Fallen Elements (24 page)

Ryan shot her cousin an annoyed glance, as
Carol shifted nervously in her seat. Ryan had mentioned Leah
briefly in a text exchange she had with Carol over a week ago, but
it hadn’t occurred to her the woman would share that detail with
her mother.

Before Ryan could speak, Franklin returned.
“Ladies, have you decided?”

Lucy handed Franklin her menu. “We’ll have
the six course, chef’s choice. No shell fish please, and a bottle
of the Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.”

Franklin retrieved Carol and Ryan’s menus and
left the room. Lucy drained her Old Fashioned, the ice cubes
clinking as she sat the empty glass down on the table. “So, Ryan –
you and Leah?”

It occurred to Ryan she could just lie and
downplay her relationship with Leah, but that seemed disrespectful
to Leah. “We’ve just started dating.”

Lucy’s perfectly manicured eyebrow arched.
“Dating? You must be joking.”

Ryan took a drink of the gin and tonic, a
slight tremor in her hand as her aunt’s tone reminded her of the
many heated arguments her mother and she had. Karen would begin by
sounding incredulous, shift to indignant, and seamlessly transition
to irate.

“I – I’m not joking.” Ryan narrowed her eyes
disapprovingly at her cousin before turning her attention back to
Lucy. “It’s early on, but we’re enjoying each other’s company.”

Lucy leaned forward and rested her elbows on
the table. “I’m sure
she’s
enjoying your company, but what
in god’s name do you talk about?”

Carol cleared her throat. “Mother, Ryan isn’t
going to give us details, and frankly it’s none of our
business.”

Lucy pointed her thin, tapered index finger
at her daughter. “I wasn’t speaking to you, and anything to do with
this family
is
my business.”

In lieu of a retort, Carol reached for her
drink. Ryan was struggling not to sink to her aunt’s level, and
indulge them both in a heated argument. “We’re consenting ad-”

“You should know there’s a history there,
Ryan.” Lucy gestured to Franklin as he entered the room that she
needed another Old Fashioned. The man quickly removed the empty
glass, and left.

“What history?” Ryan was surprised how easily
the otherwise elusive backstory of Leah and her family was going
to, in the end, come to light.

“She made advances toward me when we were in
high school, and when I rebuffed her, she moved on to your mother.
It’s a game for her – the seduction.” Lucy cringed as if the very
thought of Leah turned her stomach.

Ryan was struggling to wrap her mind around
what her aunt was saying. “What kind of advances? What does that
mean?”

Lucy winced. “Do the details matter?”

“Yes.” Ryan said flatly.

Rolling her eyes, Lucy looked down at the
table. “I love you, Ryan, and because of that I’m willing to drudge
this muck up again if it spares you heartache.”

Ryan heard the words coming out of her aunt’s
mouth, but she continued to doubt the validity of what the woman
was saying. “I appreciate that.”

Lucy sighed, bracing her hands on the edge of
the table. “I had already begun to wonder about Leah, but hadn’t
said anything to your mother.” Lucy wiped at invisible tears just
under her eyes. “I was happy she had made a friend she clearly
cared for.”

Ryan was getting the distinct impression her
aunt was stalling, and Ryan couldn’t muster the patience for it
today. “The advances, Aunt Lucy. What happened?”

A flash of irritation shot across Lucy’s
face, but almost immediately her features softened. “She was
staying overnight, and we were both in the kitchen.” Lucy’s eyes
were unfocused as she stared at the table top. “She cornered me and
tried to kiss me. When I told her I wasn’t like
that
she
stormed off.”

The last part of her aunt’s declaration had
come quickly, her words running together. Ryan leaned back in her
chair, unsure what to say. She could see how the incident could be
upsetting to a straight woman, but it didn’t ring true to what she
knew about Leah.

Not waiting for Ryan to respond, Lucy
continued. “It’s sad really, she’s a beautiful woman and could have
almost anyone, but she clearly wants what she can’t have.” Lucy
paused for effect. “Of course, now, you’re giving her what she’s
always wanted.”

Ryan swallowed the lump in her throat, her
aunt’s words jabbing into her like sharp knives. “Giving her
what?”

Lucy grinned. “Don’t be naïve. She’s always
wanted a Myers woman. Our power – our
money
. Now she’s got
one – a generation late, but who’s counting.”

