Girl in the Shadows Read online

  "Didn't come back to tutor? Why not? Echo has nothing to do with what you and I did last night and what happened because of it."

  He paused at the steps and turned to me. "Let's pretend it didn't happen." he said.

  "What?"

  "It's better if we do that." He continued up the steps to the front door. "Better if we put it out of mind."

  "But... you said we'd never forget,"

  He turned. "We won't, but we don't have to acknowledge it in front of anyone else. This way it's just our word against Rhona's."

  "But I already told Mrs. Westington the truth."

  "All of it?" he asked, his face twisting with shock.

  "Not in detail. but I didn't say it wasn't true that you and I met at the motor home. How could I do that?"

  He thought for a moment. "Just don't talk about it," he said. "No matter what."

  "Don't talk about it? You mean with you as well?"

  "Right. Just the way you wouldn't talk about anything else that never happened."

  He entered the house and left me standing in my own cold numbness. Just the way you wouldn't talk about anything else that never happened? What did that mean, that whatever had been between us was over already? Was he ashamed of it? What about all that stuff he told me about thinking about me all day and how he couldn't get me out of his mind? He said he was so looking forward to being with me. All that had made me feel so good. How could I pretend it never happened? How could he? When we looked at each other now, would we look at each other the way we did before last night? Had nothing changed between us even after the most intimate act?

  I hurried in after him. I knew Mrs. Westington wouldn't bring up anything about it with him. She was far too much of a lady. She greeted him the same way she did every time he had arrived and he acted the same. too. He went right to the office to begin his work with Echo. Mrs. Westington exchanged a quick look with me that more or less said. "Let sleeping dogs lie." and then returned to the kitchen to prepare a salad for lunch. She was roasting a chicken.

  However, the peace we hoped to keep in the house was broken almost the moment after Rhona and Skeeter came down. I heard Rhona cry. "Where are the lovers this morning?" She followed it with a laugh. "Still in the motor home? It was rocking so hard. Skeeter and I thought it was an earthquake. Right, Skeeter?"

  "I immediately hugged a tree.- he said, and they both laughed hard and loudly.

  Mrs. Westington said nothing. She offered them breakfast, but all they wanted, really demanded, was a business meeting with her, as they put it.

  "Since we can't use the office because the lovers are there, let's go into the living room. Ma," Rhona said.

  I was in the office by now, too. In an attempt to keep myself from thinking about it all. I was reviewing some of the material Tyler had given me for the equivalency exam. He looked up from his work with Echo when we heard Rhona's derogatory remarks and demands.

  "I knew this was going to be far more difficult now," he said. The expression on his face convinced me he somehow blamed me.

  "Maybe we should go in there. too," I suggested. "We can't let her use us to take advantage of Mrs. Westington."

  "It's not our business," he replied. "You're just a guest here and I'm just the tutor. If you or I go in there, we'll only make it worse."

  "But last night we said we'd help her and..."

  "I told you to forget last night." He turned back to his work with Echo, who didn't know anything unpleasant was happening.

  I slammed my book closed and got up. "You're so afraid your mother is going to find out that you don't want to do the right things anymore?"

  "Stop it. April," he said without raising his eyes from the page.

  "Maybe I will forget last night," I said, "but not for the reasons you have."

  I spun around and left the office. I started down the hallway toward the living room and stopped. Was Tyler right? Would I make things worse for Mrs. Westiington if I went in there? I wondered,

  Undecided, I stood in the hallway and listened.

  "We found the perfect property for our business purposes, Ma, and we need one hundred thousand dollars immediately."

  "One hundred thousand dollars? Are you absolutely crazy?"

  "No. We can turn that into four hundred thousand in six months, can't we, Skeeter."

  "No problem," he said.

  "Before I'd invest in anything like this with that kind of money. I'd have my business consultant review it completely. What paperwork do you have?"

  "He won't know about this sort of thing," Rhona said.

  "Oh, and you would? Please. Rhona, don't act like a child now. Adults don't make such impulsive foolish decisions."

