Another one of my parents’ parties and instead of hiding in the corner, I’m out on the patio sitting in a chair under the blue umbrella. Guests are trickling in. Their voices drift through the doors.
Boats crowd the lake. Some are moored to prepare for tonight’s fireworks display. In a few hours, boats will fill the cove to watch the show. One year, an inebriated individual decided it would be a good idea to hop from boat to boat since they were floating so close together. He didn’t make one jump and ended up in the lake. Good Samaritans dragged him out.
A water skier speeds by, jumping over the wake of the boat pulling her over the water. I’ve never been brave enough to try. My sister is an avid skier both on the snow and the water. Perhaps I should try it.
I glimpse blue out of the corner of my eye and spot Lucinda in a baby blue sheath being dragged around the living room by my mother to introduce her and perpetuate the sabbatical story. Mother is dressed in a royal blue dress with a red, white, and blue silk scarf tied at her throat.
I look down at my navy-blue maxi dress and white sandals and purse my lips. We almost match in a very generous description. We’re all wearing blue anyway.
An older couple exit the doors and nod in my direction. I smile and nod in return. I don’t recognize them, but my mother doesn’t share her guest list with me. I wanted to invite Olivia, Monica, and the rest of the book club members, but she insisted it was too late and would disrupt her party.
Olivia and Sally are covering the bakery for me anyway, it’s not like I can afford to close the bakery to attend one of my mother’s parties. Although, I’m sure my mother wouldn’t agree.
“Save me.”
Lucinda drops into the chair next to me.
I chuckle and pat her on the arm. “I would if I could, but our mother is a force of nature.”
She sighs, swipes my bottle of water and guzzles it.
“Thirsty?”
“I’ve been trying to get to the kitchen and get a drink for the past half hour, but she wouldn’t let me. My throat is parched from having to smile and answer questions about the glamourous sabbatical she has dreamed up to tell everyone.”
“Sorry Luce. How did you escape her?”
“Some emergency in the kitchen.” She waves a hand towards the house.
“That could mean anything from ruined food to a glass with water spots.”
Lucinda laughs and holds up the bottle of water. “I’m surprised she allows bottles at the party.”
“She doesn’t. I swiped that from the fridge.”
“Uh oh, you better not let her catch you with it.”
“You’re the one holding it now.”
My sister grimaces and then shrugs. “Oh well, what is she going to do to me?” Upending the bottle, she polishes it off.
“You really can ask that question about our mother?”
Shivering dramatically, she groans. “You’re right.”
“I have visions of that actress having a meltdown over wire hangers. I can see Mother yelling, ‘No plastic bottles!’”
Lucinda snickers and cups a hand over her mouth.
“Ladies.”
My heart leaps.
Mitch kisses each of our cheeks and then sits next to me. He’s wearing a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled back to his elbows and navy-blue shorts. We could be a matching couple.
“How did you avoid my mother introducing you to everyone?”
He winks at me. “I didn’t come in the front. I snuck around back.”
“Brilliant.” Lucinda sinks into her chair and crosses her legs. “No offense Mitch, but I may have to sacrifice you if my mother tries to abscond with me again.”
Mitch looks at me and raises his eyebrow.
“Mother is telling everyone Lucinda is on Sabbatical,” I say.
“I’m not. I quit, but that’s taboo.”
Reaching over I squeeze my sister’s hand. “Only in her mind. You have nothing to apologize for or feel badly about.”
She gives me a sad smile.
“Why don’t I get us a round of drinks? What would you ladies like?”
Mitch stands and gazes down at us.
“I’ll have a water please, Luce stole mine.”
“Me too.”
“Coming right up.” Mitch strides to the door and, as he steps inside, the exclamations of surprise and greeting begin.
“He doesn’t realize what he’s in for.”
I have a feeling he did and that he did it to give Lucinda a break. He has a caring heart. If I wasn’t already madly in love with him, I’d fall again.
The aphrodisiacs I cooked for last night’s dinner didn’t accomplish my goal. Mitch is not seduced.
