Three

Lynne Chamberlain had never been comfortable visiting the Mendozas. She couldn’t put her finger on exactly why, but she felt deep in her bones that they weren’t her kind of people. Mercedes was too loud, too familiar, too earthy, too sensual, too—ethnic was the word Lynne was looking for, although she wouldn’t admit it. It sounded bigoted and Lynne prided herself on her lack of bigotry.

Ask anyone. She’d lobbied for funding for the new Bower’s Museum wing, the one featuring Hispanic art, and in the last election, she’d voted to support affirmative action. Her internist was Vietnamese, her gardener Japanese and her accountant African-American. Ethnic minorities made up the majority of the population in California. She had no objections at all when Kristen declared she was going to marry Gabriel Mendoza. Not that Lynne considered Gabriel the least bit ethnic. He didn’t speak Spanish and his father was Austrian. No, it wasn’t Gabriel who made Lynne uncomfortable, or his three sisters, all of whom were far more accomplished than her own daughter. It was Mercedes she didn’t want to rub elbows with.

The woman didn’t behave the way an elderly woman should behave, at least in public. First of all, she was too large, too loud and too present. It wasn’t just her girth. In a world where women counted their carbohydrates, attended Pilates classes and worried about cholesterol, Mercedes, dressed in a garish muumuu, her arms jiggling, served up purple margaritas in salt- dipped glasses and appetizers piled high with melted cheese, guacamole and sour cream. When she laughed, she tipped her head back and, from somewhere deep in her throat, emitted a loud braying sound that turned the heads of everyone within fifty yards. She drank too much, asked personal questions, left vulgar tips in restaurants, struck up conversations with homeless people and store clerks. She favored colors like red and hot pink and lime green. Her hair, although quite beautiful, was too long, and jewelry swung from her ears and her wrists in gypsy-like abandon. She harvested and distilled her own lavender, which wasn’t really all that bad, but then she actually rented a booth at the farmers’ market on Tuesdays and hawked it to passing strangers. Most embarrassing. The woman had no boundaries. She couldn’t possibly be a good influence for her grandchildren.

Lynne considered Mercedes to be the primary reason Kristen left her family. No Chamberlain had ever abandoned her responsibilities in such a way. It must have been Mercedes. Kristen simply couldn’t cope with her. Although it was the last thing on the planet she wanted to do, Lynne saw it as her duty to rescue Kristen’s children. There was nothing she could do about Claire, of course. Claire was Gabriel’s daughter, too, and no court on earth would remove a child from her natural father, especially one so devoted to her well-being. Besides, Claire required a different kind of care, an energy that Lynne, a woman in her seventies, no longer had to give.

“Hello, Lynne.”

Startled out of her thoughts, she turned and saw her former son-in-law. “Gabriel. I’m sorry. I was deep in thought. How are you?”

He came farther into the room and sat down in the chair across from her. She noticed that he made no move to embrace her, or even shake her hand.

“I’m fine, thank you. It’s been a while,” he said. “I’m glad you could make it.”

“Well, yes.” Deliberately, she kept her hands still in her lap. “I’ve been meaning to come for quite some time. I wanted to talk with you about the children.”

“The children?”

“Eric and Emma.”

Those piercing blue eyes regarded her steadily. When it came to good looks, Gabriel Mendoza, with his blade-sharp features, lean height and cool blue eyes, had been fairy-touched at birth. He didn’t smile enough, but Lynne would never hold that against him. A serious man would take life seriously, she remembered telling her daughter.

She knew from the minute Kristen brought him home that there was no point in trying to talk the girl out of marrying him. Gabriel was one of a kind, a hybrid, taking after neither parent. Claire was the same, the best of both her mother and father. Lynne wasn’t superstitious, but sometimes she wondered if there wasn’t some kind of master scale weighing checks and balances to assure that a child approaching perfection bore some type of adversity. Her youngest granddaughter was beautiful and intelligent, but there were times when she slipped behind a cloud so dark and impenetrable that those who loved her were moved to levels of quiet desperation.

When Gabriel didn’t respond, she prodded him. “My grandchildren, Eric and Emma?”

He nodded. “Two of your grandchildren. You have three.”

She flushed. “I’m aware of that, Gabriel. I love all of them, equally. They’re all my daughter’s children. But I’m here because of the two who aren’t yours.”

“I don’t think of them as not mine.”

“Nevertheless, you know the saying, ‘blood will out.’”

He frowned. “What does that have to do with anything? Being a father is more than sharing a gene pool.” “

I won’t argue with you about that.”

“Why are you here, Lynne?”

