Wellesley Wives (New England Trilogy) (3 page)

She’d asked her little sister out for lunch. That wasn’t so unusual but this time Rosie did have an agenda.

They’d arranged to meet at Boston’s trendy Boylston Street because there was a fabulous new bistro there and it wasn’t far from Lily’s work. Ironic that even though Rosie had traveled fifteen miles to get there while her sister only had a quick walk from her office, Lily was still the one who was tardy. She’d been running behind since the day she was born. Thinking back, Rosie decided Lily had been in a bad mood from the moment she arrived at the restaurant.

“Hi, Sis. Jeez, I’m sorry I’m late,” she’d said as she approached the table. But Rosie shook her head.

“Not a problem. As you can see I don’t have Natasha with me, so I’m really savoring the quiet.”

Lily plonked down, visibly relieved that she wasn’t in the doghouse with her big sister. “Thanks, but no Nat? That’s a shame.”

Rosie laughed. “You can borrow her any time you want, Lil. Just say the word.”

They glanced up as the waitress arrived at their table. She granted them a big smile, handed them their menus, and began to recite the specials. Lily, who loved food, listened intently.

Annoying that she was the skinny one . . .

Once their orders were placed, Lily focused on her sister. “So how’ve you been? Is Natasha well?”

It irked Rosie how her daughter’s health and wellbeing seemed to have superseded her own. She was no longer Rosie Power, lively Boston socialite. Now she was just a mom and a wife.

“Natasha is fine and so is Marcus. He’s in London today and tomorrow, but he’ll be back in time for Mom’s birthday lunch. What about you? Any news? What have you been up to?”

“Oh, you know, same ol’ same ol’.” Then her face lit with pride. “Hey, I got a promotion.”

“That’s fantastic!” Rosie was genuinely happy for her.

Lily was very smart but she didn’t sell herself hard enough. Rosie had always told her sister that she needed to promote herself more.

She worked for one of Boston’s larger banks and that was just about all Rosie knew of her career. Okay, she always seemed to have plenty of money and she drove a very nice convertible Merc, but that could have been a present from Mom and Dad for all Rosie knew. Rosie had received an apartment in Beacon Hill when she gave birth to Natasha and then a fabulous red sports BMW from her parents as a wedding present. The property was rented out now, but her parents had told her that each grandchild would be given an apartment as a birth present.

“So, what are you working on now?” Rosie asked, briefly wondering what it actually was that her sister did on a day-to-day basis. Okay, so she knew it involved moving money but that was about it.

“Oh, it’s more of the same,” Lily said. “Only now it’s with bigger funds, so they pay me more.”

“Well, I should say in that case lunch is on you.” Rosie laughed. “But it’s not. I asked you, so I’m paying. Would you like a glass of wine?”

Lily smiled. “Sister, if I drank now, I’d never make it back to the office. And if I did, I’d lose that promotion pretty fast. Why don’t you have one, though? You should be celebrating the fact that you’re out without your little girl.”

It was all the convincing Rosie needed. “You know, I think I will. The French won’t even eat without the benefit of a glass of something to wash it down. I’ll just have a small glass of white with my Waldorf salad.”

They chatted easily for most of the meal, and eventually Rosie got up the nerve to raise the subject she really wanted to discuss.

“So, um, Lily, you know how you once said you’d be happy to watch Natasha for me if I ever wanted to get away?”

It was clearly a loaded question, so Lily’s reply was guarded. “Yes . . .”

“Well, I was wondering if I could take you up on that offer.”

Lily looked a little nonplused. Rosie knew that normally her sister was out of the house from six in the morning to nine at night most every day, but Lily had made the offer to watch Natasha and Rosie really needed the help.

Lily had a slightly trapped expression on her face as she looked around the restaurant. Finally, she glanced back at her sister. “When did you have in mind?”

“Oh, I haven’t booked anything yet. Marcus just asked me if there was any chance of getting away and my first concern was who I would trust with my little girl. She’s too precious to have a nanny. I would need to be sure that she’s with somebody I know and trust.”

“Where is she now?”

“She’s on a play date. Don’t forget she has preschool Monday through Friday, so that will help.”

Lily swallowed hard. “It’s just that I’ve never actually babysat before. I’m not sure that I know what to do.”

