Page 20 of Smuggler's Cove
“And two lucky girls!” Gwen added.
Gladys appeared in the doorway. “Niko, would you like me to help you unpack the rest of your things? We can take them to your room.”
Niko had been completely engrossed in her interaction with Madison that she forgot she hadn’t been to her room yet. “Yes, please. Apologies.”
“No need to apologize,” Gwen jumped in. “You girls are having fun. I’ll help Madison, and Gladys can help you. When you’re both finished, we can take a walk, or . . . ?” She looked up at Gladys, begging for a suggestion.
“Go down to the pond. There are a whole bunch of baby ducks splashing around.”
Madison looked at her mother with wide eyes. “Can we?”
“I don’t see why not. What do you think, Niko?”
“I must wait for my parents to call.” Her face turned sad.
“I’ll tell you what,” Gladys broke in, “you go with Madison and Mrs. Taylor. When your parents call, I’ll get you. How does that sound?”
Now Niko’s eyes went wide. “That would be very nice, Miss Gladys. But my father may be disappointed.”
“I’ll snatch you up real quick. I can run pretty fast for an old lady.” Gladys chuckled. “Come on. Let’s get you unpacked and ready to have some fun.”
Gwen smiled at Gladys. She was a good egg.
It took the better part of an hour for Madison to unpack her clothes and decide how to drape her comforter, and where to place the pillows.
Gwen thought it was interesting how Madison had an eye for detail, and placement, from her room to her clothes. Madison was particular, but at the same time, not fussy.
When Niko returned to Madison’s room, the three of them went to the lobby area, where Gladys was waiting with two small bags of cracked corn. “The ducks love this.” She handed each girl a packet. Gwen, Madison, and Niko strolled through the gardens and then on to the pond, where they spent a half hour enjoying the hatchlings. Gwen spotted Gladys scurrying toward them. “Looks like your parents may be on the phone.” She nudged the girls in Gladys’s direction, and Niko ran quickly toward her. Gladys waved and then took Niko’s hand as they bounded back to the residence.
Gwen and Madison stayed until there was no corn left. “Mommy? Do you love Daddy?”
Gwen stopped abruptly. That was a question she had not anticipated. She didn’t know how to answer honestly. She remembered something her mentor taught her: “When in doubt, answer a question with a question.” So, she did. “Honey, why do you ask?”
Madison looked a little sheepish and shrugged. “I dunno.” And that was the end of the brief conversation, although Madison wondered for the next ten years.
By the time she was in fifth grade, she asked for access to a sewing machine where she would tailor other student’s uniforms. It had started with Niko, who was petite and thin. Her uniform hung on her like an oversized bedspread. Madison pinned, tucked, and sewed it to fit her as if it were custom made. Not only did Niko look more polished, but it also elevated her self-esteem. When the other girls heard about Madison’s magical talents, they pleaded with her to do the same for them. Over the years, Madison became active in the school theatre. Not as an actor, but as the head of costumes and wardrobe. It inspired her creativity and made her one of the most popular students at the school. By the time she was a junior, she made up her mind to go to one of the best fashion design schools in the country. Not only was she accepted to FIT, but she also won a scholarship for a design she created as part of her entrance exam. There was nothing her father could say or do to keep her from pursuing her goals. Not that he cared.
Chapter Four
Lincoln
Lincoln Taylor was born two years after his sister. By that time, his father was considered a very wealthy man, and Lincoln enjoyed a cushy childhood. His mother and sister doted on him with affection, but not to the extent that Lincoln was self-centered. He was bright and developed an interest in building things with his LEGO sets. His father hoped his son would become a keen athlete and then a financier, but Lincoln would rather assemble things than kick or throw a ball around. Jackson enrolled Lincoln in tennis lessons, but like his sister, he had little interest. He did it to please his father, but his heart wasn’t in it.
When Jackson recognized his son wouldn’t excel in sports, he took less interest in Lincoln’s projects or schooling and happily shipped him off to the Hackley School as soon as possible.
Hackley didn’t have a first grade, per se. They started the children with the curriculum of what is taught in second grade in most schools. It was an accelerated program intended to challenge and advance students so they would have a competitive advantage when they completed their education. Naturally, Jackson wanted his son to excel at something and hired tutors to prepare him while he was in kindergarten, and the summer that followed.
Lincoln was a smart fella and a quick study. He surely did not want his sister to be smarter, so he was diligent about the assignments his tutors gave him. By the time he enrolled at Hackley, he was ready academically, although he was a bit shy socially. It was due to the limited access he had to other children. When he wasn’t in school, his father insisted he study, which didn’t give Lincoln the opportunity to develop friendships. Now, being away from home, the only person he felt comfortable with was his sister.
Madison was thrilled to have her very bright brother down the hall from her, and she made sure she included him in activities with the other kids. It didn’t take long for Madison, Niko, and Lincoln to form an alliance. They called themselves the Three Mushcateers, named after the oatmeal they had for breakfast every day.
With Niko’s parents traveling as much as they did, Madison invited her to stay at her house on several occasions. She introduced Niko to Olivia, and the house was filled with children’s laughter on the weekends. Gwen looked forward to those precious days when their squeals of joy echoed through the massive co-op.
Lincoln enjoyed playing with his sister and her friends. Even though he was the youngest, they would often let him be in charge and decide what games they would play. Once, when Jackson questioned why Gwen allowed Lincoln to spend so much time with “the girls,” Gwen took her cue from him. She walked away, but not without a glancing blow of, “It builds character, Jackson. Something you may want to consider developing.” He would respond with something trite, but she would be sure she was out of earshot. After ten years, she was beginning to recognize his faults, which were growing in concert with his fortune.
Lincoln was as observant as his sister. As he got older, he could recognize the tension between his parents. Eventually he would discover the phrasepassive-aggressive. Lincoln also discovered he really didn’t like his father much. When he was younger, he didn’t have the awareness, but once he went to school and observed how other people treated one another, he realized his father wasn’t very nice. And he did not like the way his father treated his mother. His father was dismissive, although it would be a few more years until Lincoln learned what that word meant, as well.
Mr. Bridwell took a special interest in the Taylor children. For having come from a wealthy family, Bridwell was impressed by the way the children treated each other and their peers. They were kind. Friendly. Responsible. Bridwell met Jackson Taylor on very few occasions and attributed the children’s standards to Gwen. She was not a mother hen by any stretch of the imagination. She was loving but not smothering. She didn’t treat her children as if they were walking on water. Lincoln and Madison knew what was expected of them and were conscious about pleasing their mother and making her proud. By the time they were teenagers, they knew trying to make their father proud was a dead-end street.
