A Perfect Stranger (21 page)

Don't look so uptight, pretty lady. He spoke to her softly. The wicked witch of the East isn't going to hurt you.

Oh, Alex. The four of them laughed, but Raphaella was always uneasy about her. She had an odd sense that if she had to Kay would do anything to get what she wanted out of life. And if what she wanted was to separate Alex from Raphaella, perhaps she would find a way to do just that. Which is why they made sure she knew nothing about them and they led a totally hidden life. They never went out in public. They only met in the house. And there was no one who knew about them, except Charlotte, and now Amanda.

Do you think she'll win the election, Mother? Alex looked searchingly at his mother as he lit one of his rare cigars. He only smoked Havanas when he could get them, long, narrow, pungent, aromatic wonders, which he got from a friend who flew in and out of Switzerland, where he bought the Cuban cigars from another old friend.

No, Alex, I don't. I think this time Kay has bitten off more than she can chew. The incumbent is a great deal stronger than she is. But she's certainly trying to make up for it with a lot of hard work and a great many tough speeches. She's also fighting for an endorsement from every powerful politician she can find.

Alex looked at his mother oddly. Including my ex-father-in-law?

Of course.

God bless her. She's incredible. She's got more goddamn nerve than anyone I know. And then he turned to Raphaella. He's a powerful man in politics, and he's one of the reasons Kay was so pissed off when I got divorced from Rachel. She was afraid that the old man would be mad. And he was. He grinned at Raphaella in amusement. He sure as hell was. Then he looked at his mother again. Is she seeing Rachel?

Probably. Charlotte sighed. Her daughter would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. She never had.

Alex turned to Raphaella again and took her hand in his. See what an interesting family I come from. And you think your father is peculiar. You should only know some of my cousins and uncles. Christ, at least half of them are nuts.

Even Charlotte laughed in amusement, and Amanda slipped into the kitchen and began to clean up. Alex noticed it after a moment and raised an eyebrow in Raphaella's direction. Something wrong?

She whispered softly. I think it upsets her to talk about her mother. It brings back some difficult memories.

For an instant Charlotte Brandon looked worried, and then she gave them both the news. I hate to tell you this, now, children, but Kay said she was going to try to be here by the end of the week. She wanted to see Amanda around Christmas.

Oh, shit. Alex sat back in his chair with a slump and a groan. Why now? What the hell does she want?

His mother looked at him bluntly. Amanda. What do you think? She thinks it's hurting her politically to have Mandy out here. She is afraid that people think there's a secret, maybe the girl's pregnant or she's coming off drugs.

Oh, for chris-sake. As he said it Raphaella disappeared into the kitchen to chat with Mandy as they cleared. She could see that the child was distressed by the conversation, and at last she put an arm around her shoulders and decided to tell her, so that she, too, would be prepared.

Amanda your mother is coming out here.

What? The girl's eyes flew wide. Why? She can't take me back with her. I won't go' I'll' she can't' . Her eyes filled instantly with tears and she clung to Raphaella, who held her tight.

You don't have to go anywhere, but you should see her.

I don't want to.

She's your mother.

No, she's not. Amanda's eyes went cold and Raphaella looked shocked.

Amanda!

I mean it. Giving birth to a baby doesn't make a woman a mother, Raphaella. Loving that child and caring for it and about it, sitting with it when it's sick, and making it happy and being its friend, that's what makes a mother. Not getting votes and winning elections. Christ, you're more my mother than she ever was. Raphaella was touched but she didn't want to come between them. She was always careful about that. In her own way she couldn't be more than an invisible partner in their lives, not for her or for Alex. She had no right to take Kay's place.

Maybe you're not being fair to her, Amanda.

No? Do you have any idea how often I see her? Do you know when I see her, Raphaella? When some newspaper wants to take pictures of her at home, when she's going to some goddamn youth group and needs me as a prop, when I make her look good somewhere, that's when I see her. That's the only time I see her. And then the final damnation. Has she called me here?

But Raphaella knew better. Would you have wanted her to?

