There was a strange car in the driveway, a Ford Focus that looked like a rental. Kate had to park on the street. The front door would not open far. It struck something and then ceased to budge. She squeezed herself and her belly through the foot-and-a-half wide opening. Suitcases were the culprit, two large zippered ones and a smaller hardcase Samsonite from the seventies.

“Mom?”

Mary-Sue poked her head out of the dining room like a delicate brontosaurus, her lower back still sensitive to quick movements.

“Oh, that Larry!” she sighed. “Poor dumb man. I told him to put those in the den.”

“Larry?”

“He just got here. I told him he could come for Christmas but I didn’t think he’d take me seriously.” She looked away. “Anyhow, he’s in the shower as we speak.”

Kate bristled. “You know, if you wanted to invite your boyfriend, you only had to ask.”

“Boyfriend?” Mary-Sue gave a high-pitched laugh, like it was the most ridiculous thing. “Let’s not be jumping any guns here, missy. Larry’s a decent man, but he’s more like my valet. He’s never been to California so I thought why not.”

Kate told herself to calm down—this was still her mother’s house after all. The desire to shriek at her was enormous, however. Here Mary-Sue was, making plans behind her back again. Ever since her return, Mary-Sue had been acting like a restless animal, like she couldn’t stand being alone with her.

“Oh, Katie, remember that blue sofa bed? He could sleep on that.”

“You gave that away to the Parks, years ago.”

“Did I? No wonder. I’ve been looking everywhere for that old thing. Maybe we can go over there and get it back?”

Kate gave her mother a look. “It’s been more than ten years.”

“I suppose we’ll improvise.”

Moving haphazardly but declining Kate’s help—she’d ditched her crutches for a cane—Mary-Sue dragged one of the large suitcases to an armchair and plopped herself into the seat with a loud grunt. Grunting again, she planted her feet far apart, sumo wrestler style. She rolled up her sleeves and unzipped the suitcase a crack, then lowered an entire arm into the hole, rooting around before emerging like a midwife with a pearly pair of silk panties. Her face prickled with embarrassment when she remembered Kate was standing right there.

“I had him get some of my stuff that I forgot to take with me.”

Larry walked out of the bathroom as if on cue, a damp towel wrapped around his thick waist. When he saw Kate, he jumped and covered his flabby chest with his arms. It was then that she realized she’d interrupted their lovers’ rendezvous.