CHAPTER 12

Mummy Revealed

 

Anne was fit to be tied. “He could at least have said good night. Really, Valerie that young man of yours leaves a lot to be desired in the manners department.”

“You’ll have to forgive him tonight. The news about his friend was a terrible shock. Come on, this is silly standing here in the cold. Let’s go up.”

Val dreaded the thought of being alone with her mother. She had to get to a phone and speak to Karen. If anyone would know anything, she would. After all, Nicky’s friend said the news had already been on the telly. They crossed the street. The doorman tipped his hat.

“Good evening, Madame.”

This display of manners brought a smile back to Anne’s face as they stepped into the elevator.

“He has more breeding than that fiancé of yours. I really think you could do better, Valerie. The whole evening was so distasteful. With your background, you could have the best, and look what you’re ending up with: a greasy little Italian hoodlum.”

“Mother, that’s a dreadful thing to say! He may be Italian, but that doesn’t make him a hoodlum. Just because you’ve never been in love, please don’t try to destroy the way I feel.”

“Love? You silly girl. What do you know about love?”

They took off their coats in silence. Val went to the den intent on calling Karen. Anne suddenly appeared at the door.

“My dear daughter, so you actually think your mother was never in love. I have news for you, Valerie Rhodes. I was in love once.”

She surprised Val speaking in a tone of voice she had never heard before about a subject they had never spoken of.

“Yes my girl, at one time in my life I was in love. I married the man I was in love with—your father—and he turned into a weak piece of flesh with no guts and no ambition. He was content to be the son of rich parents who kept us on a string with just enough money to live on but not enough for the luxuries of life. Well, I wasn’t content with that. We had the chance to do so many things on our own. But of course, he was always too scared to take a chance. That’s when he started to drink. I got tired of making excuses for his drinking, tired of the fighting, tired of the visits to his mother. She always looked down her nose at me from the very first day we met. I only knew one thing. I didn’t need any of them. We’re going to show them. You are going to be the biggest star, and I, the proudest mother.”

Anne finally took a breath, then continued on the verge of tears.

“You tell me you’re in love? I see what love did for me. Men are no good. I don’t want to see you get hurt like I did. I don’t want you to ruin the career we’ve both worked so hard for. You are so young. If only you knew how young you are. We’ve made it so far, and I swear I will not let you make the same mistakes I did.”

“Mummy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I only want the best for you. Don’t you understand that?”

“Yes, Mummy I know that; but please try to see that right now Nicky is best for me. He may not be all you dreamt of for me, but he makes my world.”

“But he’s so uncouth.”

Val shook her head smiling. Only her mother would think that something like being uncouth was the worst crime in the world. She watched her mother dab her eyes gingerly. Her full attention was now being given to saving her false eyelashes.

“Stop crying, Mummy. Come on. You’ll ruin your lashes.”

“You’re absolutely right. This pair cost me twelve-fifty. I really have to write to Aunt Liz and have her send my regular ones from England. I think this price is astronomical.”

With that the subject had been changed. She went off to repair her eyelash damage and Val sank back on the couch, drained. How sad it was to see her parents now, separated and lonely. She found it hard to believe they had ever been in love.

And, what a crazy end to Nicky’s first night in town.