Shadows - Girl In The Shadows Part 31

She nodded and smiled. "That's what I like to see and hear, optimism coming out of your mouth. I'm no fool at my age. I know after we get Echo established that you have to move on, maybe join up with your sister again. Whatever. You have to take care of business, start your own life on the right track.

April. You don't belong in an old house with only an old lady and an old man vainly trying to resurrect a dead dream. You deserve to go off and pursue your own dreams and not be stuck in the mud with ours.

You promise me you'll do that, April. I'm not saying you can't stay in touch, but you promise."

"I promise, Mrs. Westington."

"Good, good." She closed her eyes. "Something they're giving me makes me tired early. I'll lay into that doctor when he shows up tomorrow morning."

"They're just trying to keep you calm and get your pressure lower."

"Yeah, well, you'd think a woman my age wouldn't have so much pressure in her anymore." She smiled. "Take care of my baby until I bust out of here.'

"I will," I said.

She lay back on her pillow. She fought to stay awake, but in moments, fell asleep. I rose slowly, quietly, fixed her blanket, and then picked up the papers and left. I had a great temptation to just keep driving. Fear of Rhona, especially when she saw what her mother had done to her legal papers, made me s.h.i.+ver. Of course. I was more afraid of how she would treat Echo and how frightened Echo would be if I didn't return.

Both Rhona and Skeeter were waiting for me in the living room.

"Get your rear end in here!" Rhona called the moment I opened the front door.

I took a deep breath and entered.

"Turn that off. Skeeter," she ordered, and he clicked off the television set. "Well? What happened?

Did she sign? Did you convince her?"

I shook my head. "She said she gave you as much as she intended to give you," I said. "I couldn't change her mind. I tried. I told her you were planning on leaving, but she was adamant."

"Adamant? Listen to her. Adamant. What did you do, buy a dictionary before you came back?" She looked at the papers in my hand. "What did she do to them?"

She leaped up and seized them. Her face filled with rage. "Look at this, Skeeter," she said, throwing the papers at him. He picked one up and looked at it and then he laughed, "I don't think that's so funny. Skeeter."

He shook his head. "She's your mother."

"Thanks for reminding me." She turned back to me. "You didn't do a very good job of convincing her if she had the nerve to do something like that."

"I tried," I said. "Believe me. I would love for you to get your money and leave,"

"Oh, you would, would you? Why? You think you'll inherit the rest of it if I go?"

"No. I'm not staying here forever." I said.

"Oh, that's for sure. Matter of fact since you failed in your mission and I don't need you anymore, you should leave tomorrow."

"I'll leave when Mrs. Westington comes home,"

I said. "And don't try to threaten me with all those nasty things you intend to spread about me. I promised her and I would rather keep my promise than anything,"

"Oh, how sweet. Hear that. Skeeter? She promised my mother she would stay."

"That is sweet," Skeeter said. "So, tell me.

April. Speaking of being sweet, you never answered me before. Why do you like girls more than boys?"

He rose from the sofa. "Maybe. I can help change your mind about that." he said, taking a step toward me. "If you just give me the chance. I-"

"Get away from me!" I cried, and ran out of the room and back to the front door. I charged out of the house, his l.u.s.tful smile and laughter chasing me.

Trevor was standing in the driveway near his truck. I stopped and quickly got hold of myself. If he found out what was happening, he'd rush into that house and have it out with Skeeter for sure. I thought, "What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing. Of course. Mrs. Westington wouldn't sign their papers and I told them. They're upset, but it doesn't matter. They'll leave soon."

"How was she doing?"

"Complaining as usual." I told him. I didn't tell him how tired she looked and was, "That's good. How's Echo?"

"She's okay. She's asleep. Who knows? Now that they see they can't get anywhere with Mrs.

Westington, maybe they'll leave tomorrow."

"I hope so. Okay," he said. "You know where I am if you need me."

"Thank you. Trevor."

He headed for his apartment. I walked on to the motor home, debating as to whether or not I should simply move in there with Echo until Mrs.

