Robin said, “I’ll get her.”
“I won’t turn that offer down,” I said, and sat on the couch, arranging a throw pillow in my lap, ready to hold Sophie in the best position.
The terrible drama that had played out in our backyard seemed almost like a dream, one that had left trouble and fear in its wake. Virginia, Ford, Marcy, Lena, Robin, Phillip, me, Peggy, even old Mr. Redding … we were all dislodged from the groove of our lives, from the ripple effect of that chance encounter on a dark night.
But having had that thought, I couldn’t see that it changed my life in any way. It was not some deep philosophical dilemma I would ponder.
I was pretty sure I would settle back into my place in the pond of suburban life and be content. But I recognized that motherhood had changed me, for better or worse, forever.
And I was fine with that.
*
The next morning after Phillip had taken off for school, Arnie Petrosian showed up at our door. Like Peggy, he seemed determined to rid himself of a burden.
“I’m really sorry I brought Ford here,” he said. “He was a good assistant. When the business slumped, he didn’t keep asking for raises I couldn’t give him. Sure, I should have fired him after the burglary at Rick Morrison’s, but he hadn’t been convicted yet, and I wanted to give the guy the benefit of the doubt.” He’d said this all in a stream of words, so we’d had no chance to say “Hello” (or “Go away”).
We looked at each other, nonplussed.
Finally, Robin said, “It’s over and done, Arnie. You did bring him into our house. But after all, he had the keys Virginia left with. I think he hoped he wouldn’t have to come in while we weren’t here, because that was a big risk. We might return, one of our neighbors might notice, or Phillip might have walked in. I guess that’s why he was rummaging around hoping to find Virginia’s phone when you two were working here.”
Arnie looked directly at us, and heaved a sigh of relief. “Thanks,” he said. “I won’t make the same mistake again. And your security system installation is free.” He turned and went back to his Spartan Shield van.
“I don’t know how to feel about that,” I said.
“I, for one, will not vote for him in the next election,” Robin told me with great dignity, and I began to laugh.
The same afternoon, Mother brought John over. He was walking slowly, but I didn’t wonder if he was going to topple over at any moment. It was another gorgeous day. We all trooped into the backyard, where I gave John the crime scene tour. I felt a little squicky about it. For all I knew, Lena might be watching from her kitchen window.
“I hear they found Tracy’s sister’s car behind a house for sale on the street behind you,” John said. “You see Lena?”
“It’s like she’s gone,” I said. “Along with Peggy. And Chaka.”
“She killed a woman to save a dog,” John observed. “What do you think of that?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Peggy did what her heart told her to do. I guess I’ll find out how she felt about Chaka. Robin wants to get a dog.”
John smiled. “You’ll enjoy it,” he said.
“Easier than having another baby,” I muttered.
John laughed out loud. It was a good sound, and I hoped I got to hear it for years to come.
And over the baby monitor stuffed in my sweater pocket, I could hear Sophie making preliminary sounds of hunger. Back to business as usual.
Five minutes later, I was looking down at her fuzzy red head; and I began to wonder if a second one would be so very awful, after all.