No More Lonely Nights (19 page)

Dominique wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think so,” she said darkly.

Danielle looked sharply at Dominique. “There’s nothing wrong between you?”

Dominique shrugged and told her about Solange’s letter. “You know, at first, I really hated her.”

Danielle looked troubled. “But if she’s not allowed to send money…”

Dominique sighed. “I know, I know. Don’t worry. I’ve had a few hours to think it over. I can’t blame her for being afraid to try. But what really makes me furious is that she actually suggested I stay with that parasite!”

Danielle chuckled at the vehemence in Dominique’s tone. “She’s just old-fashioned about things like that. How can you blame her? She’s lived all her life in a culture where a man is allowed to have four wives!”

Dominique gave her sister a sidelong glance. “I’m used to her criticism, but I was afraid you might feel the same way,” she said quietly.

Danielle didn’t immediately contradict her. After a moment, she said carefully, “I understand why you left. But I think Mother’s right about one thing. It’s hard for a woman to be on her own. I know I wouldn’t want to be.”

“But we’re not talking about a husband with a snoring problem!” Dominique said in a frustrated tone. “Anton’s mercenary and he’s dishonest.”

“I know, I know,” Danielle soothed, “but you asked my opinion and I told you.”

Dominique made a noise of exasperation. There was no point in arguing. The only way to prove them wrong was to find a job, get a divorce, and make a new life for herself— a happy life. But it seemed that the two people closest to her doubted her ability to do it.

And what of her brother-in-law? He hadn’t come to the station. Did that mean that he, too, disapproved? She asked Danielle, “Does Ron mind my staying with you?”

Danielle kept her eyes straight ahead. “I’m sorry he couldn’t come,” she said obliquely. “He’s waiting for an important phone call.”

“Danielle…” Dominique waited until her sister looked at her. “Does he mind?” she insisted.

Danielle looked trapped. “He doesn’t really understand…”

Dominique was beginning to feel more and more apprehensive, but before she could probe further, Danielle suddenly stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“We’re here.”

Dominique looked up at an unimposing yellow brick building. Its only decoration was a green canopy over the entrance. It was inarguably the plainest structure on the block. Not at all what she would have pictured from Danielle’s letters.

Danielle led Dominique to the glass doors, but made no move to open them. Instead, she brought the luggage cart upright and faced her sister with a grave expression. “Before we go in, I have something to tell you.”

Dominique tried not to be alarmed at her sister’s ominous tone.

Danielle took a deep breath and continued. “Ronald’s lost his job.” Hastily she added, “It’s not his fault. He’s very good.” She wrung her hands, but her gaze was level. “But advertising is a cutthroat business and people can get fired for the slightest reason.”

Dominique put a hand on her sister’s arm. “I’m sure he’ll find something soon.”

Danielle gave her a skeptical look. “It’s been three months.” She paused. “We’re… he’s… very concerned. You can imagine!”

Dominique was silent. Clearly, she couldn’t have come at a worse time. She hung her head. “It never occurred to me that you might be in trouble, too.” She raised her eyes. “Why didn’t you write to me about this?”

Now it was Danielle’s turn to look down with a shamed expression. “Ron didn’t want anyone to know. And”—her voice rose bravely—“we’ll be fine. I just wanted to prepare you in case he’s not as… well,… as welcoming as he ought to be.”

Dominique impulsively took her sister in her arms. “Oh, Danielle, I’m so grateful to you. And I won’t be a burden. I’ll find something right away. I promise.”

Danielle patted Dominique’s back comfortingly. “You
know
I’m glad to help.”

Dominique had to struggle to keep from crying with a mixture of relief and tension.

“Well,” Danielle said with a forced smile, “let’s go in.” She stepped away from her sister and unlocked the lobby door, then held it open while Dominique wheeled in the cart. “The doorman’s only here during the day,” Danielle said apologetically, “but we’re lucky to have found a doorman building at all.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Dominique’s voice was warm. A few minutes later, the elevator opened on the seventh floor and the sisters stepped into a long hallway. It was painted a dim green and carpeted in a darker shade. They walked in silence almost to the end of the corridor before Danielle stopped. She turned to face her sister. “This won’t be what you’ve been expecting,” she confessed in a low voice.

