Neither says a word. They don’t have to. The look they exchange tells me everything,
THIRTY-FOUR
I pull my sunglasses down over my eyes to hide the tears that threaten to spill out. “Miguel knew?”
This hurts way more than Kenya and Yumi whispering behind my back. This is my Miguel, my rock, my life partner. “How much did he know?”
“He didn’t know any of the details,” Kenya said. “Only that Holly Stone demanded her bracelet back by the end of Sunday. That’s it, I swear. I told him we would take care of it and not to worry. He had no idea about the specifics.”
“Is that why he came back early?”
“Yes, he was worried about the whole thing.”
“And all this to stop Holly Stone from going to the police about a stolen bracelet? All this to protect a couple of kids from the natural consequences of their own actions?”
“They’re not a couple of kids. They’reourkids,” Kenya says. “Noah’s my only. My one and only. And in this corrupt, crazy world, where the connected and the uber-rich get away with anything, you’re damn right I’m going to pull every string tomake sure my son does not end up entangled in the criminal justice system. You think they’d let him go to Wharton with a criminal record? They’re rescinding admissions because of social media posts. I couldn’t take that chance.”
“Okay, I get what you’re saying, Kenya. I can see it.” I turn to look at Yumi. “But you? Why were you protecting them?”
“Because I care about Noah. I care about Rachel. I went about it the wrong way, but I did it out of love. You’re my people, my tribe. Remember when we were moms in elementary school? You’re the one who introduced me to Kenya.”
“That’s true.”
“You said, ‘There’s a new mom in the neighborhood with an only like you, Yumi. And she’s cool and smart and works, and I think you’d really like her.’”
Kenya nods vigorously. “Remember when the kids were little, they’d have playdates and we’d hang out? We used to share recipes, pediatrician recs, you name it.”
I don’t like what they’re trying to do. Draw on our shared memories, as if I’ll forget all the lying and scheming they’ve been up to. But Yumi seems to perk up with this topic. Her face, drawn earlier, is animated now. “After my divorce, when it looked like I might have to sell the house, you two helped me figure out how to stay. And when I got sick, it was you two who helped me balance taking care of my own health with taking care of Ryan. Like I said, we are a tribe, Caren. We’re your people. Yes, we fucked up. Big-time. But not because we are evil. Because we love our kids so much that it blinded us.”
Yumi picks up her glass of iced tea, but before she can bring it to her mouth, it slips from her grip and shatters on the stones beneath the table.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” She jumps up.
“Yumi, it’s fine,” Kenya says sternly. “I don’t want you to worry about it. It’s no big deal.”
Yumi nods, her eyes moistening. “I should go home. I’m very tired.”
She wobbles slightly, unsteady on her feet.
“Are you okay?” I ask. For a moment no one says anything. I can hear the hiss of a sprinkler next door, the squeal of a toddler. I look more closely at Yumi. She’s always been pale—she’s never out in the sun since her medication makes her photosensitive—but now she looks especially sallow. “Yumi, what’s going on?”
“I’m not responding to my medication.” She says this softly, in a matter-of-fact way with no hint of self-indulgence. “My kidneys are shutting down. I’ll be going on dialysis soon.”
My anger melts away. Concern appears in its place. “I had no idea. I am so sorry.”
She offers a weak smile. “I didn’t want to tell people. It’s so boring. Everyone must be so sick of hearing about it. I’m sick of thinking about it, obsessing about it.” She forces out a sad little laugh. “Maybe I was in denial before. But the time has come. I’m trying to push dialysis back until after Ryan returns to college. I don’t want him to see me like that. I don’t want him to know.”
“You can’t keep this from him,” I say. “He’s an adult now.”
She looks at me, tears in her eyes. “Promise me, Caren, no matter how angry you are at me, even if you hate me, that you’ll take care of Ryan.”
“Of course.” I feel tears of my own wet my eyes, understand her fears about Ryan in my own heart. “I don’t hate you. I love you. And you’re not going anywhere. You’re going to be fine.”
“Just promise me.”
“I promise. I will always look after Ryan.”
Kenya and I walk Yumi out to her car and watch until she climbs in, a little shaky, and drives off.