Besides, the CBI has been good to her. She is a star in her field. She’s been developing new DNA sequencing methods that are changing how the CBI investigates crimes and increasing their success rates, and that is good enough for her, for the time being. Not that she doesn’t stand on her deck at night with a glass of wine and her telescope, staring at what might have been... But on the bright side, she has the forever bonus of being able to cut her own hair, saving her money in the lean times.
And she’s just whacked off a foot of her niece’s hair on a whim. Mindy is sliding her hands over her head, utterly delighted. Even Juliet has to admit, it looks cute. She pulls one last strand into place, then hands Mindy the mirror from her purse.
“Oh, Aunt J, it’s perfect!”
And of course, at that moment, Lauren comes back to the room.
“What in the name of God are you doing?”
Juliet tries not to tuck her imaginary tail between her legs at Lauren’s disapproving voice. It’s hard; the shock and outrage have slipped past her sister’s perfectly cool veneer, making her sound almost exactly like their mother.
Instead, Juliet squares her shoulders. “Styling your daughter’s new haircut.”
Lauren looks exactly like hell. She hasn’t properly bathed, her eyeliner is smudged and her lipstick chewed off. Her clothes are rumpled and her cheekbones stand out like she’s been starving herself. Juliet hasn’t seen her in a few months, but she’s lost weight before the events of the past day. Lauren is as focused on Mindy winning as Mindy is, to the detriment of all those around her. Juliet almost feels sorry for her. She pushes herself to smile, to open her arms for a hug.
“Hi, Lauren.”
Lauren casts her one last vicious glance and makes a beeline for the bed. “Melinda Eliza Wright. What on earth have you let her do to you?”
Mindy is grinning, puts a hand behind her head to show it off. “Don’t you like it, Mom?”
“No, I do not like it one bit. What in the world were you thinking?” She rounds on Juliet. “What were you thinking? You’re the adult here. Or so we’re supposed to believe. I leave you alone for five minutes and—”
“Relax, sis. This is what aunties are for, totally corrupting our nieces.”
“You...you...”
Mindy sputters out a laugh. The sound makes Lauren whirl back to the bed, a finger raised, getting ready to scold. But the sight of her newly shorn daughter giggling her head off is enough to defuse things.
“What’s so damn funny?”
“I told Aunt J you’d be furious.” She holds out a hand, the smile on her wan face warm. “Thank you for losing it.”
“What? What do you mean?”
But Juliet knows exactly what is going on. Mindy, clever girl, didn’t give a hang about her hair. She’d wanted to get her mother to treat her like a human being again, like her little girl, instead of like a possibly dying patient.
Mindy offers an olive branch. She swipes the hair off her face.
“Aunt J could cut the bangs so it isn’t so punk rock.”
Lauren brushes the hair back down over Mindy’s right eye. “No. It’s cute. You look cute.”
The my daughter is about to die tone is back, and Mindy pulls away.
Juliet winks at her niece. “Hey, Lauren, let’s get some coffee. I haven’t seen you forever, and I think Miss MEW here needs a nap.”
“I do not.” But her eyes are drooping. While they argued, the morphine pump gave her a shot, and she isn’t long for the world.
Lauren fluffs her pillows and kisses her on the forehead. “We’re going to have a talk about your wild ways, young lady, but for now, take a little snooze while I go beat up your aunt.”
“Give it to her good, Mom,” Mindy says as she drifts off, one hand in her short hair, a smile still on her face.
Lauren crooks her finger in a follow me gesture. It’s time for Juliet to take her lumps. Hazel isn’t at her desk, so Juliet puts the scissors in her top drawer as they walk past.
Lauren leads her to a small room at the end of the hall. Juliet looks around and realizes it’s soundproofed. A place for parents to scream their agonies to the universe, perhaps?
When the door closes with a meaty click, Lauren rounds on Juliet.
“I disappear for five minutes and you’re already causing trouble.” But there is no heat in the recrimination. Instead, she sags against the wall, puts her face in her hands, and grinds her fists into her eyes.
Juliet touches her on the shoulder, but Lauren hunches and brushes her off.
“I’m so sorry.”
“For messing up her hair or for the fact that she’s dying?”
“She’s not dying. Not yet, anyway. They’ve just diagnosed her. You have to give it some time. The advances they’ve made are incredible. The—”
“All well and good for you to say. She’s not your daughter.”
Juliet flinches. “No need to attack me, Lauren. I’m here to offer support. Mindy needs you to be a human being now, not an overbearing mother. You’re going to drown her in your sorrow.”
“What are you talking about?”
“She wanted me to cut her hair because it’s going to fall out anyway.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Mindy does. She’s putting on a brave face for you, and you’re acting like she’s already in the grave.”
“You have no idea—”
“Yes, I do. I saw the look on your face when you came through the door. You were doe-eyed, tiptoeing around. She needs you to be brave and to treat her like the competitor she is. Nothing will stop Mindy, not even cancer. Quit acting like she’s been given a death sentence.”
And with that, she starts for the door.
“Wait,” Lauren commands. Juliet stops.
“I’m sorry. I’m stressed out. I know you were only trying to help.”
“That’s better,” Juliet says. “It’s nice to see you, too.”
Juliet accepts the contrite hug. Lauren’s bones feel hollow and insubstantial beneath her turtleneck like she’s empty inside her clothes.
“Work going well?” Lauren asks.
“As well as can be expected. I’m happy, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Do you have a fellow yet?”
“A fellow? Are you from the ’40s? Are we going to wash our hair and put it up in pin curls now?”
The look Lauren gives is so patently big sister that Juliet starts to laugh. “No, I don’t have a fellow. I’ve been much too busy. I don’t have time to meet anyone.”
“You should think about it. You’re not getting any younger, and...”
“No. We are not doing this. I took enough judgment from Mom. How’s Jasper holding up?”
Lauren’s face lights up. Juliet loves Jasper like a brother; seeing Lauren still happy with him after all these years is a balm to her soul.
“He’s fine. We’re struggling, trying to figure out how to balance his work with the hospital. They’re letting him take time off as he needs, but he has so much on his plate he can’t be away indefinitely. He’s heading there now, giving away some cases to the junior associates.”
“I meant, how is he? Really?”
“Terrified,” Lauren whispers, sinking down into the brown leather couch. “How else could he be?”
“I understand. Mindy seems to be handling things well.”
“She was fascinated by the details of the surgery, by the incisions, by the halo, for exactly five minutes. She made me take pictures of it from every angle and show her. She said, ‘Wow, that’s gnarly.’”
“Sounds like her.”
“And then she said, ‘Tell me the truth. I can see something’s wrong. Am I crippled for life or something?’”
Lauren sniffs. “We told her the truth. God, Juliet, she is so strong. Such a champion. ‘I’m going to fight, I’m going to win, I’m going to be back on the slopes in time for the Olympics.’ We didn’t tell her she couldn’t—”
“Good, because you don’t know that. She is a champion, Lauren. She has the heart of ten kids, and the strength of a thousand. She might beat this in one blow.”
Lauren’s eyes close. A tear leaks out.
“I hope you’re right.”
“At the very least, Lauren, you have to let her try. I’m here for you guys. And for Mindy. Anything you need.”
“We appreciate that.”
Lauren’s gone wooden again, formal. She stands, briskly rubbing her hands down her pant legs. “Now, let’s go talk to my willful daughter.”
“Seriously, Lauren, anything I can do.”
“I know. Thank you.” And she bustles out the door, completely composed, together again.
Juliet follows, shaking her head. Her sister is not fine. And neither is her niece.
5
THE WRIGHTS’ HOUSE