Time After Time: A Novel by Lisa Grunwald

Author:Lisa Grunwald [Grunwald, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780679645481
Google: nTZzDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B07HVZKC9D
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2019-06-10T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

—

Finn walked into the restaurant carrying the small duffel bag that Joe recognized as Damian’s dusty World War I issue.

“For good luck?” Joe asked as Finn took a seat in the booth across from him.

“What, the bag? You mean because Pa made it back?”

Joe nodded.

“Nah. It was the only bag I could find in the house besides the kids’ camp bags. When did we ever go anywhere?”

“I never did,” Joe said. “You had a honeymoon.”

“Ancient history,” Finn said. “Anyway, I think Faye borrowed her ma’s suitcase for that.”

Joe had never owned a suitcase, though he had been surrounded for most of his life by people carrying them around like little billboards. During the past decade, the decade of the Depression, Joe had spent any free time he had either helping Damian, playing handyman for the house, or babysitting Finn’s kids. Joe’s only trips beyond Manhattan or Queens had been on the Harlem or Hudson lines—just a few stops up—to salute some conductor’s work anniversary or toast a retirement. Those celebrations, by tradition, had always been confined to the train cars themselves. Whatever other travels Joe had taken had been in his imagination, inspired by the routes in New York Central fliers or by images in newspapers, magazines, and newsreels.

“So?” Finn said. “Where’s Nora?”

“She’ll be here any minute.”

Finn nodded and picked up a menu. “You buying?” he asked.

“No, Finny, I’m sending you off to fight in a war, but I’m making you buy me lunch first.”

“Sounds like you.”

Alva came over, poured them coffee, and took their orders. Finn grasped the cream-colored diner mug with his left hand, clinking his wedding ring against its handle. After a sip, he squinted at Joe.

“Where is she?” he asked again, just as Joe stood up to greet her. She looked dazzling in the new dress, which in fact did sparkle a little more because of the shiny belt.

Finn watched warily as Nora slid into the booth beside Joe.

“I got us some pancakes,” Joe told her. “I thought we’d share.”

Finn kept staring at Nora.

“Yes. I’m Nora,” she finally said, which broke the tension and made them all laugh. She extended her hand, and Finn took it in his, startled by its warmth and seemingly hypnotized by its solidity. He glanced back and forth between it and Nora’s face.

“Finn, say something,” said Joe. “You’re being rude.”

Finn dropped Nora’s hand and shook his head slightly. “Well,” he said a bit helplessly, “I’ll say this, Joe. She sure is a looker.”

Nora ignored the awkwardness. “That’s so kind of you,” she said in what Joe thought of as her best society voice. Then it was her turn to stare. “But you, Finn. Joe never told me how much you two look alike.”

“Wait, Nora,” Joe said, “those are fighting words.”

Neither of them seemed to hear him.

“Your nose,” Nora said. “It’s got that same slope.”

“Irish nose,” Joe said. “A dime a dozen.”

“And your mouth, it’s kind of crooked, the same as Joe’s,” Nora continued. “And your hair—”

“Stop right there,” Joe said.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.