Her Mother's Daughter (18 page)

Now it was Matt's turn to stand up. “I'm an errand boy! I make minimum wage. And what about you? What are you going to do?”

“It doesn't matter, does it, since your mother's going to kill me anyway.”

“What about
your
mother?” Matt yelled back. “You think she's going to be happy about it?”

“Of course not. Don't yell at me.”

“Well, don't yell at
me
.”

Ashley flicked her hand in exasperation. “Listen to us. We sound like kids.”

“We are kids.”

“Then we're kids who've done a pretty good job pretending we're adults.”

Matt ran his hand through his hair. “This is nuts. I don't know what to do.”

Ashley started to walk past him. “Never mind, then. I'll figure it out on my own. Tell your mommy to send you to university in September and you can forget all about me and my big belly.”

Matt reached out and grabbed her arm. “Hey, that's not fair. You've been living with this for a while. I'm five minutes into it. I'm scared, okay? But that doesn't mean I'm going to leave you in the lurch. This baby's mine too. I do love you, y'know. Don't you love me? Or am I just the creep who knocked you up?”

Ashley reached out and walked right into his arms. “I love you, Matt. I'll always love you. You're my baby's father.”

He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. “Then we'll figure it out. We don't have to solve it this minute. Let's stop being so frantic. We have to stick together, because when this comes out, we're going to need each other.”

All was quiet that evening. Ashley went to her room after supper and spent the night on her computer, instant messaging Matt. Gertie came over and she and Bay played cards at the kitchen table. They asked Tansy to join them, but she refused.

“I hate cards.”

“You hate everything,” Gertie laughed. “I have yet to hear you say you love something.”

“I love sex.”

Gertie put her cards down. “Do tell.”

Tansy sat down at the table. “There's nothing to tell. Doesn't everyone?”

“How the hell would I know?” Gertie yelled. “I've been felt up maybe twice in my life. But I'm sure hoping that will change by this time next week.”

Bay shuffled the cards. “Don't look at me. I've been withering on the vine for years.”

Gertie lowered her voice. “Have you had a lot of lovers, Tansy?”

Tansy shrugged. “I guess.”

Bay tsked. “Don't you worry about disease?”

“I'm not stupid.”

Gertie looked behind her, afraid Ashley would show up. “If you don't mind my asking, where was the craziest place you've ever done it?”

Bay slapped Gertie's arm. “For heaven's sake, don't get her started.”

Tansy leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. “Let's see. There was that time in the elevator, and then there was the revolving door, and oh, I know, once up in an apple tree.”

Gertie's mouth hung open. “You're joking.”

Tansy got up with a laugh. “Of course I'm joking. Can you imagine trying to do it in a revolving door?”

“Or up a tree,” Bay smiled.

The three of them giggled. Then Tansy put on her sweater that had been hanging over the doorknob in the hall. “I'm going for a walk.”

“Take Merlin, will ya?” her sister asked.

“Okay. Come on, boy.” Merlin jumped up from his mat and rushed over to the door. Tansy grabbed his leash and put it on him. “You guys want me to pick something up at the corner store?”

“Yeah. A bag of Dorit—”

“What was that, Gertie?”

“A bag of oranges.”

“Oranges it is.” She went out the door.

It was nice out, warm, with no wind. The sun was disappearing over the horizon and the sky was a blaze of pink and mauve. Tansy couldn't remember sunsets like this in New York. She'd forgotten how breathtaking they could be.

Even though it was early in the evening, there weren't many people about. Little kids who'd been racing around on their bikes or playing street hockey were now corralled indoors. Tansy imagined that most mothers on the street were putting little ones to bed or parking older ones in front of a video.

As she rounded the corner, she smelled someone's barbeque going and heard laughter coming from behind a fence. Friends over for a beer, no doubt—all normal, everyday activities that she had never taken part in. It made her sad.

She headed down towards the wharf, a perfect spot to sit and look out over the water. Merlin was happy with this long adventure. Tansy could have sworn he was smiling at her, with his goofy, hairy face. “Thank you, Merlin. At least someone loves me.”

On the park bench she stopped and breathed in the fishy air. The fog rolled in from offshore. It wouldn't be long before it crept over rooftops and enveloped the town, muting sounds and making shapes a hazy blur.

Tansy sat there, not registering what was going on around her. If she had, she would've noticed Dermot pass her in his truck, brake, and then pull over to the side of the road. He hopped out, slammed the door, and headed straight for her. He was almost on top of her before she realized someone was approaching, and that was only because Merlin sat up and started to wiggle with excitement.

“I want to talk to you,” Dermot said.

Tansy turned her head. “Don't sneak up on a person like that.”

“I'm hardly sneaking.” He stood in front of her. “What do you think you're playing at?”

“Excuse me?”

He pointed his finger at her. “Don't be all mealy-mouthed and give me that ‘I don't know what you're talking about' stuff. You know damn well why I'm annoyed.”

