"Little shit," Sunny said.
"Take off your blinders, Sunny. Dad's using you, he's using all of you. When I get settled, I'll send my address."
"She's bluffing," Sunny sniffed.
"No she isn't. I saw her packed bags in the car this morning. She's leaving this afternoon. Of the four of us, whoever would have thought it was Billie who had the guts. Dad's out of the woods now. He's recovering. I'll be leaving myself next week. I have enough money left to enter the Master's program at UCLA. I can work part-time while I'm going to school. I might even go on to get my doctorate. Whatever I do, I'll do on my own. This might be a good time for me to say good-bye too. Being around you two just reminds me of what we've become. There's no way to make this right. I don't like any of us," Sage said.
"What is this, rats leaving a sinking ship?" Birch blustered. "C'mon, Sage, we can work this out."
"Billie was just upset, she'll come around. Come on. Sage, we need you," Sunny pleaded. "Dad needs you. How can you turn your back on us, on him?"
"The same way he turned his back on us years ago. I just walk away. I'll let you know where I am in case you want to stay in touch. Sorry, Birch, there's no working this one out."
"Wlio's going to tell Dad?" Sunny asked.
"Let's not say anything to him for a while," Birch said. "I'd like to see how long it takes Dad to notice Billie and Sage are gone. Sage and I have never been separated."
"For God's sake, Birch, you make it sound like you and Sage are joined at the hip. He's always been jealous of you."
"Sage doesn't have a jealous bone in his body. It takes guts to do what he and Billie are doing."
"Birch, I'm scared. What are we going to do? Dad isn't going to recover and get the use of his legs again. We both know that. The damage to his back was too severe. When he finds out he's going to be confined to a wheelchair... I don't know what will happen. Mom could make that right, you know. Where can we get money. Birch? I don't want to file for bankruptcy and lose Babylon. Everything got out of hand so fast. I'm really scared. Birch. Are Sage and Billie right about Dad and the trust?"
Birch sat down and dropped his head into his hands. "I'm afraid so, Sunny." Suddenly all his bluster was gone.
"All that stuff he handed us was a lie? I refuse to believe that." Sunny cried.
"Then don't believe it. When did you ever know Uncle Simon to lie? He was always painfully honest. I do think he likes Mom. A lot. I thought you knew what you were talking about when you said he and Mom were ... we all believed you. We've destroyed what was left of this family. Take a damn good look at us. Sunny. You tell me what we're going to do."
"You're blaming me for all of this!" Sunny sputtered.
"I don't see anyone else around here, do you? You conned me, and I fell for it because I'm a stupid jerk. You know what, I'm sick and tired of being a stupid jerk. I'm sick and tired of kissing Dad's ass so he might smile at you or me or someone. I'm sick and tired of those construction guys and I'm sick and tired of the gambling business. And I'm sick to my soul at what we did to Mom. Like Billie, I'm too ashamed to go to her and apologize because I know she'd . . . say okay, I forgive you, and kiss me on the cheek. Jesus, she slapped me. In my whole life she never did that, not even a pat on the behind. I don't deserve one kind word from her and neither do the rest of you."
"You're leading up to something. Birch. Why don't you just spit it out and get on with it," Sunny said.
"I'm going with Sage even though he didn't ask me to join him. I don't want to be a part of this any longer. I didn't think anything could be worse than the day Mom fired us, and then the day I saw that damn iron fence. Today makes both of those things pale in comparison. I want to live with myself. I hope it works out for you. Sunny."
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'*What about Dad?" Sunny asked tremulously.
"Mom laid it out this morning. It doesn't matter where Dad gets his therapy as long as he gets it. It isn't even going to start until all three of his body casts come off. That's at least two or three weeks away. Mom doesn't owe Dad anything. There's nothing more I can do for him. If there was, I'd do it. I don't know the first thing about the construction business. And I don't want to learn, either. I'm a CPA. Would you like some brotherly advice?*'
"Sure, why not?"