Franklin sat Lucy’s Old Fashioned in front of
her, and the woman slowly lifted the drink to her full lips, her
eyes set on Ryan as she drank.

Carol put her hand on Ryan’s forearm. “I’m
sorry, Ryan.”

Ryan looked at Carol, the muscles in her jaw
jumping. “I don’t believe her, and besides, what happened twenty
five years ago doesn’t have anything to do with me.”

Lucy tisked. “Of course it does. A leopard
doesn’t change its spots. Once she’s bedded you, and hopefully
scored a few pricey gifts, she’ll move on.”

Ryan’s stomach turned at her aunt’s crass
language. “You don’t have to be so vulgar about it.” Ryan was
surprised at the sternness in her voice.

Lucy’s shoulders stiffened. “I’ll say it as I
see fit, and you’d do best to mind your tone.”

Ryan had been in this position with her aunt
before. It was a clear divergence as to which direction the
conversation could go. She could acquiesce to her aunt, or she
could argue with her. Where Leah was concerned, Ryan was inclined
towards the argument.

“I’m not a child, Aunt Lucy, and I’ll choose
my own tones.” Ryan shifted in her chair.

Carol bristled as she reached for Ryan’s arm.
“Ryan.”

“No, let her make a fool out of herself.”
Lucy sat forward, resting her elbows on the table.

Ryan looked at Carol, ignoring her aunt’s
taunting. “I’m sorry, Carol. I just find it hard to believe Leah
would be that careless.”

Carol opened her mouth to speak, but Lucy
quickly interjected. “You address me directly, Ryan Haley – this is
our conversation.” Lucy tone was sharp, her finger pointing at Ryan
as she spoke. “Don’t pull your cousin into it.”

Ryan was pulled in two directions. What she
knew of Leah didn’t align with what Lucy was saying. It did,
though, shed some light on Leah’s vagueness around her relationship
with Karen, and her and Lucy’s animosity toward one another.

Ryan stood up, her knees feeling weak. “I’m
leaving.” She looked at Carol. “We’ll talk later.”

Lucy stood. Her posture was suddenly
welcoming as she reached for Ryan “Don’t be ridiculous. At least
eat something.”

Shaking her head, Ryan nearly ran into
Franklin as she exited the room. “No thank you. Bye.” Winding her
way back through the restaurant, Ryan’s head was spinning and she
felt tears pushing their way out. The cool night air and noise of
the busy city street snapped her back into place, and she took
several deep breaths before walking toward her car.

She needed to talk to Leah, but had no idea
how to broach the subject of whether or not Leah was a seductress
bent on sleeping with Ryan because of her family money. It sounded
so ridiculous. Sliding into the driver’s seat of her Civic, Ryan
stared into the distance, the lights of oncoming cars blurred by
tears.

It doesn’t make sense. We could have slept
together last night, after dinner. Leah put the brakes on, she’s
been the one hesitant about getting into a relationship.

Ryan wiped at her face, and started her car.
Her aunt’s words kept running through her mind as she navigated
through downtown Baltimore:
It’s a game for her
.

Through the haze of disbelief and despair,
Ryan managed to park her car a block from her house. Sitting in the
vehicle, she highlighted Leah’s contact information on her phone,
and pressed the call button.

“Hi. I was just thinking about you.” Ryan
couldn’t help but smile at Leah’s cheerful tone.

“Good stuff, I hope.” Ryan managed through a
tight throat.

“What’s wrong? You sound upset.” Leah’s
lighthearted tone shifted to one of concern. Ryan shook her head.
“Ryan, are you there?” Leah asked.

“Sorry. I’m here. I was shaking my head
no.”

Leah chuckled. “I must have missed that. Does
the head shaking mean you’re okay?”

“I am.” Ryan was forcing air in and out of
her lungs in an effort to keep her voice even. “Can I see you
tonight?”

“Oh, I can’t. I’m actually driving over to
meet Marty for dinner, and then I’ve promised to watch any number
of sci-fi movies with him tonight.” Leah chuckled. “I am very
cool.”

“How about tomorrow?” Ryan was trying not to
sound desperate.

“I’m volunteering at St. Martin’s in
Catonsville tomorrow until four, but any time after works.”

“You volunteer at a convent?” Ryan was
momentarily pulled from the confusion of the evening by this new
and unexpected fact about Leah.

