Chapter 7
“Were you expecting someone?” Violet looked at Camellia as she stood up, straightening her shirt.
“No, of course not. I didn’t even plan on being here until Matt told me this morning that you’d be arriving today.”
The three of them stood, standing close together, and watched as the door opened and two middle-aged men and a younger woman stepped in. As soon as they saw the three women, the trio stopped in their tracks and stared.
Camellia took the lead in the situation. “Why are you breaking into my house? Do I need to call the police?” Camellia demanded, brandishing her phone in front of her.
Lily was reminded of how just a few days ago, she herself had held up her phone in self-defense. When did we start thinking that such a small, useless device is any kind of protection? she wondered.
“Oh, uh, sorry. We weren’t expecting anyone to be here,” the woman answered. “I just thought I would show my two business partners the property.”
Camellia raised an eyebrow skeptically. “And why would you feel you have a right to show anyone around my property? Who are you, and who gave you the code to get in?”
“Oh dear, where are my manners?” the woman said smoothly, walking up to Camellia and holding out her hand. “I’m Tabitha Jones, the chairwoman for the National Prevention of Elder Abuse Society. We’re a nonprofit that provides housing for the elderly.”
Camellia ignored the woman’s outstretched hand. “That still doesn’t tell me why you’re here, entering my house without permission.”
The woman looked sheepish and dropped her arm to her side. “Well, yes, I guess I am jumping the gun a little here, aren’t I? But Matthew Fox did give me permission to take a quick little peek yesterday. Unfortunately, these two gentlemen couldn’t be here until today, and I thought it wouldn’t matter if I came by this afternoon instead.”
When Camellia gave the two men a look, they quickly introduced themselves but made no motion to shake hands or explain who they were.
Camellia turned her cold stare back to Tabitha. “You still haven’t answered my question. Why are you here at all?”
Tabitha returned Camellia’s stare with a confident look of her own. “Well, since my charity will be taking possession of the property soon, I thought it would be prudent to take a look and assess the value of it. Some of our donations, quite frankly, end up costing us more than we make.”
Violet and Lily looked at each other, thoroughly confused. Had their father owed this woman money? But hadn’t she just said she was with some kind of charitable society? Matt had said the house was free and clear of any debt.
Camellia scoffed, but somehow it seemed classy. “You will not be taking possession of our house, Miss Jones, so please turn around and let yourselves out the same way you came in. If I see any of you on my property again, I’ll be calling the police and have you arrested for trespassing.”
The woman opened her mouth, as if she intended to say something, but snapped it shut, and with a quick goodbye and an apologetic look to her two companions, she led them back out the door.
After the three intruders left, Camellia sank down into a chair and released a huge breath, almost visibly shrinking back to her normal size.
“Well, that was kind of scary,” she admitted.
“You didn’t look scared at all,” Lily said in admiration. “You sure let that woman have it. But what on earth was all that about?”
Camellia chewed her lower lip. “I’m not sure exactly, but I’m assuming it has something to do with what Matt told us—that if we didn’t follow Dad’s stipulations, then the property would be forfeited and go to a charity.” She glared at the door the trio had just exited through. “I just can’t believe he would have chosen that particular so-called charity.”
Violet looked at her, puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“The National Prevention of Elder Abuse Society popped up about ten years ago, supposedly to provide care for the elderly who were being abused or neglected. They started buying, and then taking donations for, some of the properties around here under the guise of turning them into long-term housing for these people. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that any of the houses have actually been used for that purpose, and they’ve been under investigation for a while now.”
Violet looked perplexed. “But we haven’t forfeited anything yet. Why would she think she is getting this house at all? We’re still trying to figure out how to keep it in your family.”
Camellia scowled, but it wasn’t directed at Violet. “Well, if I were to make a guess, then I would have to say that Matthew is up to something again.”
Sighing tiredly, Lily said, “That’s just one more question he’ll have to give us an answer to tomorrow morning.”
Camellia stood up again and said, “I’m tired, and this has been a really long day. If you don’t mind, I’d like to call it a night now. I think I will stay here and make sure Miss Jones and her crew don’t come back, and I’ll see the two of you tomorrow at Matt’s office. I’m sure we all need a little time to process the events.”