"You were always Mom's favorite. It's okay, Sunny, we didn't mind. Jesus, you even have a business named after you. Find a way to make it right with Mom. She's probably hurting real bad. If Dad's awake, I'll say good-bye. If he's sleeping, tell him I said good-bye when he wakes up. Look, Sunny, if you really want to know which way the wind is blowing, teU him you're not going to beg Mom to release the trust monies. His attitude wiD tell you everything you need to know. I hope it works out for you. Tell Tyler I said goodbye."
Sunny watched her brother walk down the hall, and then watched him come back. "He's sleeping. See you around."
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Sunny nodded. "This reminds me of the day you and Sage left for college. I felt so lost that day."
"We were kids then. Sunny. We're adults now, we have to take whatever life dishes out. Don't go bawling on me now, okay."
"Okay."
"All right," Birch relented, "a couple of tears won't hurt"
Birch cradled her against his chest, his own eyes wet "Jesus, I'm gonna need my raincoat if you keep this up. If Billie writes or calls, let us know where she is so we can stay in touch. We're family, and don't you ever forget it."
Ash woke four and a half hours later, his face bathed in sweat His eyes were glazed as he looked around the room. '*Where is everyone?" he asked groggily.
"Everybody left, Dad," Sunny said.
"What time is it?"
"Almost six. They'll be bringing your dinner soon."
"I refuse to eat that slop. I don't much care if I ever eat again. What rime is everyone coming back?"
"They aren't coming back. Dad. Billie left for New York this af-
temoon. Sage and Birch are going to California next week, maybe sooner. I'm the only one left."
A tear rolled out of the comer of Ash's eye. "I appreciate your loyalty. What brought this to a head?"
"The way we treated Mom. That's not exactly true, it was the way /treated Mom."
"Are you blaming me. Sunny?"
"To a degree," Sunny said, her voice ringing with honesty.
"Do you want to leave your old man too?" Another tear rolled dom Ash's cheek. His mouth was even tighter than before. "This isn't much of a family, is it?"
"No. Most of it's your fault. Dad."
"I know. I came to my senses, though. I thought if we all started over, it would work. I didn't know your mother hated me so much."
Sunny cringed at her father's pitiful tone. "I don't know if she hates you or not. I know she hates what you did to our family. We all hated that. We've gone over this a hundred times. Dad. I'm tired of it. When something's over, it's over. I guess what I'm trying to say is, Birch, Sage, and Billie don't want Mom to release the trust monies. I told them I'd go along with their decision."
"So, you're turning on me too. What do I have to do or say to make you beUeve I'm not that person anymore? Take a good look at me, Sunny. What's going to happen to me? What's my life going to be like? Do you think I don't know my chances of walking are less than slim? That casino is what's kept me going. If I have to work the floor in a damn wheelchair, I will. I waited all my life for this. Now, when I need my family the most, you all cut and run. / might even die!" More tears rolled down his cheeks. "I love you kids more than life itself. If you don't want me in your lives . . . well, I guess you'll have your Uncle Simon to take my place. He's in love with your mother. I had a hard time believing that at first. Now it all fits together. Why would your mother want a cripple like me when she can have Simon?"
There was desperation in Sunny's voice when she said, "Mom's not like that, Dad."
"You're the one who told me something was going on between them. Are you sayi
ng you lied to me?"
"I was mistaken."
Sunny stood up.
"Don't go. Sunny. Stay with me, talk to me. I'm scared. I hate to
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admit it, but I am. What if I lose . . . what if I never walk again . . . ? What's going to happen to me, to us?"
"I don't know. Dad."
"You're all I have left, Sunny. God, I don't want to lose you too. Help me, tell me what to do."
"Dad, I don't know. You need money to finish Babylon. I hate that contractor you hired. Sage and Birch tried to tell you the guy was robbing you blind, but you wouldn't hsten. You wouldn't take advice from anyone. You must realize every time you make a change the architect has to go back to his drawing board to make those changes. That costs money. Sage pretts^ much summed it all up when he said you think you know more than the builders. You don't, Dad, and this is the result. I don't know where you're going to get the money."
"Your mother could make this right. Babylon would belong to Thornton Enterprises, it's not like she's giving the money to strangers. She'll recoup, and Simon can reinvest the money. I want to see Babylon up and running before I die. I am going to die, Sunny."
