“Yeah, the problem there is she can’t get me to do things for her anymore, so she has no use for me.” Riley shook her head with a wry smile. “And believe me, the feeling is mutual.”
“It just isn’t right,” Nancy said. “A mother should love her children unconditionally. From what I’ve seen and heard, she doesn’t even know how to love.”
“You’re right, Nancy, she doesn’t. She never has. But you know what? I’m used to it, and it doesn’t much bother me anymore.”
“I don’t believe that. You’re saying it didn’t bother you when she basically kicked you out of her room last night? No matter how you feel about her, I can’t imagine it didn’t hurt your feelings at least a little bit.”
“It did a little, I won’t lie, but it’s her. It’s just the way she is. The way she’s always been,” Riley said with a shrug. She hated trying to defend her mother, especially to people who knew her. She decided then and there she wasn’t going to do it any longer. Her mother obviously didn’t need her any longer, so why should she keep holding out for acceptance? “But you’re right. I deserve better. That’s why I’m so happy you and Andy are in my life. You’ve been more like parents to me than she ever was. I really do love you guys, you know that, right?”
“We love you too, Riley,” Nancy said. They both stood and hugged tightly. “You’re coming for game night on Sunday, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Riley smiled as Nancy left the office. She didn’t know when her mother was being released from the hospital, and she didn’t care. She’d obviously found her own way home from there before, so she wasn’t going to put her life on hold wondering if she needed to give her a ride.
Helen Warren was on her own. Much like Riley had been for most of her childhood.
Chapter Six
“We should go to the reunion next weekend,” Vanessa said as she and Vic were walking through the gardens at their parents’ estate. “It might be fun.”
“Fun? Are you nuts?” Vic asked incredulously. She stopped walking and grabbed Vanessa by the wrist to get her to stop as well. “I have absolutely no desire to see any of those idiots we called friends back then. I can just imagine they haven’t changed a bit. Have you even talked to any of them since graduation?”
“Just Harper,” Vanessa admitted with a shrug. Vic fought the urge to roll her eyes. Harper had been the biggest bitch of the entire group.
Vic led her to the bench a couple of feet away. Vanessa was doing so much better after her accident, but she still had some pain if she tried to overdo things. The burns on her legs had been bad, and she still had trouble walking too far without the use of a cane or walker, which she hated with a passion. The scars were bad enough for Vanessa to never want to be seen in anything other than pants anymore, and Vic knew how hard that was for her fashion plate sister.
At least the accident facilitated her stopping smoking. She’d had a lit cigarette in her hand when it happened, which was the reason for the fire. If not for that, she would have walked away from it with little more than a few broken bones and the eight-inch cut on her forehead from where she’d slammed into the steering wheel.
“Then why would you want to go?”
“Riley,” Vanessa said quietly, and sounding more humbled than Vic had ever heard her before.
“Riley?” Vic wasn’t able to hide the surprise in her voice. “What about her?”
“Somebody should finally thank her for what she did that night, don’t you think?”
“You never did?” Vic stared at her in disbelief. “Jesus, Vanessa, why the hell not?”
“Mother said there was no point,” Vanessa said with another shrug. Vic watched as her fingers went to the scar just under her hairline and she massaged it absently. “She thought Riley only did it hoping she’d get some kind of compensation for the deed.”
“Are you serious?” Vic was shocked but knew she really shouldn’t be. Vera had always been like that. “Even if she had expected something in return, which I really doubt because she probably had no clue who you were when she did it, she still saved your damn life that night. Do you comprehend how huge that is? If she hadn’t been there, you would have died in that fire.”
“I know,” Vanessa said, tears in her eyes. Vic sighed and put an arm around her, pulling her closer so Vanessa rested her head on her shoulder.
Their mother had always cared more about her social standing than she did about her twin daughters. As a result, Vic and Vanessa had been best friends growing up, as well as sisters. And now this? Obviously, she hadn’t changed over the years, something Vic would have known if she’d ever visited. Now she was glad she’d stayed away.
Their mother was more than appalled by Vic being a lesbian, and she never missed an opportunity to let it be known. They’d only been there since that morning, and Vic had already heard the snide remarks. So far she’d managed to bite her tongue, but she wasn’t sure how much longer she could do it.
“I’d think you’d want to see her again too,” Vanessa said, poking her playfully in the ribs. Vic didn’t have to see her face to know she was smiling.
“I would, but I know she probably hates us both.” Vic closed her eyes and Riley’s face popped into her mind. She wondered what she looked like now. Was she still as hauntingly beautiful as she had been in high school? “The way we treated her is the biggest regret I have in my life.”
“Really?” Vanessa sat up straighter and looked her in the eye. “What about not telling her how you felt?”
“You know as well as I do I wasn’t completely sure how I felt about her back then.” Vic shook her head and leaned forward, her forearms resting on her thighs. Actually, that was a lie because she had known on some level but never wanted to admit it to anyone. Not even to Vanessa, at least not until after she’d been ready to come out. “All I knew for sure was she confused the hell out of me. I didn’t even know being with girls was a real option until we went to college.”
