Chapter Twenty-Seven

TWENTY-SEVEN

SEPTEMBER 1987

Once Augusta had asked Irving to her birthday dinner, Nathaniel was the only person left to invite. She still felt uncomfortable about putting them in a room together, but Irving had promised to be on his best behavior, and Augusta wanted to believe him.

She ran into Nathaniel after mah-jongg the next day, in the clubhouse hallway, outside of the library. It was silly, she knew, to compare him to Irving, but sometimes the contrast was too pronounced to ignore. While Irving was short and teapot-stout, Nathaniel stood tall, straight, and slim. He wore his clothes like a Brooks Brothers model—crisp polo shirts with pleated khaki shorts or neatly ironed trousers with spotless button-downs. No matter what time of day she encountered him, Nathaniel’s thick head of wavy hair was painstakingly coiffed. He even brought a comb to the pool to tame his hair after swimming.

Irving, on the other hand, preferred a rotation of well-worn T-shirts from his grandchildren’s schools and extracurricular activities. As far as Augusta could tell, his favorites were from the New Trier Drama Club and the Boston University Baseball Team. His barely there hair had a mind of its own, and he paid it very little attention. Irving’s bathing suits were too loud, his sandals were scuffed, and she did not think he owned a belt.

“Good morning, Augusta,” Nathaniel said, smiling. “I haven’t seen you in the pool the past few days. Don’t tell me you’ve been slacking off?”

“Absolutely not,” she said. “I’ve just been getting my laps in early. Without a job to report to, I’ve been at loose ends in the mornings. I don’t like feeling so unproductive.”

Nathaniel smiled. “I understand. When I left my cardiology practice, it was hard for me to adjust. I missed seeing patients. I missed puzzling their treatment out in my head.”

“Absolutely.” Augusta sighed. “I’m always happier when my mind is active. To be honest, I was terrified of retiring. I loved my work. I loved being the first to know about every new treatment and medication. It’s terrible being so out of the loop.”

“I know exactly how you feel! A few years ago, I missed out on the first tissue-type plasminogen activators. Let me tell you, that was a blow.”

Augusta nodded sympathetically before remembering the dinner. “I almost forgot. I’d like to invite you to a little birthday dinner my niece is having for me next week. She’s coming down from New York and she wanted to meet some of my new friends.” She lowered her voice. “I’m turning eighty.”

“Wonderful!” Nathaniel said.

“I invited Shirley, too.”

“Nothing could keep me away,” he said, his cheeks glowing with pleasure.

“And Irving Rivkin as well.”

The pink in Nathaniel’s cheeks deepened to scarlet.

“I hope that isn’t a problem?”

“No, no. Of course not. I’m more than happy to break bread with Irving.”

“Jackie, my niece, is excited to meet both of you. Especially because you both knew her parents. I think she’s hoping for a little trip down memory lane.”

“That will be nice.” Nathaniel nodded. “Evie would have turned eighty this past August. She always loved having a summer birthday. We celebrated in Maine every year, with lobsters and whoopie pies for dessert.” He checked the gold watch on his wrist. “So sorry, Augusta, but I’ve got to run. I have an afternoon tee time today and I don’t want to be late.”

It was only after Nathaniel was out of earshot that Irving emerged from the library doorway.

“I didn’t realize you were in there,” said Augusta. “I was just telling Nathaniel about the dinner.”

Irving scowled. “I could hear you both, as clear as day.” He began mimicking Nathaniel, making his voice low and ridiculous. “I missed the first tissue-type plasminogen activators. Look at what a brilliant cardiologist I am!”

“Irving, please. You promised to get along with him. Stop acting like a five-year-old.”

“Better a five-year-old than a pompous ass.”

“Nathaniel wasn’t being pompous. He was being sincere. That medication he mentioned was a big development in his field.”

“Well, some of us didn’t have a field! Some of us didn’t have fathers who were doctors and paid for us to go to medical school. Some of us had crummy jobs, and when it was time to retire, we were happy it was over.”

Augusta was confused by the hurt in his voice. She’d always assumed that Irving’s working years in Chicago had been glamorous and exciting. He’d moved there on a whim with a woman he loved—the daughter of a rich and powerful man. Regardless of what happened with his marriage, the idea that he hadn’t been happy professionally had never once occurred to her.

“For what it’s worth,” she said, “my father always admired you. He used to say you were his favorite employee, the most responsible young man he knew. He was hoping you would manage the pharmacy one day.”

Irving’s eyes softened. “Your father was always good to me.”

Augusta thought about saying more, but she was hesitant to steer the conversation into even more personal territory. She worried that if Irving revealed too much, he might expect her to do the same. Still, something compelled her to keep talking, to learn more about the man she’d once known so well.

“I never asked what you did in Chicago,” she said. “Did you work for your father-in-law?”

“In a way,” he said, stiffening. “I didn’t do anything illegal, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I wasn’t implying that at all. But it’s hard to believe that your work was boring. You were Zip Diamond’s son-in-law. You must have had your pick of jobs.”

“Not exactly. Once we got to Chicago, Zip began slowing down quite a bit. Nobody knew, but he hadn’t been well, and he’d started handing off a lot of the decisions to his wife, Mitzi. By the time the twins were born, my mother-in-law was the one really in charge. She delegated all the work—she actually handpicked me for my job.”

“Well, whatever job it was, it had to be better than delivering aspirin.”

“Trust me,” Irving said, frowning, “it wasn’t.”