+1+
I kept my eyes on the small bathroom mirror as I unpinned my
hair, individually working out the curls and hair spray. My entire body seemed
to relax once I slipped out of the immaculate wedding dress and tossed it aside, never to be worn again. For extra emphasis I pushed across the floor a little bit with my shoe.
I’d had the town car driver drive aimlessly around New York till I had the nerve to come back to Monroe County. It was dark when I arrived and had it not been for that silver sports car outside I would have thought myself alone as I crept up the steps.
It didn’t matter.I wouldn’t be here long, I stepped out the
bathroom only to face my empty bedroom with unopend crates of my stuff all over the floor.
I sighed eternally standing in the middle of the room feeling slightly foolish,realizing all of my clothes were either at the hotel or Clarice’s house, along with my cell phone. I peered out the window to see the town car still waiting on me.
I went through the crates and threw on a long cardigan I had misplaced in one of the boxes and made my way downstairs
I slammed the
connecting door to the study so hard the silver "C" hanging on the door feel off one of its hooks. I tried to pull it off the door, but it was heavier than I thought and left a sizeable hole in the wall as it slipped from hand and on the floor with a large thud.
I made it halfway down the stairs pausing at the last step when that voice, his voice stopped me.
“Leaving so soon ?”
I looked up to see Mr. Fierro standing by the front door. Through the window pane I could see the town car headlights receding down the street.
“You tricked me. Uou ruined my wedding. . . you humiliated me.”, I bit my lip to hold back tears, "People think I'm crazy"
I picked up a glass vase by the stairs and without thinking threw it at him, I was weak and it landed a few inches away from me on the floor. I felt foolish the second I did it.
“ I’ll beg for your forgiveness later”, he said, Miind you I enjoyed a time when men could hit their wives.”
“I knew it”, I was almost laughing as I took the last steps, “You truly are insane. Although I don't know what's worse, you or the woman you agrees to marry you.”
"I wasn't serious, Ms. DeLune"
“How long did you know ? How could you string me along.”
I made it off of the steps, stepping a little more into the dim hall light.
“You refused to listen to me about the wedding., I knew from the start what I had to do. I’d consulted Emile that night to get you to sign the certificate. He agreed you were being stubborn”
“You tricked me.”, I reminded him
“I saved you”, his temper rose slightly, “From another hapless DeLune charade. Do not worry. . . I will make it up to you. However,I want something from you first”
The tips of his finger brushed my neck gently grasping the music note pendant necklace I was wearing, and placing the key-note charm so it rested at
the center of my collar. I turned away and started pacing
“ Let me guess,You want to know what happened in the hours before my father’s death."
"Yes"
"Well, I want you to tell me what happened when you were in New York. I mean after you stole my grandmother's ashes”
“Patience”, he said
looking past me.
“I have been patient long enough, Mr. Fierro”
“Yes, however I expect your story to be very thorough, and I should warn you Ms. DeLune that once I began to get what I want there will be no stopping till I’m satisfied.”
He was close, way to close.
I stepped into the foyer walking in a little circle trying to get my thoughts together.
“What if you are tricking me again? What if I tell you everything and you tell me nothing."
"Trust me"
"Are you forgetting that you left me crying at the altar ?"
"No. however I am capable of doing much worse. If you don't start doing as you are told. Hurting you is the last thing I want to do but it is still on my list"
He didn’t see me smile quickly before bringing my nails between my teeth, he thought he held all the cards but it didn’t quite work that way.
I was tired of everyone underestimating me.
I was tired of everyone thinking they knew more than me when it came to my own father.
“It’s hard to believe it was just 3 weeks ago.”, I started
+2+
It is hard to believe it was just 3 weeks ago.
Thanksgiving, to be exact.
My father had been away for quite some time, Always traveling for business.I was so busy with my first semester teaching that it even took me a while to realize what was really going on.
Anyway, it was Thanksgiving and my family had spent almost every major holiday together for as long as I can remember.
Mother had gone through the trouble of making a real event of it. She cooked a traditional Italian thanksgiving feast and personally decorated the affair. She even installed a semi-formal dress code, even though it was just the family.
Dinner was to start promptly at 5 pm before the game came
on. We were all there on time except Father.
Father came in late but when he finally arrived it was like a king entering the castle.
