The Two-Family House: A Novel (12 page)

Chapter 22

MORT

“Do you have a few minutes?” Abe waited for Mort’s nod before entering. He came in and shut the office door behind him. After some fidgeting, he finally said what was on his mind. “Something’s wrong with Helen and Rose.”

Mort didn’t understand. “Rose is fine. Is Helen sick?”

“I don’t mean that. Something’s wrong with the two of them together. They’re at each other’s throats. You haven’t noticed?”

“No.”

“Geez.” Abe let out a breath. Mort turned back to his desk. He wanted to get back to work, but Abe wasn’t done with the conversation.

“Listen, Teddy and Natalie are gonna turn one in a couple of weeks and I think we should have a party for them.”

Mort put down his pencil. “Isn’t that something Rose and Helen should work out?”

“That’s my point, Mort. If we leave it to them, it could turn into another fight. Like what happened at Thanksgiving. It’s gonna kill Helen if we don’t celebrate this together. You know how it is.”

Mort definitely did not know how it was. He had enjoyed Thanksgiving at Faye and Stuart’s apartment. It had been so much more civilized than their usual holidays with Abe’s family.

“What am I supposed to do about it, Abe?”

“Talk to Rose. You know, tell her you think it’d be nice to have a little party together. Whatever kind of party she wants.”

“Fine. I’ll talk to her when I get home.”

You would have thought Mort had just handed Abe a hundred-dollar bill—that’s how big the smile was on his brother’s face. It instantly made Mort wish he hadn’t agreed to it.

The truth was, Mort
had
noticed a difference in Rose since Teddy was born. He felt a change in her attitude that shifted something between them, a sense that she no longer cared as much about his approval. Since Rose had given him a son, Mort no longer felt justified in voicing any kind of criticism. What’s more, he was sure that Rose had detected this new weakness in his position.

The next morning, Mort decided to leave early to avoid Abe. He had put off talking to Rose and didn’t feel like explaining the delay to his brother. Mort was saying goodbye to the girls when two quick knocks at the door interrupted him. It was Abe, ten minutes earlier than usual. Mort’s plan of walking to work alone was ruined.

“Good morning!” Abe called into the kitchen.

“I’m ready to leave,” Mort grumbled. Abe held the door open for his brother to exit but snapped his fingers quickly, just before it clicked shut. Then he called out to Rose, who was pouring her second cup of coffee.

“I almost forgot! Rose, did Mort tell you the big news about Nat and Teddy’s birthday?”

Rose was suspicious. She put down the coffee and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “He didn’t mention anything.” Mort wanted to disappear.

“Ah, he wanted to surprise you, I guess. I haven’t told Helen yet either. But it’s too good. You’ve gotta hear this!”

“I’m sure,” Rose snapped. “What’s the surprise?”

Abe eased his way through the doorway and back into the kitchen, pulling Mort along with him. “You know Bob Sherman, our father’s old friend, the one who introduced us to the cereal guy?”

“I know who he is.”

“He called yesterday to see how everything was going. When I told him the babies were gonna turn one, he got all excited. Said his cousin was the manager of some fancy club on Ocean Avenue and he wanted to throw the kids a party there. We have the Blue Room at Club Elegante booked a week from Sunday at noon and Bob said he’s paying for the whole thing!”

“Club Elegante is a nightclub, Abe,” Rose said. “You want to have a first birthday party at a nightclub?”

“It’s not a nightclub during the
day
.” Abe grinned.

“What did Helen say?”

“Like I said, I haven’t told her yet. Mort wanted you to be the first to know!”

Rose looked from one brother to the other. Finally she uncrossed her arms and let them fall to her sides. “Fine. We’ll have it at the nightclub. I’ll invite my aunt Faye.”

“Terrific!” Abe practically shouted. “Invite whoever you want!”

When they were safely out in the hall, Mort grabbed Abe by the arm.

“What the hell did you do? I’m not paying for some party at a goddamn nightclub.”

“Calm down. Bob’s paying for it.”

“You mean that was true?” Mort couldn’t believe it.

“Of course it was true! Bob called me last night at home. I only said you knew because I wanted Rose to think we already decided it together. It’d be harder for her to say no that way.”

“I suppose. You handled that quite … skillfully.”

“I knew one of these days you’d appreciate my talents.” Abe winked at him. “I’ll see you in half an hour,” he said. “I’m going to tell Helen about the party.” He turned around and headed up the stairs, whistling as he climbed.

