Aftertaste - Meredith Mileti [86]
“NO!” Ruth says, grabbing my arm, panic in her eyes.
“Okay, okay. Never mind. It’s almost time for ‘The Bubble Song’ anyway.” Ruth, the kids, and I make our way over to where the instructors are setting up the parachute and filling the bubble trays.
Ruth is quiet during the rest of class and, for some reason I can’t fathom, still seems annoyed with me. In the coatroom after class, I tell her I was just trying to help. “You spent the better part of the week talking about the guy; I figured you might want a chance to get to know him, that’s all.”
“I know. It’s not your fault, really. I’ve always been this way. I get nervous and tongue-tied, and you’re all ‘Hi, I’m Mira,’ and then I feel like even more of a yutz,” Ruth says miserably. “And p.s., I think he was looking at you, not me, anyway. And why wouldn’t he? You didn’t get your fat ass stuck in—”
We’re on our way out the door of the coatroom and into the JCC lobby when I catch sight of Rona Silverman standing smack in the middle of the lobby, talking with an older woman with platinum hair. I groan.
“What’s the matter?” Ruth asks.
At the last minute I try to steer Ruth out of the way, but it’s too late. Rona’s already spotted me. “Why, Mira dear,” she calls to me, waving me over. “What are you doing still in town? I thought you’d left ages ago!”
“No, still here,” I tell her.
Rona pats her frosted bob and smiles at Chloe. “How is that restaurant of yours surviving without you?” And then, turning to her companion, Rona says, “Leah, Mira’s the one I was telling you about. She’s a cook in New York. You ate at her restaurant when you were there a couple of months ago, remember?”
“Did I?” asks Leah. “Oh, yes, of course, delicious,” she says absently, which makes me flinch. I feel like I’ve been punched. Ruth looks at me with concern.
“Forgive me, girls, this is my friend, Leah Hollander,” Rona says, introducing her companion. “We’re playing mah-jongg at eleven.” She looks at her watch and clucks. “Supposed to anyway. Your class got out late,” she says, frowning.
“I love mah-jongg,” Ruth says. All three of us turn to look at her.
“Really, dear? Not many people your age know the game,” Rona says, sizing Ruth up and exchanging a look with her friend. “And you are?” Rona says, turning to look from Ruth to me for the introduction.
“Oh, this is my friend, Ruth Bernstein,” I tell the women.
“How lovely to meet you, Ruth,” Leah says, taking Ruth’s hand in hers. “We don’t usually play here,” she continues. “We usually play at one of our houses on Thursday afternoons, but our fourth recently broke her ankle and can’t negotiate the steps, so until she’s better, we’re relegated to playing here. Have you girls just come from the baby exercise class? I was hoping to catch a glimpse of my grandson, but we must have missed him,” says Leah, looking beyond us into the gym.
Just then, Rona Silverman begins waving. “Look, Leah, there they are.” Ruth, Leah, and I all turn around, just as Neil and Eli make their way out of the men’s room and head toward us.
“Neil dear, we thought we’d missed you,” Leah calls to her son. “There’s my darling boy,” she says, reaching to take Eli from Neil.
“Mother, Mrs. Silverman,” Neil says, smiling. “There’s no changing table in the men’s room. Posed a bit of a challenge, I’m afraid.”
“Neil, come meet Mira and her friend Ruth Bernstein,” Rona Silverman says.
“We’ve already met. Ladies, nice to see you again,” Neil says, pausing to pull his BlackBerry from his pocket.
Leah Hollander frowns at her son. “Put that thing away, Neil. It’s rude, and besides you shouldn’t be keeping it in your pocket. You could get testicular cancer, you know.”
“Mother!” Neil exclaims, horrified. I can’t help laughing. Ruth, Rona, and Leah all look at me askance while Neil shakes his head. “Apparently, nothing is sacred,” he says, turning to me and smiling before slipping his BlackBerry back into his pocket and taking Eli from his mother’s arms.
“Oh, don’t be such a prude, Neil,” his mother says, even though she’s looking at me like she knows