“I guess you got more of an education than I did, huh?” Vanessa laughed and put a hand on Vic’s knee, squeezing gently.
“You can say that again.”
“So, can we go?” Vanessa asked. “To the reunion?”
Vic knew she should say no, but the truth was, she really did want to see Riley again. What were the chances she’d forgotten all about high school and moved on? She allowed herself a small fantasy of Riley professing she felt the same way about her.
“I’m here for your wedding, isn’t that enough?”
“No.” Vanessa smiled at her, and Vic knew she’d agree to anything she wanted. It was how she’d always been. Unable to resist her sister, which was why she’d even hung out with those losers in high school in the first place. And why she was here, at the family estate, now. Anything to make Vanessa happy.
“Fine, we can go,” Vic said before standing and holding a hand out to help her up. “Don’t say I never did anything for you.”
“Just think how much it would piss Vera off if you actually started dating Riley.” Vanessa grinned and bumped her shoulder into Vic’s.
Vic couldn’t help but laugh at the thought, because it certainly would piss her off. Their mother had always referred to Riley and her friends as trailer trash, whether they’d lived in trailers or not. It had always irked Vic, but she’d never said anything about it. God, how she would love to have the opportunity to put Vera in her place.
* * *
“Are you just going to sit there staring at your phone, or are you going to actually call her?” Megan asked the next afternoon. Riley was beginning to regret having told her about Vic’s request. Megan held her hand out and snapped her fingers. “Give me her number and I’ll call.”
Riley sighed and entered the number into her phone. She hesitated before actually pressing the call button though, because she had a really bad feeling about this. She put on a good show in letting everyone think she didn’t want to talk to Vic because she was pissed about high school.
If she was being honest with herself though, she was really afraid of being made to feel like a victim again which was what she knew would happen as soon as she heard Vic’s voice. She closed her eyes and gave herself a mental shake. You can do this.
She opened her eyes and pressed the button but stared straight ahead. It was bad enough Megan was standing there watching and listening. She didn’t need to see whatever faces she decided to make in an attempt to distract her. It rang three times and she was about to hang up before it went to voice mail, but then she answered.
“Victoria Thayer,” she said, very businesslike.
Riley opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her throat constricted and all she could hear for a moment was the blood pulsing in her ears. She knew she must have looked like a deer in headlights as she glanced at Megan, who was giving her a thumbs-up.
“Hello?” Vic said, sounding irritated now. “Who is this?”
“Yes, hello, I’m sorry,” Riley said and then cleared her throat. “I’m the manager of the movie theater in Wolf Bay. I had a message you called about a bachelorette party.”
“Oh, yes, I did. I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”
“My name is Riley Warren,” she said before she could change her mind. It gave her a small amount of satisfaction when there was a lengthy pause from the other end of the line. “Ms. Thayer? Are you still there?”
“Riley?” she asked, her voice quiet, and if Riley wasn’t mistaken, a little strained. “From Wolf Bay High? Class of two thousand?”
“Yes, that’s me.” Riley took a long drink from the glass of water Megan handed her before sitting across from her at the kitchen table. When she put the glass back down, Megan reached across and placed a hand on her arm.
“How have you been?”
The question stunned Riley, because who the hell did Vic think she was acting as though they’d been friends?
“A lot better than I was in high school, but why are you asking me that like we’re just old friends reconnecting?” Riley pulled her arm away from Megan and stood before beginning to pace. She pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger as she let out a breath. “Because we were anything but friends, Victoria. Or maybe you’ve conveniently forgotten about that.”
“I haven’t, Riley, but I wish I could go back in time and change it all. I swear to you I am not that person anymore. I’m so sorry for all of it.”
Riley sat back down with a thud, because she sure as hell hadn’t been expecting that. She’d spent so many long years feeling nothing but anger and hatred toward the entire Thayer family, and now she gets an apology right off the bat? What the actual fuck?
“Riley?” Victoria asked, a hint of levity in her voice. “Are you still there?”
“Yeah,” she replied. “So, the reason I’m calling is to tell you I can’t let you book the theater for your party.”
“Why not? Did the woman I spoke to give you the whole message? I’ll pay twice what you’d get if you sold out the theater.”
“It’s not about the money,” Riley said, even though it was a little bit. When she rented out the theater for private parties, or school field trips, the owner let her keep half the money for her trouble of having to deal with what was almost always inevitable headaches.
“Can you not get the film I requested? I’m sure Vanessa has a digital copy of it because it’s her favorite movie.”
“Okay, slow down. First of all, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way, and second, we aren’t a big city multiplex. We aren’t digital, although we are working on it. We still run movies on actual film through a real projector. And yes, I could probably get the movie you requested.”
“Then why are you turning me down?”
“Honestly? I’m not comfortable having anything to do with you or your sister.” Riley stared at Megan, who was doing her own version of a happy dance right there in her chair.
