by Jackie Black
Lissa smiled, then took a deep breath. “I’m the Vixen,” she stated baldly, and paused to let her revelation sink in.
Darla just stared at her for a moment, at first unbelievingly, then with a searching look that Lissa knew meant she was trying to find similarities between the star she’d seen on television and this sedately dressed woman sitting in front of her.
“You’re kidding,” Darla said, her expression half skeptical, half convinced.
“No.” Lissa shook her head and sighed. “I’m her, all right . . . not that I ever wanted to be.”
Darla leaned forward, studying Lissa again. Then she leaned back, her eyes wide. “I must be crazy,” she said wonderingly. “I think I believe you.”
“I hope so!” Lissa said emphatically. “You’re my ticket out of the limelight ... at least I hope you are.”
Now Darla looked thoroughly bewildered. “If you’re telling me the truth, you’re the one who’s crazy!” she exclaimed. “My God, you’ve got it made! Why in the world would you want out?”
Lissa shut the piano lid and leaned her elbow against it, propping her head against her hand.
“It’s a long story.” She sighed. “Care to hear it?”
“Are you kidding?!” Darla said in an incredulous tone. “I’m dying to hear it. Go on ... go on!”
Lissa knew she might be making the biggest mistake of her life, but she felt Darla was a person who could be trusted.
“Well, it’s like this,” she began. “Danny Farrell, the leader of the Freaky Foursome, is my brother.”
“No kidding!” Darla sat wide-eyed, listening with her whole body. “No kidding,” Lissa said dryly. “I love him, but sometimes I wish he weren’t my brother. He’s so caught up in his music, and so single- minded about becoming a success at it, that I think he’s prepared to do just about anything to have his dream.”
“Seems to me like he’s getting it,” Darla interjected. “The Freaky Foursome is about the hottest new group on the music scene these days.”
“Yes, unfortunately,” Lissa replied in a mournful tone. “That’s the problem. Danny and the rest of the group are convinced I’m the one responsible for their popularity. They didn’t start making it big until I came on the scene, you see,” she said, her impatience clear in her voice.
“Gee, that’s rough,” Darla responded, mocking Lissa. “It must be a real strain being so successful.”
Lissa grimaced. “Oh, I know it’s hard for most people to understand,” she admitted. “But I never wanted to be a singer.” She sounded indignant now. “I want to be a pediatrician, like my father, but I can’t get away from the group and get back to school ... at least not until there’s a replacement for me,” she added, fixing Darla with a purposeful look.
Darla looked stunned for a moment, then started shaking her head. “Oh, no,” she protested. “Not me.”
“Why not?” Lissa persisted, practically begging Darla now. “You want to be a popular singer, don’t you?”
“Sure,” Darla scowled, “but I want to be me and make it my way. I don’t want to sneak in the back door.”
Frustrated, Lissa clenched her hands into fists and sat up straight. Then, realizing she would get nowhere by trying to browbeat Darla, she decided to explain further rather than insist.
“Look, Darla,” she said forlornly, “I’ve already had to put off my goal a couple of times. I’d just been accepted for medical school when my dad got sick and I took off a year to be with him.” Her voice was choked as she added softly, “We lost him two years ago.”
Lissa saw Darla’s face soften with sympathy and she quickly looked away, afraid she would start to cry if she didn’t hold tight to her emotions.
“Then I had to act as dad’s executrix—” she started to continue, but Darla interrupted.
“Wait a minute,” she said softly. “Is Danny older or younger than you?”
“Older.”
“Then why didn’t your dad make him the executor?” Darla was clearly puzzled.
Lissa shook her head. “Danny didn’t want it,” she explained. “All he cares about is his music.”
“I see,” Darla said somewhat grimly, and Lissa began to be afraid that Darla was developing a prejudice against Danny.
“Danny’s all right,” she said quickly. “It’s just that his music has always been an obsession with him. I guess he inherited his talent and dedication from our mother. Mom was a concert pianist. In fact, that’s how she died ... she was flying back in a private plane from an engagement and there was a crash.”
