Relative Happiness (10 page)

“What's going on?”

“Nothing.”

“That's crap. You haven't been to rehearsal. For that matter, neither has Adrian. Did you have a fight?” Sue pushed Sophie over and made herself comfortable on the old sofa facing the fire.

Lexie sat on her floor pillow. “You can't fight with someone who's not here.”

Susie's voice rose. “What do you mean he's not here? He's got to be here. He helps me drag Donalda's body off the stage in the final act. You know how my back goes out.”

“Looks like you'll be in traction then, doesn't it?”

She crossed her arms. “All right, spill the beans.”

“He took off with my sister.”

Susie's mouth hung open. “He what?”

Lexie nodded.

She turned as white as a ghost. “
Beth
left Rory and her babies for Adrian?”

“Not Beth, you idiot.”

She put her hand over her heart. “Oh thank God.” Then she looked puzzled. “I thought Kate was gay?”

“Not Kate, you idiot.”

Susie couldn't speak. Then she could.

“No.”

“Yes.”

Susan put her hand over her mouth then took it away to point her finger in Lexie's face. “Let me get this straight. Your supermodel sister, who's practically engaged to a filthy rich investment banker who lives in a penthouse condo and has a summer home in Florida, left town with a penniless wandering hobo?”

Lexie burst into tears.

Susan got down on the floor and put her arms around her. “I'm so sorry Lexie. I knew you were fond of him but I didn't know you loved him.”

“I don't.”

Her father dropped by the library one day and asked to take her to lunch. The older women simpered and giggled.

“Ladies.” Dad tipped his hat as he escorted her out.

They settled themselves down at a back table in the restaurant and ordered their usual—spinach salad and club soda. But it was hard to have a conversation. People would come up to the table and talk her dad's ear off. Lexie got impatient, but he took it in stride.

“So, Princess. I hear you've been dealt a tough blow.”

She quickly said, “Only because I miss the rent money.”

“Are you sure that's all you're upset about?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have feelings for this young man?”

“No.”

“I see.” He buttered his roll. “Well, whatever your relationship with him, I think he and Gabby behaved badly—to leave town and not tell anyone. Adrian should have given you notice. You were kind to him. And as for your sister's behaviour towards Richard, I find it inexcusable.”

She sighed and put down her fork. She didn't feel like eating.

“It's not wrong to admit you like someone, Lexie. Even if they hurt you. It doesn't make you look foolish. You can love someone who doesn't love you back. That's not a sign of weakness. You have a loving heart. It's the most precious thing about you. I hate to see you feel badly about yourself, just because you are who you are.”

She grabbed a napkin to stop the tears that rolled down her face. She wanted to be in his study, not in a stupid restaurant.

He reached for her hand. “I'm ashamed of the way your sister behaved and I will tell her so, the first chance I get. But I'm very proud of you. Don't ever forget that. You're my Princess. You always will be.”

Her dad read to them at night when she and her sisters were little. He'd gather them on the living room sofa and take out
Little Women
or
Wind in the Willows
and read a chapter at a time. The three younger ones burrowed close to him because they were small. Lexie usually ended up on the floor with her arms around his leg as she leaned on him. She'd close her eyes and listen to his voice.

She'd wait for her father's signal that was meant for her alone. He'd reach out and rub her hair for a moment or two. That was to tell her he loved her, down there on the floor. She thought her father was most like Matthew Cuthbert of
Anne of Green Gables
. She cried for hours the night they got to the part where Matthew died. She couldn't bear it.

Lexie went to her cousin Nancy's house, to help with her daughter's birthday party. Nancy said she didn't want to suffer alone. Lexie asked Nancy why she always thought of her when misery was in the offing. Her excuse was that that she loved her.

A gaggle of five year olds ran around the house with glee. Lexie brought Beth's girls along so their mother could go to the hairdresser. She didn't often have two hours to herself. Lexie's Auntie Moo was there. It occurred to Lexie she didn't know Moo's real name—but it didn't really matter. She'd never be known as anything else. Auntie Moo kissed her granddaughter, the birthday girl, every time she came within reach. Nancy left the kitchen to try and get the girls to listen while she explained the rules of Twister.

It was soon evident that this was Auntie Moo's opportunity to interrogate her. She sort of expected it, seeing as how her extended family was so nosy.

