Gracie's Game: Sudden Anger, Accidentally on Purpose (2 page)

CHAPTER 2

Gracie trailed after her mother and Clay as they walked down the flagstone path and opened the gate to the backyard. She could hear the party from the driveway, Dad liked to show off his expensive sound system. Too bad he liked that 80's crap, she wondered how the neighbors could stand it. It never occurred to her that it was "their" music too.

Dad lived in the biggest house in a ritzy neighborhood full of doctors and lawyers and other self-important types. It was a two-story house made of long thin pieces of light-brown stone that Dad insisted on calling a "gold" color. Its right-angled lines and white trim made it look blocky and sterile to Gracie, but Dad said it was modern and stylish. Even the wide opening to the covered front porch had no curves. The lush landscaping only seemed to point out the square artificiality of the house, in spite of the natural stone façade. Gracie shuddered to think how much fertilizer it took to keep the lawn and shrubs looking so perfect.

She could see the pool as they rounded the corner of the house; Justin and his buddy Zack were doing cannonballs. Everyone else was on the patio, away from the probability of being splashed. The covered stone-floored patio ran the entire length of the house, and was divided into several conversation areas with different groups of chairs and occasional tables. Some were wrought iron and others wicker; all the cushions were a solid dark green. Today there was a long table in front of the sliding glass doors, and a large ice chest beside it.

An expanse of meticulously kept lawn (now studded with white plastic folding tables and chairs for the party) sloped very slightly down from the patio to the Olympic-sized pool. The pool was surrounded by a rectangle of concrete covered in artificial turf, which was dotted by several loungers. At least the cushions there were green-and-white striped so they stood out a little, Gracie thought. In the far southeast corner next to the tall cedar-plank fence was a small white building; referred to as the "pool house" its main function was storage for all the floats and toys.

Gracie's dad stood up from his chair on the patio as they walked in. Charles Greene was a big man, loud and cheerful and enjoying playing the gracious host. At forty-six he'd added a few pounds to an already-solid physique, and careful styling concealed a small-but-growing bald spot in his sandy hair. He wasn't a conventionally handsome man; his face was rather plain, his eyes close-set, and his nose a bit large, but his outgoing personality more than made up for it. Today he was wearing khaki shorts and a particularly loud Hawaiian shirt. Knowing her father Gracie figured he'd ordered it straight from Hawaii. He'd probably paid too much for it, too; Dad liked to impress people with his wealth.

Charles made a great show of kissing his ex-wife on the cheek and shaking Clay's hand before waving them both off to the tiki-bar set up just off the patio.

"Gracie, Baby!" he cried as he threw an arm around her shoulders. "Good to see you. Family's all here, just like old times." He waved his other arm expansively to indicate the crowd, sloshing a little of the Scotch from his glass onto the front of her shirt. "Sorry, Baby, I'll buy you a new one. Something pretty for my Princess, not some cheap T-shirt billboard." He didn't sound sorry.

Gracie rubbed the wet spot against her jeans to blot it as best she could. "It's OK, Dad," she said. "It'll wash." She refused to rise to the barb about the shirt, she knew he meant well. She stretched upwards a bit to kiss him on the cheek. "How're you doing? Looks like you've outdone yourself on this one!" The bar-top was covered with bottles, the table in front of the patio doors looked like it ought to collapse from the weight of catered munchies, salads, and side-dishes, and she could see a tall pile of steaks next to the smoking grill.

"Doin' great, Baby," her dad said. "Number One Son doesn't come home a lot, he's busy working on the grades (or is it the babes?) so he can carry on the family tradition of making tons of moolah. Gotta throw him a big bash to show him how good it is to see him. Especially since it's spring and we can enjoy the great outdoors."

Out by the pool Justin belted out his imitation of a Tarzan yell as he jumped off the diving board. "Hey, Dude, you're gettin' me all wet!" Zack cackled at his own lame humor. Gracie turned to watch as Justin hauled himself out of the pool. The boys put their heads together to whisper, then both grabbed towels and headed out to the pool house.

"Oh, like nobody knows what they're gonna go do,"
Gracie thought.
"I know all about the joints he hides in the First Aid kit."

Turning her attention back to her dad Gracie said, "Nobody can throw a party like my Dad!"

Charles guided her over to a conversation area and they sat down. "Hey Baby," he said. "I've got a big surprise for you! How'd you like a brand-new car?"

Gracie had known that any "surprise" would be something material, and "big" indicated it would be more expensive than usual. But - "A
car
, Dad?" she said in surprise.

"Sure, Baby! You're sixteen now, time you had some
real
wheels." Her dad wiggled his eyebrows at her, he was obviously pleased with this announcement. "Bicycles are for kids, and you're a young lady now."

"But Dad," Gracie started. "Um, I like the bike, it doesn't pollute." She'd started to disparage the idea of herself driving a car, but quickly realized this would hurt her father's feelings. Besides, there were times when a car would be nice. "Ooh, I know - would you get me a Prius?" she asked hopefully.

"Whadda ya want one of those things for!" her dad said with a good deal of disgust. "They're ugly."

"Looks aren't everything, Dad. They don't use near as much gas as most cars." Gracie was trying to make her father understand what was important to her.

"You don't have to worry about gas prices, Baby," he said. "I'll give you a credit card so you can fill up as often as you like."

Gracie smiled understandingly. "I know, Dad. It's not the money, it's the
idea
."

"I'm damned if I'll have people thinking I can't afford to give my Baby Girl a real car!" Charles sounded offended at the very thought. "I had in mind something cool, say a new Mustang."

