The Blessings by Elise Juska Page A

take the kids off your hands once a week,” Kate says, warming to the idea. “How about we pick a day and make it a regular thing? How about Sundays?”
    Thinking: This might be good for Patrick, for both of them. Get them out of their cramped apartment, draw Patrick out of himself. Isn’t that what kids can do?
    â€œReally,” Lauren says. “You don’t have to.”
    â€œNo, I insist! You could have time to yourself once a week. Clean the house or—no, something better. Something decadent. Treat yourself. Have a spa day! Get a pedicure.”
    Lauren looks at her feet, her bare toenails. “I’m a mess, I know.”
    â€œNo, no, that’s not what I meant. I just think you deserve a break,” Kate says. “Let me help you. Please.”
    But Lauren shakes her head again, more firmly. “No,” she says, and she pulls her robe closed with one hand. “But thank you.”
    â€œOh.” Kate fixes her eyes on the pool. “Okay,” she says, but feels chastened, rejected—the feeling sprawls through her body, blooming in her gut. She wishes she had never asked. Wishes she had her sunglasses to hide her face. She looks over at Elena, who is still wearing them, giggling as she sprinkles grass into Max’s hair.
    â€œI just like to keep them here,” Lauren explains. “With me.”
    â€œNo, no, it’s fine. Totally fine. I understand.”
    Lauren looks down at her bare wrist, as if for a watch that isn’t there. “I better go get dressed. They’ll be here.”
    â€œRight,” Kate says. As she sets the pole down on the edge of the pool, she notices the left knee of her capris is smudged with dirt.
    Elena giggles again, louder, drizzling grass on Max, glancing up to see if anyone will stop her. Then Max lunges for the trash pile and flings a fistful in the air. “Maxy, no!” Elena shrieks, and slaps him across the face.
    â€œElena!” Lauren jumps to her feet. Elena ignores her, pushing Max to the ground with both hands. Kate is shocked—she’s never seen Elena act this way. “Elena! Stop that!” Lauren shouts as Max begins to cry. Lauren starts rushing toward Elena, who looks at her and lets out a loud shriek, then dashes toward the pool.
    â€œElena, no!” Lauren screams, her tone shifting instantly from anger to panic. Elena is racing toward the five-foot end, her jellied shoes clapping on the wet cement. “Stop! No, Elena! Not near the pool!” But Elena doesn’t hesitate for a second, running straight for the water and jumping off the side. Kate’s heart stops beating. Elena’s brown face bobs to the surface and then drifts under. Lauren leaps in after her, sending up a great splash, and for a moment there is an unearthly silence—Max watching too, fingers in his mouth, standing a safe distance from the edge—as Lauren’s purple robe billows beneath the churning water, like a sprawling sea creature, the silence long and terrible, until finally Lauren surfaces with Elena in her arms.
    It is not until they touch the side that Elena starts to cry. Kate has never heard a child cry like this before. The sound is more like wailing, like keening—the sound of anguish itself. Kate feels paralyzed as Lauren rises slowly from the water, climbing up the metal ladder with Elena held tightly in both arms. Her purple robe has fallen open to reveal her naked body, her legs sturdy and brown. Without pausing, she walks toward the house, lips pressed to Elena’s temple. The heavy robe is streaming water, the wet sash dragging at her sides, but her stride is even and calm. Elena is still wailing, and Max is crying now too, the backyard a whirlpool of grief. Kate watches as Elena buries her chin in Lauren’s shoulder, water dripping from her pink party dress, sandaled feet limp at her sides. When her eyes meet Kate’s, they are wide and terrified and slide