The Queen of Cool (21 page)

“
You were going to tell me
something,” Lo said. “Before you started talking about your DNA.
What is it you want to tell me?”

Alisha’s eyes turned to look at Lo. Lo
smiled. Alisha blinked, looked away, and sighed.

“
I’ve been dating someone
in New York,” Alisha said. “He says he loves me. He says he wants
to spend his life with me. He’s… smart, handsome, funny and…
wonderful. We laugh and laugh. When I’m upset or mad, he holds my
hand and listens. Sometimes, he gives me advice, but mostly he just
tries to listen. We fight sometimes but not a lot. He refuses to
get in ‘power struggles’, you know like Dad called it, with me.
He’s even fun in bed, like its play or…”

“
Sounds pretty great,” Lo
said. “What’s his name?”

“
He has a highly
distinguished name,” Alisha said. “It’s a family name; makes me
laugh: Richard Vaughn Donnett the fifth.”

“
Is that your friend Rick
from college?” Lo asked. “I thought he was gay.”

“
No,” Alisha smiled. “I
just told you and Dad that so you wouldn’t freak out about us
sharing a pod.”

“
Did you date in
college?”

“
No. We were friends for a
long time. So he really knows me and my… moods,” Alisha said. “His
mom told me he was ‘smitten’ with me when we were in college.
But…”

Alisha shrugged.

“
He’s a venture capital
specialist in his dad’s firm,” Alisha said. “We ‘met’ at a launch
party. He had a date and…”

“
And?”

“
He was very cool with me,”
Alisha said. “I deserved it. He’s such a gentleman that he finished
his date. He called me from the cab on the way home. He came over
and we talked the rest of the night.”

“
Talked?”

“
Just talked,” Alisha said.
“He came over the next night and the night after that and the one
after that and… We’ve been living together. Mostly.”

“
Why didn’t he come with
you to the funeral?” Lo asked.

“
He asked me to marry him
at midnight on New Year’s,” Alisha said. “Big ring and everything
perfect but… I couldn’t say ‘yes.’ He said he wasn’t about to have
a power struggle over getting married. He moved out so I could make
up my own mind.”

“
Why couldn’t you say yes?”
Lo asked.

“
Scared,” Alisha said.
“Jaden. Ashamed of my crap genetics. Mostly because I’m stupid.
That’s what Vera says.”

Lo smiled.

“
He calls me twice a day,”
Alisha said. “He came over the moment he heard about Dad. He got me
home from the office. I don’t remember how. He stayed with me while
I threw up and cried and everything else. He packaged me up for the
plane trip and the funeral, and met me at the airport when I got
back. He stayed with me every night of the trial, made breakfast,
got me dressed and even drove with me to the courthouse. He took me
to the airport when I left. He’s asked to come see me here
but…”

“
So who is it?” Lo
asked.

“
Who is what?”

“
Who is your sperm donor?”
Lo asked. “Seems to me that’s what’s standing in your way with
Richard.”

Alisha blinked. Lo held her gaze for a few
minutes.

“
You did it again,” Alisha
said. “Found the crux of the issue. You’re right. I feel ashamed to
join the awesome, distinguished Donnetts.”

“
Who is it?”

Q

CHAPTER TWELVE

“
Henry Downs,” Alisha
said.

Lo had to fight to keep her face neutral.
Alisha read her efforts like a book.

“
Right, the great and
horrible Henry Downs,” Alisha said. “Sue Ellen actually went out
with him for a while before meeting Dad. She married Dad because
Henry wouldn’t marry her. You know, to get back at Henry? But when
he came back around, she ‘couldn’t resist him.’ Those were her
exact words. Like me and Jaden…”

Angry, Alisha crossed her arms and held
herself.

“
I’m a slut like
her!”

“
No,” Lo said. “Finding an
irresistible man is different from finding a hundred men
irresistible.”

Alisha smiled at Lo.