“I see.” Instead of sounding angry, Victoria sounded almost sad. And Riley hated that she almost felt bad for saying what she did. But what the hell? It was the truth. “Okay, then. Will you allow me the opportunity to show you I’ve changed?”
“I’m not really sure—”
“Meet me somewhere for coffee. I’d really like to talk to you.”
“I can’t. I have to work tonight.”
“Then tomorrow morning.”
Riley moved the phone away from her ear and held it out to Megan who backed away and shook her head.
“She wants to have coffee,” Riley whispered.
“Do it,” Megan mouthed back. Riley shook her head, not because she didn’t want to, but because she couldn’t believe any of this was actually happening. Before Victoria thought she’d fallen off her chair, she put the phone back to her ear.
“Fine. Wolf Bay Diner at ten?”
“I’ll be there,” Victoria said, sounding relieved. “And thank you, Riley. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The call disconnected and Riley dropped her phone on the table in front of her. She and Megan looked at each other in silence for a moment before Riley groaned and rested her head next to her phone.
“You are a fucking rock star,” Megan said before bursting out laughing. “I can’t believe you said you weren’t comfortable having anything to do with her or her sister. You’re awesome!”
“Then why do I feel like I’m going to throw up?”
“Because she was your first crush. Come on, we have to find you something to wear.”
Riley groaned louder but got to her feet to follow Megan to her bedroom. She already knew she had next to nothing but jeans and T-shirts or her work uniforms, so if Megan thought something dressier was going to magically appear in her closet, she was sadly mistaken.
Christ, why couldn’t she just wear what she usually wore? It wasn’t like this was a date or anything. She snorted, causing Megan to stop and turn to look at her. She shrugged. Even if by some miracle Victoria was a lesbian, she’d never look twice at her no matter what she was wearing.
Chapter Seven
“What in the world are you wearing?” Vera asked, looking at Vic with utter disdain as she entered the living room. “The least you could do while you’re staying in my house is dress like a proper woman.”
“It’s a woman’s suit, Vera,” she said, thinking she looked damn good if she did say so herself. She took a seat on the sofa and rested her right ankle on her left knee, knowing the move would piss her off even more. “By Armani. I thought that would perhaps appease you.”
“Couldn’t you wear a skirt instead of pants?”
“And miss this reaction?” Vic laughed. “Not on your life. And I don’t do skirts, or dresses for that matter. You know this about me.”
“You’ll be wearing a dress for your sister’s wedding.” Vera looked smug, and Vic wanted nothing more than to slap it off her face.
“Oh, she didn’t tell you?” Vic asked, thoroughly enjoying the way her mother’s face fell at the ominous tone of her voice. Vic smiled. “Vanessa found a perfect suit for me to wear that matches the groomsmen.”
“No, that most definitely is not acceptable,” her mother said, shaking her head and standing. “I’ll just have to have a talk with her.”
“Vera, let it go,” Vic said, her voice raised. “You tried so hard to make me into the woman you always thought I should be, and it didn’t change who I am. I’m almost forty years old, and you don’t get to dictate what clothes I wear. Wearing a dress for my sister’s wedding isn’t going to miraculously make me straight.”
“What’s going on in here?” her father asked as he walked into the room and looked back and forth between them. “I could hear you shouting all the way upstairs.”
“You need to have a talk with your daughter.”
“My daughter? Vera, she’s your child too, and it might do you a world of good to at least try and get along with her.”
“She comes here for the first time in sixteen years and has t
he audacity to dress like this in my presence? Perhaps she’s the one who should try and get along with me.”
Vic sat there in silence watching them. Her father’s face was turning red with the effort of trying not to yell at Vera, and Vera had the most pained expression on her face, as though Vic being a lesbian was literally going to kill her.
“Is it any wonder she hasn’t come home in so long?”
“Garret, are you condoning her behavior?”
“What I’m doing is supporting our daughter. She’s a wonderful woman, which is something you’d realize if you’d get off your high horse long enough to make an attempt to get to know her. So what if her wedding day would have two brides instead of a bride and a groom? Our job isn’t to criticize and judge our children, but to love and support them unconditionally.”
“I can’t believe you’d take her side over mine. Don’t you care what people think?”
“Honestly? I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks.”
“Not even your own wife,” her mother said before turning and stomping out of the room.
Vic smiled at her father as he shook his head and came to sit next to her on the couch. Her heart swelled with the love she felt for him for standing up for her.
“That woman could try the patience of a saint,” he said after a moment.
“I don’t know how you put up with her,” Vic said, immediately wishing she hadn’t said something negative about Vera. She held her breath for him to turn around and defend Vera.
“Sometimes I don’t know either,” he said with a chuckle. He turned his head and looked her over. “You’re dressed up. Going out tonight?”
“I was thinking about going to see someone I went to school with.” Vic hoped Riley wouldn’t be pissed at her for just showing up at the movie theater, but after talking on the phone earlier, she didn’t want to wait until tomorrow morning to see her. “Someone I wish I’d known better when we younger.”
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