Westington returned. I was tempted to sleep there tonight. Right at the moment, it seemed far more comfortable and secure.

I went in and sat across from Destiny.

"We'll be leaving here soon." I told her. When I looked about the motor home, it seemed suddenly very depressing to me, not only because Uncle Palaver was gone, but because of what had occurred here between Tyler and me. Places, like people, can upset you, I thought. Memories cling to them like flies on fly paper.

I was surprised by a sudden knock on the motor home door.

"Who is it?" I asked after I got up and went to the short stairway.

"It's me," Trevor said.

I opened the door quickly. Now it was my turn to read unhappiness quickly in his face. His eyes were gazing down, his shoulders slumped.

"I just had a phone call. My mother's pa.s.sed on," he said. "I got to go down to Phoenix and make arrangements."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Trevor."

"She's had one foot in the grave for some time now. I feel bad leaving you with this mess."

"I'll be fine. Mrs. Westington will be home soon anyway and it will all be over. Don't you worry about us. Go do what you have to do."

"I'll be staying with a cousin of mine. Here," he said, handing me a slip of paper. "This is the telephone number. Don't hesitate to call me if you need to. We got some relatives coming over from Houston, my mother's younger sister and her son. so I'll be away two, three days maybe."

"Just go and do what you have to do. Trevor. Is there anything you need done at the winery?"

"No, that'll keep," he said. "I'll be leaving in a few minutes. I've got to drive to San Francisco and catch a plane. There's a flight I can make early in the morning. You'll explain it all to Mrs. Westington for me. okay?"

"Of course, Trevor. Don't worry about us," I emphasized. He nodded and walked way.

I closed the door and sat across from Destiny again, "You put on a good act for Trevor," Destiny said. "It was nice of you to do it, but you know deep inside that you're very frightened about being in that house with those two with Trevor gone "

"You know. You're right,'" I said. "It's time you came out of here. Destiny," I muttered. "I shouldn't be alone." I picked up the doll control and then I lifted her out of the chair and carried her out of the motor home. Of course. I was antic.i.p.ating Skeeter and Rhona making fun of the life-size doll, but that didn't matter to me now. Nothing they said mattered to me.

Fortunately, however, they were already upstairs and in their room when I entered with Destiny. I carried her up to the guest room and placed her in a chair in the corner. Then I put the control on the night table by the bed. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I needed her company more than ever now, even though I knew she was only a doll. Having her here helped me feel close to Uncle Palaver again.

She was part of the little family I had.

I left to check on Echo. She had gotten into her pajamas and fallen asleep with Mr. Panda cradled in her arms. The small lamp on her night table was still on. so I turned it off and then returned to the guest room.

"I'm going to change these sheets and pillowcases. Destiny," I said. "I certainly don't want to sleep on what they slept on."

"You should," I had her say. I know it was crazy to throw my thoughts through her, but it gave me the feeling of having company, a companion. My situation was like a magical key opening the door to understanding my uncle even more. With Mrs.

Westington in the hospital and Trevor leaving. I did feel alone, maybe as lost and alone as Uncle Palaver had felt.

"You should change into one of your own nightgowns," Destiny remarked.

"Good idea."

I found one I had brought in from the motor home and then I fetched a different blanket from the linen closet and got into bed.

"It's more comfortable than the bunk in the motor home, but not as nice as the bed I first had here." I told Destiny. Then I reached for her control and had her nod.

"I bet." she said. "I used to wonder how you slept up in those cramped quarters."

"It was all right. I felt safe being with Uncle Palaver."

"Me, too," she said. I turned her head from side to side. This isn't such a bad room. It's sort of quaint, old-fas.h.i.+oned. It has character."

"That's what Mrs. Westington says."

"How wise she is," Destiny said, nodding. It was almost as if she was doing it all before I pressed the right b.u.t.tons. My imagination is running away with me. I thought. It was like mounting a magical horse and galloping out of the shadowy reach of loneliness.