  "I'm a child? I make impulsive foolish decisions? Look at you taking in runaways and providing tutors and clothes and who knows what. You have some freeloader in our house, an orphan girl, and it's all right to give her money but deny me? Your own flesh and blood? We need this money, Ma, and we need it now."

  "I told you. If you have something to show my business consultant, produce it and we'll see what he thinks."

  "Oh, that's ridiculous. I'm not going through all that. I have a right to the money anyway, going to see an attorney today. There'll be courts and judges and all sorts of horrors. You can avoid all this trouble for everyone if you just write the check."

  "I'll do no such thing and I won't let my own daughter blackmail me," Mrs. Westington said, I could hear the shrill tone in her voice and the fatigue as well. She needs help. She'll die under such pressure. I thought. Where was Trevor? How could I just stand out there and listen?

  I lurched forward and stepped into the living room. Rhona and Skeeter looked up at me.

  "Did you want me to help you with lunch today. Mrs. Westington?"

  "Did you want me to help you with lunch today. Mrs. Westington?" Rhona mimicked. Then she pointed her right forefinger at me like the barrel of a pistol. "I'm going to report you to the police. You probably ran away from some institution or something and you're setting up a whorehouse in a motor home on our property."

  "Rhona!" Mrs. Westington cried.

  "Well, she is. Ask her to her face and bring that Chinese kid in here. Let them deny screwing in that trailer. Go on."

  "That's enough," Mrs. Westinton said, and stood up sharply and with more energy and strength than I had seen. "I won't have such disgusting things said in my house and especially not in my presence. If you can't behave like a decent adult, a lady, then leave."

  Rhona glared at me and then turned to her mother. "We're leaving. Ma. We're going to see an attorney. I don't think you're in your right mind anymore, taking in such a tramp and exposing my daughter to such bad influences.''

  "What? Exposing your daughter? You accuse me of such a thing when you run off and leave her here without so much as a phone call for nearly ten years!"

  "That has nothing to do with what's happening here now. You'll see. When we return, it will be different and that tramp better not be here." she said, rising, g. "C'mon, Skeeter."

  "Now wait a minute. There doesn't have to be all this unpleasantness,'" Skeeter said in a calm voice. "I'm sure your mother will change her mind once she hears more about my project. It's being done all over the country these days. Mrs. Westington, and the property values here are skyrocketing. It's not a foolish plan."

  "If you're so confident, then you shouldn't be opposed to giving me something to show my business consultant," Mrs. Westington replied, her thin lips now pale and trembling.

  "Sure we will," he said. "There's no sense in everyone getting all worked up like this. Relax. Rhona. Let's just take it all a step at a time."

  She looked at him as if he was totally crazy and then she shrugged when he narrowed his eyes. "I can wait a little while, I suppose."

  "Of course, we can. We just need a little down payment in the meantime so that we can hold on to things. If it doesn't work out, we'll return the deposit. okay?"

  Rhona looked up at
him quickly and smiled. "Yes," she said. "exactly."

  "What sort of down payment?" Mrs.

  Westington asked.

  "I think we can manage with five thousand dollars. If Rhona here asked you for it to help her along, you'd probably give it to her anyway, wouldn't you. Mrs. Westington?" he added quickly.

  "And it would probably be just as bad an investment," she replied.

  Skeeter laughed. "Your mother's a tough old broad, all right. She said you were a tough lady, old school, and always unfair when it came to her. Mrs. Westington."

  "Rhona thought I was unfair to ask her to brush her teeth every night." Mrs. Westington quipped.

  Skeeter laughed. "Well, we're going to see an attorney today for this project. As Rhona says, why don't you consider giving her the deposit money so we can avoid any unpleasantness. No one wants that, but if there is no other choice, no alternative..."

  This time he sounded threatening.

  "I have choices. Don't tell me I don't have choices."

  "Okay, okay, but look. Mrs. Westington, you have enough to deal with here as it is and no one wants to add to that. We're just trying to do something worthwhile. Surely, you don't want to prevent that. That wouldn't be very nice, not very nice at all for you, for Echo, and for us."