It was too much for Sunny. She ran from the room.
Ash leaned back into his nest of pillows, his eyes cold and hard. With his good arm he reached for a bag of popcorn on his night table. One by one he popped the kernels into his mouth. Will she go to Fanny, won't she go to Fanny? The last kernel went into his mouth. Hell yes, she would, and Fanny would come around. Sunny was Fanny's Achilles' heel.
"It's so hard to say good-bye," Fanny said, hugging both Bess and Billie Coleman. "I'd rather say hello anytime. I can't remember ever spending a more restful time. I just know Sallie is up there, beaming down at us."
"And now, back to the real world," Bess said. "Back to listening to John groan and grumble about women who have careers and are never home. He himself is never home, so I don't know how he knows when I'm not home. Oh, well, remember how Devin used to tell us not to sweat the small stufP"
"I remember," Fanny said sofdy.
"Well, it's back to Texas for me and the batde Sawyer is raging to build Moss's dream plane," Billie said. "I'm a phone call away, Fanny. I can be here in a few hours if you need me."
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"The same goes for me, Billie. Just last night when I W2is falling asleep, I asked myself what my life would be like without you two in it."
"And what was your answer?"
"Dreary, Lackluster. Boring. You've both made my life so rich. We'll always be here for one another, won't we?"
"You can count on it," Billie said.
"I'd give up John before I'd give up this friendship," Bess said.
"Be careful driving down the mountain, Bess. Have a safe trip, Billie. Call me when you get home, both of you."
"Yes, Mother," both women said in teasing voices.
Fanny stood in the driveway watching as her two best friends in the whole world drove away. When the car was out of sight and the monster gates closed with a loud clang, Fanny turned to walk back to her lonely life. Her footsteps dragged, and then picked up speed as she headed for the cemetery.
She had so much to tell Sallie.
The following day, Fanny woke with an ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't going to be a good day. She wondered why as she sat down to eat her breakfast. As she chewed her toast she thought about Simon because she thought about him every waking hour of the day. Where was he? What was he doing? What was he thinking?
Today was a workday, a day to get back to the business at hand. The first thing on her agenda was to carry the mail down to the studio and go through it. She needed both hands to carry the heavy shopping bag Mazie had filled with the week's mail.
The ominous feeling was still with her as she pawed through the catalogs, shopping flyers, bank statements, bills, and charitable requests. The first class letters went into their own pile. Only three of them held her attention. One from her daughter Billie; one whose return address read Birch and Sage Thornton. The third letter bore the business address for Simon Thornton. Where, she wondered, was the letter from Sunny? She decided to save Simon's letter till later because she knew it would make her cry. Saving it for later would give her something to look forward to at the end of the day. She decided to read Billie's letter first. What in the world was Billie doing in New York?
488 Fern Michaels
Dear Mom,
I love you. I want to say that first. The second thing I want to tell you is I'm sorry. I know, it's just a word. Because it's just a word, I couldn't bring myself to call you or come up to Sunrise. I am so ashamed. Mom. Perhaps someday you can forgive me for what I know you consider my betrayal. I decided to come here to New York to get a job. My savings were getting dangerously low. I found a nice apartment and got a job yesterday in the garment district. As soon as I get my nerve and guts together, I'm going to call Uncle Simon and apologize to him. I'm not sure when that vdll be. Soon I hope.
I really am sorry. Mom. Take care of yourself. I don't have a phone yet. Maybe by next month. Thanks for being my mother. I love you.
BiUie
Fanny opened the twdns' letter, amused at their large scrawl. They were in California! Her heart took on an extra beat.
Dear Mom,
Guess you can see by the letter that we are in California. We decided to use the last of our savings to go back to graduate school. Sage has a part-time job in an accountingfirm. He's going to try and get me into the firm too. I'm waiting tables in a cafe for the time being. It's working. Who knows, maybe we'll get so carried away we'll decide to go for our doctorates or open a restaurant.
