“Three weeks ago.” Lu closed her eyes. “She didn't like the school I found for her here in Manhattan, even though it's supposed to be one of the best Catholic prep schools in the city, so I hired a grad student to tutor her. But Rose doesn't like Sonja Pearl any more than she liked the staff at Marlboro Hall. She doesn't like the way my cook makes lasagna because it's not like her nonna's, and she doesn't like it when the housekeeper tells her she has to be quiet because I'm taking a nap before the show. The truth is, she doesn't like me.”

“The truth is, she's being a pain in the ass,” said George.

For a second it felt good to hear him say it. But then Lu remembered her mother saying, Rose isn't strong like me and you.

“George, she's just lost the only mother she ever had.”

“And she's taking it out on you. Which is none of my business—except that I'm seeing the results of it onstage.”

“That bad?”

“You know it is. What are you going to do about it?”

“Damned if I know!”

At that moment, as if on cue, they heard voices coming from the hallway outside. The stage doorman was shouting, “I'm telling you, you can't go in there!” Then the dressing room door opened and Rose stood in the doorway.

As usual, Rose was scowling. Lu tried to remember if she'd seen her daughter do anything but scowl for the past three weeks, and drew a blank. There was a rolled-up copy of Variety clutched in Rose's hand. Behind her, the stage doorman was saying, “I'm sorry, Miss Lawson, I tried to tell her no one is allowed to disturb you when you're between shows—”

“It's okay, Henry,” Lu cut through. “This is my daughter.” Then she closed the door before he could launch into what promised to be a lengthy apology for not recognizing her offspring, and turned to Rose.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“It says in this paper you're going to leave New York,” Rose said. “This stupid show you're in will be traveling all around the country and you're going with it.”

Lu had been holding back this bit of information until her child had had a chance to adjust to her new life. Or maybe, Lu thought in a nasty moment of truth, she hadn't told Rose because she wanted to avoid a scene. Either way, she had to face it now.

“Yes,” she said. “I'm going on tour. We close here in the city and I'll be taking the show out—”

“And you won't be back until next September. That's what it says here in the paper.”

“That's right. I thought you could come with me during your school vacation this summer—”

“But you're going to leave me alone in that ugly apartment all winter long.”

Mama said to be gentle with her, Lu reminded herself.