The Words We Whisper by Mary Ellen Taylor
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ZARA
Richmond, Virginia
Sunday, June 6, 2:00 p.m.
Nonna slept all afternoon, giving Zara time to pay all the outstanding bills. She then went through every box in the garage, making sure there were no other items that might have been valuable to her grandmother. She was fairly certain the light-up snowman that did not work, the Easter wreath that had faded, and the threadbare yard flags were not that valuable. These items, along with the old artificial Christmas trees, broken chairs, and stacks of magazines from the eighties, were hauled away by a local junk-collection service. She had taken the man’s card, promising him there would be more calls in the coming days.
Zara confirmed that Nonna was still sleeping and, after walking the dogs, decided to make another run into the attic. She could at least move around at the top landing and had a space to pull the items closer toward the stairs. This layer of the attic archaeology dig included many of the items that had belonged to Gina and her.
By the time she returned to the kitchen, sweat dripped from her face and puddled between her breasts. She grabbed a soda from the refrigerator and drank greedily. The cool liquid soothed her dry throat, and the sugar replaced some of the electrolytes she had lost.
As Zara sat in her lawn chair in the garage, a red sports car pulled up in front of the house. Gina leaned over and kissed the man behind the wheel. She lingered, said something to him, and then climbed out. As the car drove off, Gina waved goodbye.
Her sister wore a bright-lemon dress with soft-white polka dots. Her short hair was brushed back, and she wore large white Jackie O–style sunglasses. Red heels stood three inches tall, and the straw purse matched the shoes.
Gina tipped her sunglasses forward and peeked over the tops. “Looks like you’ve been busy.”
“Never a dull moment. Who’s the dude in the sports car?” Zara asked.
“Jeff.”
“Looks like you had a good time.” Her sister had a boneless, dewy quality that screamed of great sex.
“I did. Jeff knows his way around—”
Zara held up her hand. “I don’t need the details.”
“Jealous?”
“You bet. It’s been a while since I’ve been around a man who knows his way around.” Hell, a while did not cover it. Had it been two or three years?
“If you don’t use it, you lose it.”
“I hope not.” Zara rose from her chair and drank the last of her soda.
“You’ve made progress.”
“I’ve already had a load taken away. This is round two. If there’s anything you want saved, let me know. Otherwise, if it can’t be donated, it’s off to the dump.”
Gina removed her sunglasses, then dangled them between her red manicured fingertips. Heels clicked as she approached an old table painted a bright purple and decorated with sparkles. “Remember the weekend we painted it?”
“The summer of 2004. How could I forget? I was the new kid on the block. Nonna gave me a job because she said I needed a task.”
“And she voted me your number one helper. She always believes the best cure for sadness is work.” Gina ran her finger over the table.
“We both ended up covered in paint, and Nonna, practical as ever, sprayed us with the garden hose.”
“That water was so cold.” Gina shook her head. “All I could remember was that I was twenty-four and my grandmother was hosing me down. But you started giggling, and that made it worth it.”
“Remember how Nonna laughed at us that day? Said we looked like drowned rats.”
Gina cocked her head. “Do you really want to travel to that summer your mother died?”
“I wonder how it would all be different if she hadn’t. I’m not sure I’d have made it to college, let alone nursing school. Mom wasn’t the most consistent.”
“When Dad married her, he had less and less time for me.”
“He wasn’t around much for Mom or me either.”
“I think he’s why I never had children. I didn’t want to screw them up like my parents did me.”
“Everyone, no matter how old, has some complaint about their parents.”
“I don’t want to waste another minute thinking about it.”
“We’ve never really talked about Dad. I mean, as adults.”
“There’s not much to say. He was always searching, never content. When he shined his attention on you, there was no better feeling. And when he turned it off, there was nothing worse.”
“I remember.”
“Not a perfect upbringing, but I’ve been okay with my life,” Gina said. “Not conventional, but that’s what makes it interesting.”
“Maybe.”
“No more armchair psychology. You’re here to take care of Nonna and give me a break. No more digging into my past.”
“No worries. I’ve never been a fan of dark and scary places.”
“Funny.”
“I did find the hat that Nonna wore on her wedding day. She seemed pretty touched by it.”
“Really? Who was the maker?”
“No idea. But you should ask her. You two speak in that twin fashion language that I don’t understand.”
“Are there more clothes in the attic?”
“I don’t know. There are large trunks, but there’s too much stuff on top of them. I’ve layers to peel before I can get to them.”
“Why is Nonna hell bent on cleaning out the attic?” Gina asked. “She’s never cared before.”
“There’s something up there she wants us to see before she passes.”
“Such as?”
“I have no idea.”
“Nonna always did like her secrets.” Gina’s gaze scanned the garage one last time. “Let me know if you find any clothes. I’d be curious to see them.”
As her sister slowly rose, Zara noticed the dark circles under her eyes. “And where are you going?”
“To work. I need to check in with my store managers. We’re gearing up for a summer clearance sale.”
“Already?”
“We’re actually behind. By Fourth of July it’s moving out the door.”
“For the fall fashions.”
“Maybe.”
“What’s that mean?”
Gina was silent for a moment. “I’m thinking about closing the shop.”
“I thought you loved it.”
“It’s a lot to take care of. And it might be time for a change.”
“Such as?”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Gina said. “But be prepared for me to be MIA for the next week or so. With you here, I must make hay, as the saying goes.”
“You do remember the part about Nonna dying, right? Two weeks is a lot of time for her.”
“She and I have bonded a lot over the last couple of years, and now it’s your turn. Remember, she asked for you.”
“You’ll check in here, right?”
“Sure. I’m not heartless. But I’ll be busy. If anyone would understand, it’s Nonna. She put a lot into that business.”
“When was the last time Nonna worked in the shop?”
“The day before Papa died was her last full day.”
“That was seven years ago. What’s she been doing?”
“Hanging out. Sometimes she has lunch with Mr. Harper. And sometimes Amanda will drive her to the shop, but she never stays long.”
“Mr. Harper came by here last night.”
“I think he’s sweet on her. I think whatever they had goes way back.”
“She adored Papa.”
Gina shrugged. “A girl can love two men.”