EPILOGUE
‘Do you know when Dory will be back?’ Alex asked.
Elaine glanced at the clock and shook her head. ‘She should be here now. Maybe something happened with one of the dogs.’
Alex nodded and nibbled at the cookie which Garth had offered when they arrived. She glanced at Seth, who looked relaxed in the other corner of the sofa, eating his third cookie.
‘These are great, Elaine,’ he said.
‘Thank you.’
‘So,’ said Garth, rubbing his jeans with his open palms. ‘I hear you two are planning on making it official.’
‘That’s right,’ said Seth.
‘Well, I wish you all the best,’ said Garth.
‘Thanks,’ said Seth.
Alex said nothing. After Dory got out of the hospital, she moved directly back into the Colsons’ apartment, explaining to Alex that she wanted to revive her pet-sitting business and it was easier to do it right there, in the South End. At first, Alex saw Dory regularly. They would have lunch while she was working at the gallery, or Dory would come out to Chichester for dinner. Dory’s depression seemed to have lifted, and she reported that she was feeling good and making plans for her future. But lately she seemed glum and evasive, and no matter how often Alex had invited her to come to dinner Dory always had an excuse. She had to get up too early the next day, or she couldn’t get the truck from her dad, or she wasn’t feeling well. Finally, with her upcoming wedding to Seth, Alex had the perfect reason to pay Dory a visit. She asked Seth to come along, partly for moral support, and partly because she had come to trust his impressions of people.
‘Right, Elaine?’ said Garth. ‘We’re happy for these two.’
‘Of course,’ said Elaine.
‘I’m kind of glad that Dory’s not here,’ said Alex. ‘I wanted to talk to the two of you. How do you think she is doing?’ she asked. ‘Do you think she’s gotten over the trauma of all that happened?’
Garth glanced uneasily at Elaine, but Elaine stared straight back at Alex. ‘She’s fine,’ said Elaine. ‘She’s perfectly fine. There’s nothing for you to be concerned about.’
‘Now, honey,’ said Garth, ‘you and I were talking about her moodiness just the other day. I’m sure Alex is worried about her the way any sister would be.’ He looked earnestly at Alex. ‘I think it’s nice of you to care.’
‘There’s no question that these days life is very different around here. With the changes in our building,’ Elaine said in a faintly accusatory tone.
‘Dory told me that Chris Ennis moved out to be near the prison where Joy is waiting for her trial, and the group home where Therese has been placed,’ said Alex.
‘Yes,’ said Elaine tartly. ‘We have some very noisy students upstairs now.’
‘That’s too bad,’ said Seth. ‘Although, after what happened, I can’t imagine you all living in the same building any longer.’
‘No, of course not,’ said Elaine.
‘I imagine you miss Therese though,’ said Alex.
Elaine looked at her indignantly. ‘Miss Therese? After what she did to Lauren? I hardly think so.’
‘I know, but after all those years of treating her like a granddaughter . . .’
Garth’s face seemed to lose all its color and he quickly, furtively wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand.
‘Therese is dead to me now,’ said Elaine angrily. ‘I never think about her.’
Just then the front door opened and slammed shut again, and the heavy thud of boots being kicked off could be heard upstairs.
‘I’m home!’ Dory cried out. She appeared at the top of the steps in her stocking feet. Her strawberry-blonde hair was pinned up in a messy knot, and she could have passed, from a distance, for a teenager. She was wearing an old, shapeless sweater and jeans, the colors of which were dulled by a gossamer layer of animal fur. She was carrying a bouquet of flowers. ‘Mom, I brought you . . .’ She stopped short when she saw Alex and Seth sitting with her parents in the great room.
Alex was actually surprised at how happy she was to see her. ‘Dory,’ she said. She stood up and reached out to embrace her.
Dory looked anxiously at her mother, and then back at Alex. ‘Oh, no,’ she said, pulling away. ‘I’m covered with dog hair.’
‘So am I,’ said Alex, insisting on a hug. ‘Remus is missing you.’
Dory’s smile was painful. ‘That’s good,’ she said. ‘I mean, good that he still thinks of me.’
‘Regina called me the other day. She said she’s got a beauty of a pup and she’s hoping for someone to adopt him.’
‘Are you going to take him?’ Dory asked.
‘Not me. I meant you.’
‘No. Not in this house,’ Elaine said immediately.
‘I thought the only reason you couldn’t have pets was because of Lauren,’ said Alex.
‘I’m not adopting anyone else’s problems,’ said Elaine. ‘Thank you very much.’ If Elaine was sorry for how cruel her remark sounded, given Dory’s origins, she gave no indication of it.
Dory’s gaze was blank. ‘I don’t need a dog,’ she said.
‘Maybe when you get your own place,’ said Garth encouragingly.
‘Are you moving?’ Alex asked.
Dory looked taken aback. ‘No,’ she said.
Alex nodded. ‘Oh. Well, never mind.’
‘Mom, I brought you these flowers,’ said Dory. ‘Down by the Back Bay station.’
Elaine looked at the flowers without expression. ‘There’s a vase under the sink, Dory. Put them in water or they’ll die.’
Dory obediently went to the sink and rummaged around for the vase. Alex walked over to her. Seth, understanding his mission, began to talk to Garth about an old church which was being demolished in Dorchester.
‘Hey,’ said Alex. ‘How are you doing?’
