A Love for All Seasons (17 page)

He felt Alicia handled the situation reasonably well. Since Caroline's death he feared Alicia would cope by returning to the excessive drinking he'd noticed when they first met, but he'd had dinner with her twice since that sad episode at the hospital, and she declined his suggestion to order a bottle of wine. Perhaps the source of her stress came from witnessing her mother's decline—which he was sure couldn't have been easy—and now that Caroline's suffering had ended she would revert to the near-teetotaler Pete and Rhonda spoke of.

He felt badly about not being able to spend as much time with her during such a difficult time due to the demands of his position. He'd had the audio/visual guys screen the presentation for him just yesterday, and he spotted some things he wanted changed. His team was working on it now, and he felt a little less guilty about taking the day off to be with Alicia. He only had two days left to give a final green light for the project by the deadline of the first workday of the New Year. Tomorrow was sure to be a marathon day.

He'd been putting in a lot of those lately. The team members joked that after this was over they all had some Royal Caribbean coming. He liked the idea of taking a cruise with Alicia, relaxing on a sun-brightened deck, enjoying balmy sea breezes and sipping cocktails, and then dancing after dinner. Not the boogie down kind of dancing, but the romantic kind, the kind where you glided across the floor the way his grandparents must have done when they were young.

Between her mother's death and his project, some time to merely enjoy each other was just what they needed. His family, who tried to take a trip together every three years, had a cruise vacation planned for February. Maybe he'd invite her to attend the reunion with him.

The more he thought about it the better it sounded. But he knew this wasn't the right time to mention it to her.

After walking for nearly half an hour they found themselves back where they started, the Timberlake's back yard. Jack checked his watch. Three-forty. His team probably had the video re-done for him by now. He really should check it the first chance he got.

“Alicia, I'm thinking about heading home,” he said tentatively. “Will you be all right?”

“Yes, I feel a lot better now. I'll walk out with you and say good-bye to everyone, and then I'm going up to lay down. I feel exhausted, like I just swam the English Channel.”

“It's been a big day for you.”

She stopped just short of the kitchen door and turned to him. “Jack, I can't thank you enough for being there. You helped a lot more than you think you did. I want to tell you how much I appreciate it.”

For one crazy second he considered telling her he loved her. He let the idea go as quickly as it formed. She'd made her feelings about love plain to him the night of the storm. The last thing he wanted to do was give her more emotional issues to deal with. He'd made progress, of that he was certain. Even Pete pulled him aside and told him it looked like he'd been wrong about the low likelihood of him ever getting anywhere with Alicia.

Jack bid the remaining mourners good-bye and walked outside with Alicia along with Pete and Rhonda. A few ofAlicia's friends he recognized had attended the funeral, including Jenny Walters and Derek Taylor—the latter keeping a respectable distance—and her business partner, Shannon Anderson, whom he'd met just a few weeks ago when he went to Alicia's office in Lower Manhattan to retrieve his laptop. Shannon introduced him to her parents at the cemetery. She attended the repast, unlike most of Alicia's friends, who returned to Manhattan following the conclusion of the graveside service, but left soon after arriving at the Timberlake home.

Holding Alicia's hand, he walked with her to the Robinsons' SUV and stood while Pete helped Rhonda into the high-sitting vehicle. After the Robinsons drove off with a wave, Alicia walked with Jack to his Aviator, which he'd deliberately parked well down the street out of deference to the many seniors returning to the house.

“If you need me, no matter what time it is, just call,” he instructed after using the remote to unlock the door, but before opening it. Impulsively he wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in the niche between her neck and shoulder, the warmth of her skin radiating the fragrance he'd gifted her with on Christmas, just a few days before. The corners of his mouth turned up when he felt one of her hands on his shoulder and the other resting on the back of his head, and he allowed himself the luxury of believing it would all work out.

She's Leaving Home

Westport, Connecticut

Early 2000s

“I
can't believe my baby girl is leaving home,” Caroline said in a voice that sounded suspiciously like she was about to cry.

Alicia turned from the bag she was packing. “Now, Mom. Aren't you forgetting I didn't live at home when I went to college?”

“But that was different. You needed the experience of being away from home.” Caroline sank into a chair as Fletcher's frame filled the doorway. “Besides, you came home every couple of weeks.”

Alicia knew what else was different. When she went away to college, Daphne was only twelve years old and still living at home. Now Daphne was married, living in Westchester County with her husband. Alicia's leaving meant there would be no one but her parents in the house. “And I'll keep doing that now. Mom, I'm only going to New York. I stay there a lot now, anyway, with friends.” Alicia always told her parents that she stayed with her friends Rhonda, Shannon or Jenny at their apartments in the city when she had dates, when often she stayed overnight at her date's apartment. She doubted they believed she was a virgin at thirty years old, nor did she feel they had to know every detail of her social life. “You'd worry more about me trying to get to Grand Central after dark than you would knowing I don't have to go that far after my classes.”