Darla looked unconvinced about Danny, but even more sympathetic toward Lissa, which encouraged Lissa to go on.
“Anyway, about the time Dad’s estate was settled, Danny’s group lost its lead singer.”
“Why?” Darla inquired, and Lissa wished she hadn’t.
“Ah . . . she sort of fell in love with Danny,” Lissa said, moving restlessly on the piano bench, “and Danny didn’t feel that way about her, so she left.”
“I’ll bet he didn’t,” Darla responded in a way that made Lissa’s heart sink.
“Danny couldn’t help it,” she defended her brother stoutly. “He’s very attractive. He appeals to females of all types and ages. But he’s not ready to be serious about anyone yet. As I said, all he really cares about is his music.”
“Uh-huh,” Darla responded in a cynical tone. “No matter what it costs anybody else, even his own sister, right?”
Lissa quickly decided to get off the subject of Danny and women. “Well, anyway,” she continued, “Danny had just gotten a decent tour iined up for the Foursome when Meredith walked out on him. He was in a real bind.”
“So he appealed to you and you put what you wanted aside and helped him out.” Darla sounded even more cynical now.
“I had to,” Lissa said simply. “He’s my brother.”
“And you’re his sister,” Darla pointed out. “But he didn’t even think about putting what he wanted aside for your benefit, did he?” Lissa frowned, wishing she’d never gone into so much detail about what had happened. “He had the other members of the group to think about, too,” she again defended Danny. “They’ve been together since junior high. And this was their big chance.”
Darla said nothing, but Lissa didn’t like the expression in her eyes. “Listen, Darla,” she said a little desperately. “I’ll admit that Danny can be . . . well, somewhat selfish about his career. But he’s also loving and talented as well. You’d like him if you got to know him . . . I’m sure of it.”
Darla’s look said she wasn’t sure of such a thing at all.
“But even if you didn’t,” Lissa hastily went on, “this is a chance for you to get to the top without having to wait to be discovered.”
“I’ve got time,” Darla drawled.
“I don’t,” Lissa mumbled under her breath, then aloud said, “Darla, I know you want to do your own thing your own way, but don’t you see that eventually you can? You might have to be my version of the Vixen at first so that no one would know there’d been a change, but gradually you can try new things . . . your things.”
“And Danny would go along with what I wanted like a little lamb,” Darla interjected with dry disbelief.
That stopped Lissa for a moment. And looking into Darla’s eyes, she finally realized there was no way she was going to be able to convince her that Danny would please anyone but himself as far as what type of music the Foursome played.
Despondent, Lissa’s shoulders sagged, and the trapped feeling inside her escalated.
“I wish you’d at least try it,” she said, sounding hopeless.
Darla gazed at her with shrewd sympathy in her blue-violet eyes.
“Does Danny even know you’re doing this?” she asked in a quiet tone.
Lissa couldn’t meet Darla’s eyes. “Not exactly,” she muttered in a defensive way.
Darla sighed and cast her eyes at the ceiling. “In other words, he doesn’t,” she said
with flat conviction. “What’s he been doing . . . promising you he’d let you off the hook without meaning a word of it?”
Lissa winced, which gave Darla the answer she’d sought. Darla got to her feet and began pacing, while Lissa watched her in a hopeless fashion.
Finally, Darla came to a stop in front of her, and as Lissa gazed up at her face, she felt a cautious optimism begin inside her. Darla definitely looked undecided.
“I’ll be honest with you,” Darla finally spoke. “I’ve been around enough musicians like your brother to learn to hate them.”
Lissa winced again, but Darla continued without a pause.
“I doubt very much that your Danny would go along with your plan even if I decide to take you up on your offer. And,” she added as Lissa held her breath, a little flame of hope igniting at Darla’s phrasing, “even if he agreed to take me on as a substitute for you, I have some real problems with doing it . . . not to mention that it’s very doubtful I could get along with your brother long enough to make the whole thing worthwhile.”
The flame of hope began to dim.