"Dad, I appreciate the offer, I
really
do," Gracie said. "But I don't care what other people think, I don't
care
if I'm cool. If I'm gonna drive a car I want it to be the most energy-efficient one possible. It's not what you have to pay for the gas, it's about how much gas you use and what it does to the air."

"You're taking this "green Greene" thing a little too far, aren't you?" he asked a little sardonically. "I mean, recycling the newspaper is one thing but how are you gonna feel in a couple years when you're still driving that fad car and all your friends are heading off to college in something nice?"

"You mean 'expensive'," she said, intending it to sound blunt.

"So what's wrong with that?" he asked. "I want my Princess to have the best."

"I happen to think the Prius
is
nice, and it costs about the same as the Mustang." Gracie was feeling frustrated. Dad always thought money and status were the only important issues. It hurt that he couldn't understand there might be more important things to her. She knew she should be thrilled at the prospect of the Mustang, but she felt like he wasn't listening to her. He didn't take her seriously!

Somewhat petulantly she said, "So why not buy me something
really
expensive, maybe a Lexus. Then everybody could see how good you are to me!" The minute the words left her mouth she felt bad about saying them, and didn't for a second think he'd go for it.

"Hmmm. You know, I just might do that," he said thoughtfully. "I've already told Justin I decided not to buy him another car after he wrecked the first one, and I've still got the money set aside so that wouldn't be a problem. Just might teach him a lesson, too, to see you tool around in a fancy car while he's afoot." Charles' face brightened a little, he'd made a decision. "You pick one out Baby, and we'll talk."

Gracie was stunned. "Oh wow, Dad! Thanks! You don't really have to do that, but I really appreciate it. I'll start looking, and let you know." As the idea started to sink in she began to think it might not be such a bad thing. Dad would never know if she continued to ride her bike, and Mom could drive the Lexus instead of the Escalade. Justin would be pissed, but that was nothing new.

She came out of her reverie to realize her oldest brother was standing beside her chair. Clarke Greene at twenty-one was a younger carbon-copy of their father, tall and rather thickly-built, though his hair was a little lighter shade of blond.

"Hey, Sis!" he said. "You're looking good, all that bike-riding agrees with you."

Gracie jumped up to hug Clarke. "Good to see you! You're looking good yourself. How's school? Whatcha been up to? Who's your girlfriend this week?"

"Whoa, slow down kiddo! We've got all afternoon to talk. I saw Dad drag you over here when you first came in, thought I'd bring you something to drink." Clarke handed her a glass of ice-water. "Got it out of the tap, no plastic bottles were harmed."

Gracie sat down and took a drink, all this car-talk had made her a little dry. "Thanks Clarke. And thanks for thinking about the plastic." She cut her eyes quickly towards their father, and Clarke grinned. He knew Dad never paid any attention to anyone else's feelings, he was used to it.

"Did I hear Dad say he was getting you a car?" Clarke asked. "That's great. My kid sister's growing up. I mean it Gracie, you're turning into the pretty girl I always knew you would. Do I need to beat some guys off with a stick?"

Gracie blushed a little and mumbled something about not dating very much. It occurred to her that it was typical of Dad to offer her the car at what was supposed to be Clarke's party. She knew Clarke wouldn't mind, he'd only be happy for her. Clarke hated the way his father treated others and because of it had become a very considerate young man.

Clarissa walked up and put her arm around her son's waist. "Charles, Clarke tells me that he's making straight-A's again this semester," she said proudly. "Isn't that wonderful?"

Charles looked up at her and said, "Well, he did it before, no reason he can't do it again."

Clarissa's smile became a little more strained. "The class project he's leading has been entered in a state-wide competition. His professor says it's a brilliant idea, and they've got a good chance of winning."

"I would expect no less," Charles said. He took a long pull at his drink.

"Well,
I'm
proud of him, and I would think you would be too," Clarissa said a little tightly.

Charles drained the last of the Scotch and stood up. "Empty," he said. "Gotta go fill 'er up again." He walked off towards the tiki-bar without another word.

Clarissa sat down and Clarke pulled over another chair and sat with them. "He's proud of you too, son," Clarissa said. "He just doesn't know how to say it."

"I'm proud of you too, Clarke," Gracie said. "You've always made better grades than I do."

Clarke sighed and said, "I know he is. I know it intellectually, but I don't ever feel it in my heart. I don't mind so much for myself, I'm a guy, I'm supposed to suck it up. I just wish he treated you two better."

"I mean, look at the way he laughs at you Gracie, makes fun of you for wanting to make a difference in the environment," he continued. "And the way he treated you Mom. A different mistress every other month, and all of them cheap floozies. He didn't even have the decency to try to hide them, we all knew about his affairs. What a bastard!"

"Why do you think I left him?" his mother asked. "I couldn't take the lying and cheating anymore. And the drinking didn't help."

"Why did you wait so long?" Gracie asked. She knew the basics, but had never before had the guts to ask about the details.

"Because he may have been a bastard, but he wasn't a
cheap
bastard!" her mother replied. "I knew about the other women, but he always encouraged me to buy whatever I wanted. We had the house, fancy cars, the latest electronic toys. I had you three…" Clarissa smiled fondly. "I could afford to look good and do what I liked. But it got worse and I, uh, became more aware of the affairs. I didn't want you guys exposed to that - and I didn't realize you knew so much! Anyway, I finally realized the money didn't make up for it." Clarissa's eyes seemed to focus inwardly for a moment. "I'm not sure I can ever trust a man again."