His anger dissolves as quickly as it came, and now he’s pleading. “Please, Vanessa, I sense they can be happy together. Halloween’s one week away. Give them your blessing so I can go to my rest, knowing my granddaughter will enjoy the family life my wife and son lost because of me.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumble. “I can’t.” I try to walk around him, but he won’t let me go.
“Vanessa, don’t be selfish.”
My fists slam through his chest. An icy paralysis spreads up my arms to my shoulders and creeps toward my heart. I’m horrified at what Archie’s doing to me, but I refuse to give in.
“You’re the selfish one, nagging me to do something that makes me unhappy. All I want is getting my life back to normal.” I glare at him. “You had your life, Archie. You had your chance. Let me have mine!”
I muster up my energy and force myself forward through the frigid air.
“I can harm you, Vanessa. I can turn your blood to ice if you refuse to do as I say.”
I’m off, knees pumping high, running as fast as I’ve ever run in my life. Archie is willing to kill me to get what he wants! The thought makes me shudder. My breath comes in noisy gulps as I push myself harder.
“Please come back, Vanessa. I would never harm you.” His voice trails after me so softly, I barely make out the words. “Come back and we’ll talk. I promise—”
I’ve never been so glad to see the cottage. I fling open the door and race inside, thankful that Archie can’t enter. I collapse in a living room chair, panting until my pulse returns to normal. I long to wake up Daddy and Robby and throw my arms around them. Instead I stand outside their rooms and listen to their gentle snores as they sleep. When I’m calmer, I go upstairs and crawl under my quilt, hugging a teddy bear to my chest.
I expect to toss and turn all night because of Archie’s awful behavior. But minutes later I’m fast asleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The sun, streaming through the gauzy curtains, wakes me the next morning. “Yikes!” I exclaim when I see it’s a quarter past ten. I dress quickly and hurry downstairs. Daddy’s in the kitchen, whistling as he washes breakfast dishes.
“Good morning, Vanessa,” he greets me in this weirdly cheerful voice. “I’m glad you got a good night’s sleep.”
I make a face, but he doesn’t seem to notice. “Is there any orange juice left?”
“Certainly!” And before I can open the refrigerator door, he’s taking out the juice container and pouring some into a glass.
“Thanks,” I tell him.
“Anything for my favorite daughter.”
I grit my teeth, hating it that Aunt Mayda’s the reason my grumpy father’s turned into Super Nice Dad. After I eat breakfast, we spend the morning cleaning up the cottage. Then we go to Robby’s soccer game. Daddy and I cheer our heads off when he scores a goal. At home, I make us a nice dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. Robby’s helping me clear the table when Daddy announces he has to make a phone call. My eyes follow him as he goes to his office. I know whose number he’s dialing.
My life plunged into awfulness on Saturday night and it’s getting worse. I keep hoping Daddy and Aunt Mayda will come to their senses and realize they’re not suited for each other, that they have nothing in common but MG. Then there’s Archie. Now that I know what a terrible temper he has, I’m terrified of meeting up with him again. Each afternoon I’m inside the cottage well before sundown. I pray that Archie disappears forever on Halloween, and I’ll never see him again.
Coping with all this makes me jumpy, moody, sad, and angry.
“Just think, Vannie,” Tammy points out after I’ve told her everything in school on Monday, “if your father marries Mayda, then Archie becomes your step-great-grandfather.”
“Very funny.”
“Well, it’s true.”
At home, Daddy whistles a lot, and he’s on the phone more than ever. Once I heard him say Aunt Mayda’s name. When he noticed me standing outside his office, he jumped up to close the door.
Aunt Mayda calls me Wednesday evening to say she’s spoken to Dottie, and that Dottie wouldn’t mind having an apprentice, as she puts it.
“Great,” I say, my voice flat.
“I thought you’d be glad.” I can tell she’s puzzled at my lack of interest. When I don’t answer, Aunt Mayda continues, “Anyway, she’ll be calling you, probably some time in November. She starts working for us again in December.”
Who exactly is us? “Thanks.”
There’s a pause, then Aunt Mayda asks, “Would you like to go shopping again, Vannie? I’m redoing my wardrobe, and I sure could use your advice.”