Mort stared after his brother and shook his head. Who would’ve thought Abe could have pulled that off so smoothly? Maybe he didn’t give him enough credit. Sometimes you can’t predict what a person is capable of, he thought. Sometimes you just can’t tell.

Chapter 23

HELEN

“This stupid room isn’t even
blue
,” Joe grumbled. “It’s
gray
.”

“It’s sort of a bluish gray,” George offered.

“It’s not called the Bluish-Gray Room, you idiot!”

“Boys!” Helen shushed them. “Stop it.” She tried to sound angry, but she wasn’t. The Blue Room at Club Elegante really
was
gray. She had said just as much to Abe when they first walked in. It was pretty in a gaudy sort of way, though. At least a hundred balloons—half pink, half blue—skimmed the top of the vaulted ceiling. Bob Sherman had gone all out.

Helen didn’t want to be upset today. She wanted to enjoy herself. But every time she took a step toward Rose, her sister-in-law moved in the opposite direction. She tried a few times to catch Rose’s eye, to share a smile or a laugh together like they used to, but Rose kept looking away. Helen wondered whether it had been a mistake to have the party here. Maybe Rose would have been friendlier if they had celebrated at home.

“Attention, please,” Mort called out. He tapped his spoon against his water glass. “May I please have everyone’s attention?” Helen was surprised. It wasn’t like Mort to make speeches.

“A year ago today the road outside this building was blocked with snowdrifts piled six feet high. Twenty-six inches of snow fell from the skies—the worst blizzard to hit New York since 1888.” Mort stopped to clear his throat. “Against all odds, my son was born that day, a healthy baby boy. Happy birthday to Teddy.” Mort drained his glass and sat back down.

An awkward silence filled the room until someone began to clap. There were so many things wrong with Mort’s speech that Helen couldn’t decide what aggravated her most. He didn’t even mention Natalie! Luckily, Abe stood up next.

“Well, my brother certainly is right about that day,” Abe began. “What a storm! And with us away, our poor wives had to deal with everything alone. So first, I think we should all raise a glass to
them,
to Helen and Rose, the two bravest women I know.”

“To Helen and Rose!” Bob Sherman shouted, and everyone repeated it. When the noise died down, Abe continued, “You know, when Helen told me she was pregnant again, with our
fifth
child, I was surprised. But imagine how surprised I was when Morty here told me Rose was pregnant too!” The crowd chuckled. “Anyway, it all worked out perfect, everybody happy and healthy. So I wanna say happy birthday to Natalie and to Teddy. Drink up!” Everyone clapped loudly this time, joining together in a chorus of “Happy Birthday to You.”

One of the waiters took the cue to wheel out the cake, decorated with yellow and white icing. Rose carried Teddy over to where Mort and Abe were standing, while Helen smoothed the front of Natalie’s dress. Someone lit the two candles on the cake, and the babies were held up for photos. Helen and Rose blew out the candles, and everyone clapped all over again.

The crowd broke up as the waiters rolled the cake cart into the kitchen for slicing. Helen couldn’t help herself from calling out to Rose as she was walking away, “What’d you wish for?” she asked.

“Hmm?” Rose’s back was to Helen and she pretended she hadn’t heard.

“What’d you wish for when you blew out the candle? I wished for fifty years more of celebrations like this, all of us together for the kids’ birthdays.”

Rose turned around. For the first time all day, she looked Helen straight in the eye. “I wished that night had never happened.”

Chapter 24

ABE

(August 1949)

Natalie loved steps. At twenty months old, all she wanted to do was climb up and down the hallway steps that connected the floors of the two-family house. Mostly she liked going up. Going down was more difficult, so when she got to the top she’d look at Abe, lift her arms and shout, “UPPY!” at the top of her lungs. Abe would laugh, carry Natalie down to the bottom, then hold her tiny hand while she started climbing all over again. She never got tired of it. Neither did he.

Abe used to worry about what he would do with a little girl. When he tried to picture himself having a pretend tea party or dressing up baby dolls, he started to feel queasy. He didn’t think he would be good at it. But this? Walking up and down stairs?
This
he could do.

Helen got annoyed with him. “You’re spoiling her.”

“Spoiling her? Did I buy some silver spoons at Tiffany’s?” The kids were finally in bed and the two of them were talking in the kitchen, trying not to wake anyone up. Helen was drying the dishes from dinner and Abe was putting them away.

