A knock sounded at the door. Lydia opened it to find Scott standing there.
“How did it go?” Lydia asked as she walked back to the sofa. She poured Scott a cup of coffee and handed it to him.
Scott took a deep breath. “I felt sorry for them. David is more upset than Leon. He was crying while he packed.”
“Really,” Hunter said. “I’ve never known you to feel almost sorry for someone.”
Scott shrugged. “I don’t think they ever once entertained the thought that they might be the ones who weren’t Mitchell’s biological sons.”
Lydia said nothing. Mitchell had provided for them when he didn’t have to and he still acknowledged them. She was sad that she never got to know that part of him despite being married to him for seven years. How could she not have known?
“I think you should know,” Scott said. “David and Leon have pretty much frittered away their inheritance. If they don’t take control, they’re going to be looking for jobs soon. Both of them made a few bad investments.”
Of which one of them was lending money to her father. Maybe she wasn’t going to be rid of them. If Mitchell still felt responsible for them, was she still responsible, as well? She would have to think long and hard. Though her dad did owe them a considerable sum. She would probably have to pony up and pay it, but not right away.
“I’d best be going,” Scott said. He pushed out of the chair, drained the last of his coffee and walked to the door. A knock sounded just as he twisted the knob.
Caroline Fairchild stood in the hall. She looked tired and worried with a lot of panic in her eyes. Scott stood aside after a short nod from Lydia to let her mother in. He closed the door after him, leaving Lydia and Hunter alone with Caroline.
“Lydia, what have you done?” Caroline cried as she rushed into the living room.
“What do you mean?”
Tears gathered in her eyes. “We’re ruined. Your dad and I are ruined. Leon called in the loan payable immediately. We’re going to lose our home, our reputation, our social standing. What did you do?”
“She didn’t do anything,” Hunter said in Lydia’s defense. “She protected herself when Leon and David threatened her. With a gun.”
A shocked look showed on Caroline’s face. Lydia tried to push aside the hurt that filled her. Her mother was putting the burden of her father’s mismanagement on Lydia’s shoulders. Her father was a grown adult. Caroline should be blaming him.
“Sit down, Mom,” Lydia said. She went to the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee for her mother and handed her a mug,
Caroline covered her face with her hands, harsh sobs starting. “We’re ruined.”
Lydia’s first thought was to immediately pay off Leon and David, but she didn’t want to. Her parents had sided with them against her. What did she owe them? She knew she was being childish, yet she couldn’t ignore the feelings of hurt and betrayal. Yet they were Maya’s grandparents and they did love her.
“I didn’t make this mess,” Lydia said, “but I will help you out of this for Maya’s sake.”
“I can tell Leon you’ll pay him the money as soon as possible.” Caroline looked relieved.
“I’m not paying the loan. You’re responsible for the loan and Leon has every expectation you will repay it.” If she did, Lydia’s father would feel like he could borrow any amount he wanted because he knew she’d get him out of his hole.
“Lydia,” Caroline cried out, a stricken look on her face. “You would let us be homeless.”
Lydia wanted to feel sorry for her mother, but didn’t. “You won’t be homeless.” If she had to, Lydia would let them live in Mitchell’s home. “I’ll arrange for you and Dad to talk to Collier Preston. He’s a financial consultant who is on staff in Earnest Tynan’s office. He’ll help you the same way he helped me.” Mitchell had been a realist, knowing Lydia would outlive him. He’d arranged for Lydia to have Preston teach her how to manage her money and how to find the right investments. Mitchell might not have cared much about Lydia’s desire to own a casino/hotel, but he trusted her to make good financial decisions.
“You won’t help us,” Caroline cried.
“I am helping you. I’m helping you to help yourselves.”
Her mother’s face crumpled and she started to sob so heart-wrenchingly, Lydia almost changed her mind.
“Mrs. Fairchild.” Hunter handed her a tissue. “You’re the parent here. You’re supposed to be looking out for Lydia’s interests.”
Caroline mopped up her tears. The tissue came away stained with mascara and eyeshadow. “Who are you to speak to me this way?”
“I’m the man who loves your daughter and your granddaughter.”
Lydia glanced at him, startled. He’d said the love word. “Hunter!”
“Sorry. I didn’t want to tell you this way, but it seemed the right thing to say.”
Lydia beamed at him. She’d resisted the idea of being in love with him for so long that all her defenses fell away. “I love you, too. We’ll talk about this later.”
He grinned. “I know.”
She felt a golden glow fill her. She turned to her mother and reached out to hold her hand. “This has to stop. You cannot move people around on a chess board for your own needs. I can either help you in the short term, or in the long term. Because I love you, I’m choosing to help you in the long run.” She picked up a clean tissue and cleaned the smudge of makeup from her mother’s cheeks. “I’m going to talk to Leon and David and ask them to give you more time to pay off the loan. I’m sure they’ll be happy to do so.” Lydia had no problem informing them of the alternatives she had in mind if they didn’t agree. She was certain they would be happy to extend the loan in the face of some jail time.
