A Love for All Seasons (16 page)

“Oh, I don't do it by myself,” she said with a laugh. “I have a helper who comes in every Tuesday. She gives most of the rooms a good cleaning. Since most of them aren't used often, that's usually all it takes to keep them up.”

“I was wondering how you did it.”

“Don't let her modesty fool you,” Marvin said proudly. “My wife is really Superwoman in disguise.”

After dessert Melody Lewis and her brother Tyrone went to the movies, while the adults and little Fletcher ordered a movie on Pay-Per-View. Jack sat next to Alicia on the large sofa, his arm draped around her shoulder. He turned when he felt her shifting position. With her lips perhaps an inch from his ear, she whispered, “I'm going to try to slip upstairs at eight without Daphne noticing. I haven't been able to spend two minutes alone with Mom for weeks now, and Mom didn't say anything about bringing Daphne with me.”

He nodded. He, too, had gotten the distinct impression that Caroline wanted to speak to Alicia alone. His voice was too deep to reply without someone overhearing him, so he accompanied his nod with a squeeze of her shoulder to convey he understood.

 

Caroline, awakening after a nap, gestured to the nurse to come to her bedside. “Toni, I know you don't want me to do a lot of talking, but there's something I must tell my daughter,” she pleaded.

“Mrs. Timberlake, I'm under strict orders from both Dr. Jordan and Dr. Gertz not to allow you to overexert yourself, and you certainly mustn't get over-excited.”

“I know you don't want anything happening to me on your watch,” Caroline said, “but Alicia will back you that it was my decision in case there's any finger-pointing.” The LPN hedged, and Caroline added, “This is my wish, and I'm the patient.”

Nurse Antoinette Livingston finally nodded. “All right, Mrs. Timberlake. I'll be right outside if you need me.”

 

At a minute before eight Jack felt a squeeze on his hand. He smiled at her, and she stood up and crossed in front of him to slip out the side of the sectional.

Immediately Daphne said, “Should we pause the movie, Alicia?”

“No, go ahead. I've seen it before, anyway.” She headed for the stairs.

“Where're you going?”

“I just decided I'm in the mood for some popcorn.”

Jack knew she'd had the excuse ready. The powder room off the kitchen and bar area shot holes in the most obvious reason for excusing oneself.

“There's popcorn in the cabinet down here,” Daphne called, but Alicia had already begun ascending the stairs.

Jack had inadvertently leaned forward during Daphne's questions, hoping Alicia would get away alone. Now, watching Daphne shrug and return her attention to the movie, he leaned back again, relieved.

 

“Here I am, Mom,” Alicia said cheerfully. “Did you feel up to talking?”

“Yes.” Caroline looked over at her nurse, who promptly rose and left the room. “She worries about me,” she said with a weak smile.

“Mom, I got the impression you wanted to tell me something important.”

“Yes, dear. Sit down.”

 

Jack found himself keeping a closer eye on Daphne than he did on the movie. He tensed as Daphne checked her watch repeatedly. Finally she whispered something to Todd, who, engrossed in the film and holding his now-sleeping son on his lap, simply nodded. Then she got up and ran to the stairs, no doubt to go looking for Alicia in their mother's room.

Damn
, he thought. Why was Daphne so determined to keep her sister and mother apart unless she was present? It looked like relations between the sisters were about to become even less amiable, for he sensed that Alicia would not hesitate to inform Daphne that the current conversation was just between the two of them.

Then again, maybe that's what it would take to cure Daphne of her possessiveness. How could he forget how she'd raced up those stairs like a cannonball this afternoon the moment she suspected Alicia was visiting Caroline. He wondered what her problem could be.

Do You Want To Know a Secret?

A
licia
sat at Caroline's bedside, holding her hand. She wished her mother hadn't spent so much time telling her not to hold Toni Livingston responsible for allowing her to talk more than she should if anything should happen, that she'd been the one to insist on talking at length, no matter what the consequences. At last she'd begun speaking about the matter at hand. Alicia couldn't deny that all through dinner, dessert, and the movie she'd been curious about what her mother wanted to tell her.

“Alicia, you're my oldest child,” Caroline said. “You came along at a time when I feared Fletcher and I were destined to be childless, in spite of how well our lives were going otherwise. You can't possibly know how much you mean to me.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

“I'm afraid your father and I weren't honest with you. We meant to, but we never got around to telling you that—”

“There you are!”