We're sorry. Mom. There aren't any other words, no other way to say it. Maybe someday you can remember the good days and think of what we did as ''that time the twins went insane." If you need us, Mom, just let us know. We're selling our cars, but we can be there in a few hours by plane. I guess you thought we didn't love you. If I were you, I'd think that too, but it's wrong. We do love you, bushels and bushels. Sage is writing a letter of apology to Uncle Simon while I'm writing this one. We just wanted you to know that. Take care of yourself. Mom.
Birch and Sage
Fanny reached for a tissue before she folded the letter to return it to the envelope. She pressed both letters against her heart. She rifled through the mail again to see if she'd missed a letter from Sunny. She sighed deeply. Sunny wasn't a letter writer. Her gaze swiveled to Simon's letter. With her index finger she pushed it farther away.
She thought she could feel her heart starting to heal.
The morning passed swiftly as Fanny devoted herself to the work at hand. Shordy after the noon hour, as she munched on an apple, the phone rang. Chue's excited voice came over the wire. "Miss Farmy, Sunny is outside the gate. You better come quick. Her engine is going very fast She backs up, starts, stops, backs up. Hurry, Miss Fanny."
Farmy ran out the door, up the path, around the house to a small grove of cottonwoods that gave her a clear view of the driveway and gate. She could see Sunny, but Sunny couldn't see her. She's going to smash the gate. She watched, horrified, as Sunny backed her car farther down the road. The roar of the engine sounded like a jet plane to Fanny's ears. She moved then, out of harm's way, to stand at the far side of the gate, the apple still in her hands. She sucked in her breath when she heard the tires squeal on the asphalt. Fifty, sixty, seventy, e^hty . . . The monster gates flew sideways, sparks shooting in every direction. Sunny roared past her.
The car came to a screeching halt as Sunny scrambled from the driver's seat, her face bone white. She saw her mother then, leaning against an ancient cottonwood, munching an apple.
"That was a hell of an entrance. What do you do for an encore?" Fanny said.
"I didn't think that far ahead," Sunny said in a jittery voice. "I hate that fence."
"Yeah, me too," Fanny said. "Did you just come up here to smash my gate or did
you have another reason?"
"Let's sit on the fi^ont steps. Mom. I want to talk to you. Listen, I'm sorry about the gate ... no, that's a He, I'm not sorry. I'll pay to have it repaired."
"That's okay. I've wanted to smash it myself many times. The gate was put up for a reason. It's no longer important. Sooner or later I would have gotten around to taking it down. You saved me the trouble. Now, how can I help you, Sunny?"
"Mom, I'm sorry. I have no excuse. I don't think I can ever make it right. I've been thinking about it for days, maybe weeks, I've lost track of time. Billie, Sage, and Birch, they just took off because they were too ashamed to come up here. I'm ashamed, too, but I'm here. I need you to rub it in my face. I need to hear you tell me off. This thing... whatever it is, is making me sick. It's all I can do to get through the day. I started with Uncle Simon. I went to New York last weekend and. . . apologized. He took me to lunch, showed me around his
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offices. He was so nice to me I spent the whole time bawling my head off. You're a fool, Mom, if you let him go. I don't know if you want to know this or not, but he looks like shit. He's lost weight, he has dark circles under his eyes, and he just picked at his lunch that was outrageously expensive. He didn't say one word about you. He . .."
"It's over and done with. Sunny."
"No, Mom, it's not over. I'm here to ask a favor. I never asked you for a favor in my whole life. That's what's giving me the courage to ask you. I will understand if you feel . .. if you want to say no. Will you hear me out, Mom?"
"Of course. Sunny."
"God, I don't know where to start. I'm just going to blurt this out. Mom, let Dad come up here on a temporary basis when he's ready to leave the hospital. Just until he comes to terms with his life. I'll come and help out. Mom, I didn't know you didn't love Dad anymore. Every time we asked you, you always said, of course I love your father. I swear to God, I didn't know. I thought you just got fed up and were going . . . going to end it. I guess I thought. . . wanted to believe you would love him forever. I'm afraid to marry Tyler because I don't want it to go wrong. He's getting fed up with me. Back to Dad. I swear to you, he doesn't know I'm here. He's in constant pain. Mom. He's not eating, and the only time he sleeps is when they medicate him. I don't know if he'll make it long-term. I want... I need to know I did everything I could where he's concerned.
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