Dominique’s expression was understanding. “It will be better than where I came from,” she said with gratitude.

Danielle nodded nervously and turned toward the door. Then she turned back to Dominique. “Let me just prepare you,” she whispered. “Ron has changed.”

Dominique looked into her sister’s eyes and saw disillusionment. She smiled sadly. “It doesn’t matter,” she said and squeezed Danielle’s arm affectionately.

Danielle turned the key, then inserted another in the lock above it. She pushed open the door and motioned for Dominique to go in first. Dominique stepped into a small, parquet-floored foyer that led to the living room. She heard the television. She saw Ronald’s profile, less defined than before, a little soft under the chin. He wore a white dress shirt with the collar unbuttoned and the tie loosened. His attitude was one of utter weariness.

Dominique smiled politely and stepped into the room, her sister close behind her. “Hello, Ronald,” she said.

His brooding figure looked incongruous in the cheerfully decorated room. The place was smaller than Anton’s home, but more inviting, with comfortable, modern furniture and bright accents. Everything was positioned to make the most of the limited square footage, and the windows were enhanced by a jungle of plants.

Ronald turned his head partway toward Dominique. He didn’t seem able to tear his eyes from the flickering black-and-white screen. Dominique saw that he was watching “The $64,000 Question.” Finally, though, he focused on her. He gave her a half-smile. “Hiya, Dominique. How’re you doing?”

He was still handsome, Dominique saw, but his demeanor was different. Gone was the swagger, the rakish spark that had made him so attractive.

Dominique continued in a soft voice. “Thank you for having me. I know it’s an imposition, but I hope it—”

“Look”—Ron’s smile faded and his tone became belligerent—“I don’t like this stuff of running off and leaving your husband. I don’t want any part of it. If it were up to me, you’d be on your way back home.” He brushed his hands together as though he were ridding them of dust. Then he turned back to the television.

“But he—” Dominique felt Danielle nudge her. She turned her head toward her sister, a questioning look on her face.

Danielle smiled with false cheer. “Do you mind helping with dinner? The girls have had theirs. They go to bed at seven-thirty. So it’s just us,” she explained.

“Of course,” Dominique murmured, confused.

“Just put the cart anywhere,” Danielle said briskly. Then she added in a more apologetic tone, “You’ll have to sleep on the couch. We don’t have any place else.”

Dominique looked back at her brother-in-law. He appeared absorbed in his television show. She hadn’t expected jubilation at her surprise visit, but she hadn’t expected surliness either.

“I’m sorry about last night.” Danielle took Dominique’s hand. The two sat on a bench in the playground opposite Danielle’s apartment. Monique, the two-year-old, slept in her stroller while four-year-old Lana played on the seesaw with another girl. It was a hot, dusty afternoon, but the park was a cool refuge.

Danielle continued. “Ron usually isn’t like that. He’s just under a lot of strain. In the advertising business, if you compete for a big account and don’t get it, you can be fired. These people move from one agency to another every other week.”

Dominique gave her sister’s hand an encouraging squeeze. “Then he’s sure to find something.”

Danielle removed her hand from Dominique’s and clenched it in her lap. “He looks every day until he’s exhausted.” She gave her sister a look of appeal.

Dominique turned halfway in her seat to face her sister. “Danielle, let me give you some money for my upkeep.” She didn’t have a dime to spare. Not if she wanted to rent a room. But she felt guilty about relying on Danielle and Ron when they, too, were worried about money.

“Don’t be silly!” Danielle protested. “I wouldn’t take your money.”

“But just a few dollars for—”

Danielle held up her hand. “Stop! You’re insulting me.”

Dominique looked down at her lap. “I don’t think I should stay more than a few days,” she murmured.

Danielle gave Dominique an understanding look. “I can handle Ron.”

Dominique studied her sister. She grinned. “You can handle anything. I don’t know how you manage. You have two small children. A house to keep up. You cook and clean every day. You have troubles of your own, but you still look like a movie star.”

Danielle grinned at the compliment. Then she furtively looked around. She leaned close to Dominique and said in a whisper, “Before Ron lost his job, I used to put aside a little of the grocery money for myself. Sometimes I’d buy clothes with it.”

Dominique tilted her head to one side in puzzlement. How could Danielle outfit herself so stylishly on money left over from groceries?