Rosie sensed that her sister would agree with just a little more pushing. “Oh there’s nothing to it.” She reached over and covered her sister’s hand with hers. “And Natasha is such an easy little girl to look after. You could move into our house if you wanted, so you’d have all the kid stuff. You know, plastic bottles, sippy cups—all of her things.”

“Ohmygod, she still has sippy cups and plastic plates?” Lily pulled her hand back. “Do I need to sterilize them?”

Rosie burst out laughing. “Hello, Lily, I was joking. Natasha is five. Actually, she still does use a special plastic plate but only because she likes it. Other than that, she’s just like you and me.”

Lily wavered.

“Don’t worry, Sis. She’s easy to care for. I can write everything down, and she’ll even tell you things herself at this stage. Because, God knows, she talks nonstop.

“No. Really?” Lily pretended to look shocked. “I wonder who she inherited that from?” she asked, teasing her older sister who was equally chatty.

“Cheers.” Rosie raised her glass. “There’s so much to say and so little time.” She smiled at Lily.

“What does she eat?”

Rosie laughed and rolled her eyes. “She eats what’s offered—usually what I’m eating. She
is
human.”

Lily frowned. “Rosie, really, I’m not sure if I’m up to this. I mean, I might be able to get the time off work, but it’s taking care of someone so little that worries me.”

Rosie wouldn’t take no for an answer. “You’ll be fine, and don’t forget, Mom will be able to help you anytime. You’re the only one I’d trust with her, Lil,”

“Hey, what about Mom? Have you asked her?”

“I’d prefer you,” Rosie said, ignoring the fact that her mother was an option. She was just nervous that Popsy would want to know everything about the resort and that wasn’t a good idea. Rosie kept the pressure up. “And it would just be for a week. The time will fly. Natasha sleeps through the night now, so you’ll even get a full night’s sleep.”

“Jeez, that hadn’t even occurred to me.” Reluctantly, she gave a slight nod. “But if you say I’m really the only person you trust, I suppose I could step up. It’s just that I’m a little nervous. But heck, how hard can it be?”

Rosie was thrilled and ordered a second glass of wine to celebrate. “So, tell me your news,” she said, pushing her plate away. “Any interesting men in your life?”

Lily didn’t even look up as she shrugged, sighed, and finished off her chicken salad. “You know all the good men are taken.” She half-smiled.

“This is crazy, Lil. You’re the best looking woman I know. I’m sure you could have any man you wanted. What about that guy you met last year? Matt. He was really into you. Why did he get the boot?”

“He didn’t get the boot because we never actually dated.” Lily was clearly uncomfortable with the conversation.

“What? Why not? I saw the way he was flirting with you when we were having lunch that day in town.”

Lily shook her head. “Rosie, he was younger than me by three years—a kid. Very sweet but nonetheless a child. Yeah, we flirted a bit but then one day he just stopped.”

Rosie laughed. “Well, he may be a kid, but he’s a kid with a six pack that belongs in a men’s Calvin Klein ad.”

“Selling what?”

“Who cares. The guys are always practically naked.”

“How do you know what Matt’s body was like anyway?”

“Am I wrong?” Rosie asked. “It was abundantly clear just by looking at him.”

“No, you’re right. He is in great shape. He works out a lot, I think.”

“He’s sounding better and better. I still remember what he was wearing. Those tight-fitting blue jeans and that white T-shirt . . . It was obvious that underneath that all-American cotton he had an all-American body made for all-American sin!” She winked at her sister. “And he was clearly into you. If I had an offer like that, I would have made a run for it—toward him, not away.”

Lily smiled. “Yeah, he’s hot, but come on, Rosie, you wouldn’t seriously go for a guy that much younger than you, would you?”

“In a heartbeat.” Rosie smirked. “You shouldn’t have let him get away. Is he still available?”

“I have no idea, and anyway, he’s too young and immature. Besides, I don’t think he’s even into me anymore.”

Rosie finished off her second glass with a flourish. “Lil, first, he didn’t look any younger than you. So what’s three years between friends—or even lovers? It’s not exactly a huge chasm. And second, if there’s anything I’ve come to understand about men, it’s that they are all permanently immature, even when they’re older. Look at Dad. Mom still does everything for him because he’s like a little boy. And third, men have been dating younger women for centuries. Why should they have all the fun?”