Tansy gave a big sigh and looked away. “Everyone's always upset at me about something. Join the crowd.”

“Is it any wonder, the way you carry on?”

Tansy glanced back at him. “Don't stand in front of me. I can't look up that long. If you have something to say, sit next to me and maybe we can talk like two adults.”

Dermot looked wary for a moment and then did as she asked. She pivoted around to face him and put her arm on the back of the bench. “So what have I done that has you riled up?”

“You've talked to Bay about me. And she's talked to you, obviously.”

“Shouldn't you be mad at her too?”

“As a matter of fact, I am mad at her, but since you're here, you'll do.”

Tansy smiled.

“What's so funny?”

“‘Since you're here, you'll do.' Isn't that exactly it? Isn't that what you wanted? Bay wasn't with you, so I was. And now because I was, you're angry with me. I didn't twist your arm to sleep with me, as I recall.”

“I told you I loved her.”

“And a minute later you loved me. You aren't better than me, Dermot. You were in that bed too.”

“But I didn't know who you were.”

“I didn't know who you were either. Why are you mad at me? Shouldn't you be mad at yourself? If I'm getting it in the neck, why aren't you?”

Dermot looked flustered. Tansy knew she'd scored a point, so she waited.

He finally spoke. “All right, we didn't know. We're on equal footing as far as that goes, but I'm annoyed that you told Bay to cool it with me. She was more than ready to be with me the other day and then she changes her mind. I know you're behind it.”

Tansy turned away from him. “I'm behind nothing. All I said was that she's been alone for a long time and she's forgotten that she should be wooed by a man.”

“You're a great one to be giving that advice.”

“I'm aware of my own double standard, Dermot. I'm not my sister. You have to realize that just because you've liked her for years, that doesn't give you the right to undress her in your back room. She's worth more than that, and I told her so. Why is that wrong? I'm worried about her. I don't want her to rush into something she may not be able to handle.”

“I'm not some jerk who just wants to get in her pants. I care deeply about her.”

Tansy turned back to him. “Then do me a favour and slow down. She's had a horrible time of it. I think she's depressed, and that's why she can't get her life back together. She's not the Bay I remember. She's uncertain and scared and vulnerable. I want you to understand that before you demand things of her.”

Dermot stared at the ground.

“I'd better go.”

Dermot looked at her. “I'm sorry. I jumped to the wrong conclusion.”

She faced him. “I'm not innocent. I love my sister, but if I thought she'd never find out, I'd be with you tonight. You do something to me, and I haven't felt that in a long time. I think you feel it too. Or am I wrong?”

Dermot looked away. She watched his profile and willed him to say it. He cleared his throat. “No, you're not wrong.”

They looked at each other.

“So what do we do?”

He shook his head. “I don't know.”

“If you're going to be in Bay's life, I'll always be around.”

“Maybe you'll go away and never come back.”

She looked back out over the water. “I think my sister needs me for a while.” When Tansy stood up, so did he. She gave him a sad smile. “We can't undo what we've done. But I know I'll never forget it. I don't want to forget it.”

“Neither do I.”

“I have to go.” When she walked away from him, he called out. “Why don't I drive you home?”

She hesitated. “All right.”

They walked together to the truck and Merlin jumped in first. He sat at Tansy's feet. Dermot started the truck but didn't move. He kept his hands on the wheel and looked as if he was struggling for words.

“Don't say anything.”

He put the truck in drive and stepped on the gas. They drove in silence until they got to the end of Bay's street.

“You can drop me off here.”

He pulled over and stopped the truck.

She looked at him. “Goodbye, Dermot.”

He quickly reached over and took her face in his hands. “I'll never forget you.” He kissed her before she could say anything.

Tansy had to get out of there. She pulled away and opened the door. Merlin hopped out and she jumped down and slammed the door behind her. She didn't look back as the truck made a U-turn and drove off. As she wiped her eyes and walked towards home she noticed Flo standing in someone's driveway carrying a bag from the corner store.

“Well, well, missy. I knew you was trouble from the very beginning. Stealing your sister's boyfriend. What kind of woman are you?”

Tansy shot daggers at her. “I may be a lot of things, but at least I'm not you.”

She pushed past Flo and kept going.

“You'll get yours someday, girlie. You mark my words.”

CHAPTER NINE

When Bay went downstairs the next morning, she was surprised to see Tansy sitting at the kitchen table. She had a mug of coffee in front of her.

“Good morning. Couldn't sleep?”

Tansy shook her head. “No, it was stuffy in my room last night. I should get a fan.”

“Good idea.”

“There's coffee in the pot.”

Bay walked across the kitchen and opened the cupboard. She took out a mug and filled it, taking it back to the table to pour in the cream. “I've only got ten minutes.” She sat at the table and took a big swig.

“You should eat breakfast. A granola bar isn't enough.”

“You sound like Mom.”

Tansy frowned and rubbed the outside of her mug. “I suppose she wanted you to eat oatmeal every morning, like we did when we were kids.”