He looked haggard but smiled. Mother took his coat and doted on him more than usual but he didn’t pay it any attention. Before he even looked my mother in the eye the first person he looked at was me.
It was his usual stare of disappointment but there was something more behind it that night.
He flashed his smile for the grandkids secretly handing them money and joking with my brother-in-laws. He took his seat at the head of the table and we began to pray and suddenly it was officially one of those picture perfect holiday memories.
I stayed quiet answering questions about school and classes, trying to keep the attention off of myself. For the past few years we had these types of family events outside the house as an excuse to keep Rosalie home.
There was laughter as we humored the children, talked about music and our lives. None of us even at all saying what we were thankful for.
Derek, Claudia’s husband, spoke up right in the middle of dinner. Sending that evening into a downward spiral
“Martin, are we still on for later.”, Derek asked
“Of course, son”, Martin said to Derek
“On for what ?”, mother asked looking concerned her hand clutching her pearls.
Derek is one of those legal types who often forgets to be human. He considered us all more of a formality than a family. Derek’s family's practice had been with my family for decades. He was career-oriented, smart and successful.
“The will, Ma’am”, he said looking over his cell phone
Gone was the holiday spirit and everyone looked to my father for an answer. My father appeared smug as he poured himself another glass of wine. Everyone looked slightly uncomfortable and I had the sense to convince the children to go into the living room until desert.
Once the children were gone Claudia spoke first.
“Are you updating the will tonight, father ?”, Claudia asked. clearly her husband left her out of the loop
“We just want to make adjustments. . . for Audrey and the inheritance”, he said referring to Clarice’s daughter, my seven-year old niece.
Clarice looked to Colin and they held hands, as if they knew what was coming next.
“I’m sorry father,” Claudia started, “But, um I thought the oldest grandchild inherited the family money”
“True and Audrey has nearly three years on your Alma”
“Yes,”, Claudia said, “But Audrey’s not family . . . she’s adopted. . . from another country”, she whispered the last part.
“Claudia, have a heart”, I said seeing Clarice tear up from
her seat in the corner. I knew what she went through to adopt Audrey from Korea a few years ago.
“Shut up Clara”, Claudia said, “All I’m saying is my Alma is the oldest blood granddaughter and she is more entitled.”
“It’s alright”, Clarice offered, “If Claudia wants her daughter to have the inheritance—“
“Nonsense Clarice, don’t let your sister walk all over you.”, Father said.
“What about Clarence ?”, Mother asked with a smile, “He is your only son”
“I don’t think that is best with the divorce and all”, Father answered simply
Mother chocked on her water but quickly recovered.
“Divorce ?”, Clarice and I said.
I don’t know why we were all surprised. I suppose even at our age we wanted to believe that father “working in the city” was a temporary. That they would get past the uneasiness that had filled the house, that they could be in love agaon.
“I’m sorry girls but your mother and I are no longer
together”,he said rather bluntly, "We are getting a divorce"
“After 30 years ?”, Clarice asked meekly.
"29", I corrected her. I just wanted to say something. Claudia glared at me.
Derek looked up from his phone, clearly aware of the divorce and counting the dollar signs when his firm would handle it.
“Why ?”, I asked.
Mother burst out in tears in a way I’d never seen her lose decorum.
“Tell them, Martin”, Mother said, “Tell them why you want a divorce."
He didn’t say anything.
“Girls”, Derek said gently touching his wife who retracted her hand, “Your father has simply found a younger woman to make him happy”
“Derek”, Father warned him.
“It’s Ella isn’t it ?”, I said as Ella, my brother's former nanny, had been fired just a few months ago, “Are you living with her in the city ? How could you do this ? The nanny ? Really Father does family mean nothing to you ?”
Father stood up, he practically towered over me.
“You, young lady are not to speak to me. Now, I’m sorry Claudia but Clarice's daughter is the oldest so the inheritance will go to her."
"I'll take that as a yes", I said.
He looked directly at me.
“I don’t want your money anyway”, I continued, “You just love the power you get pulling our strings. I can’t wait till someone cuts yours.”
My father's hands tensed on the table, and I thought him a better man in that moment. I knew he had wanted to hit me.
“Clara you are on thin ice.”, he turned back to my mother, “Clair, call the grandkids in let’s have desert.”
