Page 30 of After Midnight

At that time, I was old enough to know when you argued with someone, you tended to pull away. But it seemed to me they were pulling inward, trying to get closer to each other. Almost like their souls were resisting the alienation. I remembered thinking one day, I’d find someone like that. Someone who’d hold me even if, or maybe especially if, we were angry with each other.

In an instant, my mind flashed to Dillon, and I smiled. Memories of our first and only date made me feel warm and the comfort spread across my body. If my life wasn’t so up in the air, I’d have called him by now. How could anyone with a heart pull a man as charming as him into this mess of a life? I did like Dillon and for that reason, I’d leave him alone. At least until the dust settled and I’d regained some control over my situation.

I couldn’t control my dreams, though. I fell asleep imagining myself wrapped warmly in Prince Dillon’s arms as we danced from room to room. If I had that, even the mausoleum house wouldn’t feel so cold and lonely, and neither would I.

My sisters arrived home when the school bus dropped them off Monday afternoon. I thanked God I’d had the foresight to get home early from my own classes since I hadn’t received any advance notice from Margarette or the girls’ school.

I’d anticipated the reunion not being easy but the reality was even worse. Neither of them looked very happy to be here. After taking their backpacks off and sitting at the kitchen table, Olivia basically ignored me, and Alli stared at her hands. Their coldness flayed me alive but I couldn’t show them. I needed to act normal.

“Um, what’s the matter with you two?” I asked in the matter-of-fact way that usually got them talking.

“Mama Margarette told us the judge forced you to have us,” Alli volunteered, not looking up. “I’m sorry you have to babysit us.”

I probably would have teared up if I hadn’t been overcome with rage.How dare that…I quickly shook off the thought. No, I won’t let the wretched woman ruin my time with the girls. Packing my swirling emotions down as much as possible, I smiled and said, “The judge didn’t force me, you silly penguins. In fact, I had to beg the man to let you stay. I’ve missed you both so much.”

Olivia glanced at me skeptically, and Alli still refused to look my way. Our stepmother was finally managing to poison these two against me, and the realization made me feel sick to my stomach. Angry tears did threaten to escape now, but I drew in a deep breath and forced them back down.

I didn’t want to hide my emotions from the girls, but I also didn’t want to scare them if the floodgates opened. My biggestfear had been Margarette making my sisters hate me, convincing them I didn’t care. My only defense now was showing them how wrong Margarette was about their big brother.

“I have a question for both of you,” I said, finally getting Alli to meet my eyes. “For more than half your lives, since Daddy Patrick died, who’s taken care of youeveryday?”

“You,” Alli said without a moment’s hesitation.

“And who combs your hair, makes sure you’re ready for school, and can reenact every scene fromThe Princess Bridewith you on command?”

Olivia smiled. “You, but you love that movie as much as we do.” Well, that was a start.

“Fair point,” I said, grinning back. “Now, who is hardly ever around to take care of you, or us for that matter?”

Olivia looked down, but Alli’s gaze didn’t waver. “Margarette,” she answered. I was happy the ridiculousMamapart of her responses had disappeared.

“So, you tell me which story sounds the most likely. The one where Margarette all of a sudden is theonlyperson who wants you around, or that I begged the judge to let me take care of you?”

Alli and Olivia shared a glance, then looked at me and smiled. Hopefully that meant I’d be able to prevent Margarette from winning the battle for the hearts and minds of my sisters. I felt relief ripple through my entire body.

“Good, now we have that out of the way, tell me about your time with Margarette. Is she taking care of you?”

It didn’t surprise me when my sisters launched into stories of Margarette buying them a closetful of new clothes, I had to assume using her new boyfriend’s credit card. It gave me pause that she’d shacked up with some guy I didn’t know with the girls in tow, but both Olivia and Alli only had decent things to sayabout the older man.Poor bastard, getting tangled up with that witch, I thought.

The girls also told me all about their new nanny. She sounded nice but young and sort of gullible, letting them do pretty much what they wanted. I tried to shut down the alarming images rising unbidden in my mind at the thought.

The girls said their room was old and stuffy, and didn’t feel like home. Despite having their own beds, which were big and uncomfortable, they slept together because they were sure the place was haunted.

Once they started talking, it was hard to shut them up. Margarette was clearly no different now than she’d ever been. The only difference being she was now living with a wealthy man, who undoubtedly had a lot of influence among Denver’s elite if not beyond. I had to guess his influence would only cause me more problems in the future.God, give me a break!I thought.

The week went by too fast, and when Friday afternoon came and went without the girls coming home from school, I figured Margarette had picked them up to avoid coming here.

It was miserable.Iwas miserable. Miss Rita comforted me as much as she could, but she’d return to her own home each evening and I was stuck in this big, rambling house I’d always hated. A man’s home may be his castle, but mine was damn lonely.

Chapter twelve

Dillon

The old adage about how you never stop learning is absolutely true. After only a few classes, I learned I flat-out sucked at improv. At least, I did when we first started.

Improv was so completely different than stand-up, it’s a wonder Jolie and Mr. Foreman thought I’d have a talent for it. Your mind has to be quick, and your wit needs to be on the tip of your tongue. I felt as though my wit had taken up residence in my stomach and wasn’t going to relinquish its real estate any time soon.

I’m more of a ponderer by nature, so it took a lot of practice and a lot of watchingWhose Line Is It Anyway?reruns before I began to develop a knack for it.

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