“Sure. Why not?”
We hang up shortly after that. I like Aunt Mayda, I really do, but I don’t want her to be my stepmother. I can tell she’s hurt because I’ve turned wary and distant, but I can’t help it. Honestly, I can’t.
Even Robby’s changed since Saturday night. He’s happier and more relaxed. The reason has nothing to do with Daddy and Aunt Mayda, but because Theodore’s growing more affectionate each day. Now he lets Robby hold him. He even comes when we call him.
“We have to take Theodore to the vet for his shots,” I tell Robby Thursday evening when he’s helping me with dinner.
My brother looks up at me. “Do you think Daddy will take us?”
“Uh-huh,” I tell him. “He has to. Theodore’s your pet now.”
“Then do you think Daddy will let Theodore come in the house?”
I muss up my little brother’s hair. “Don’t press your luck, buster.”
The way Robby laughs, I know he’s plotting to let Theodore sleep in his bed.
“Do you think Daddy will marry Aunt Mayda?”
“What!” Blood gushes from my finger where I’ve nicked it slicing a tomato.
“I said do you think Daddy will marry Aunt Mayda? I’ll get you a Band-Aid.”
Robby’s back a minute later. “Well?” he demands. “Do you?”
I make a big to-do about washing off the blood and wrapping the Band-Aid carefully around my finger.
“Maybe,” I finally say. “Do you mind?”
Robby’s smiling. “I think it would be cool. Then I could stay over at Greystone. So could you, Vannie.”
“Wonderful,” I say bitterly.
“Don’t you like Aunt Mayda anymore?”
“I do, only—”
Robby nods. “She’s not Mommy.”
I pull out a chair and sit down. He curls up in my lap and buries his face in my neck. We stay this way for a minute. Then he looks at me. “I still like Aunt Mayda, Vannie. Daddy does, too.”
Life
will
get back to normal, I promise myself, as soon as Daddy comes to his senses and Archie returns to where he belongs. For the first time in my life, I can’t wait for Halloween to come and go. I’ve lost all interest in the party. In fact, I’d be happy if I could come up with excuse so I wouldn’t have to go.
Too bad Tammy’s fixated on the Halloween party. It’s all she thinks about. All she talks about.
“Oh, Vannie, we’ll have the best time ever!” she gushes. “I’ve lost three pounds so my princess costume will look fab. I can’t wait to stay over and visit Greystone.” She rolls her eyes and lowers her voice. “And Archie! What I wouldn’t give to see him once before he disappears off the earth for ever and ever.”
Tammy’s not the only kid all lit up about the Halloween party, either. Daddy’s put up colorful flyers all around town, and it’s caught on, turning into the hottest event. Most of the sixth graders are planning to go. I know because they tell me—as if I’m the queen of Merrymount Gardens.
At lunch, Jimmy Breslow and his friends ask me if Greystone is haunted.
“Sure is,” I tell them. “What’s an old mansion without a ghost or two?”
“You’re putting us on,” Mikey Lawrence says.
I shrug. “Come see for yourself.”
Tammy winks at me. “Of course not everyone gets to see the ghost of Merrymount Gardens. Right, Vannie?”
“Right, Tammy.”
We start to giggle and the boys don’t know what to believe. Frankly, I don’t care whether or not they get to see Archie. If they do, it will be his final showing.
*
On Friday, Tammy and Kevin’s parents drop them off around five o’clock. Robby and Kevin run outside to play with Theodore. Tammy and I talk and listen to CDs in my room. Daddy orders in pizza for an early dinner. While we’re eating, I keep expecting Aunt Mayda to show up, but she doesn’t. When the boys start painting their faces with the extra tomato sauce, Daddy makes them clear the table. Then the five of us drive over to Greystone to decorate for the party.
Aunt Mayda’s happy to see us. She’s wearing jeans and a black turtleneck polo that, for once, hug her body instead of drooping like drapes. They’re new clothes she must have bought with one of her friends in the city.
“Hi, Vannie.” Aunt Mayda smiles and pats my shoulder. She skips her usual kiss, and I find that I miss it. “This must be your friend, Tammy.”