Alicia frowned at the sight of Daphne.

“What's going on?” Daphne inquired.

“What does it look like?” Alicia snapped impatiently. “I'm saying good night to Mom.”

“Daphne, I asked Alicia to come up tonight so I could talk to her.”

Alicia studied her mother, caught the meaningful look she gave to Daphne. Clearly something strange was going on. Did Daphne already know what their mother prepared to tell her now? “What's happening here?” she demanded. “I know
something's
going on.” She stood and faced her sister. “Daphne, for the last couple of weeks you've made very sure I never had a moment alone with Mom. This morning when I got here you parked your butt right here in Mom's room. You were here when I came in to wish her Merry Christmas, and you waited until I'd showered, changed, and stopped in one more time before going back downstairs before you came down yourself. This afternoon, when you thought I might be up with Mom, you damn near broke your neck getting up here. I want to know why.”

Daphne's hands went to rest on her hips as she glared at her sister. “Alicia, you need to shut up. What the hell do you think you're doing, raising all this ruckus when you know Mom's not supposed to have any excitement?” She turned toward the hallway. “Toni!”

The nurse promptly entered the room. “What is it?”

“My sister is making a fuss, even though she knows how much it will upset my mother. Will you please ask her to leave?”

Toni looked at Caroline for instructions.

“No, Toni,” Caroline said. “Daphne means well, but unfortunately,
she's
creating all the fuss, not Alicia. I need to speak with Alicia in private. Would you please escort Daphne out?”

“Mrs. Scott, you heard what your mother said,” Toni said softly.

Daphne stared at Caroline incredulously. “Mom, no!”

Caroline used precious strength to lean forward. “Daphne, I may be on my deathbed, but I know what you're trying to do. I'm ordering you to leave this room right now.”

“But, Mom—”

Alicia had enough of Daphne's tantrum and approached her. “You heard what she said, Daphne. Please excuse us.”

Daphne's eyes narrowed into slits. “You think you're so damn special. Wait 'til you—”

The rest of her words were lost as Caroline suddenly slumped forward.

“Oh, my God!” Alicia whispered as Toni immediately went into action, lifting Caroline's torso and pushing her back against the pillows. “Call the paramedics,” she ordered over her shoulder.

“Mom!” Daphne wailed.

Alicia dashed for the phone on the other side of the bed, practically knocking over her sobbing sister in the process. Quickly she punched out 9-1-1. “I need an ambulance right away. My mother just collapsed. She's a heart patient. Please hurry!” She gave the address.

Toni, calm but quick, searched for Caroline's pulse. She then began massaging her heart muscles.

“Toni, what can I do?” Alicia pleaded.

“There's nothing you can do right now. You might want to tell Martha and the others what's happened. And someone should stand watch at the door for the paramedics so they can let them in right away. Every second counts.”

Daphne still stood motionless at the foot of Caroline's bed, tears running down her cheeks. Alicia knew she wouldn't be of much use. “I'm on it,” she said.

She ran down the two flights. Someone, having heard her frantic footsteps, paused the movie, and all eyes were upon her. “It's Mom,” she said breathlessly. “She's just collapsed. I called the paramedics, and Toni is working on her.”

Everyone jumped to their feet. Jack was at her side in an instant.

“Where's Daphne?” Todd wanted to know.

“Still up in Mom's room. I think she's in shock.”

“Here, let me have him,” Martha offered, meaning little Fletch. Todd handed the roused but still sleepy boy over to her and promptly bounded up the stairs.

“I think I should put him in bed before anyone gets here,” she said.

“Come on, I'll go with you,” Marvin said, taking her arm and guiding her toward the stairs.

“Someone needs to be by the front door when the paramedics arrive,” Alicia said to Jack.

“Let's go.”

While they waited in the foyer Jack said, “Alicia, what happened?”

“It was all Daphne's fault. She busted in and started carrying on that I was making Mom talk when she's not supposed to and asked the nurse to escort me out. Mom summoned up all her strength to tell Toni—that's the nurse on duty—that Daphne was the one making all the fuss, and that she wanted her to escort Daphne out so she could talk to me.” A sob caught in her throat. “I'm afraid it might have been the last of her strength. She slumped forward and lost consciousness. Toni is trying to revive her.”