"I guess I'll go to sleep." I reached up and turned off the small lamp on the night stand. but I kept the control for Destiny beside me. I just liked knowing it was there, knowing she was there watching over me as my mother would when I was very young and had a childhood illness, a fever or a rash.

For a while I just lay there looking into the darkness. This won't last much longer. I thought. I was confident what I had told Trevor would come home. Rhona will find out how Mrs. Westington had gotten her attorney to stop her from getting anything and she'll give up and leave.

She certainly wasn't interested in her child or bearing any responsibilities for her, and with Echo attending a special school soon, she won't have even a phony excuse to remain. Skeeter was surely going to grow bored as well, Doctor Battie would find the right medicine for Mrs. Westington soon and she'd be coming home.

There wasn't much more that Rhona could do then. I wanted to shout at her what she had said to me. "The writing's on the wall." Her days were numbered, reduced to hours, not mine.

But then I thought about what Mrs. Westington had said to me in the hospital. Of course, she was right. I did have to start thinking of myself and my future. Brenda would surely be calling me any day now and we'd meet and talk about our lives together, her future and mine. Despite all that had happened since we had last seen each other and what had happened immediately before I left. I was anxious to reunite with her. After all, we were still sisters and as Trevor was fond of saying, blood was telling and strong. We couldn't deny who we were to each other.

The truth was I actually missed her, even missed her criticisms of me as much as anything.

I was a changed person. She would see that immediately. Beside becoming more mature. I was more determined to stop neglecting myself. I'd lose these pounds and gradually gain more self-respect.

Brenda would appreciate that. I was sure we would get along better than we ever had.

These thoughts filled my aching heart with renewed hope. Mrs. Westin ton was right about the necessity of being optimistic. If you saw only the dark side of everything, you'd be blinded by the light of any promise and your savings account of expectations would be bankrupt. I can get us through all this. I thought, as I turned on my side and cuddled up with the blanket I had taken from Mrs. Westington's linen closet. It had the scent of lilac and it made me feel good.

I can survive it all and I can help both Echo and Trevor get through it as well. Well be fine. The morning would bring light and no matter what Rhona said or whatever tantrum she pulled. I would be strong and ignore it. She'd get frustrated and give up on terrorizing me, too. Mrs. Westington was right. Rhona didn't have the attention span for it.

I welcomed sleep. I needed sleep so I could restore myself my strength and my wit, as Mrs.

Westington would call it. I wanted to be as confident and as trusting in the future as the birds who were sleeping in the darkness out there. We'll be fine. I sang to myself as I would a lullaby. We'll be fine and safe again.

I did fall asleep quickly, much more quickly than I had expected, because it was only minutes later that I woke when the mattress dipped beside me and the blanket was lifted away. The smell of whiskey curled under my nostrils before any other odor. My body froze: my throat tightened. I was terrified of turning around. It was as if I was trying to get out of a nightmare and if I turned. I would fall deeper into it.

I felt something wet and warm on my neck and realized it was a tongue licking me.

"Hi, April," Skeeter whispered.

He shoved his left hand under my left side and brought his right hand over my waist, lifting the nightgown up, his palms moving across my b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Then he pulled the nightgown so hard, it brought my arms up and he slipped it off me. I cried out, but he put his hand over my mouth and brought his lips next to my ear.

"n.o.body who wants to hear you can hear you,"

he whispered. "Don't waste your breath."

"Stop," I moaned.

"Naw, you don't mean that," he said, his hands moving down over my hips and between my legs.

I tried wresting myself out of his grasp, but he was too strong. The shock of feeling his hard s.e.x moving between my thighs froze me for a moment.

"Hey, you like that?" he asked.

"No, please, let me go."

"You fascinate me. April. You're the youngest bis.e.xual girl I know. Rhona thinks you just haven't had a real man yet. That Chinese bay is a wimp. I think she's right. You'll thank me for this. I'll help you make up your mind."

I squirmed and tried pus.h.i.+ng him away, but he put his weight against me and I was barely able to move.

"You don't want to keep fighting me like this.

April. It takes away from the experience, the pleasure."

"Get off me!"