“I don't understand why you have to take up court stenography in the first place,” Fletcher grumbled. “If you were interested in the legal profession we would have sent you to law school. You don't have to be a glorified secretary.”

“I'm not particularly interested in the legal profession, Pop. All I know is that I don't like crunching numbers. This opportunity with Shannon is going to be good for me.”

Fletcher grunted. “I ran into Howard Anderson last week at the golf course. He was never too thrilled about his daughter choosing court stenography for a profession, but at least he's glad to see that she's become a business owner instead of working for somebody else.”

“Most court stenographers work as contractors, Pop. They work when they want to.”

Caroline took her husband's arm. “Now, Fletcher, I know you would have loved it if both our girls became attorneys like yourself, but what's most important is that they're both doing what they enjoy.” She beamed at Alicia.

“Daphne won't be teaching long,” he grumbled. “As soon as she and Todd start a family she'll give it up. Although I'm not sure how they'll manage on one salary with Todd still working in the D.A.'s office. I keep telling him he should have gone to work for a private firm. That's where the money is.”

Caroline tugged at his arm. “Dear, don't you remember? Florence and Henry own a four-family house in White Plains. The kids are going to move in to one of the two-bedroom apartments as soon as it becomes available. The Scotts won't charge them much rent, so Todd will be able to support them fine on his salary and Daphne won't have to work.”

“As long as he's not considering having her go back to work and have my grandchildren raised by day care workers.”

“Fletcher, you lived your life the way you wanted to. Let Todd do the same thing,” Caroline said patiently.

“I never had anyone give me any breaks,” Fletcher declared. “I went straight from law school into a firm, and I was able to support my family comfortably from day one. You never had to go back to work at the funeral home from the time Alicia came on the scene.”

“I don't have any plans to get married anytime soon, Pop.” She didn't have the heart to tell him that she doubted she'd ever marry.

“Maybe you ought to think about settling down, Precious. You're almost thirty.”

“I realize that, Pop.”

“Your mother and I are looking forward to having plenty of grandchildren.”

Once again Caroline came to the rescue. “It's just that your father and I don't want you and Daphne to wait as long as we did to start families, so you won't have the difficulties we had.”

“Women are having babies later nowadays, Mom.” Alicia tactfully refrained from pointing out that neither she nor Daphne had the heart ailment that had plagued Caroline for most of her life.

“All I can say is, this house isn't going to be the same without you, Precious.” Fletcher sounded a bit sad.

Alicia felt like someone had stuck pins into her flesh. Her parents had suddenly grown old before her eyes. Her tall father, famous for his erect carriage, suddenly seemed slightly stooped over. He was now in his early seventies and fully retired from law after several years of putting in part-time hours. He didn't need the money; he did it because he loved his work. Caroline was sixty-six. Their ages seemed so advanced to be parents of relatively youthful children of thirty and twenty-four.

She found herself wishing that Daphne would hurry and have a child. Her sister believed in doing everything the traditional way, and she'd already been married two years. Wasn't that the norm, to get pregnant two years into marriage? Their parents needed something to look forward to besides regular games of golf. This house would probably seem cavernous to them with no one but themselves living here.

At least they had a good relationship with Martha and Marvin Lewis and their children, who were ten and eleven and attended the local middle school. Sadie had stayed with them from before Daphne's birth until they moved to this house three years later, when she decided to retire. There'd been another housekeeper for ten years who eventually became ill, and then Martha Lewis came to them after that. The Timberlake family watched the Lewis children grow up before their eyes, and the children were frequently in the house helping their mother.

“This whole thing about getting your own apartment in the city,” Fletcher continued. “If you ask me, I think it's a little foolish. A woman should go from her parents' roof to the one she will share with her husband.”

Alicia could have mouthed his next words, so certain was she of what he would say.

“Like Daphne,” he said.

She merely smiled and continued packing, more certain than ever that she'd made the right choice.

Martha My Dear

A
licia
awoke to see darkness outside her window. She reached out and turned on the lamp on the bedside table. Eight-twenty. She'd slept for nearly five hours. She must have been exhausted, both from planning the funeral and from realizing that her mother was really gone. She'd never again lay eyes on that lovely face with the concerned eyes or hear the voice murmur compassionate phrases.

She washed her face in the attached private bathroom, then ventured out into the hall. She saw a light under her mother's room and knocked politely before going in, not waiting for consent. Who was in there?

Daphne and Todd sat on her mother's bed, the doors and drawers of Caroline's walnut jewelry armoire opened and, from what Alicia could see, practically empty.