“And then what?” Caroline asked harshly.
“Dad didn’t need me to make his first million. He can do it again.” She bit the inside of her lip before saying the next part. “Reno is booming. There are a lot of opportunities for investment here. I think maybe you and Dad need a change.” She glanced at Hunter, who cringed. “And,” Lydia continued, “with your ability to socialize, you and Dad will be back on top in no time. If Reno isn’t to your satisfaction, Seattle is booming. Or San Francisco. You and Dad need to think outside the box.”
Caroline’s sobs drained away. She studied her daughter. “Why would we want to leave New Orleans?”
“Why stay? I think you need a fresh perspective.”
Her mother sat back in the chair, contemplating Lydia’s words. “I don’t know if your father is going to like your idea.”
“That’s fine. I have things to wrap up here. I’ll talk to him in a couple hours. I’m sure he’ll listen to reason.”
Caroline rose to her feet unsteadily and departed, her face a tragic mask of despair. Lydia felt sorry for her mother, but Hunter was right. Caroline and Andrew were the parents.
“Dealing with parents is never easy,” Hunter said.
“Later, when everything is calmed down,” she said, “I’ll set up a monthly allowance for them to help them over this hump and arrange for them to live in Mitchell’s house. I’m never going to live there again and this way it’s not vacant.”
“I’m proud of you, Lydia.”
“Thank you. I don’t feel proud.”
He slipped an arm around her and kissed her gently on the lips.
“When did you know you loved me?” she asked, cuddling against him.
“The day we went for ice cream in Lake Tahoe.”
“Why do you love me? I’ve been a doormat most of my life.”
“You’re strong, compassionate and generous. And you’re raising your daughter to be just like you.”
“You know now, if you’re going to be part of this family, Maya is going to insist that you learn to barrel race, too.
”
“I did buy a horse,” he said with a laugh. He kissed her again. “I didn’t expect to become a real cowboy.”
With her head resting against his shoulder, she could feel the rumble of his laughter against her cheek. “There’s a long tradition of black cowboys in the American West. You’ll fit right in.”
* * *
“What do you think now that you’ve seen the whole house?” Lydia asked her father. They stood in the empty kitchen of the house Lydia had just bought. Maya and Hunter had gone to the barn to look at what changes it would need in order to be safe and secure for the horses waiting for them with Hector Ibarra. Caroline and Miss E. had gone with them. Lydia felt her mother intended to give her father time to say what needed to be said.
“I like it.” He gave the room a critical look. “Maya is going to be happy here.”
“So will I.”
Silence fell between them.
“Your mother and I had a very long talk and I’m grateful for what you’ve done. I already called that guy and we have an appointment for next Tuesday.” Her father looked out patio doors to the pool and the outdoor kitchen.
“He’s very good and he’ll get you out of your hole. You said I. What about Mom?”
“You need to talk to your mom.” Absently he opened a cabinet and peered inside. She sensed he had more to say but didn’t know how to. Finally he closed the cabinet and turned to her.
“I owe you an apology for throwing you to the wolves.”
Like her mother, her father looked defeated. Her instinct was to tell him he didn’t have to apologize, but realized he needed to and she would be gracious and accept it. She needed to make peace with her parents for Maya’s sake.
“Dad, I know you’ve always wanted what was best for me. But I know what’s best for me, too.”
“And I’m beginning to learn that.” He leaned against the counter, the pensive look still on his face. “I know I haven’t always been the best of fathers, but I feel like I need to explain.”
Lydia waited. She’d never seen her father like this before. He’d been strong, larger than life. Now, he looked old and tired. Lines scored his face. Hair, once black, was now threaded with silver.
“I know your mom and I have never spoken about our background, but I think you should know.” He paused as though gathering his thoughts. “We both grew up poor in the Ninth Ward. My mother was the only one of her siblings who had a high school diploma, yet she took in laundry and worked in this big house in the Garden District cleaning. I never knew my dad. He was gone by the time I was born. My mother worked herself to death. By the time I was ten I knew I wanted out of the Projects. And I was prepared to do whatever it took.” He paused again, his eyes staring at the past with sadness. “I worked hard, saved every penny because I wanted an education. I worked three jobs to get myself through school and your mother did the same thing. She wanted what I wanted.”
Her mother worked. Lydia almost didn’t believe him. “Dad,” Lydia said. “You don’t have to tell me this.”
“Yes, I do. The day we left, we never looked back. And every action after that was one more step up the ladder for us, one more barrier between us and the Ninth Ward. We found this falling down, old house and bought it. I worked construction during the day and at night we rebuilt the house from the inside out. Your mother worked as hard at it as I did. We were both pretty surprised when we sold it for almost double what we paid for it. And that was how I got started in real estate. We took the money and bought another old, falling down house in a nice neighborhood, rebuilt it from the inside out and sold that one at a nice profit, too.”
“I’m kind of having a hard time picturing you with a hammer in your hand, Dad.” Lydia tried to build the image in her mind, but nothing came.