They blew up balloons as they talked.

“Are you all right sweetheart?”

Lexie blew into stale rubber. “Sure. Why wouldn't I be?”

Auntie Moo blew too. “Don't give me that. I know all about the roommate.”

“Who told you?” she puffed.

Her aunt stopped for a breather. “I forget. I'm an old lady.”

“You're not old.”

“Wanna bet?” She continued. “Well, if you must know, your mother told Beth, who told Rory, who told John, who told Nancy, who told me.”

“Great. Did we forget anyone? This is just what I need.”

“Your mother's very upset.”

“Well, what else is new? She's always upset about something that concerns me. She never leaves me alone.”

“Your mother adores you. She's always talks about you.”

“I know. That's the trouble. I wish she'd talk about someone else.”

Auntie Moo gave her a stern look. “The day your mother stops talking Lexie, will be the loneliest day of your life. I want you to remember that. No one ever talks about you again the way your mother does. And you'll miss that. Believe me. When my mother died, I'd have given anything to hear her voice just once more.”

Lexie's eyes filled with tears. “I'm sorry. I know you're right.”

Auntie Moo took Kleenex from the sleeve of her sweater and wiped her own eyes. “I know I'm right too.”

Nancy yelled from the living room. “Can one of you get in here? I'm so twisted I can't move.”

Chapter Five

All that winter, Sophie and Lexie sat by the fire and thought of ways to make the house look better.

“I think we need some new paint for this living room.”

Sophie plunked on top of the fliers Lexie had spread out on the floor.

“What colour do you think?”

Sophie gave Lexie her I-could-care-less look and rolled on her back.

“What about little white lights around the room?”

The pussycat ignored her.

Lexie poured over decorating magazines at the library and tried to figure out what style she wanted. She mentioned her plans to Judy, their administrator.

Judy tried to be helpful. “I don't imagine you want contemporary, Lexie. It wouldn't say you.”

Marlene was behind them filing. “Is there a style called ‘frump'?”

Judy and Lexie ignored her. They continued their musings at the counter while they flipped through the pages.

“You're the nearest thing to a hippie I've seen,” said Judy.

Lexie looked at her. She wasn't sure that was a compliment.

“I mean that as a compliment. You know…you wear flamboyant flowing things, big scarves and skirts you've made yourself.”

Marlene cracked her gum. “I can go out and buy a tablecloth too, but you won't see me wearin' it to work.”

Lexie didn't rise to the bait. She looked at Judy instead. “I thought I might try two colours for the living room. Eggplant and lime sherbet. Does that sound an odd combination to you?”

Marlene said, “It sounds odd to me. Why don't you throw your dinner plate against the wall and be done with it.”

Lexie was about to lose her cool when Judy spun around on her heel and put her nose right in Marlene's face.

“You wouldn't know style if it jumped up and bit your bony little ass!”

Marlene looked stunned. Lexie sure was. Judy was a meek little woman who'd rather die than cause a scene. Her cheeks were flushed and she shook with fury as she grabbed her pen and beetled to the boardroom.

“That one better get herself some hormones,” Marlene cracked. “Or a good screw.”

Lexie stalked off.

Murder by Mother
was destined not to succeed. After seeing Adrian play the hero, it was a comedown to have Todd do it and naturally Donalda nagged Lexie incessantly about such a distressing turn of events.

“How could you have been so stupid, to drive him out of town like that? If he'd stayed with me, we'd still have our leading man. We had such chemistry. He said so. He'd never had a kiss like mine, he said.”

“If he stayed with you,” Lexie told her, “you'd be dead in the first act. He'd stab you long before I have to. Or he'd have stabbed himself, to prevent you from kissing him like a sex-starved maniac.”

Susan tried to referee. “For heaven's sake, will you two pipe down? The audience will hear you.”

“Like I care,” Lexie growled. “Do you think there's a Hollywood agent sitting out there in the dark? I can tell you for a fact, there's only about fifty family members, and they've been dragged out by force or guilt.”

Susan peeked out. “You're right. God. I can't wait for this to be over.”

Lexie was horrible through the whole thing. The only time she became enthused was when she stabbed Donalda. Although she was supposed to be dead, Donalda shot filthy looks as Lexie rolled her up in the carpet.