She’d pushed him too far. She smiled tentatively. “Do you mind if we have dinner first? I’d like to share a meal with the children without animosity. Can we do that, Gabriel? Please?”

He looked surprised. “Of course. You’re always welcome here, Lynne. I hope you know that.”

“Yes. Thank you. It’s just that since Kristen left—” She left the sentence unfinished.

“It’s awkward. I know. However, you don’t have to visit with them here if it makes you uncomfortable. Make whatever arrangements you want with the children. Take them to lunch or keep them overnight. Whatever you’d like.”

“I appreciate that, Gabriel, because that’s exactly what I had in mind.”

Emma poked her head into the room. “Gran said to tell you dinner is ready.”

Lynne smiled. “Come in, darling, and say hello to me. I didn’t realize you were home.”

Slowly, Emma slunk into the room, still dressed in chains and leather. Gabe closed his eyes briefly.

Lynne looked at her granddaughter, her glance moving slowly over the torn blouse dipping over one shoulder, the tight, low-waisted leather pants that left a significant part of Emma’s midriff bare, and the silver chains hanging from her belt to her knees. Her mouth dropped. “Why are you dressed like that? Are you going to a costume party? What on earth did you do to your hair?”

“I dyed it.”

“But why?”

“Hair grows, Grandma. It’s temporary. I needed a change.”

“Do they let you go to school like that?”

“Yes,” Emma said briefly. “Now, if we’re done talking about my clothes, can we eat? I’m starving.”

Lynne didn’t move. “Do you approve of this attire, Gabriel?” she asked.

From across the room, Emma’s eyes challenged her stepfather.

“I think Emma’s natural hair is more attractive,” he said slowly, “but I remember what it’s like to be a teenager. Hair grows, and as long as she isn’t piercing anything or coming home with tattoos, and as long as it’s acceptable at school, I’m not going to forbid her to dress the way she wants.”

Lynne felt the blood rise in her cheeks. This was worse than she thought. Gabriel either couldn’t or didn’t want to control Emma. “I don’t think—” she began.

Mercedes, resplendent in yet another colorful, flowery shift that hung from her shoulders, appeared in the doorway. “What’s the matter with you people? Dinner’s ready. What does it take to get you to come to the table?” She laughed to show she wasn’t really annoyed.

Lynne closed her mouth, picked up her purse and preceded Gabriel into the dining room.

“Your purse is safe here, Lynne,” Mercedes whispered into her ear. “I can guarantee the help are honest.”

Flushing again, Lynne turned back to the living room to hang the offending bag on the hall tree.

Eric and Claire were already seated when she joined the others in the dining room. Eric stood to kiss his grandmother. “Hi, Grandma,” he said. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, Eric. I’ve missed you.” She looked at Claire and summoned a bright, artificial smile. “Hello, darling. How have you been?”

Claire stared at her and then looked down at her plate.

Mercedes sat at one end of the table. She lifted her glass, once again filled to the top with ice and wine. “Here’s to good health and good company.”

Obediently, the others followed suit.

“What are the children drinking?” asked Lynne. She wouldn’t be surprised if Mercedes had spiked their sodas.

“Milk,” said Eric. “We always drink milk at dinner.”

Mollified, Lynne sipped her drink. She wrinkled her nose. Another one of Mercedes’s sweet concoctions. She would have a raging headache tomorrow morning. The food, however, was delicious: enchiladas and rice, refried beans, salad and a chicken dish, just spicy enough for interest but not so much that it was difficult going down. Even Claire was eating, Claire who didn’t eat more than a mouthful at a meal.

Lynne cleared her throat. She addressed the children. “Do any of you hear from your mother?”

Their stricken glances smote her. She almost wished she hadn’t asked the question.

Mercedes picked up the conversation. “Funny you should mention that. Do you have a computer, Lynne?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Are you familiar with Matchmaker.com?”

Lynne was confused. “No, I don’t think so.”

“It’s an Internet dating service.”

“Really?” Where was the woman going with this?

“Yes. I’ve sent in Gabriel’s profile. I think it’s time he started dating. What do you think?”

Lynne stiffened. “I don’t think it’s any of my business.”

“You must have an opinion.” Mercedes served herself an enormous helping of beans and salsa. “My thinking is this,” she continued conversationally. “There’s no reason for Gabriel to be alone for the rest of his life. He’s still young, he’s handsome and, most of all, he’s a good man. What do you think, Lynne?” She looked at the woman’s plate. “Have more beans. They’re good for you, unless you’re flatulent. Are you flatulent, Lynne? So many of us are at our age.”