Danielle leaned even closer to her sister. “I’ve been saving since we married. I always like to have a little security. In the beginning, I asked Ronald to give me a few dollars to open a bank account in my name. But he didn’t think a wife should have a separate account. So… I started setting aside a little each week. I don’t have much because I
did
sometimes spend it.” Danielle pointed a warning finger at Dominique. “A woman always needs a little money of her own.” There were a few seconds of silence. “Besides,” Danielle continued, a defensive note in her voice, “I earn that money. I work hard around the house. I work hard to find the best values. Why shouldn’t I have something to show for it?”

Dominique saw the logic of Danielle’s words, but she wanted to believe that love and trust went hand in hand. She said, “But if you love each other… shouldn’t your things be Ron’s and Ron’s things be yours?”

Danielle’s brow furrowed. “You have to look out for yourself, no matter how much you love someone. You should realize that from your own experience. After all, you wouldn’t have had the money to get here if you hadn’t been saving, too.”

“But I gave Anton plenty of money! Besides, I never loved—” Dominique halted abruptly and blushed. Her sister didn’t know about Stephen Hampton and she didn’t fully understand the circumstances behind Dominique’s marriage to Anton.

Danielle gave her a penetrating look. “And you think
I’m
hardhearted?”

Dominique turned her palms up. “I made a mistake, but one day I’ll fall in love and marry someone I can trust.” She shook her head. “I hate the thought of having to keep secrets.”

Danielle smiled indulgently. “Well, I’ll be the first to congratulate you.” She patted her sister’s knee. “But until then, we have to worry about getting you back on your feet.” She paused and raised her eyebrows sardonically. “Why don’t you let me lend you some of my tainted money?”

Dominique burst out laughing. “Oh, you’re awful. I never said it was tainted! Anyhow, I have about two hundred dollars left. Isn’t that enough to rent a place of my own until I find a job?” Dominique knew she should make the move soon. It was clear that her presence was causing trouble between Ron and Danielle.

Danielle gave her sister a worried grimace. “I don’t know”—she pushed herself to a standing position—“but I’d feel better if you’d let me give you what I have. Ninety-five dollars. Pay it back when you can.”

Dominique stood and hugged her sister. “You’re wonderful. I’m so sorry for the imposition, but I
would
feel better if I had a little extra, and I promise to pay back every cent with interest.” She released her sister and stepped back, fixing her gaze on Danielle’s face. “And I’ll start looking for a place tomorrow,” she said softly.

“You don’t need to be in that much of a hurry.” Danielle smiled.

But, as it turned out, she did. Ron was waiting for them, his face stormy, when they returned. “Your husband called,” he barked as soon as they walked in the door. He stood in front of them, his hands on his hips.

Dominique put her hand to her throat and froze. “What did he say?” she asked, her lips pale.

Ron signaled with a motion of his head for Danielle to put the girls in their room. Then he turned and walked into the living room, sinking into his usual spot on the couch. Dominique followed him cautiously, like someone trying to avoid a trap.

In the background, Danielle closed the door to the girls’ bedroom. She appeared a few seconds later, pausing tentatively at the threshold of the living room.

“Both of you sit down,” Ron said gruffly.

Dominique pulled out one of the stools that rested beneath the counter dividing the kitchen and living room. Danielle took the armchair opposite Ron.

“He says he’s going to fight the divorce,” Ron said stonily.

Dominique sprang up. “How can he? I can get all sorts of evidence about his gambling and his swindles. Everything!” He wasn’t going to stop her! He couldn’t.

Ron gave her an impatient look. “Do you have the money to pay a detective? Or a lawyer? Are you sure this stuff even matters to the courts?”

With a sinking heart, Dominique met Danielle’s eyes. They exchanged a look of distress.

“That answers my question,” Ron said bluntly.

“I may have to put off the divorce until I can afford to hire an attorney,” Dominique said quietly. As long as she never had to see Anton again, she could bear the delay. But she didn’t intend to go back to him, no matter what!

“He’s probably just waiting until he gets the dowry,” Danielle said in an acid tone.

Dominique’s face lit up. “That must be it! He’ll lose it if we start divorce proceedings before November. Oh, but I don’t care. Let him have the money! I just want to be rid of him.”