“And this is my friend, Kevin, Aunt Mayda,” Robby says.
“Pleased to meet you,” Aunt Mayda says, shaking Kevin’s hand.
“Wow!” Robby says, looking around the living room. “Where did everything go?”
I stare, too. It’s as if robbers have come and stolen all the furniture and paintings, even the carpet.
Aunt Mayda laughs. “I had Casey and his men remove everything for the party. Tomorrow they’ll set up the rented tables and chairs.”
I realize Daddy’s disappeared. “Where’s my father gone to?”
“To buy a few things we’ve forgotten,” Aunt Mayda explains. “He’ll be back in a while.”
When Aunt Mayda’s out of hearing range, Tammy says, “She’s here and he’s out. Where’s all the lovey-dovey togetherness you told me about?”
“They’re probably playing it cool,” I answer, “so I’ll think they’re still only friends.”
“Oh, sure. Right.” Tammy starts to laugh. “Like your father could be that devious and sly.”
Could he? Could Aunt Mayda? Is Archie’s obsession getting to me so I’m imagining they’re falling in love? No, I don’t think so.
Tammy peers into the dining room. Aunt Mayda notices. “Would you like a tour of the rest of Greystone before we begin?”
“Would I?” Tammy’s lip starts to quiver. “I’d love it!”
“Me, too,” says Kevin.
“Then off we go,” Aunt Mayda says. She takes us upstairs for a quick look around. We come downstairs and end up in the kitchen. The big table is covered with party decorations.
Aunt Mayda claps her hands. “All right, let’s get to work. Vannie and Tammy, you can help me twist this crepe paper, which we’ll hang from one corner of the ceiling to the other. Boys, I’d like you to fill the small jack-o’-lanterns with candy.”
At first I feel self-conscious working beside Aunt Mayda, but soon we’re laughing and joking like old times. After we’ve strung ropes of crepe paper across the ceiling every which way, we hang ghosts, witches, and goblins from the ceiling close to the walls. The boys spray white foam on the mirror and windows. When they start to spray each other, Aunt Mayda takes away the cans.
“Time for hot chocolate and cookies!” she announces, and leads us back into the kitchen.
All five of us are ravenously hungry. Aunt Mayda gets out a box of cookies, and we finish it off in no time.
“I’m counting on you girls to help me with the activities tomorrow night,” she says to Tammy and me.
“Absolutely,” Tammy says.
Aunt Mayda rummages through a large drawer. “We’ll run through my list of games, as soon as I can find it. Ah! Here it is.”
The games are the usual—Musical Chairs, Pin the Tail on the Donkey. We’re halfway through the list when Daddy comes in. He plops down packages on the table. One of them is a sack of apples. “For the apple bobbing,” he says.
“A cup of coffee, Roger?” Aunt Mayda asks.
“Don’t mind if I do.” He looks at the empty box of cookies. “None left?” he asks, hopefully.
“No,” I tell him the same time Aunt Mayda takes a packet from a drawer.
“I saved you a few,” she says.
“Thanks.” Daddy has a huge grin on his face.
My eyes meet Tammy’s. I frown. She smiles.
Daddy and Aunt Mayda discuss what time Casey should bring over the tables and chairs for the party. Tammy and I drift into the living room.
“I see what you mean,” Tammy says. “But she’s nice.”
“Of course she’s nice. I never said she wasn’t.”
“Maybe—”
I cover my ears. “Tammy, mind your own business, and keep your thoughts to yourself!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Saturday morning Daddy asks Tammy and me to keep an eye on the boys while he takes care of some things with Casey. I’m about to complain, when Tammy says, “No problem. We’ll play Sleep-away Camp.”
“How do you play Sleep-away Camp?” Kevin asks.
“I’m not going to sleep in some wooden bunk,” Robby says.
Tammy laughs. “You don’t have to.” She looks at me meaningfully. “We’ll go on a nature walk in the woods.”
“I don’t want—” Robby starts.
“And we’ll have a picnic,” I add. “We’ll bring sandwiches.”
“What kind?” Kevin asks.
“Oh, peanut butter and jelly.”