‘Good,’ said Dory, nodding. She took out two vases and compared them, holding the bouquet against each one.
‘I haven’t seen you in so long,’ said Alex.
‘I know,’ said Dory. ‘Which one do you think?’
‘This one,’ said Alex.
Dory put the other vase away and began to fill Alex’s choice with water. ‘So, you just decided to drop by? My mother always says to call first.’
‘Your mother’s right. I should have,’ said Alex. ‘But there was something I wanted to ask you. Seth and I have set a date for the wedding.’
Dory nodded, unsmiling. ‘Congratulations.’
‘Thanks. It’s only going to be a small affair, but I still need a maid of honor. I was wondering if you might want to do it. Be my maid of honor.’
Dory looked surprised, and then a smile broke slowly in her eyes. ‘Really? You want me to do it?’
‘Yes,’ said Alex. ‘You’re my sister.’
Dory glanced over at Elaine, who was watching her. ‘Wow. That’s really nice of you,’ she said.
‘Will you do it?’
Dory sighed, and then squared her shoulders. ‘Sure. I’ll do it.’
‘You may have to go shopping with me. Try on dresses.’
‘I guess I can do that,’ said Dory.
Alex embraced her once again, and Dory endured it stiffly.
Elaine came over and took the vase of flowers from the side of the sink. ‘These are lovely,’ she said.
Dory beamed. ‘You like them?’
‘Of course I like them,’ said Elaine. ‘What’s going on over here?’
‘Alex asked me to be in her wedding.’
‘How nice. What did you say?’ Elaine asked.
‘I said . . . OK. Probably,’ said Dory.
Elaine nodded. Her expression was placid. Alex could see no sign of judgment in it. She took the vase of flowers and carefully placed them in the center of the table.
Dory looked at Alex apologetically. ‘I’m not positive. Can I call you about it?’
Alex looked at Elaine. She felt as if Elaine had emitted some warning signal to Dory that was undetectable outside of Elaine’s sphere of influence. Dory suddenly looked miserable. Elaine returned Alex’s gaze with a mixture of triumph and disgust in her eyes.
Alex closed her eyes for a moment and then turned to Seth. ‘OK. We’d better be going,’ she said.
As soon as they left the apartment and began to walk, arm in arm, toward the car, Alex began to sputter. ‘I’m telling you,’ she said, ‘it’s like she’s a prisoner there. She was all set to agree. She was happy to be asked, and then one sidelong glance from Elaine . . .’
‘She’s thirty-two years old, Alex,’ he said. ‘If she wants to leave, I’m sure no one would stop her.’
‘It’s as if nothing has changed. Even though they now know that Dory was not to blame for Lauren’s death, they treat her as if she is still . . . not to be trusted.’
Seth shrugged. ‘You always thought Elaine treated her that way because of Lauren’s death. I suspect that she has always treated her the same way.’
‘It’s not fair!’ Alex cried. ‘She needs to get away from that woman. I mean, Garth’s nice enough. Ineffectual, but nice enough. Elaine though . . .’
‘She doesn’t want to get away from Elaine,’ said Seth. ‘That’s her life’s work. Trying to get Elaine to love her.’
‘Do you really think that?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I do.’
‘It’s never gonna happen, is it?’ said Alex.
Seth tightened his arm around her and shook his head. ‘Nope.’
‘That’s so sad,’ said Alex.
They walked on in silence for a little ways. Then Alex said, ‘Should I just leave her alone? Maybe Elaine is making Dory’s life more miserable when she sees me. I think Elaine believes that my meddling in Dory’s life brought about this whole collapse of their world. Now Therese is gone and she has Dory at home again, and there is no way that she is happy about it. I think Elaine was happier when Dory was in prison and she could blame it all on her.’
‘It does seem that way,’ he said.
‘Maybe that’s why Dory has been so scarce lately.’
‘I wouldn’t be surprised,’ he said. ‘She probably has to pay a price for spending time with you.’
Alex sighed. ‘I don’t want to make her life worse.’
‘You’re not, Alex,’ he said. ‘You’re trying to be a sister to her. And she needs you, whether she knows it or not. Someday she may come to her senses and realize how futile it is to try and please that woman. If it’s ever gonna happen, somebody has to be on her side.’
‘But you just said that it would never happen.’
‘Well, I’m trying to be realistic. That sick relationship with Elaine is pretty strong. But that doesn’t mean I think you should give up. Elaine would like to keep you out of Dory’s life. Isolate her. It’s easier to torment her that way, with no one to object. But if you’re not in Dory’s life, who will be there for her?’
‘You’re right. I have to try,’ said Alex.
Seth nodded. ‘We’ll keep trying.’
‘We?’ she asked.
‘We’re in this together,’ he said. ‘Right?’
‘Right,’ she said.
Alex thought about her mother’s letter, offering her a sister she didn’t know she had. She had wanted Alex to have a sister to depend on. The sister Alex had found had turned out to be something much more complicated. But still, Alex felt there was a connection between them that defied explanation. She knew that her mother had worried that Alex would not have a family to rely on, to lean on, to celebrate with. Alex glanced at Seth’s profile. I have you, she thought, full of gratitude. You are my family now.
She huddled closer to him as they walked through the cold in the darkening twilight. We are a family, Mom, she thought. Seth and I. And children some day, and a home. A life together. This is the family you wanted me to have. And as for the sister you wanted me to have? As for Dory?
Dory has us both.