As mother moved to get up so did Claudia forcing Derek up as
well. Can you believe Mother still listened to him even though Father was divorcing her.
“We are leaving”, Claudia said mostly to my father
“I have to help Martin with the will and the divorce”, Derek insisted, “You know I charge by the hour”
“It’s a holiday", Claudia barked at him, "Derek. I can’t believe you are trying to take money away from your own daughter. I’m the oldest in the family I’ve taken care of all my sisters . . . kept all their secrets and once again I get nothing. We are leaving Derek.”
“Fine”, he grumbled, “Martin I’ll meet you at your office tomorrow morning”
“I’d really like to get this done tonight”, Father said making that the final word.
"Fine, tonight", Derek whispered tyring to escape Claudia's grip
Claudia glared at Derek the entire time he began making plans with my father to met in the city later on. They were going to make a weekend out of it.
But by the end of the night my father would be dead.
“I can’t; believe this”, Claudia said in the hall while putting her coat on, “The only reason Father is giving the money to Clarice and her daughter is because she’s never been talented like us, until recently she wasn’t even the prettiest one.”
“Enough, Claudia”, I said wishing I had learned to not belive her cruel words.
“You know it’s true.”
“Girls”, Father came up to us in the hall with Clarice on his arm, “It’s very important that all of this stay between family. We don’t need important people knowing about our family troubles.”
“Yes, Father”, we all said out of habit.
Claudia went to check on mother and shortly after that she and Derek and Alma left.
I waited around for Clarice and Colin to drive me home but I imaged they would stay for hours. It was getting late and I called a cab.
While I waited I tucked my little brother in. It was always strange having a brother young enough to be my son. I think all of us sisters didn't want to be the distant type of siblings but it had been difficult for us all to be together. I used to resent Clarence because of the way father treated him better than Rosalie.
Anyway, when I came back downstairs mother was still doting on Father, it made me sick
I decided to wait outside for the cab and Father followed me
"Listen to me Clara", He said, “You will learn not to talk out of turn about your father, understand.”
"No, I'm afraid I don't", I sad passively
He grabbed my arm and turned me towards him, his grasp getting a litle to tight. His eyes were glassy and he pushed me to the side then forced me off the step. I landed hard in the snow and turned over to face him
"Do. You. Understand", he asked again.
"Yes, Father. I do", I humored him.
Those were also my last words to him
For the first time I saw a bit of my father’s childhood reflected back at him. Grandpa was lovely, but a bit of an angry drunk/ That anger was now apart of Father. He was raised with so many repressed feelings. I suppose it was because Lucie and Grandpa spent so many years pretending to be in love trying to make their marriage work before they separated in a very messy divorce.
I really thought my parents were in love too. I really did. But some how the nanny found her way in.
I stood outside waiting so long for that cab that Father actually left before me.
I watched through the window as mother helped him into his coat, they were both quiet. I suppose he wanted to get back to Ella and his New York City penthouse as soon he could. He didn't even look at me as he left.
My cab came a little while later, I felt guilty for leaving my mother alone in that big house but I needed some space. When I reached Clarice's house I couldn't make myself go inside so I got in my car and droe to a bar of all places.
"Suddenly my phone rings and. . .
---
“and that's it.”, I said
“Pardon me ?”
“That's it, that is all I'm telling you", I unfolded myself from the armchair and stood up, "Perhaps if you told me what you did while you were New York it would make me more giving.”
“Why don’t you just skip to the part where you murder your father.”
“Why don’t you skip to the part about Cal ?”, I said
The lighter gripped in his hands slipped the tip of the flame catching his finger, I don't even think he noticed
“How did you know about that ?”, he asked
“Rainer showed me the letters between you two.I played dumb though. It's funny. perhaps if you would have kept your promise and married me I wouldn't have run into her.”
I went over to the telephone in the hall way and took my time to dial the cell phone number I had witnessed Mr. Fierro giving Joy the other day. It only took a few seconds for me to hear the stero melody of Clair De Lune coming from the piano room.
He followed me not stopping me as I found his cell phone beside the vase Rosalie had broken the other day.
There was only one number dialed, I pressed redial and waited.
It went straight to voice mail
You’ve reached Claudia
Anne Locke, Leave a message and I’ll get back to you. Kisses
"Tell me", I said, "Tell me everything"
A/N
Ohh, motives.