“I’ll drive you,” Norm said. “I don’t want you driving down there alone.” It was Saturday, and he had the time. “I’ll stay at a hotel and come back tomorrow. How long do you think you’ll be there?”
“I have no idea. Long enough to go through the formalities, and fly the body back to L.A. I guess the production company will help us. I should be back in a few days.”
“Don’t forget your sister, she’s coming up today.”
“Oh my God. I would have forgotten.” She texted her that she had to leave for an emergency to help Michaela, so Hattie couldn’t come up. It was three in the morning by then, and they turned off the light to try to sleep for a few more hours. Melissa set the alarm for six a.m., and went to shower as soon as it rang.
They turned the TV on at seven, and it was all over the news. There were photographs of Marla on the screen, along with the two male stars who had died with her. They had been hired to replace the two who had been let go because of the recent sexual harassment scandals. A third actor had been hired at the last minute too, but he wasn’t working that night. The TV announcer said that the entire world would mourn Marla Moore. He said she had made over a hundred films, had won two Oscars, and was seventy-three years old. Her male co-star had just come back from his honeymoon, and the other had four children. They said that Marla was survived by a daughter, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren, but they didn’t mention their names.
Melissa and Norm were on the road in good time. It wasn’t snowing, but the wind was strong and she was glad that Norm was at the wheel. They’d been driving for an hour when Hattie called Melissa on her cell.
“What happened? I wanted to come to see you.” She hadn’t heard the news yet. They didn’t watch the morning news on TV at the convent.
“Marla Moore was killed in a helicopter crash in Scotland last night. It’s very sad. Michaela called me at two a.m., hysterical. I’m meeting her at JFK and flying to Scotland with her, to identify the body. They want a family member there, if possible. She’s in terrible shape, so I volunteered to go with her. David is staying with the kids.”
“When are you coming back?”
“As soon as we can. I’ll stay for the funeral in L.A. I guess it’ll be a huge mess with the press. I should be back here in a week.”
“I need to see you,” Hattie said, sounding tense.
“Why? Is something wrong?” Melissa didn’t like the tone of her sister’s voice.
“No. But I’ve made some decisions.” And she knew Melissa wouldn’t like them. They talked while Norm drove. “I wanted to tell you in person, but I don’t want to wait too long. I’m going to file now to be released from my vows,” she said in a calm voice. “And I’m joining a UN team in Africa. I’m leaving in about six weeks. They send over medical personnel. I don’t know where I’ll be assigned yet.” Melissa looked crestfallen when she heard the news.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that, file the papers now, I mean. Why can’t you wait and see how you feel?”
“I know how I feel. I want to be free now. I won’t be released for a year anyway. Mother Elizabeth says I can change my mind before that, but I know I won’t. And the job in Africa is exactly what I want to do.”
“Can’t you do it as a nun, while you wait to see if you’re sure?”
“I will be a nun for the next year.” She smiled that Melissa wanted her to stay in the order now, when she had been so vehemently against it nearly nineteen years before. “They won’t release me that fast.”
“And Africa, Hattie? Really? Can’t you do something like it here?”
“No. They have a fantastic program and this is what I want to do.”
“At least the UN is respectable, and they’ll probably take care of you.” Hattie didn’t tell her that there were still risks involved, but Melissa knew it anyway.
“I’ll come to see you when you get back. It’s nice of you to go,” Hattie said.
“She’s my daughter,” Melissa said quietly. “It’s the least I can do, and I’m her only mother now. She and Marla really loved each other.”
“You’re a good mom, Mel. You were to Robbie too.”
“Thank you, and just for the record, I hate your going to Africa again. I wish you wanted to be a hairdresser or a librarian, or an artist or something instead of risking your life in Africa.”
“This is what I want to do. I want to work with the kids.”
“Maybe you should have your own.”
“I thought about it, but these are the only kids I need. We all have children in our lives in different ways. You have Michaela now, and her children. It’s not Robbie, but I guess he wasn’t meant to stay, and Michaela’s kids will need you too, and so will she.”
“I can never measure up to Marla,” Melissa said sadly.
“You don’t need to. You’re you. You’re different people. I’m not sure Marla would have run to Kennedy to fly over with her. She had other things to do.”
“I have nothing else to do.” Melissa smiled at the compliment. “Come and spend a few days with me before you go.”
“I will. I promise. I just told Mother Elizabeth. I have to give them notice at the hospital, and do a bunch of other stuff.”
“How long are they sending you for?” Melissa was sad about it. Now that they were close again, she was going to miss her.
“A year for now. But I can re-enlist if I like it, and I do a decent job.”
“You will,” Melissa said confidently.
They hung up a few minutes later, and she and Norm talked about Hattie’s decision and her plans.
“I think she’s doing the right thing,” he said quietly. “It’s what she really wants, and she seems to be good at it.”
“I guess so. I’m going to miss her.”
“She’ll be back.”
“I hope so,” Melissa said sadly, looking out the window at the winter landscape sliding by. “It’s funny, I was furious at her for years for becoming a nun, and now I’m kind of sad she’s giving it up. I’ve gotten used to it, or maybe I just don’t like change.” And this was a big one, particularly for Hattie. She was going to be Hattie Stevens again. Melissa couldn’t help thinking that life was strange.
* * *
—
They got to the airport at two o’clock, and had an hour to spare. Norm came into the airport with her, and they had a sandwich and a cup of coffee to pass the time. They saw on the big board at two forty-five that Michaela’s plane had landed, and Norm walked her to where they were going to meet on the way to baggage claim. A few minutes later, a VIP golf cart appeared, driven by a ticket agent, and Michaela was on it, in a black skirt and black sweater, with a black coat on the cart next to her. Her face was pale and serious, and she was wearing dark glasses. The cart stopped and Melissa could see that she was crying behind the glasses. She had her carry-on bag next to her. Norm had to leave them then. They were going to be driven to the British Air terminal to check in. He held Melissa tightly for a minute, after telling Michaela how sorry he was.