He spread his fingers out. “I had calluses on my calluses.”
“What happened to that man who flipped houses?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure, but at some point the jobs started to fall in my lap. Rich folks wanted me to renovate their falling down homes and then I met Mitchell, who asked if I would be interested in developing some land he had. I said yes and that’s when I made my first million and then you were born. After that I had to make more money to keep us all safe. To make sure we didn’t end up back in the ghetto. And your mother believed in me through thick and thin.” He sighed. “I don’t know when making money became more important than being a caring father. I knew someday you’d grow up and marry. I wanted a man who would be rich enough to protect you forever. Mitchell fit the bill. He’d always thought you a pretty little thing.”
“You knew Mitchell before I was even born.” Mitchell had never told her he’d known her when she was still a baby.
“We didn’t see each other often. After I built all the houses he wanted, we went in different directions. We didn’t hook up again until you were in college and by that time he was divorced and looking for a second wife.”
She remembered that day. Mitchell had been standing against the living room window looking very handsome. He’d taken her hand and kissed it in an old world gesture.
“You think all I worried about was money. Having money meant you didn’t have to take in laundry, or work three jobs after school, or eat mayonnaise sandwiches. Money meant safety.”
Lydia heard laughter. She glanced out the window and saw Maya with Hunter and Miss E. standing at the edge of the pool.
“Money means choices,” Lydia said quietly. She’d never really thought about money before. She’d always had money, like having air to breathe. She didn’t know the panic of being without. She studied her dad. She understood that her father was protecting her, but in doing so, he’d stepped hard on her toes and taken away her choices.
“Can you forgive me?”
“I understand that you did what you thought you needed to keep me safe. You acted out of love. There’s nothing to forgive.”
“Thank you.” He studied his hands as though looking for those calluses he’d talked about.
Lydia watched him. He had a lot of courage. She knew his confession had not been easy. She wanted to hug him, but knew she couldn’t quite do that yet. He’d made the first move to mend the fence between them; the next step was up to her.
“Tell me about your young man. Hunter,” he said.
“I love him. I didn’t want to. Being independent was very important to me, but he sneaked up on me.” She laughed a little.
“If it makes you feel any better, I knew the moment I first spotted your mom. She was only thirteen, but from that moment no other woman existed for me.”
“At first I worried because I didn’t know if I wanted to fall in love with him because he’d take care of me, or fall in love with him because he was the right man for me.” Mitchell had been the right man for her for who’d she been at the time. She’d always be grateful to him for preparing her for life after him, forcing her to learn how to handle her and Maya’s money. He’d helped her overcome her inherent shyness. He’d given her Maya. That one thing would indebt her to Mitchell for the rest of her life. She didn’t realize the huge impact he’d had on her until after he’d passed away, which made her feel sad because she hadn’t appreciated him enough until it was too late to tell him.
She sighed.
“What’s wrong?” her father asked.
“I was just thinking about Mitchell and how much I appreciated everything he did for me. I never had a chance to tell him.”
Her father smiled. “He knew, Lydia. He knew.”
“How do you know?”
Her father grinned. “One night he had a little too much bourbon and told me that you and Maya were the best things that ever happened to him.”
“He did?”
“He did.” Andrew patted her on the shoulder. “He loved you. Very much.”
Lydia smiled. “I loved him.”
The patio door slid open and Maya bounced into the room. “Mom. Mom, I saw a peacock. Our neighbor over there has peacocks, ostriches and even a llama. Can I have a llama?”
“No,” Lydia said with a laugh. “Llamas spit.”
“Mr. Hunter said you’d say no.”
“Hunter’s a smart man,” Lydia said with a laugh. She smiled at Hunter as he and his grandmother walked into the kitchen. Caroline stayed behind at the outdoor kitchen opening cabinets and checking out the grill.
“I think I’ll go see what my mother is doing,” Lydia said. She grinned happily at Hunter, who was being tugged at by Maya, who wanted to show him her bedroom.
“Do you like the house?” Lydia asked her mother. Through the open patio doors her father and Miss E. were talking.
“Once you put your stamp on it, it will be perfect,” her mother replied. She sat down on a patio chair and gazed at the pool, her face pensive.
Lydia leaned against the counter. “Dad said you wanted to talk to me.”
“Your dad is leaving for New Orleans tomorrow. I’m not going.” Caroline plucked nervously at the fabric of her light blue pants.
Surprised, Lydia tilted her head to study her mother. “Why?”
For a long moment, Caroline said nothing. Then she looked up at her daughter. “When I married Andrew, we had nothing except a determination to get out of where we were. Sometimes I felt the only thing that kept us going was because we were a team.” She smiled sadly. “Every decision we made was made to get us as far away from where we started as possible. Once we were out, we never looked back.”
“You and Dad have always acted like you were embarrassed by your background. Don’t you realize that is what made you strong?”
“I never thought of it that way. We thought we were giving you more options and then we started making the choices for you.”
Love Takes All Page 19