As they drove the short distance to the hotel Violet had booked for them, the sisters sat in silence. Violet concentrated on the snowy road ahead of her, and Lily gazed out her window into the darkness. How was it possible that a week ago, she’d been looking forward to seeing her daughter, worrying about how to ask for a day off, and where she was going to put the blow-up mattress, and now she was homeless and unemployed, discovering that her entire childhood was a sham?
Violet pulled into the quaint motel, turned off the car, and turned to look at Lily. “I booked us two rooms, but honestly, if you don’t mind, I kind of want to share a room tonight. I feel like I need you close by.”
Lily nodded. She’d been thinking the same thing. The sisters had always shared a room and had relied on each other a great deal growing up. Dad had been gone a lot, and Mom had needed to work to keep up with the bills. Sometimes, that included working the graveyard shift at the local factory.
“Yeah, that sounds good. I kind of need to feel you close to me, too.”
Violet checked them in, and as they changed and got ready for bed, Violet’s tummy let out a loud rumble.
Lily laughed at her. “We forgot to eat dinner. I’m sorry. I know how you like to snack before bed. Do you want me to run out and get you something?”
Violet shook her head. “Didn’t you see where we are? We’re in the middle of nowhere, and it’s late. Nothing’s open anymore.” She grinned. “But I do have a couple of candy bars in my bag that we can munch on.”
As they sat in bed, chewing on chocolate, Lily said, “I never thought we’d be doing this again, did you?”
Violet shook her head. “No, I didn’t, and to be honest, that was one of the big attractions for me when I met Lawrence. I never thought I’d have to go to bed hungry again if I married him.”
“Yeah,” Lily agreed. “Now that I think back on things, I wonder if that’s what I found so appealing about Scott as well. He always seemed to be willing to take care of me. At least, back then.”
Violet grimaced. “Well, that does explain your quick marriage to him because personally, I never could understand what you saw in that pompous, selfish man.”
“Violet! I was married to him for more than thirty years. He wasn’t all bad, you know!”
“Yes, Lily, he was. You just closed your eyes to it and let him use you. Quite frankly, I truly believe you would still be letting him use you if his selfish nature hadn’t taken over and he hadn’t left you for a younger bimbo.”
Lily couldn’t understand why she always felt the need to defend Jen, but she did. Maybe it was because she reminded her of Olivia so much. “Jen isn’t a bimbo. She’s actually quite intelligent, and she and Olivia get along great. I should be thankful that at least Scott is with someone who’s nice to my child and treats her like a sister.”
“She treats her like a sister because they’re the same age, Lily! Think about it. A father dating a woman who could be his own child’s sister is just gross!”
Lily didn’t like to judge, and she wasn’t about to start now. That was a door she didn’t want to open tonight. She feared if she did, it would stay open for good. “It sounds like at least Dad found a mistress who was similar in age to Mom,” Lily said, hoping to change the subject and put the focus off Scott and back on their father.
Violet crumpled up her candy wrapper and tossed it into the garbage across the room, landing her shot perfectly. “I don’t get it. He loved Mom. That was clear as day to anyone who saw them together. You could tell how much he hated leaving her whenever he had to go to work. Why would he be with another woman?”
“Maybe it was like a one-night stand kind of thing?” Lily suggested. “You know, like maybe Dad drank too much one night and she tricked him into staying with her. If she got pregnant, then Dad would have felt obligated to take care of her and the baby. That was just how he was.”
“Yeah, it’s possible, I guess, but Dad didn’t really drink very much--at least not around us. Of course, now I’m starting to wonder what he was doing when he wasn’t home. Seems like we really didn’t know him very well at all. All those times he left, and how we never had much money.” Violet looked at Lily. “He was off with his other family, and he was spending the money he should have been giving to Mom on them.”
Violet’s face was tormented, and Lily put her arms around her. She didn’t know what to say to her sister to calm her anxious spirit. The truth was, she couldn’t really wrap her mind around what or how any of it had happened--and he wasn’t there to explain it.
“We’ve been living a sham, Lily! We should have had a father who was there for us, who provided for us and for Mom. Instead, he was gallivanting around Lake Tahoe in an expensive house, spending his money and his time with another family!”