“What about Marcus?”

“What about him? He’s just as bad. You know, they’re all machismo and bravado while we’re dating them, but believe me, that wanes very quickly and in no time you’re left with the little boy who needs mothering.” She snapped her fingers in the air as if to express the speed of the change.

“Wow, I’m sensing some issues here, Sis,” Lily said softly with a little laughter in her voice but also a thread of sincerity.

Rosie thought it was a good time to open up. If this didn’t convince her little sister to babysit, nothing would.

“Yeah, I guess you are. That’s why we need to get away. We haven’t been alone in years. I don’t know if you remember, but even on our honeymoon, Natasha came with us!”

“Oh dear.” Lily looked sympathetic. “If I can get the time off work, I’ll be able to take care of Natasha. Let’s compare schedules when you have dates in mind because I’ll need to run them by the HR department.”

Rosie nearly knocked over her glass and the empty plates as she tried to stretch over their small table to hug her sister.

“Oh, you’re the best. I’ll repay you, some time, some way, for this.”

Lily smiled. “If you can just try to have a good time with Marcus and maybe find the inner man inside the boy struggling to get out, that would be a great achievement.”

Rosie heaved a sigh. “Yes, it’s a nice idea, but things have a way of settling down once you’re married. I suppose it was silly to think we could keep that passion going indefinitely.”

Lily reached across the table to touch her sister’s hand. “Come on, Rosie. That’s what vacations are all about. You can focus on each other completely, drink lots of champagne, and rediscover why you originally fell in love.”

Rosie gave her a skeptical smile. “To be honest, what I think men, and perhaps all of us, really need is a little variety.”

Lily pulled her hand back. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t be too shocked. It’s pretty common. I’m just saying that I think this is what Marcus—that is to say what both of us—needs.” It was difficult to articulate. “Well, it’s a little excitement—something different. Have you heard of these swingers’ vacations where it’s, um, sort of like the 60s? That would certainly put the fizz back into our marriage.”

The waitress reappeared to clear away their plates and Rosie’s wine glass, which saved Lily from having to answer.

“Would either of you like a coffee?” the waitress asked.

“Oh yes.” Rosie smiled at her. “I’ll have mine large and black, please.” She looked at Lily and winked.

Reflecting back, she knew it was stupid to bring the matter up with her little sister. Lily was too straight, too understated. She should have kept it to herself, but for once, she’d really thought she and Lily were communicating on a level beyond pleasantries. How wrong she’d been. She should have kept the nature of the vacation to herself because the conversation had gone downhill from there. She remembered how upset her sister became at the lunch.

“Are you seriously thinking of going on one of
those
types of vacations? They’re for middle-aged adulterers—sad souls who can’t keep their lives on track. They hide behind alcohol and sex with strangers. What you and Marcus have is so much more. You have love, intimacy. God, Rosie, you have Natasha!”

“Don’t you dare drag her into this. It has nothing to do with her.”

“It has everything to do with her.” Lily wrung her hands. “Is it because she arrived before the engagement ring did?”

“No!” Rosie said hotly.

“Well then, you’re her parents. You owe it to her to stay together, to cherish each other—not to go out banging half of a tropical island.” In her excitement she’d raised her voice a little, and they’d gotten more than one interested onlooker.

“Can you keep it down?” Rosie hissed. “She’ll be at home and perfectly cared for. You know being a full-time mom isn’t quite all it’s cracked up to be. You can only take about a thousand episodes of Barney before going slightly nuts.” Rosie was on a roll. “You have no idea what it’s like to get dressed and cleaned up in the morning, only to have banana flavored yogurt poured down your cashmere sweater. If you go to the hair salon and get to look good for once, your kid gets near you and there’s half a jar of jelly in your roots. It’s been a fairly exhausting half-decade. You have no idea, Lily. None.

“Marcus and me, we both need to be reckless again. We need to remember what it’s like to be young and wild—to
live
.” Full of conviction, Rosie was ranting, desperate to defend her actions. “You might like to try it sometime. When did you last let yourself go? Really let go? You take life far too seriously. Get yourself laid. That would be a start.”

Rosie suddenly stopped. Had she gone too far?