  Rhona looked at him as if he was brilliant, her hero. How could she permit her own mother to be treated this way? Her own daughter, too?

  "I'll give you the five thousand dollars," Mrs. Westington relented, "but I warn you to not waste it. Rhona, because if you need anything, you'll have to take it from that money. I won't be giving you anymore until I see something substantial, some real indication that you've turned a new leaf."

  Rhona was about to challenge her. but Skeeter gave her a sign to stay calm.

  "That's very kind and reasonable of you, Mrs. Westington. Thank you," he said.

  Rhona fumed but turned herself away. "I'll wait outside," she said. "You get the check from her," she told Skeeter. She glared at me on the way out of the rooln. As she passed by, she whispered. "Your days are numbered here. sweetie. Go off with your boyfriend or else.

  Mrs. Westington went into the office to write the check. Skeeter followed her and then he and Rhona drove off in their van, both of them laughing. I watched from the front window, fuming. I put Mrs. Westington into this difficult position, I thought. It was my fault.

  "All I've done is buy some time." Mrs. Westington muttered after she returned to the living room. "I'm only surprised she didn't show up on my doorstep with some other freeloader and make trouble years ago."

  "I'm sorry, Mrs. Westington."

  "Don't stand there blaming yourself, April. Whether you were here or not, she'd be doing what she's doing. I have no doubts about that."

  Having heard all that went on. Tyler finally decided to join us. "April told me about your plans for Echo now. Mrs. Westington," he said. 'Seeing what's happening here. I think that you would be very wise to act on them quickly. I have the name of the

  administrator you should call at the school. I've already told him about Echo so he'll know you when you phone him."

  He handed her a slip of paper with the name and number on it. Echo had followed Tyler and stood there watching us from the living room doorway. She looked like she knew we were discussing her. What sort of a traumatic experience was it going to be for her to leave the only home she knew and Tyler Monahan?

  "I wouldn't be coming here all that much longer anyway," Tyler added, avoiding my eyes.

  Mrs. Westinaton nodded. "I have a lot to do," she said. "Thank you. I'll have some lunch for us in a little while."

  "Let me help you." I said quickly. At that moment I just wanted to get away from Tyler. I was so disappointed in him. He returned to the office with Echo without another comment.

  I followed Mrs. Westington into the kitchen and began to get the place mats, silverware, and dishes to set out for lunch. I saw how she kept looking out the window toward the winery. I knew she wanted Trevor to join us. She would fill his ears with what had happened. He was, after all, her most trusted companion. I wondered why she wasn't close to any relative, but then again, neither was I. I had already learned why she didn't have much contact with her brother-in-law. Arliss.

  "I hated to give them any money," she muttered as she worked on the salad. She was twisting and turning and knotting herself up in an argument with herself. "It's as good as opening the window and throwing it into the wind, but when it's raining and pouring, sometimes you have to do something to get yourself out from under. It's not like me to do that, to act out of desperation. but I don't like that man and I don't like what Rhona's becoming by being with him, not that I expected her to turn up here wearing wings.

  "I shouldn't have done it," she suddenly decided, and slapped the counter. "What's wrong with me, knuckling under like that? I should have just thrown them out. Lawyers don't scare me. I got lawyers, too, and where are they going to get the money for lawyers anyway? Lawyers cost plenty."

  "Don't run yourself down so. Mrs. Westington," I told her. "You'll just make yourself sick over it."

  "Yeah, well. I really am sick over it. You know how it is with that sort. You give them an inch and they'll take a foot. As soon as we finish lunch. I want you or Trevor to drive me to see my attorney. Randolph Wright. There's a good name for an attorney. He's always right," she said. "He'd better be when I pay him. Where's that Trevor gone?" she asked, gazing out of the window again. "The man lollygags whenever he goes to one of those huge lumber or hardware stores. To him the place is a gigantic toy store. I never could understand how or why he saw so much pleasure in screws and bolts, hammers and drills. Can't give him a better birthday present than a new power drill Or a hammer. Men never grow up. They just get bigger toys. Don't know why I depend on him.