“What's going on?” It looked like Daphne was helping herself to their mother's jewelry, but Alicia wanted to hear her say the words.

Daphne glanced at Todd before replying. “We're just going through Mom's things.”

“It looks more like you're cleaning her out. Where's the pieces Mom promised to our aunts and to Martha?”

“They're there,” Todd said quickly.

Alicia's closer inspection found the promised jewelry in one of the drawers, along with loads of costume pieces. Those had been passed over, clearly because they had no value. She faced her sister squarely, hands on hips. “Did it occur to you while you were grabbing everything in sight that
I
might want some of Mom's jewelry?”

Daphne raised her chin. “Let me tell you how things are going to be, Alicia.”

“Yes, Daphne. By all means, tell me.”

“You can act all cool now. I guarantee you won't be so nonchalant after you hear what I have to tell you.” She paused for effect, smiling at Alicia's unchanged expression. “I don't know what I can do about my aunts, but Martha isn't going to get a thing from my mother's estate.”

“Since Mom left a will specifying her wishes, I'd like to hear how you plan to prevent that from happening.”

Todd spoke up. “We're going to contest Caroline's will. There's no reason for Martha to be awarded all that money. Fletcher and Caroline provided very nicely for Martha's entire family while they were alive.”

She looked at her brother-in-law in amazement. “Mom
wanted
to give jewelry and money to Martha, or else she wouldn't have willed it to her. She often said she considered Martha to be like a daughter. And she protected her from what Daph—what you two might do.” She'd always thought Daphne behind any attempted shenanigans, but Todd's statement made her think otherwise. She thought of the law degree he possessed, and she began to feel alarmed.

“If you're not well and you've been coerced, what's on paper only
looks
like it's your wishes,” Daphne said meaningfully.

“Mom wasn't demented, Daphne. She left Martha that money because Martha took such good care of her. She was hired to keep house, not provide personal care. But in the end she did both.”

Daphne's eyes narrowed. “So you're not with me on this?”

“No, I'm not. And personally, I don't think you stand a shot of winning.”

“All right, so be that way. Todd is on my side. He'll support me.”

“I'll testify on Martha's behalf, Daphne. No one would believe that Mom leaving her a mere twenty-five thousand dollars and a few pieces of jade constitutes coercion.”

Daphne smirked in a way Alicia found unnerving. “That and a subway token will get me from the Bronx to South Ferry.”

“Don't underestimate my influence. After all, I'm the eldest child.”

Her sister grunted. “How appropriate for you to use that term, instead of something like, say, ‘first born.'”

“Daphne,” Todd said, his voice carrying an admonition. Alicia looked first at him and then at Daphne. She had a sudden Twilight Zone feeling. Just a few hours ago, when they discussed the terms of their mother's will with Sam McDaniel in the library, Daphne had started to say something and Todd cut her off. “What's going on?” she asked suspiciously.

“I wouldn't be so quick to testify for Martha if I were you,” Daphne said.

“I'm not a poker player,” Alicia began, “but I can tell when someone feels they're holding a trump card. Go ahead, Daphne. Play it.”

“Daphne,” Todd warned. “There's no need for any of that to come out.”

Her smile was mean-spirited. “If Big Sister feels she can take it, I'll tell her.”

Her husband persisted. “Daphne, don't do this!”

“No,” Alicia said, holding out a hand to halt Todd. “I want to hear what she knows—what
both
of you know—about me that I don't.”

“I don't think that's a good idea,” Todd said frantically. “Why don't we just forget it before somebody loses their temper.”

“Forget it? No, Todd, it's gone too far for that.” Alicia turned expectantly to Daphne. “Go ahead.”

She paused dramatically. “You're
not
my sister.”

The corners of Alicia's mouth turned upward. “I can't say I find it particularly upsetting not to be related to you.”

“You're not even Mom and Pop's daughter.”

Alicia stopped smiling. What was this about?

“You're nothing but an orphaned little nobody whose father was killed by your mother's boyfriend. The police found you sitting by your father's dead body. Pop heard about you through his legal connections. You had no family. You came out of the Hartford ghetto. I know I can't get you out of Mom's will, but I don't have to sit back and watch Martha Lewis walk off with one cent of my parents' money.”

It took every ounce of restraint Alicia could muster not to crumple at such an astounding announcement, but she knew if she appeared crushed Daphne would never let her forget it. Sheer stubbornness kept her calm. “You can try to contest Mom's will, but I'll see to it that you lose. And since you never bothered to ask me if I wanted any of Mom's jewelry, I'll tell you now that I want Mom's ivory cameo,” she said quietly.