“That’s not the kind of spoiling I mean and you know it.”

“So I walk her up and down the stairs—so what?”

“So, you let her do it
every
morning! You indulge her! Do you know that after you leave for work in the morning, she stands by the front door and cries for you to come back and take her on the steps?”

“Yeah?” Abe was pleased. “What does she say?”

“‘Daddy! Uppy! Daddy! Uppy!’” Over and over.”

Abe chuckled. “She misses me, that’s all,” he said, with a smile as wide as his face.

Helen hit him on the head with the spatula she was drying. He grabbed it from her and gave her a swat on the backside.

“You think it’s funny, but it’s not. I don’t have
time
to walk Natalie up and down the stairs all day! I have to do the breakfast dishes, make the beds and clean the
tornado
the boys leave behind. Plus, whenever we go out she wants to climb every set of stairs she sees! I couldn’t get her off the drugstore steps the other day. She thinks it’s a game!”

“It
is
a game! Come on, don’t get all bent out of shape. Pretty soon Natalie will learn not to cry when I go. She’ll understand that when I leave, the game is over.” Abe snapped his fingers. “Besides, it’s educational. I’m teaching her to count. She says a number for each step. She’s already up to ten.”

Helen made a face at him. “I don’t believe you.”

“I’ll make you a bet. Tomorrow morning, come with us and see. If she doesn’t count to ten, I’ll do the dishes tomorrow night. By myself.”

“What if she
does
count to ten? What do I have to give
you
?” Abe took the frying pan Helen was drying out of her hands and placed it on the counter. Then he wrapped his arms around her and leaned in for a kiss. “I’ll figure something out,” he said.

The next day, after the boys left for school, Abe sat Natalie down on the couch and tied the laces on her white leather booties. “Daddy has something important to tell you, sweet pea.”

Natalie stared at him, her hazel eyes focusing in on his blue ones. “Daddy,” she said.

“Yes. Every morning Daddy and Natalie walk up and down the steps, right?”

“Uppy!” Natalie screeched. She slid off the couch and ran for the door. Abe made her sit back down.

“Every morning we play our special game. But when Daddy has to leave, that means the time for Uppy is all done. No more crying when Daddy leaves. Do you understand?”

Natalie nodded and whispered, “Uppy.”

“I mean it,” Abe said, trying to sound serious, even a little angry, to make his point. In response, Natalie kissed his hand and hugged it to her cheek. Abe sighed.
This one’s smarter than the other four put together.

After a few moments, he pulled his hand away. “Let’s go,” he said.

Out in the hall, Abe carried Natalie to the bottom of the steps while Helen stayed up at the top. Natalie was bouncing up and down with excitement. “Ready to show Mommy how you can count?” Abe asked.

“Who can count?” Mort was coming out of his apartment, briefcase in hand.

“Say hi to Uncle Mort, Natalie. Natalie’s gonna count the steps for Helen.”

Natalie waved and yelled her name for her uncle. “Mo!”

Mort put down his briefcase and crossed his arms. “Show me,” he said, in a tone Abe didn’t appreciate.

“You wanna see her go up the steps?”

“I want to
hear
her
count
the steps,” Mort corrected.

Abe wanted to smack him, but Natalie kept smiling, repeating his name over and over. “Mo! Mo! Mo!” After she calmed down, she pointed to the steps in front of her. She took the first step slowly, keeping one hand on the wall and the other hand wrapped around Abe’s fingers. Once she had balanced herself on the first step, she shouted, “Un!”

“Un?” Mort sniffed. “What does
that
mean?”

“It’s how she says ‘one,’ Morty.” Abe tried to keep his voice light. “Give her a break, will ya? She’s a baby, for Chrissakes.”

“You said she could count. That means she has to be able to say the numbers.”

“Shut up and listen.”

“Toooo!” Natalie called out on the second step. Mort raised an eyebrow.

“Free, foah, fie, six, sen, ate, nine, ten!” Natalie announced. After she got to ten, she started counting from one again until she reached the top of the staircase. When she was finished, she held up her arms to be carried and buried her face in Abe’s shoulder. The climbing had exhausted her, and her breathing became heavy and sleepy. Warm brown curls tickled his cheek and Abe lost himself entirely in the sweetness of the moment. His reverie was broken by a loud sound from the bottom of the stairs. Mort had slammed the door shut, exiting without saying goodbye. By the time Abe looked up, his brother was already gone.