  "Oh, look at me. I haven't done anything here. Cut up those tomatoes for me, would you, April?"

  She sighed and shook her head. taking deeper and deeper breaths.

  "Did you hear how they threatened me? All of a sudden she's worrying about bad influences on Echo. too. Was she here when the girl got measles or was she here to nurse her through coughs and colds and rashes? No. Ma'am, she wasn't.

  "Now she comes waltzing in and waves the flag of motherhood as if she was the first to discover what it means. Imagine telling that Skeeter fellow that I was unfair to her while she was growing up. Truth is I would have been harder on her if my husband wasn't such a sapless tree when it came to her. He pushed all the unpleasantness and difficult parental decisions off on me. I had to be the mean one. You ever hear that expression. 'let George do it'? Well that was my husband's motto when it came to disciplining Rhona. She knew how to charm him. Men are fools. You'll see," she said, her hands fluttering about.

  She didn't realize it, but she was signing some to me as well as talking. This was the angriest and most worked up I had seen her. Suddenly, she stopped and looked at the food. "Where was I?"

  She spun around and went to the refrigerator to get some lettuce, celery, and olives. I cut up the tomatoes and said nothing. I felt too terrible for her and I was afraid she would hear it in my voice and feel even more terrible for herself. She took out the chicken she had in the stove and then she turned and headed for the pantry.

  "I have some peas in here. Echo just loves peas. Where are those darn peas?" I heard her say. "I know they're here. I know. Oh," I heard a few moments later.

  A shelf rattled and some cans fell.

  "Mrs. Westington? Are you all right? What happened?' I cried, and hurried to the pantry.

  There she was, sprawled on the floor, her body twisted so awkwardly that her right foot was turned in far enoug,h for me to think her ankle was broken.

  "Mrs. Westington!" I screamed. "TYLER!" I shouted. "COME QUICKLY!"

  I kneeled down beside her and shook her shoulder. Her eyelids fluttered and then opened.

  Tyler came charging into the kitchen. "What's going on?"

  "Mrs. West
ington fainted," I called back to him. He came into the pantry.

  "I'm... fine...," she said, and struggled to straighten herself.

  I put my hand under her left arm and Tyler got down to get his hand under her right. We started to lift her to her feet. She didn't put any weight on her legs. They dangled.

  "I just need to sit for a while." she said.

  The two of us literally carried her to the chair in the kitchen. I hurried to get her a glass of cold water. Echo was standing in the doorway looking in, her body and her face locked in fear.

  Mrs. Westington's face was as white as an eggshell. There was no color in her lips and her eyes were glassy. She leaned back and took the water from me, sipping it slowly. Finally some color returned to her cheeks.

  "I in all right. Just a little dizzy spell. It's too damn hot in here. Open a window," she ordered.

  "They are open." I told her.

  She looked at them and shook her head. "No breeze at all today. One of those days my husband calls dead air days. Called. I mean," she quickly corrected. "'Cut that chicken up for us, will you. April?"

  Echo was signing at her now, tears streaming down her face.

  "I'm fine, child. It's nothing. Don't be upset." she signed. "Go back to your work. Go on. April and I will finish preparing the lunch. Thank you. Tyler. I'm finer"

  He glanced at me with concern, nodded, and left the kitchen. Echo lingered a moment until Mrs. Westington waved at her.

  "Go on. Don't make me look like a fool. You'd think no one had ever had a dizzy spell," she muttered.

  "Are you sure you're okay. Mrs. Westington?" I asked.

  "In the pink," she said. "Give me another moment and we'll forget it. Go on, finish working up the salad. Oh. I found the can of peas. They're on the floor in the pantry. Please get them and heat them up. She loves them warm."

  I nodded and did what she asked, keeping my eyes on her constantly. When she didn't think I was looking, she took deep breaths and rubbed her temples. I have to tell Tyler. I thought. She has to go to a doctor right away. She will surely fight it, but with his help, we'll make her do it.

  I went to the door of the office and signaled him. Looking annoyed, he rose and walked over to me.