better spirits the next morning when he woke up.
Lucy picked up the vibes immediately. “What’s wrong, Remo?” she asked. “Did something happen?”
He looked at her with deep affection. “No, Luce, I’m in a bad mood this morning. It’s something to do with work,” he lied.
Relieved that he wasn’t annoyed with either her or Alessa, Lucy went back to eating her eggs. She was caring and perceptive for an eleven-year-old. It was only natural she should be so. She had been exposed to a lot in her short time on earth. Ebby had always told Alessa that Lucy was a special kid. She was smart, funny, and had strong instincts.
Shortly after breakfast, Hannah called to talk to Remo again. He could tell from her voice she was more settled than she had been the night before. He figured his father had talked to her about her rude behavior. Hannah promised Remo she would do her best to be kind to Alessa but added that she still wasn’t happy with his “situation.” He considered this a progress of sorts, even if it wasn’t exactly what he had hoped for from her. He understood that what she meant was nothing would change. His mother was only promising to be kinder to Alessa in an effort not to lose her son. Still, he had to give her a chance to try.
When he returned to the kitchen, Alessa and Lucy were washing the breakfast dishes.
“I think we should take a vacation,” Remo remarked. “When I was a kid, we used to go to Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina. I thought we could plan a summer trip. What do you guys think about that?”
Lucy was charged thinking about a vacation. “I think it sounds great!” she chirped. “What do we do there?”
Remo laughed. “We go to the beach, silly. We can get boogie boards and ride the waves. It’s so much fun. So what do you think?”
The two of them looked to Alessa for approval. Alessa had never been to North Carolina. The farthest she had ever gotten was Atlantic City, where she had vacationed with her grandmother when she was a little girl.
She smiled at them. “Okay, fine. But Remo and I need to discuss how we’re going to pay for this trip first.”
Remo gathered her up in his arms. “Don’t you worry,” he reassured her. “I have it covered. My contract with my company is up, and I can ask for a bonus to sign on for another three years. It won’t be a problem. If they refuse, I’ll find another place to work, where they will gladly give me a signing bonus. My company knows I can leave any time I want to. I happen to be very much in demand, ya know. They also know my clients will move to wherever I go so they can continue to work with me.”
Alessa frowned at him. “Oh, good. A great therapist and humble, too.”
“It’s settled then. We can go see a travel agent today and find out what they can offer us. We’ll book our air tickets and rent a condo—hopefully, one right on the beach,” Remo said.
Lucy jumped off her chair. “We’re going on an airplane? I’ve never been on an airplane.”
Alessa’s faced was shrouded in worry. “Neither have I. The thought makes me a little nervous.”
Remo’s face puckered as if she were crazy. “There’s nothing to worry about. Flying is easy, and it only takes about an hour by plane to get there from Philly.”
That afternoon they went to a travel agent. They had decided to go away for their vacation over the week of July 4th. The agent had found them a two-bedroom condominium on the beach. Remo wanted this to be a very special experience for Alessa and Lucy. They were in high spirits when they arrived back at the Outside Inn. Lucy flew out of the car in her eagerness to announce to some of the residents that they were going on vacation. For her, it was as if Christmas would never end, and she loved every minute of being a part of their family. It warmed Alessa’s generous heart to see her that way.
Later that evening, Ebby went over to their apartment for dinner. Alessa had made chicken francaise, a new recipe she had whipped together herself. The four of them polished off the meal, and after Alessa and Ebby had finished the bottle of wine they were drinking, they moved to the living room. Remo and Lucy went off to read in their respective bedrooms, while the two women sat and talked. Alessa gave Ebby a blow-by-blow account of Hannah’s behavior at the Christmas party. She told her about the fight Remo had with Hannah and eventually finished by sharing their vacation plans. Suspecting that Remo’s mother was determined to be judgmental and would probably never change her mind, Ebby was cautious in her advice to Alessa. She fought off the impulse to suggest that Alessa tell her mother-in-law to go screw herself because she knew that Remo’s feelings were involved as well and didn’t want to worsen an already prickly situation. She encouraged Alessa, instead, to take her husband up on his suggestion and not attend any more functions where Hannah would be present.
Alessa looked saddened by the advice. “I feel bad, Ebby,” she confessed. “I think I should be with my husband when he visits his parents. Besides, I’m always happy to see Patrick. He has been very nice to Lucy and me.”
“You’re right, you’re right,” Ebby agreed hurriedly. “But if you continue to subject yourself to Hannah’s nastiness, you’re going to have to learn how to blow her off and not take things personally. Otherwise, you’re not helping anyone.”
Alessa nodded. “You know I can’t stand that woman, right?”
Ebby laughed. “Well, she treats you poorly. So I’m relieved that you feel the way you do. Just because you have to eat shit doesn’t mean you have to become shit.”
The two women laughed and hugged each other.
Ebby turned serious. “Alessa, I need your help with something,” she said. “A couple of days ago, I had a teenage girl come to the shelter. We think she’s about sixteen years old. We haven’t been able to get her to open up and talk to us. She was in pretty bad shape when she turned up at our doorstep. She had definitely been beaten, and judging by the way she was dressed, we are pretty sure she was into prostitution. The thing is, she won’t really talk to any of us. Normally, after a couple of days, we can get them to open up, but this one sits and cries. I was wondering if you would come by the shelter tomorrow and give it a try.”
Alessa was touched that she had been asked for help. “Of course I will,” she assured her, “but she might not talk to me either, Ebby. I’m willing to give it a try, though. What time should I be there?”
“Let’s meet at the shelter at ten tomorrow morning,” Ebby said, relieved.
***
The next morning, Alessa was both excited and anxious as she headed to the Eliza Shirley Shelter. She wanted so badly to help the girl. Yet, even though she had gained a lot of confidence over the past two years, the moment a fresh challenge presented itself, Alessa always doubted herself and her capabilities. Ebby knew differently, though. She suspected Alessa was the only person who had a chance of breaking the girl’s silence.