Yet.
I blame that photographer. My battery died on my phone while I was at Mitch’s so I never got a chance to validate or refute whether Margeaux is claiming they’re back together. It’s been one thing after another today, rushing around at the bakery to prepare everything before I left and then dashing home to change for the party.
I’ll find quiet time later and search until my mind stops worrying over it. I also need to come up with my next course of action to further along Mitch’s seduction.
People wander on and off the patio, stopping to say hello to Lucinda and welcome her home. A server arrives with our waters and I glance towards the house.
Poor Mitch will never escape my mother’s clutches. She’ll be in search of Lucinda soon to parade them around together planting the seed in everyone’s head they’re a couple.
“I need to go use the bathroom.”
“You’re coming back, aren’t you?”
I pat her on the shoulder. “As much as I’d like to disappear, I won’t abandon you.”
“Thank you. I’ll come look for you if you don’t.”
Chuckling, I walk into the house and weave through the groups of people. Mitch is standing with my parents by the fireplace surrounded by a half-dozen people. He says something and they all laugh.
I catch his eye and smile, and he winks at me.
Avoiding the swinging door of the kitchen, I go through the foyer and up the stairs to use my bathroom.
“Scurrying away to hide as usual, Fanny. I’m sure your parents and the rest of the guests can now relax and not worry you will do something to ruin the party.”
Vanessa is standing outside the guest room.
I look down the hall past her and then towards my room.
I walk towards her and stop a few feet away. “This is my home. I don’t need to explain my purpose for being here to you. You, however, do not belong wandering around my parents’ house. What are you doing up here?”
Her head rears back and a red tinge appears along her prominent cheek bones.
I am done being bullied by this woman.
“I was using the bathroom.”
“There’s a bathroom downstairs for the guest’s use.”
“It was occupied.”
“Vanessa, I will give you the benefit of the doubt even though you certainly don’t deserve it. You have been nothing but rotten to me our entire lives and I’m sick of it. Fair warning, I’m ready to fight back.”
I swivel and strut down the hallway to my room.
A smile stretches across my face as I walk to the bathroom. My stomach is doing flip flops, but that felt good.
What if she tells Mitch I was mooning over him?
Finishing my business and washing my hands, I’m ready to run downstairs to intercept her.
No, so what if she does? She has no proof.
Would it be so horrible, anyway? I want him to see me in a different light.
Granted, I want him to realize he has feelings for me on his own with a little sexy prodding from me.
Opening the bedroom door, I shake my head. It doesn’t matter what she says or does. I stood up to her and I survived.
Hell, I won that little battle. And I will win the war if she continues to wage one.
Vanessa has disappeared when I go downstairs. Mitch is still surrounded, but my parents are absent.
Stepping out on the patio, I glance over to where Lucinda was sitting. She’s still there wringing her hands together in her lap.
My mother is standing next to her chair with a scowl on her face.
Riding high from my victory with Vanessa, I stride over to the table and sit next to Lucinda.
“What’s going on?”
“Your sister is refusing to go mingle with Mitch.” Her voice hisses out in a harsh whisper. “Stop this nonsense at once, Lucinda.”
“Have you ever heard the expression no means no?”
My mother’s glacial glare snaps to me.
“You may enjoy wallowing in that little hobby of yours, but your sister has the beauty and brains to accomplish great things. Stop trying to bring her down to your level. You’ve always been jealous of her. Is this how you get your revenge, ruining her life?”
I flinch. Direct hit. Yes, I’ve always been envious of her and what I perceived to be perfection, but I never wanted her harmed.
“Mother, that’s enough.”
Tears are welling and I can’t look at my sister. She grabs my hand.
“If anyone has been jealous, it’s me of Franny. She’s brave enough to stand up to you and choose her own career and she has done so brilliantly.”
I bite my lip and stare out at the lake willing the tears not to fall. My mother will only make a nasty comment about my drama if they do. I love my sister for defending me, but she’s wasting her breath. Our mother will never see me as anything but a disappointment and a failure.