“Didn't you hear what I said? Your testimony won't mean a thing. She wasn't your mother. Your real mother got stabbed to death by her boyfriend after he killed your father.”

Another blow. Alicia bit her lip and her hands, at her sides, pressed tightly into her thighs to help her stand steady. “I want the cameo, Daphne,” she repeated.

Daphne didn't move.

Todd stood up to his full height of six feet, three inches. “Give her the damn cameo, Daphne,” he ordered.

She glared at her husband. “Why should I? Do you have any idea what that's worth? She's not a blood relative. It was my mother's jewelry. Why should she get to have it?”

Todd grabbed a large Zip-Loc bag and poured the contents out onto the bed, and began sorting through it. Alicia noticed the multiple other zipped bags lying on the bed. If she hadn't woken up, Daphne would have walked out of their parents' house with every piece of jewelry Caroline had owned.

“Oh, all right,” Daphne said, sounded exasperated. “I think it's in this one.” She reached for another bag, unzipped it and pulled out the oval-shaped cameo with its black background and gold chain. She handed it to Todd, as if it would be too much to give it to Alicia directly.

“Did you want anything else, Alicia?” Todd asked as he placed the cameo in her palm. At Daphne's audible gasp he snapped, “Be quiet.”

She shook her head before accenting it with, “No. That's all I want. If you'll excuse me.” She walked out of the room slowly, not wanting to give Daphne the satisfaction of seeing her run to her room to absorb the shocking information just disclosed in private.

Todd turned to Daphne. “That was a truly rotten thing you just did. How could you?”

“I just wanted to see Big Sister lose her cool for once.”

“Why have you always been so jealous of Alicia?”

“I'm not jealous of her! Why should I be? She doesn't have a thing I want. Especially now.
I'm
the only offspring of my parents' marriage, Todd. That's why I got all my father's attention. He might have been proud of Alicia, what she'd accomplished and all, considering where she came from, but he
loved
me. Even if I'd dropped out of college and never worked a day in my life, he still would have loved me. He treated me special. He always did. I just never knew why until Mom told me Alicia was adopted.”

“So that's it. You can't stand knowing that you had to share your mother not only with Alicia, but with Martha as well.”

She shrugged. “I'm their only
real
child, and that's that. I know I can't get Alicia removed from the will, but I don't think she'll want anything other than the money Mom left her and the share in the funeral homes. She'll probably feel too guilty to want any interest in the house. It'll all be ours, Todd. And one day it'll belong to Fletch and his sibling, when she gets here.” She smiled at him mischievously. “That reminds me. Maybe we can start on that project soon. We won't have to worry about money.”

He stared at her incredulously. “Daphne, I'm disappointed in you to the point of being outright disgusted. Your mother was just buried a few hours ago, yet you insisted on going through her jewelry box instead of going to bed. Do you really think Alicia is worried about grabbing as much of your mother's things as she can?”

“She can't now, can she?”

He shook his head. “It's bad enough that you told Alicia about her adoption the way you did. You promised me you wouldn't tell her, that you'd speak to Sam McDaniel about it and let him tell her, since he handled all the arrangements. You broke your word without a second thought. But how can you sit here talking about trying to make another baby when your sis—when Alicia is down the hall with her whole world unraveling because of you?”

“I'm sorry I broke my promise. It just burns me up to see her prancing around like she owns the place.”

“I've got news for you, Daphne. She
does
own it, as much as you do. And she's as much entitled to live here as you are. There's no reason for her to give it up. In the eyes of the law she is the oldest child of Fletcher and Caroline Timberlake.” He turned his back to her as he took a few steps toward the window, then turned back. “You know, this is your father's fault. I can understand how excited he felt to have a child he created after thinking that would never happen, but he went overboard with that whole Princess routine, and it affected you the wrong way. I guess I didn't help. I've always indulged you myself, like the way I agreed with you that Martha shouldn't get that money.
Agreed
,” he clarified at her smile, “as in past tense. I don't feel that way anymore.

“I still don't understand you, Daphne. I couldn't believe the way you acted this afternoon with Sam. You had the worse case of the ‘gimme's' I've ever seen in anyone over five years old. You never used to be greedy like this. We're far from rich, but we do all right. I'm six years out of law school, but because we live in an apartment my parents own and our rent is low I can afford to keep you at home with little Fletch. Our situation isn't all that different from that of the Lewis family, when you think about it. We have a good life. But I'll tell you something. Your father and I both did you a disservice by giving you everything you wanted.

“And I'll tell you something else,” he added. “This is no idle threat, Daphne, I really mean this. You take one step to contest your mother's will, and I'll divorce you.” He saw fear in her eyes and knew his words had an impact.

“Now, excuse me,” he said. “I have to tell Alicia something.”