“Like I said, I’m very cool.” Leah teased.
“My aunt was Catholic. She lived in the nursing home there until
she died. So I helped to take care of her, and in the process grew
fond of the nuns. I try to help out when I can.”

“That’s really nice.”

“Try not to sound so surprised, Ryan.” Leah
joked. “Hey, why don’t you meet me there tomorrow, and we can go
have an early dinner? There are tons of little mom-and-pops in the
area.”

Ryan’s head was pounding, and she needed to
blow her nose. “Sounds great. Four then?”

“Yep. See you then!” Leah sounded outright
ecstatic. A mere twenty minutes ago Ryan would have shared her
enthusiasm about getting together, but now she was struggling not
to break down in a sobbing heap.

“See you. Bye.” Ryan quickly hung up and
immediately began crying. She resented her aunt for putting this on
her, and she was angry with her cousin for betraying a confidence.
Once again, her choice to disassociate from her family was being
validated, and the unintended comingling with them again clearly a
mistake.

Ryan got out of her car, and as she walked
toward her house, she tried to imagine what Leah would say to her
tomorrow when confronted with Lucy’s accusations. Ryan needed her
to be outraged and indignant, but if she wasn’t – if she said it
was all true – was Ryan prepared to stop seeing Leah?

People change. Even if she was a
money-grubbing asshole then, that doesn’t mean she’s an asshole
now.

It seemed simple enough to Ryan, but as she
unlocked her front door, her stomach still in knots, she
instinctively knew it wasn’t going to be that easy. After all,
nothing with her family ever was.

Chapter 12

A nun dressed in a white habit sat behind a
counter as Ryan entered the St. Martin’s facility. By Ryan’s
estimation, the woman was at least eighty years old.

“Hello. May I help you?” The woman’s voice
was frail and thin sounding.

“Hi. I’m meeting Leah Brewer. She’s
volunteering today and -”

“Oh, you’re a friend of Leah’s, how
wonderful. She’s just lovely.” The woman slowly stood and pointed
toward one of the three hallways that angled off from the main
entrance. “Take the third hall to the end, and you’ll find her in
the activities room.”

Ryan smiled. “Thank you.” She made her way
down the hall. St. Martin’s was a series of six resident wings
adjacent to a long central building. Ryan walked toward the third
wing back from the front of the home, and found the living areas
charming as each resident was encouraged to decorate the foyer area
outside their rooms.

It was clear to Ryan that many of the
residents had tremendous talent, and she stopped to admire one
piece in particular. A beautifully woven handmade quilt was draped
over an antique rocking chair that sat in the small entryway shared
by two residences. The quilt was a floret pattern done in light
greens and dark blues, with inlays of burgundy stitching
throughout.

Ryan was pulled from her admiration of the
piece by the sound of Leah’s laughter coming from the end of the
hall. She walked toward an open door, feeling – in spite of the
unknowns in their relationship – strangely close to Leah, having
recognized her laughter from afar.

Ryan stood in the doorway of the activities
room. In spite of the dreaded conversation that was to come, she
couldn’t help but smile as she watched Leah interacting with the
home’s residents. Leah was smiling broadly as she sat at a large
rectangular table with three elderly women, a set of playing cards
in each woman’s hands.

“Mrs. Hulme, you know there is no cross table
chatter with Mrs. Dunkin. That’s what is commonly referred to in
the pinochle circles as cheating.” Leah jokingly chastised one of
the women for signaling her partner what she should bid.

“I had something stuck under my dentures,
dear.” Mrs. Hulme frowned. “You wouldn’t want me to get a worry
spot.”

Leah laughed. “I would have those things
refitted then. That’s the third bit of food you’ve had stuck, and
yet I haven’t seen you take a single bite.”

Leah looked up, and seeing Ryan standing in
the doorway, quickly stood, a broad smile on her face. “Ladies,
give me a minute.” Hesitating, Leah grabbed her cards, and put them
in the back pocket of her jeans, looking suspiciously at the five
women. “Better safe than sorry.”

Walking over to Ryan, Leah took the younger
woman’s hands in hers. “I’m running late.” Leah glanced over her
shoulder. “They wanted to play to five hundred, four-handed,
and
they move at a snail’s pace.”

Ryan wanted to pull Leah to her, and pretend
the conversation with her aunt hadn’t happened. She wanted to enjoy
the moment intentionally unaware of the unanswered questions that
lingered between her and the beautiful woman in front of her.