“Did she get a chance to talk to you at all?”

“She'd just started when Daphne showed up. Jack, whatever Mom wanted to tell me, Daphne already knows. I'm sure of it. And she doesn't want me to know about it. That's why she's been hovering over me whenever I go in to see Mom.” She shook her head. “I can't believe her. She's responsible for what's happened.”

“Hopefully your mother will still get a chance to tell you.”

“I'm not so sure. It doesn't look good, Jack.”

He took a step toward her, and she willingly went into his embrace. He held her, neither of them speaking, until they heard the siren of an approaching rescue truck.

Todd raced down the stairs. “Are they here?”

“They're coming in now,” Jack told him.

The technicians came in the house, and Todd directed them to Caroline's room.

“I hope they can revive her,” he said as they all looked up at the rapidly moving EMS team. “I've got to say, it didn't look too good. Alicia, you might want to go up.”

Jack felt her arms tighten around his waist for a second before she let go and smoothly climbed the stairs.

He turned to Todd. “How's Daphne?”

“Not good,” he said grimly. “Apparently, she feels responsible for what happened. She kept saying, ‘I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it.' I can't imagine where that came from.”

Jack thought of what Alicia told him and thought,
It came from her
, but wisely kept quiet. “You probably should get upstairs to her.”

“Yes, I guess so. I finally got her in a chair.” He looked into the empty living room. “Any idea where Martha took Fletch?”

“She and Marvin brought him upstairs to bed.”

“Good. He doesn't need to see what's going on.”

 

Once more, the family gathered at the hospital for a vigil in the emergency room. This time, though, the outcome was different. The doctor came out and said, “I'm sorry, we weren't able to revive her.”

My Sweet Lord

S
everal
hundred people came to the church in Stamford to pay their respects to Caroline Timberlake. At the funeral service, sitting in the front row with Daphne, Todd, Fletch, and her uncles and their wives; Alicia took the most comfort knowing that Jack sat just two rows behind her, after her cousins and their families.

The flustered feeling she got from being close to him had faded in the past days. Jack was still busy at work completing his project, but he called her often as she worked with Daphne to plan the funeral.

Thank heavens it was nearly over. Her mother was at peace, reunited with the husband she loved so much. Alicia kept telling herself that was what counted the most. When sadness threatened to overtake her, she pictured her parents dancing together, moving as smoothly as Astaire and Rogers. Still, she was human enough to wonder what her mother planned to tell her in those last moments.

Although everything said that night pointed to Daphne being privy to the contents of the confession, Alicia refused to ask her sister. She simply would not give Daphne the satisfaction of refusing to divulge what she knew. When they gave the history to the doctors at the hospital, Alicia explained that Caroline had become agitated as a result of Daphne's interruption and refusal to leave, an account with which Toni Livingston reluctantly agreed and Daphne vehemently denied. The sisters had barely spoken since. Todd served as a liaison between them during memorial plans.

 

The service went by in a blur, followed by the drive to the cemetery and the repast at the Mason's lodge, where Fletcher Timberlake had been a member. Only family and close friends returned to the house after the repast.

Alicia sat quietly with Jack in the living room when Sam McDaniel, the family's attorney, approached her. The short, stout dark-skinned man with round cheeks had handled her parents' affairs for as long as she could remember. “I thought this might be a good time to go over the generalities of Caroline's will. We can discuss it in more depth after the New Year. Daphne and Todd are already in the library.”

“All right.” She turned to Jack. “I'll just be a few minutes.”

 

In the library with its walls of built-in bookcases, Sam sat behind the cherry wood desk as Alicia, Daphne, and Todd faced him in tufted leather chairs.

“I'll be as brief as possible,” Sam said. “Caroline's will was relatively uncomplicated. I'm sure you both knew that she retained three life insurance policies. The smallest covered her funeral costs, and she instructed that anything left should be given to the church.” At their nods he continued. “The others were both in the same amounts, fifty thousand dollars apiece. One lists Alicia as beneficiary, the other Daphne.”

Once again the attorney peered over his bifocals to see if anyone had any questions. “Your mother made a bequest of five thousand dollars to the church, in addition to what will likely be a small amount left from the insurance policy. She left her share of the family business to you girls equally.

