“That’s not really an issue, Mike. I had no plans to be dating anyone, but Joe and I shared a loss, did a lot of talking, mutually supporting each other in those difficult days following your father’s death, one thing led to another and...”
“Good morning, Mike,” Joe said, coming into the kitchen. Thank God he was fully dressed, shirt, shoes and all.
“You and my mother are dating?” he asked.
“Exactly,” Joe said easily. “It’s not as though we had to get to know each other first. We began supporting each other in grief, which was the natural thing to do. It’s like dating an old and dear friend. I hope you don’t mind because we’re having fun. And fun has been in short supply lately.”
“This is a little awkward, made more so by the fact that I’m in my pajamas and robe. Will you excuse me a moment?” Anna said.
When she got to her bedroom she noted that Joe had made the bed as well as gotten dressed. Hiding the evidence? Well, it had to come out and this was not a moment too soon. She was glad that it was Michael first; of all her children he was the one she was most comfortable with.
She dressed in her closet, hanging her robe on the hook and selecting a soft velour sweat suit. She slid on her black Skechers and quickly ran a brush through her hair. Just for the heck of it, she put on some lip gloss and thought, there, she didn’t look half-bad for someone who had had a very active night and rather shocking morning.
Her cell phone was chiming. It sat on the bedside table and she crossed her fingers, hoping it wasn’t some work-related emergency. She thought she was going to be unlucky since she didn’t recognize the name on the screen. M. Vanderoot. Probably someone from the DA’s office looking for a judge to sign off on a warrant. “Hello,” she said.
“Judge McNichol? My name is Martin Vanderoot and I’m a friend of your daughter, Elizabeth. I’m calling you because Bess seems to be having some kind of... I don’t know what to call it...”
“What’s happening?” she said. “Just tell me what’s happening?”
“Right now she’s quiet but she was flipping the wall switch on and off, counting. Then she seemed to be hiding in the closet and didn’t want to come out. Then she was turning the water on and off in the sink, then the closet again, then the light switch, and nearly crying. She’s rubbing her arms like they itch. I have no idea what’s—”
“She’s having an anxiety attack,” Anna said. “It’s been a very long time since she’s had that problem. Please ask her if she has taken her medication.”
Anna could hear the young man asking Bess the question but she couldn’t hear or make out the answer.
“She said she doesn’t know. How can she not know?”
“Do you have a car? Can you bring her to me? I could come there but it might be better if she comes here. Tell her to bring any medication she might have. I might want to take her to the doctor, but for now, I just want her to feel safe. Can you put her on the phone?”
She heard him call Bess to the phone. Bess didn’t say hello, she merely made a sound into the phone. “Bess, are you not feeling well? I asked Martin to bring you home. He’ll bring you here to me. Put whatever medication you have in your purse, please. Can you do that, Bess?” Again, she just made a sound into the phone.
Anna went into the kitchen and she found Joe and Mike sitting at the counter with coffee. “I just had a call from a young man Bess is seeing. It sounds like she’s having an anxiety attack along with a little OCD. I asked him to bring her here.”
“We could go to her apartment,” Michael said.
“I thought about that but I think it could take a while to calm her down and we might have to see the doctor, if we can even get in on a Sunday. She’ll be safe here and I can manage. Michael, will you stay until she gets here? I feel like my family is falling apart right now.”
“I’ll stay,” he said. “I can help with Bess, if you need it.”
“Would you like me to go now?” Joe asked. “Tell me what you need, Anna.”
She was torn. She didn’t want Joe to be burdened with whatever stuff her family was going through, but she didn’t want him to leave, either. “Can you stay until Bess gets here?”
“Sure.”
“There’s no traffic on Sunday morning. It shouldn’t take too long.”
Anna fixed herself a cup of coffee and pulled the Danish out of the oven. She talked to Michael while getting out plates and forks. “Are you here to see if there are any chores that need your attention? Because I really don’t need your help with anything. And the weather is so cold, gloomy and overcast—no yardwork, that’s for sure.”