“
Don’t put yourself down
based on someone else’s actions,” Lo said. “I’m sure you put
yourself down plenty based on things you’ve actually
done.”

Alisha laughed at Lo’s absurdity.

“
There’s my girl,” Lo said.
“Let’s let Sue Ellen be Sue Ellen, and you can be Alisha.
Deal?”

“
Deal,” Alisha said. “You
know why we were born? Henry wanted kids. The last fight he and Dad
had? He was coming to see his new daughter.”

“
Mandy?”

“
Mandy,”
Alisha said. “Sue Ellen said that’s why Henry was so angry. Dad was
there with
his
family.”

“
That man used any excuse
to be cruel to Don,” Lo said.

“
My father was an asshole;
my mother is a slut,” Alisha shook her head. “What am
I?”

“
You and I are going to
have real problems if you’re telling me that Don Downs was an
asshole,” Lo said. “And I’m no slut.”

“
You know what I mean,”
Alisha said.

“
I understand what you’re
saying but, Alisha honey, you’re wrong,” Lo said. “Your dad… He
said this thing that made so much sense to me. He said, ‘DNA was
discovered only fifty years ago. In all of the thousands and
hundreds of thousands of years that human beings have walked this
earth, you had family where you found them. Fathers were fathers
because they raised children. Mothers were mothers because they
mothered children. That’s how family has always worked. Why should
some test invented in the 1980s change how families have always
worked?’”

“
Why can’t I resist Jaden?”
Alisha asked.

“
Are you asking me?” Lo
asked.

Alisha nodded.

“
I think you’re in a tough
position,” Lo said.

“
Why?” Alisha gave her a
look stolen from Don’s attorney play book.

“
The man is confident and
confidence is sexy,” Lo said. “He’s used to getting what he wants,
particularly from a woman. And he wants you. There’s some thrill in
that. He has a way of assessing every woman. Winning his approval,
his attention, is very flattering. Especially for a young woman
whose life is falling apart.”

“
He’s done that assessment
to you?” Alisha asked.

“
Sure,” Lo said.

“
How did you resist him?”
Alisha asked.

“
I wasn’t tempted. I had
your dad and…” Lo shrugged. “Do you remember my mother?”

“
Vaguely,” Alisha said. “I
think I met her when you and Dad were dating. She was at your
wedding.”

“
She was an amazing woman,”
Lo said. “Very independent and smart. My father worshipped her. She
never put up with stuff from people, especially my father. She
could be tough and loving at the same moment. She thought of men
like Jaden as wicked seducers, like a second bowl of ice cream or a
box of chocolates. They play on our lust to get what they want. She
had a whole rant about them.”

“
Yeah?” Alisha
smiled.

“
I don’t remember all of
it,” Lo said. “But she taught Lisa and me little tests to make sure
we were doing what we wanted, not what we lusted for. Sadly, she
didn’t think to teach Larry…”

“
Tests?”

“
The trick is to know your
own mind; and more than anything, know when you don’t. ‘Never make
a decision when you don’t know your own mind,’ she’d say. She was
right.” Lo smiled. “You know when you wanted to go home and he
convinced you to stay? You didn’t know your mind. And how could
you? Your Dad had just died. You’re trying to help us get this air
conditioning thing started. You’re not in your right
mind.”

“
I’m not in my right mind,”
Alisha nodded. “I’m just not. I long for Rick, but I’m…
f…”

Lo raised her eyebrows in challenge.

“…
sleeping with Jaden.
I’m…”

“
Heartbroken,” Lo
said.

“
Exhausted,” Alisha said.
“I don’t sleep at night. I wander around cranked up on caffeine
during day and lie awake at night.”

“
Do you need to clean up
things with Richard?” Lo asked.

“
You mean about Jaden?”
Alisha asked. “No, we’re not together. Plus, he knows all about
Jaden. He told me before I came here that he’d understand if I…
slept with Jaden.”

