The Frederick Sisters Are Living the Dream by Jeannie Zusy

Author:Jeannie Zusy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 2022-09-20T00:00:00+00:00

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It’s one of those spectacular October days that you see pictured in the I Love New York commercials. It’s been more than two months since the big move and my sister is still having trouble adjusting—not accepting Philomena, not behaving like her best self, the self I imagine, the self I’m still hoping she’ll evolve to. It’s my fault, I suspect, as I always accept responsibility for other’s deficiencies. What she needs is some fun. What she needs is some unadulterated sister-and-dog time and my full attention. She needs to know how happy I am to have her here, in my little Hudson River neck of the woods. I show up at her house unannounced, with both Coyote and pumpkin bread, her favorite.

“We’re going on a road trip,” I say.

“I’m done with doctors,” Ginny says.

“No doctors. Just sisters and dogs.”

“Where?”

I shrug. “Wherever,” I say.

I expect resistance, but Ginny is in. She rolls herself to her bedroom to use the bathroom and get her wallet. I inform Philomena that she has the next four hours off and she is elated.

“Four hours?” she says. “Really?” She actually takes off her sunglasses to look me straight in the eyes, which makes me wonder if she’s usually not really seeing me.

“Four hours?” Ginny says.

“Yes, Philomena, really. Ginny, we’re gonna go have some fun and when we come back you can take your nap,” I say.

“Four hours?” Philomena is now dabbing her eyes, which are back hidden under her sunglasses. I think she’s crying. “I will go see my daughters and my mother. I be back in time to make dinner.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” I say. “Ginny, don’t you agree?” I can see that Philomena has already done the math. An hour to drive to and park in the Bronx, two hours with her precious family, an hour back. I can see that Ginny is doing some sort of math that has to do with Philomena getting paid for time off.

Whatever. We’ve got a plan!

Five hundred dog biscuits woo Rascal into the car. Coyote shrinks into the floor behind the driver’s seat, hoping Rascal will not see her there. They haven’t been together in this small a space in a long time, so I say a medium-size prayer. I have to dig under Ginny’s large thigh to find the safety belt buckle—she’s definitely put that weight back on. Philomena is in her car now, too, and I can see that she is praying. I honk and we wave to one another before we both take off.

“Leaves!” I say as we turn off Beech Street. “Isn’t it beautiful, Gin-Gin?”

She doesn’t say anything. She’s wearing her Life’s a Beach sweatshirt and a baseball cap that says Malibu. Binky Baby is on her lap. She’s looking to the backseat to the pups.

“Are they okay back there, Gin-Gin? No blood yet?”

“There is blood.”

I panic and try to grab a look back. “Wait. What?”

“Cousins,” Ginny grins.

We’re on Maple Street now and headed north to 129. My

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