“I’d be happy to help you with anything you need but I came for another reason. I guess this isn’t a good time, but I was looking for advice. I think I made a big mistake with Jenn.”
Anna looked at Joe and lifted both eyebrows.
“I’ll stay out of your business unless you ask me to butt in,” Joe said, holding up his hands.
“I think my girlfriend issues have to wait until we resolve my sister issues. I wonder what threw Bess into a tizzy.”
“It’s been a long time since she’s had to deal with these side effects. Maybe the pressure of law school is greater than she has let on.” Again Anna’s cell chirped. This time the name and number were well-known to her. “Jessie, my love. What timing. Our family is in a state.”
“Is something going on?” she asked.
“Michael stopped by to see if I needed any help around the house and yard and I just got a call from a young man who is with Bess. Apparently she’s having an anxiety attack and is freezing up. He’s bringing her here.”
“And I was just calling to see if you felt like a Sunday brunch,” Jessie said. “I’ll come over to make sure Bess is okay. See you in twenty minutes.”
Anna sat at the breakfast bar and gently rubbed her temples.
“That’s all we need,” Michael said. “Bess freaking out and Jessie on her way to boss everyone around.”
“I’m counting on you to stay calm,” Anna said. “This would be a very bad time to antagonize your sister.”
“I should be going...” Joe said, standing.
“No you don’t,” Anna said. “Please stay. It’s the worst possible time, but once Bess is calmed down, we have to have a little family meeting and, like it or not, you’re part of the family. If you run now, I won’t have an ally anywhere.”
“Michael?” Joe asked.
“Yeah, stay, Uncle Joe. Jessie might go easy if you’re here.”
Anna knew it was not Joe who would keep Jessie from throwing her weight around, but Bess. Jessie always pampered Bess. Jessie arrived close on the tail of Bess and was armed with a small vial of Xanax, with which she dosed her sister. In her childhood home and in the presence of her family, Bess calmed down visibly and immediately.
The story came out. Bess was preparing a presentation for one of her law classes in which she would have to play the part of a litigator in front of a great many law students. Bess did fine as part of the class, always seated in the rear of the room in case she needed to make a fast getaway, but arguing in front of fifty people was just more than she could bear. It was not uncommon for people on the spectrum to have great anxiety in large groups, even high-functioning autistic people like Bess. She’d spent years in manageable groups learning modified behavioral techniques to help with such a reaction and she also had antianxiety drugs to take when needed. She’d been doing so well she hadn’t taken her medication in a long time. She was completely unprepared for her meltdown.
Jessie responded very favorably to finding Joe was present. They’re dating, or whatever you call it, Michael whispered in Jessie’s ear. And Jessie said she couldn’t have planned that better herself.
Martin gave Bess a little kiss on the cheek, asked her to phone him later when she was feeling better, and he left her with her family.
“Martin seems like a very nice young man, Bess,” Anna said.
“Of course he’s nice,” Bess said.
“Good, she’s back,” Jessie said. “Bess, would you like a nice cup of tea?”
“As opposed to a mean cup of tea?” Bess asked. Then she smiled, though the smile was tremulous. “Thank you, Dr. McNichol.”
“Well, now,” Anna said. “This is the last thing I thought would happen, but I was wondering when I would get the three of you together. I have some things to tell you.” She took a deep breath and said, with her usual confidence, “Bamber swinpool faletter as pumpdill clamperdose runkerplum balleroon piddle horse peling quader pell...”
And Jessie said, “Oh, shit!”
THIRTEEN
“Mom! Don’t panic. Just stay calm. Joe, get my medical bag from my car—it’s in the back. Michael, call an ambulance and tell them to hurry. She’s having a stroke.”
Garbled words spilled from Anna’s lips and she began to argue in a language no one but Anna could understand.