“Brilliantly? She lives in our house rent free and throws her life away in that tiny little bakery of hers. She will never find a husband worth a damn. Is that the life you want?”
Lucinda lunges to a stand. I reach for her hand to tug her back down. It’s a waste of breath to argue with my mother. My hands are shaking, and I miss.
Mother’s words hurt, but that’s not why I’m shaking.
It’s pure rage.
Screw her and her expectations.
I grasp Lucinda’s hand and tug on it. She glances down at me and I give her a wobbly smile.
“You’ll never change her mind, Luce, and I no longer care to.”
My mother snorts and Lucinda looks from me to our mother and then drops into the chair.
“You’re right. We shouldn’t care.”
“You’re ungrateful brats. I threw this impromptu party for you to save your reputation from the horrible mess you’ve made of your life and this is the thanks I get? And you, you’ve corrupted your sister out of hateful jealousy. You’re a disgrace to this family.”
“Franny is a treasure and if you can’t see that, it’s you who are a disgrace.”
Mitch’s soft-spoken growl precedes his arrival behind me. He places his hands on my shoulders.
I cringe over what he may have heard.
My mother gapes at him and then gathers herself together. “Mitch, I don’t know what you heard, but this is a private family discussion. It is a disagreement between us over Francine’s intentions and actions towards her sister. I apologize you had to witness her outbursts. Why don’t you take Lucinda inside for a drink?”
Mitch rubs my shoulders. My mother’s gaze locks onto his hands.
“Ladies, why don’t we find a friendlier location to enjoy the fireworks? I believe even a street corner would suffice.”
“I would love to.” Lucinda jumps up and pulls me up with her.
Mitch slides an arm around each of our shoulders.
“Goodbye Mother. It should please you to hear I will be moving out by the end of the summer.”
She spins away and marches into the house.
The three of us walk around the side of the house and down the road to Mitch’s truck.
Lucinda peeks over at me. “Did you mean it? Are you really moving out?”
“I’d move out today if I could. Mitch agreed to sell me the building so I’ll be moving into the apartment when his house is ready.”
“I’ll move the process along. You can move in by the end of the week, I promise.”
I can’t decide whether to hug him, kiss him, or both. He stood up to my mother for me and is willing to get me into the apartment quicker.
I wrap my arm around his waist and lean into his side. He kisses the top of my head.
“Can I come to?” Lucinda leans her head forward to peek at me.
I smile. “It’s only a one bedroom, but we can get a fold out couch if you’re serious.”
“Oh, I’m serious, and it won’t be for too long. I’ll get my own place when I figure out what the hell I’m going to do with the rest of my life.”
“The two of you should move into my house and I’ll stay in the apartment. The kitchen isn’t functioning, but a couple bedrooms and bathrooms can be ready by the end of the week.”
“Luce, you should see his house. It’s spectacular. But, Mitch, we’re not taking over your house. The apartment will be perfect for us.”
Mitch opens the passenger side of his truck and holds it open for us. “The offer still stands.”
Getting into the truck, I slide into the middle.
Mitch shuts the door once Lucinda climbs in and walks around to the driver’s side. My thigh brushes up against his once he is settled.
“So, ladies, where are we going?”
I shrug. “You told Mother any street corner would do.”
A snicker escapes me and then laughter rings in the truck as Lucinda collapses against me.
“It may have been a poor choice of words on my part. It was in the heat of the moment.”
“We should go stand on a street corner and take a picture to send her. Won’t she be proud of her daughters then?”
Lucinda shakes her head and straightens. “No, you were right, she’ll never accept us making our own choices.”
“Listen Luce, about what she said. I have been jealous of you, but I would never wish you any harm. I only want good things for you.”
“Franny, I’ve been jealous of you too and I know what she said isn’t true. She was deliberately cruel and hateful. I’ve never seen that side of her.”
Welcome to my world.
“I’m sorry you had to witness it.”
Mitch takes my hand in his and starts the truck.
Luce takes my other hand and squeezes.
My mother’s words can’t hurt me anymore.