Amanda was honest. No, I would not.

Maybe she sensed that.

Only if it suited her purposes. And then, with a shake of her head, she turned away, suddenly no longer a perceptive, angry young woman, but once more a child. You don't understand.

Yes, I do. More than she wanted to admit to Amanda. I'm sure she's not an easy woman, darling, but

It's not that. Amanda turned to face her with tears in her eyes. It's not that she's difficult. It's that she doesn't give a damn about me. She never did.

You don't know that. Raphaella's voice was gentle. You will never know what's happening inside her head. She may feel a great deal more than you think.

I don't think so. The young girl's eyes were bleak, and Raphaella shared her pain. She walked over to her and held her for a long moment.

I love you, darling. And so does Alex, and so does your grandma. You have all of us.

Amanda nodded, fighting back tears. I wish she weren't coming.

Why? She can't hurt you. You're perfectly safe here.

It doesn't matter. She scares me. She'll try to take me away.

Not if you don't want to go. You're too old to be forced to go anywhere. And besides, Alex won't let that happen.

Amanda nodded sadly, but when she was alone in her bedroom, she sobbed for two hours. The prospect of seeing her mother again filled her with dread. And after Alex left for the office the next morning, she sat staring mournfully out at the fog hanging over the bay. It looked like an omen of dreadful things coming, and suddenly, as she watched it, she knew that she had to do something, before her mother came.

It took her half an hour to find her, and when she did, her mother sounded curt on the phone. To what do I owe this honor, Amanda? I haven't heard from you in a month.

She didn't remind her mother that she hadn't called or written either. Grandma says you're coming out.

That's right.

Why? Amanda's voice trembled. I mean

Just what do you mean, Amanda? Kay's voice was like ice. Is there some reason why you don't want me to come out there?

You don't need to. Everything is just fine.

Good. I'll be happy to see that.

Why? Dammit, why? Without meaning to, Amanda started to cry, I don't want you to come out here.

How touching, Amanda. It's always nice to know that you're just thrilled.

It's not that, it's just

What?

I don't know. Amanda's voice was barely more than a whisper. It'll just remind me of New York. Of her loneliness there, of how little time her parents gave her, of how empty the apartment always was, of the Thanksgiving she had spent alone' and then been raped.

Don't be childish. I'm not asking you to come here. I'm coming to see you out there. Why should that remind you of New York?

I don't know. But it will.

That's nonsense. And I want to see for myself how you are. Your uncle has hardly gone out of his way to let me know.

He's busy.

Oh, really? Since when? Her voice rang with contempt and Amanda bristled instantly at the words.

He's always been busy.

Not since he lost Rachel, darling, not Alex. What's he have to be busy with?

Don't be a bitch, Mother.

Stop it, Amanda! You may not speak to me like that. As it so happens, you're so goddamn blind about your Uncle Alex that you wouldn't notice his shortcomings. It's no wonder he wants you around. After all, what else does he have to do! Rachel tells me he's so stuck on himself, he has no friends. Except now of course he's got you.

What a stinking thing to say. As always when she was confronted by her mother, she began to seethe with rage. He has a damn good law practice, he works very hard, and he has lots of things in his life.

And how would you know, Amanda? There was a vicious implication in the words, which made Amanda catch her breath.

Mother! She sounded very young and very shocked.

Well? Kay pressed in for the kill. It's true, isn't it? Once you're back with me, he'll be alone again. No wonder he hangs on so tight.

You make me sick. He happens to be involved with a perfectly wonderful woman, who is worth ten of you, and is a better mother to me than you've ever been or ever will be.

Really? Kay began to sound intrigued and suddenly Mandy's heart raced. She knew she shouldn't have told her, but she couldn't stand the implications her mother was making. It had just been too much. And who is she?

That's none of your business.

Is that right? I'm afraid I don't agree with you, my dear. Is she living with the two of you?

No. Amanda sounded nervous. No, she's not. Oh, God, what had she done? She instinctively sensed that telling her mother had been a terrible thing to do, and she was suddenly frightened, for Raphaella and Alex, as much as for herself. It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have said anything.