“Caroline made very little changes to Fletcher's bequests. Virtually all stocks, mutual funds, and bank accounts have been passed to the two of you equally.”

“What about the house?” Daphne asked, sounding anxious enough to make Alicia turn her head to look at her. She noticed her sister's posture had changed so that she leaned forward. She half expected Daphne to hold out her hand so Sam could lay a key in her palm.

“You'll remember that your mother sold the cottage on Martha's Vineyard after your father passed,” Sam replied.

Alicia nodded. Caroline explained to her and Daphne at the time that she couldn't bear to spend the summer there without Fletcher coming out on the weekends to join them. Even Daphne, greedy as she was, couldn't object. Caroline gave both girls part of the proceeds of the sale. “In addition, she gave you each a fifty percent share in the house,” Sam continued. “If the house is sold, you each will get fifty percent of the proceeds. As I'm sure you know, the mortgage has been paid off, and the house has appreciated considerably in value over twenty-five years. Any loans taken out will be the sole responsibility of the person doing the borrowing. Defaulting on a second mortgage can lead to losing your interest in the house. Whoever lives in the house is responsible for its upkeep, if both of you live here the maintenance costs and taxes are to be divided.

“Taxes are paid from the rent money received by the Lewis family. Any improvements made must have complete approval of both owners, and they will not be reimbursed unless and until the property is sold. Any disputes are to be handled by myself,” Sam concluded, peering at them from over his half-sized bifocals.

Alicia kept waiting to hear more about Martha's family other than that their rent money went toward the property taxes. When nothing else was said she decided to ask. “What about the Lewises?” Did she imagine it, or did Sam suddenly look uncomfortable?

“This is where Caroline made some caveats not in Fletcher's will,” he began. “Martha Lewis is to decide whether she wishes to stay on as chief housekeeper and cook.”

“What if I decide I don't want her here?” Daphne said.

“And what if
I
decide I want her to stay on?” Alicia countered.

“It is unlikely, after fifteen years of service, that Martha's performance would suddenly become unsatisfactory,” Sam noted. “Any disciplinary action must first be brought to my attention. I'll then arrange a tele-conference with both of you, possibly with Martha as well, and I will make the final decision. In short, Daphne, you can't take it upon yourself to let her go.”

As Alicia expected, Daphne's features contorted into a scowl. “I don't like that at all. You're saying she can tell me to kiss her butt and I can't fire her without discussing it with the two of you?”

“And if I know you, Daphne, you'll goad her into telling you just that so you can insist she be fired,” Alicia said.

“I'd do no such thing, Alicia.”

“You'd better remember that the rent she pays covers the taxes on this property.”

Todd gestured to Daphne to be quiet as Sam spoke.

“There's more involving Martha,” he said, speaking slightly louder than before.

“I think you have our attention,” Alicia said with a smile.

“Caroline also specified that the Lewises' rent is to be kept up with the rate of inflation and should not increase more than five percent a year without special approval from myself.”

“What!”

Alicia gave her sister a triumphant smile. “Planning on hiking up Martha and Marvin's rent, were you?”

“That's ridiculous. For years they paid no rent at all. Even now they're only paying something like seven-fifty. Seven-fifty, for a three-bedroom apartment that's worth three times that much. It's criminal, I tell you!” Daphne said, her voice ringing with righteous indignation.

“Not when you consider that Martha's wages have always been tied in to the rent her family pays,” Sam replied calmly. “Fletcher and Caroline consulted me when they made the original arrangements. I know the Lewis family lived in the guest house rent-free for their first two years. At that time Martha was paid two hundred and fifty dollars a month for cleaning the entire house and preparing breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

“Not exactly princely wages,” Alicia remarked.

“They still came out ahead,” Daphne muttered.

“And that really kills you, doesn't it?” Alicia said in frustration. “Why shouldn't Martha and Marvin get ahead?”

Daphne met her gaze defiantly. “Because they're not the type of people who deserve to live in this area, that's why. They don't fit in. It's not my fault that they lost everything they had in an apartment fire and didn't even have sense enough to buy an insurance policy so they could at least replace their belongings. So they move on up from Bridgeport to Westport and they've lived here fifteen years. That still doesn't mean they belong here.”