“
Great,” Lo
said. “Why not invite him here? See what he’s like outside of your
life in New York. You may love him more or really hate him. Our
horses haven’t been out since your dad… You guys could take them
out for a day or two. I bet Richard learned to ride at a place
where
distinguished
people play
distinguished
games like polo, or whatever.”

Thinking it through, Alisha looked at Lo.
Just when Lo was about to give up, Alisha nodded. Glancing at her
watch, Alisha took out her cell phone.

“
Rick?” Alisha
asked.

Alisha looked off in the distance while she
listened to him.

“
That would be great,”
Alisha said.

She closed her eyes for a moment and pressed
her free hand against her heart.

“
Mom suggested we go riding
for a couple of days,” Alisha said. “Oh, you do? I’ll set it
up.”

Alisha held her hand out to Lo and wiggled
her fingers for a pen. Lo jumped up to find a piece of paper and a
pen. Alisha took them to write down a number and 2:27 p.m.

“
You might want to bring
that ring,” Alisha gave Lo a saucy look before turning her
attention back to the phone. “You heard what I said.”

Alisha’s eyes flooded with tears. She
reached out and Lo took Alisha’s hand in both of hers. Holding on
as tight as she could, Lo willed her strength into Alisha.

“
Yes, I couldn’t resist
him. Again. Yes.” Alisha closed her eyes for his response. He must
have said something kind because Alisha began to sob. “I have to
go. Yes, Lo’s right here with me. Okay, we’ll be there.”

Lo held Alisha. Like she had when Alisha was
a child, Lo stroked her hair. Lo murmured soothing things to Alisha
until the storm of tears subsided.

“
He was so kind,” Alisha
said. “I told him about Jaden and he said… he said…”

She started to cry again. Lo put Alisha’s
head on her shoulder. A few minutes passed before Alisha found her
strength again.

“
What did he say?” Lo
asked.

“
He asked me if I was
done,” Alisha said.

“
And you said?”

“
Yes,” Alisha
said. “He said he
always
knew I’d have
to confront what I left behind before I moved forward. And I just
lost it. He knew. He always knew…”

“
Of course he did,” Lo
said.

“
I don’t have to be Sue
Ellen,” Alisha said.

“
Or Henry,” Lo said. “You
can just be… you.”

As if the thought finally made sense to her,
Alisha nodded.

“
Come on,” Lo said, “let’s
get you in the bath and into bed. You can rest until he
comes.”

“
Can I use your bathroom?”
Alisha asked.

“
Of course. Why don’t you
take a nap on my bed?”

Alisha threw her arms around Lo. When Alisha
was a child, sometimes she could only sleep when she slept in Don
and Lo’s bed. If they were there, they made space for her. When
Alisha struggled in high school, Lo would come home to find her in
their bed.

“
But I can’t go to the
airport with you,” Lo said.

“
Why?” Alisha
asked.

“
I’m going to help Mandy
with Will.”

“
No you’re not,” Mandy
said.

They looked up to see Amanda leaning against
the corner of the room. She came over to them.

“
I don’t care who gave the
sperm,” Mandy said. “Don Downs is my father.”

The sisters hugged each other.

“
Aren’t we meeting with
Will?” Lo asked.

“
He texted to cancel,”
Mandy said. “At five in the fucking morning on a
Sunday.”

“
Don’t say that word
Mandy,” Lo said.

“
It
diminishes
you,” Alisha said to mock Lo.

“
It does!” Lo
laughed.

“
Fine,” Mandy
said. “The jerk woke me up to tell me he was bailing on me. After
begging me to talk to him. He bails. The reason he gave? He thinks
he
might
have to work.”

“
What?” Lo
asked.

“
He
might
have to work?” Alisha hugged Mandy again.

“
Check it out,” Mandy held
the phone up for them to see. “My guess? He woke up in someone
else’s bed and decided to do something else today.”

“
I’m sure
you’re right,” Alisha said. “If he can’t keep it in his pants the
night before he wants to have the big talk he
begged
you
to have, why bother?”