Lynne’s hands shook. “Certainly not. And I think Gabriel should do whatever he feels is best.”

“I’m so glad you agree.” Mercedes beamed. “See, Gabriel, even Lynne wants you to find someone else, resume your life and provide a mother for these children.”

Gabriel glanced at his children. Eric looked stricken, Emma mutinous and Claire oblivious. His jaw tightened. “That’s enough, Ma,” he said. “I have everything I need right here.”

“Now that you mention it,” said Lynne, “I was wondering if Eric and Emma wanted to stay with me for a while. After all, I am their blood relative and it can’t be easy raising two additional children who aren’t yours.”

The children, except for Claire, stared at her open- mouthed.

“I’ve been raising them for eleven years,” Gabe reminded her.

“Circumstances have changed. Kristen is gone.”

Gabriel’s eyes slanted to slits of brilliant blue. “Thank you, but I’m declining your offer.”

Lynne set down her fork, lifted her napkin, dabbed the corners of her mouth and readied herself to do battle. “Maybe it would be best for the children.”

“How would it be best,” he said evenly, “for two teenage children to have a woman in her seventies raise them?”

“Isn’t that what Mercedes is doing now?” countered Lynne. “She’s also running a B and B. At least I don’t have that to contend with.”

Mercedes opened her mouth.

Gabriel lifted his hand and she closed it again.

“I’m raising the children,” he said. “My mother helps out when I need her.”

Lynne refused to retreat. “Why don’t you ask them what they want?”

Gabriel pushed his plate away. “I won’t do that.”

“Why not?”

He stood. “If you’re finished, I’d like to continue this conversation in private in the living room.”

Pushing her chair away from the table, Lynne stalked out of the room.

Mercedes eyed her son. “Don’t lose your temper, Gabriel.”

Gabe looked at his ex-wife’s children. “I’m sorry,” he said calmly, “but there is absolutely no way I am giving you to her.”

“Why not?” Emma asked.

“I love you,” he said simply. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“What if we want to go?”

“Emma!” Eric’s strangled gasp rose up out of his throat

She looked at her brother. “I was just asking. What’s wrong with that?”

“Sometimes you’re so stupid.”

Emma glared at her brother. “Shut up, Eric. In case you haven’t thought about it, maybe we’d hear from Mom more often if she could call Grandma’s house instead of having to reach us here. It’s got to be hard for her.”

“Hard for her!” Eric’s pale skin was nearly purple. “If leaving her husband and kids wasn’t too hard, a few phone calls now and then should be a piece of cake.”

Mercedes pounded on the table with her spoon. “That’s enough. Let your father handle your grandmother and the rest of us will finish eating.”

Emma threw her napkin on her plate and ran out of the room.

Claire continued to eat as if nothing had happened.

Eric’s eyes met Gabe’s. “I’m sixteen. I can decide where I want to live.”

Gabe nodded. “I’m not giving you up without a fight.”

Eric relaxed. A slow smile began at the corners of his mouth. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“I think I can handle your grandmother.”

Eric picked up his fork. “Go for it.”

Lynne sat on the edge of a chair. She wore her jacket and her purse was on her lap. She started in immediately. “I don’t want to have to make this legal, Gabriel, but I will.”

“You can do whatever you please, Lynne, but understand this—I’m not going to allow the children to live with you. Neither will I ask them if they want to live with you.”

“Why on earth not?”

“Because they have already lost their mother. She made a choice and they came in last. In their minds they are already unworthy of their mother’s love. I’m not going to have them believe their father doesn’t want them. I’m going to fight for them. I’ll fight for them with every breath and every dollar I have. Do I make myself clear?”

“Have you considered that the reason Kristen left might be you, not the children?”

“I’m sure you know much more about that than I do, since she left without any explanation at all. However, the fact remains that she left them. That’s the bottom line. That’s how they see it. To give them to you would be washing my hands of them. I won’t do that. If you want to hire a lawyer, so be it. The ball is in your court.”

“I always liked you, Gabriel. I hope you know that. I don’t condone my daughter’s actions.”

He smiled. “I know your heart is in the right place, Lynne. I’m renewing my offer. Whenever and wherever you want to see the children is fine with me. You’re their grandmother. As far as I’m concerned, the more people who love them, the better off they are.”

“You’re a good man, Gabriel,” she said at last. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next. I’m seriously worried about Emma. The choices she’s making could land her in serious trouble. I do believe she’d be better off with me. Your mother—” She stopped.

Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “My mother isn’t your concern, Lynne.”

Their eyes met. “I think I’ll leave now,” she said. “You can say goodbye for me.”

He stood. “I’ll walk you to your car.”