“Is something wrong?” Claire was instantly worried, but her mother shook her head.
“No, there’s something I want to share with you that I’ve never told anyone. You know, I’ve been doing a lot of small decorating jobs for years. Your father never knew about most of them, but it gave me money for you for school, and some pocket money. Well, I did some bigger jobs too, and I’ve been putting the money away for many years.” Claire could see where her mother was going, and she shook her head.
“I don’t want money from you, Mom. I have a little saved up, and I can live on that and my unemployment until I find another job. I’m going to see a headhunter when I get back. I want you to keep your money for you.”
“I want you to hear me out,” she said with a determined look. “I have more than you think put aside. No one knows about it, except you and me now. I have an idea. I’d like to invest that money in a small shoe company. I know how to run an interior design business, and shoes can’t be that different. We could start very small, on a tight budget. And you could design the shoes you want to. If we’re successful, you can pay me back one day. But I don’t expect that. I’d like to be partners with you.” Claire was looking at her in amazement, and then her mother stunned her further. “I could come to New York for a few months, maybe even six months or a year, and help you get it off the ground. I could stay with you, if that’s all right with you and the other girls, and we could work on it together.” She told her then how much she had put aside, and Claire nearly fell off the bed. It was more than enough to get a small shoe company off the ground. She knew the figures of Walter’s business, and her mother had more than that. And with that much to capitalize the venture, they could get a loan if they needed more.
“What about Dad?” She couldn’t imagine her leaving him for as long as she said.
Sarah hesitated before she answered. “I think it’s time for me to go back to New York and take my life back. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. This would be a perfect opportunity for both of us.” She smiled at Claire, who came over to hug her fiercely.
“You are unbelievable, Mom. And I’d love to have you stay with me, if you don’t mind sharing a bed. I’ll ask the others, but I’m certain they’ll say yes. But are you sure? That’s a big step for you to take.” She had been in San Francisco for thirty years, and unhappy for a long time, and she wanted to do something before it was too late. And if she could help her daughter in the process, it felt like the right decision to her. She had no doubts.
“It’s time for your father to look at his own life, and figure out what he wants to do, before he’s too old to enjoy himself. And if he doesn’t want to, that’s up to him.” She looked sad as she said it, but smiled at Claire.
“Holy shit, Mom.” Claire was grinning at her. “I can’t believe you’d do this for me.”
“Who else would I do it for? You’re my only child.” Sarah was beaming, and so was Claire as they hugged each other again. It was a plan.
“You know, we could use the same factory Walter does in Italy. They do great work, and they’re reasonable. We could try Brazil, but I like the finish work better in Italy.” Claire’s mind was already racing ahead. Her mother had just turned the worst Christmas of her life into a hopeful one. She was going to start her own shoe business, and she was going to do everything she had to to make it a success. And then Claire was serious again. “When are you going to tell Dad?”
“After you leave. You don’t need to be part of that. I’m going to tell him that we’re starting a business together. He doesn’t need to know where the money comes from. And I intend to tell him I was leaving him anyway. I don’t want you getting blamed for it. And it’s true. I was going to tell you before you left that I’m leaving him. It’s long overdue.”
“Do you still love him, Mom?” Claire asked quietly. She knew what a big step this was for her mother. She had protected him for thirty years, like a child, and sacrificed herself and everything she wanted in the process.
“I don’t know,” she said honestly. “He’s hard to love the way he is. Not just the drinking, but his whole outlook on life. I love the way he used to be before his business ventures failed. He believed in himself then, but he’s become a very sad, bitter man. I don’t want that poison in my life anymore. It’s too toxic. It’s bad enough to get old—I don’t want to do it with a miserable old man. I’d rather be alone. Maybe this will jolt him into making some changes. And I want to try living in New York again. I have wonderful decorating clients here, but I’d love to play in the big leagues again. Or I thought that was what I wanted—now we’re going to do shoes!” She almost giggled as she said it, and Claire grinned. “But I want you to ask the girls about my staying in the apartment. I’ll understand if they say no. It would save some money if I can stay with you, but I don’t have to. I can get a small place of my own for a few months, if that’s better for you.”
“It would be fun to have you at the loft with me, and they all love you. I’ll ask them, and tell you the truth. When do you want to come?”
Sarah thought about it for a minute. “Would the first week in January be too soon? We should get moving.” Claire felt giddy as she listened to her. She was starting her own shoe business! She had never even dreamed of something like this.
“That sounds fine,” Claire said about her arrival. “What’ll we call it?”
Her mother didn’t hesitate for an instant. “Claire Kelly Designs, of course. What else would we call it?” The two women hugged again, and Claire thanked her profusely and opened her computer again when she left the room. She wrote a joint e-mail to all three of her roommates, told them she was starting her own shoe company with her mother, and asked how they would feel about her staying with them for a few months until they got it off the ground, and she told them she wouldn’t be angry if they said no.
All three responses came back immediately. They were thrilled for Claire about the shoe company, and delighted to welcome her mother. Morgan had added, “I hope she cooks better than you do,” but they had Max for that. Claire went to report their answers to her mother. She was in her bedroom sorting through her closet, and Claire knew why. She was getting organized for New York.
“It’s a go,” she said cryptically to her mother, “unanimously.” Sarah beamed at her and gave her a thumbs-up. And Claire had to hand it to her. She was fifty-five years old and she was starting a shoe company. “I love you, Mom,” Claire said as she left her mother’s bedroom again and went back to her own. She was leaving in two days, and now she could hardly wait to go back and get started. They had a lot of work to do, and they’d have to go to Italy to meet with the factory, make production arrangements, and sign a contract. It was too good to be true, but it was happening. Two weeks before, she had lost everything, and now a whole new life was beginning. A miracle had happened, all thanks to her mother. And Claire hoped it was going to be a miracle for Sarah too. And who knew, maybe her father would wake up.
—
Alex and Sasha were on duty at the hospital on Christmas Eve, sitting in the doctors’ lounge, sharing a sandwich. She had two women in early labor with first babies, who she knew were going to take forever and probably wouldn’t be born until morning, but she was stuck there anyway. And everything was quiet in neonatal ICU. Three babies had gone home the day before, and the others were all stable. The nursing staff was keeping an eye on them while he and Sasha talked and ate the turkey sandwich he’d gotten for them downstairs.