Why not? Is it a secret?

No, of course not. For God's sake, Mother, ask Alex. Don't pump me.

I will. Of course I'll see for myself when I'm out there. And so she did.

The following evening, at nine thirty, with no prior warning, the doorbell rang and Alex bounded down the stairs. He couldn't imagine who it could be that late in the evening, and Raphaella was in the kitchen chatting over tea and cookies with Amanda and his mother. They were in no way prepared for the vision that appeared only a moment later at the foot of the stairs. Amanda's mother stood in the kitchen doorway, watching them with considerable interest, her red hair freshly coifed, in a dark gray mohair coat with a matching skirt. It was a perfect outfit for a politician. It looked serious and somehow managed to make her look both competent and feminine all at the same time. But it was her eyes that intrigued Raphaella as she stood for the introduction and held out a graceful hand.

Good evening, Mrs. Willard. How do you do? Kay greeted her mother curtly with a peck on the cheek before taking the proffered hand, which she shook hard, and then moved away from the perfectly etched cameo face. It was a face that she somehow thought she remembered, it was familiar, yet not a face she had met before, at least she didn't think so. Had she seen her somewhere? Seen her picture somewhere? It troubled her as she walked slowly to where her daughter stood. Amanda had not come toward her, and as far as anyone knew, they had had no contact since Amanda left New York. She hadn't had the heart to admit to anyone that she had called her mother the day before, and spilled the beans about Raphaella.

Amanda? Kay looked at her questioningly, as though she were asking if Amanda would say hello.

Hello, Mother. Reluctantly she forced herself to approach her and then stood looking uncomfortable and unhappy only a foot away.

You look very well. She gave her a perfunctory kiss on the forehead and looked over her shoulder. It was obvious that her interest in Raphaella was greater than her interest in anyone else in the room. There was an air of distinction and of elegance about Raphaella that intrigued Alex's older sister more than anyone knew.

Would you like coffee? Alex poured her a cup, and Raphaella forced herself not to move. She had grown so used to playing lady of the house in the past month that she had to remind herself now not to do anything that might give her away. She sat quietly at the table, like any other guest.

The conversation went on inanely for another half hour, and then, after a private word with Alex, Raphaella excused herself and left, explaining that it was getting late. It was shortly after ten o'clock. And as soon as the door closed behind her Kay's narrowed eyes fell on her brother, and she wore a tight little smile.

Very interesting, Alex. Who is she?

A friend. I introduced you. He looked intentionally vague, and he didn't see that Amanda blushed.

Not really. All you told me was her first name. What's her last name? Is she anyone important?

Why? Are you soliciting campaign funds out here? She doesn't vote in this country, Kay. Save your energy for someone else. His mother looked amused and coughed over her cup of tea.

Something tells me that something about her isn't kosher. Just the way she said it annoyed Alex, and he looked up with an irritated glance. He was also uncomfortable about not having escorted Raphaella back to her house, but he agreed with Raphaella that it was best not to make a big show of their relationship to his sister. The less she knew, the better off they'd all be.

That's a stupid thing to say, Kay.

Is it? Christ, she'd been in his house for less than an hour and she was already driving him nuts. He tried not to let it show, but it did. Then what's the big secret about her? What's her name?

Phillips. Her ex-husband was American.

She's divorced?

Yes. He lied. Anything else you want to know? Her criminal record, job references, scholastic achievements?

Does she have any?

Does it matter? As their eyes met they each knew that they were still at war. What Kay wondered was why. The purpose of her trip, and her alleged interest in her daughter, was forgotten as she ferreted for information about her brother's intriguing friend. And more importantly, Kay, is it any of your business?

I think so. If she's hanging around my daughter, I'd like to know who and what she is. The perfect excuse. The virtues of motherhood. It covered her like an umbrella and Alex sneered.

You never change, do you, Kay?

Neither do you. In neither case was it a compliment. She looks empty to me. He fought himself not to react. Does she work?