made me glad . . . ”

Stew got up and walked across the room
.

“But there were times dear, you made me feel so bad . . . ”

She smiled at him as he made his way through the maze of tables towards her.

“
You made me cry cause I didn’t want to tell you, I didn’t want to tell you . . . ”

He stood right in front of her as she nodded and really started to belt out the song.

“
I need some love, that’s true, yes I do, deed I do, you know I do...”

He stepped up onto the platform with her.

“
Give me, give me, give me, give me what I cry for, I know you got the kind of kisses that I die for . . . ”

Without letting her finish, he grabbed her in his arms and kissed her. The band played on and the audience erupted into ecstatic applause as Stew and Vivian continued to kiss.

Stew wasted no time in proposing to Vivian and, of course, she said yes. She had a simple but elegant, white strapless silk taffeta gown coupled with a lace bolero jacket designed by Priscilla of Boston. And on January 1, 1956, the small wedding party gathered at Brownie’s Water’s Edge for the nuptials.

She had held true to her promise. Brownie transformed her wild Isla Milagra into a tropical oasis and when everyone was ready, she had a barge take the bride, groom and guests across Lake Toho to the island.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. A pleasantly warm late afternoon, the wedding was timed with the sunset and upon disembarking the barge, party members passed through a large archway on the dock with a sign above that read:

ISLA MILAGRA

Tiki torches and a trail of pink rose pedals led the way past tables covered in white linen and exquisitely set with imported bone china, Waterford crystal glasses and automatic dishwasher safe silverware. And in the center of every table was a tableau of Tupperware interlaced with flowers native to the island: passionflowers, wisteria and orange blossoms.

Past the tables, the pathways took the guests to rows of gold painted bamboo chairs where they all took their seats and faced a giant arched trellis covered in pink roses overlooking the water. Under the arch stood Vivian in her gown, Stew in his tuxedo and, having recently become an ordained minister, the officiant of the ceremony, Brownie.

Both Stew and Vivian wanted to keep the ritual simple and light. After they recited their vows and exchanged rings Vivian glanced out into the front row of wedding guests. There was Babs, who winked at her, wearing a tiger print caftan with a modest neckline that plunged down to her waist. Next to her were Debbie and Gloria giggling and waving. But when Vivian looked at the woman seated next to Gloria, that’s when her eyes misted up. Smiling bigger and more proud than anyone else there was Maid 4, Mary O’Connor.

And surprisingly to many, including Vivian, seated next to her was her mother, Irene. Wearing an inappropriate and extremely warm Balenciaga wool suit, Vivian wasn’t sure if her mother was smiling or in great pain. Neither of them knew whether or not their relationship could ever be repaired, but at that moment, there was a quiet sense of mutual respect. As embarrassing as it was for Irene to have Vivian chew her out in public at Bon Secours hospital, she admired her spunk. But of course, she never told her so.

Vivian turned back to Stew who was already bawling which made her start to cry and then Brownie finished up with her most important line of all.

“And it is now, with great honor, that I have the privilege of pronouncing the two of you, by law of the great state of Florida, husband and wife.”

Everyone cheered.

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Vivian asked Brownie.

“Kiss the bride.”

They all laughed as Stew and Vivian passionately kissed each other. And at that moment the Wish Fairy appeared and blessed them with her wand. Her troupe of dancers pranced around while in the background, out on the lake, fireworks started to explode. And if that weren’t enough, Brownie had timed it perfectly so that a motorboat sped by pulling the Tupper-ette water skiing team. A total of 11 women wearing wedding gowns and Tupperware canisters on their heads with veils attached, raced by waving to the crowds. And each one had a letter sewn onto the back of her dress spelling out the words:

JUST MARRIED

Vivian embraced Stew and whispered into his ear, “So much for us keeping it simple.”

•  •  •

Upon returning home from their Hawaiian honeymoon, courtesy of Tupperware, Vivian’s first order of business was to get rid of everything Floridian in the Shepherd house. Some of the artwork they kept but everything else was tagged for their garage sale. And what didn’t sell they donated to charity. And then, together, Vivian and Stew redecorated their mansion in the manner to which it was suited. And they took their time to find the things that they really liked and meant something to them. Nothing fussy or pretentious, just homey and colonial. Honestly, that’s what the two of them felt most comfortable with. But the one thing Vivian did insist stay the way it was after it was remodeled, was her dream kitchen.