Alicia stared at her, momentarily speechless. When she found her voice, she said, “You've got an awfully lofty attitude for someone whose father started off as a stable boy on a Hudson River estate.” Caroline may have been a child of privilege, but Fletcher had told them of his humble beginnings many times, always adding where a person came from shouldn't limit what he or she could accomplish. “Do you feel that Pop didn't belong in Westport, either?”

“That was different. Besides, I could tell you a thing or two about—”

“Daphne!” Todd's tone held a stern warning.

Daphne glared at Alicia, who returned an equally steely and unyielding stare.

“If this afternoon is any indication of what the future holds, I've got a feeling my services are going to be needed frequently,” Sam remarked. His eyes went from one sister to the other. “You know, Caroline would be very sad to see the two of you going at it like you were raised by wolves.”

“I don't care,” Alicia said defiantly. “She has no cause to say that the Lewises don't belong in Westport. Our parents were both open-minded people who knew a thing or two about being dismissed on the basis of their background, specifically race, and in my father's case, class as well. They believed in helping people. That was why they took in the Lewis family in the first place. And they were both proud of what Martha and Marvin accomplished.

“That guest house is tiny, just over a thousand square feet, yet it's divided into three bedrooms. No way is it worth over two thousand dollars as rental property,” she declared.

Sam nodded. “Something else for you to consider, Daphne. These were your mother's wishes.” He paused to let that sink in. “She also willed Martha twenty-five thousand dollars and her jade necklace and bracelet.”

At this Daphne opened her mouth, then abruptly closed it.

“There were a few other bequests of jewelry. A pearl ring to the pastor's wife, a few other pieces to her sisters-in-law. That's pretty much it.”

Todd got to his feet. “Thank you, Sam.” The two men shook hands, and Todd escorted Daphne out of the room.

Alicia remained in her chair. She closed her eyes and sighed. “Sometimes I can't believe my sister and I are related.”

“I think Caroline would be tremendously disappointed in Daphne if she witnessed what just happened, and Fletcher, too.”

“At least Mom had the foresight to predict that Daphne might try to force Martha out and prevented her from doing it.” She yawned. “I'm tired, Sam. I don't think I can take being around any more people. I think I'll excuse myself and let Daphne take over as hostess until everyone leaves.”

She returned to the living room to find Jack talking with Pete and Rhonda. Most of her other friends returned to New York immediately after the church service, and Shannon had left shortly after returning to the house. Alicia and Shannon had agreed that it wasn't fair to their administrative assistant, Amy, to have to hold down the fort all alone, and afternoons tended to be busy with requests for court reporters.

Both Jack and the Robinsons looked her way as she approached them, making her feel a little like a prize hog at a state fair.

“Hi guys,” she said pleasantly. “Can I borrow Jack for a minute?”

At the Robinson's urging she took Jack's hand and led him to the kitchen, where she leaned against the counter, pressed her palms against her temples and said, “Ahhhhh!”

“Something must have happened in there to upset you,” he guessed.

“I think it's a combination of everything. My sister is behaving like a greedy gut, like no one but her is entitled to any of Mom's things. She truly makes me want to vomit, Jack. I do hope all of my parents' friends leave soon. I can't stand the idea of listening to one more person telling me the same old ridiculous lines, like ‘She's in a better place now. 'How the hell do they know about what happens after you die? And people saying how nice Mom looked in her casket. Her brothers are morticians, for heaven's sake. Of
course
they'll make her look as good as they can.”

“How about a nice walk along the beach before you burst a blood vessel?” he suggested.

She let out her breath and looked up at him with a smile that relaxed her entire face. “You always seem to know the right thing to do. Come on, let's go before anyone comes looking for me.”

They slipped out the back door and climbed the low brick wall that separated the back yard from the beach, Jack holding her hand to help her up and then lifting her and allowing her body to slide down. They gazed at each other but did not kiss or even embrace, both of them knowing this wasn't either the appropriate time or place. Instead they began to walk, their arms brushing as they moved.

Jack had never walked along a beach in winter before last week. The sand felt firm under the soles of his shoes, like packed-in dirt.

He listened carefully as Alicia told him about what transpired in the library. That sister of hers was a real piece of work. He wondered if the pair would even see each other after today.