It was Lily’s nature to defend others—she’d just always been that way—but right now, she couldn’t find it in her to defend her father. Violet was right in everything she said. Dad had made vows to Mom, and after she’d borne him two children, he’d made vows to the two of them as well. Clearly, he hadn’t kept them. All that time, Mom had remained faithful to Dad, patiently waiting until he returned and working so hard to keep food on the table and the mortgage paid. She’d done it because she’d thought he loved her, and now that was turning out to be a lie. He’d been sharing his love with another woman.
A thought suddenly occurred to Lily, and she turned to her sister. “You don’t think Mom knew, do you?”
Violet sat up, and Lily watched as a wide range of emotions played across her face. Finally, she shrugged and sank back down. “I just don’t know. I’m not sure I know anything anymore. All I do know is that everything we took for truth in our childhood is a lie. Our whole life is a lie, Lily!”
Suddenly, Violet pounced out of bed. “Maybe this is just all some elaborate hoax? I’ll bet that Camellia isn’t even really our sister. Just like that stupid charity Dad supposedly chose is a sham. What if Camellia found out we were set to inherit that house, and she and Matthew Fox are setting us up to steal our inheritance?”
Violet sank down on the single chair in the room and put her head in her hands. “That would at least be better than Dad having a whole other family.” But she couldn’t reconcile the similarities in their appearance or how she’d taken so many pictures with her father growing up.
Lily got up, put her arms around her sister, and guided her back to the bed, where she wrapped her in her arms and cradled her, letting Violet cry herself out before saying anything.
Finally, after her sister’s sobs died down, Lily gently said, “We both know Camellia’s telling the truth, Vi. She is our sister; I have no doubt about that. The two of you are almost the same person. And what about the pictures? We saw them for ourselves. Little Camellia looks just like you did as a child, and there was no mistaking that it was Dad standing next to her.” She sighed, a feeling of sad resignation settling over her. “As hard as it is for us to accept it, Dad did have another family, and Camellia is our sister.”
Violet remained still for so long that Lily thought she might have fallen asleep, and she almost jumped when Violet’s voice broke the silence.
“Are you going to tell the kids?” she asked her.
Lily thought about the implications. Her children had adored their grandfather. As he’d gotten older, he had spent more time with them. There had even been a few moments of jealousy on her part when she’d watched him interacting with them. How would they feel once they found out they’d been sharing him with another grandchild? One they’d never even met. Would it change their memories of him and their childhood?
“Oh, Dad, what have you done?” Lily whispered, looking up at the ceiling as if expecting to see him hovering above them. “I guess I’m going to have to tell them at some point,” she said aloud. “It’s not an easy secret to keep, and there have been enough lies in all of our lives. I still believe that honesty is the best—and only—policy.”
Violet was silent for a few more seconds and then said, “I wish you could tell them without letting Scott know. He’s going to just eat this up, Lily. You mark my words; he’s going to use this as justification for leaving you for that young bimbo.”
As she always did when Violet used that term to describe Scott’s new girlfriend, Lily flinched. It was easier for her to believe that Scott had left their marriage for an intelligent, kind, and loving young woman than for just a bimbo.
“He doesn’t need to justify leaving me to anyone. Olivia adores Jen, and quite frankly, Marcus is so wrapped up in his own affairs that I don’t think he really cares one way or another what his father does. They stopped being close years ago.”
“I think Lawrence would have been a great father.” Violet’s declaration came out of nowhere, and Lily looked to see if she could read the expression on her sister’s face in the dark room.
“I didn’t know he even wanted children,” said Lily. “I thought the two of you were of one mind—that children weren’t anything you’d ever been interested in.”
Violet shrugged. “Yes, we both say that, but if we’d met when we were younger, who knows? Sometimes, I think having some kids of my own would be kind of neat.”
Lily smiled to herself. There was nothing neat about having kids, but she supposed it could seem that way for someone watching from the sidelines. “Let’s get some sleep, Vi. We have a busy day ahead of us.”
She turned to spoon her sister just as she had when they were younger and hoped that at least the surprises were all out of the way now. There couldn’t possibly be anything more to discover, right?