“However,” Darla said, her expression grim as she reached for her coat and started putting it on, “I’ll think about it. There’s a reason why I might be persuaded to go against my common sense and give it a try.”
Lissa’s face lighted up like sunshine, but as she came to her feet, Darla held up a hand in a cautioning gesture.
“But don’t get your hopes up,” she said warningly. “If things work out the way I hope they will, I’m not going to be interested in your proposition ... in spite of the fact that I’d like to help you out.”
The implication was clear that Darla didn’t give a fig about helping Danny out, but Lissa didn’t care. It wasn’t as much as she’d hoped for, but there was still a chance Darla would agree, and that was better than nothing.
“Have you got a number where I can reach you?” Darla asked. She had her purse in her hand now, and it was obvious she was about to leave.
“Yes,” Lissa said eagerly, snatching up her own purse to find a pen and a piece of paper. When she handed the slip to Darla, Darla frowned at it.
“You aren’t based here in New York?” she asked.
“Boston,” Lissa acknowledged. “That’s where we grew up, and it’s Harvard Medical School I want to attend.”
Darla looked at her with humorous respect. “Well, I admit, I don’t understand someone in your position wanting to throw what you’ve got away in order to be a doctor, but to each his own, I always say.”
“So do I,” Lissa responded gloomily as Darla started walking to the door, pausing there with one hand on the knob.
“I’ll call you when I have a definite answer for you,” she said, her expression softening as she looked at Lissa’s woebegone expression, “but it might be wise for you to go on auditioning other singers.”
Lissa shook her head. “I’m going back to Boston tomorrow,” she sighed. “And anyway, I’m temporarily discouraged. I think I’ll just wait until I see what you decide to do.”
“Well, perhaps I’ll accept your offer,” Darla said thoughtfully, “though I’d be less than honest if I didn’t tell you that there are reasons why 1 hope I won’t have to.”
Lissa was puzzled, but Darla straightened,and lifted a hand in farewell.
“I’ve enjoyed talking to you,” she said in a sincere manner, then stepped through the door and disappeared into the outer room.
For a while, Lissa remained in the studio, gazing out one of its grimy windows at nothing. She felt so frustrated she could scream. But after glancing at her watch, she saw that she didn’t have time to scream. She had to grab a bite to eat, then rush to the nightclub for their performance.
As LisSa caught a taxi to take her back to her hotel where she would have room service while getting into the costume and makeup she would wear that night, she had her fingers crossed, though she knew she was foolish to hope that Darla would rescue her. But she was determined that if Darla should agree to replace her, Danny Farrell wasn’t going to get away with sabotaging the substitution. He might not like it, but he was darned well going to put up with it. It was either that or have no singer at all, for Lissa had made up her mind she had put her own life on hold for Danny’s sake as long as was fair. It was her turn now ... or at least it would be if Darla Simmons made it possible.
She was smiling as she stepped out of the cab and paid the driver because she had figured out that if everything went well, she could resume her education at the beginning of the semester in January. She refused to contemplate where she would be if everything didn’t go well. That was too much disappointment to bear for the moment.
Chapter Four
Sonny felt rather like a kid playing hooky as he ducked out of the New York hotel where the internists’ mini-medical convention was being held and walked rapidly away down the street. But he had only recently attended an intensive course at his own hospital concerning the newest developments in treating cardiovascular disease, and he very much doubted the physician about to lecture on the subject back at the hotel, could tell him anything he didn’t already know.
As Sonny got further away from the hotel, he slowed his pace until he was merely strolling along, enjoying the crisp fall weather, and the unaccustomed sense of freedom from responsibilities. As he approached Macy’s, he remembered that Maggie had asked him to bring her back a present, and though he very much doubted she would appreciate anything he chose for her—their tastes at this stage in Maggie’s development were so far apart as to be laughable—he nevertheless entered the store.
Buying Maggie clothes was out of the question. Sonny knew she would merely curl her lip at his conservative choices and stick whatever he purchased at the back of her closet as a meal for the resident moths. In fact, he thought her request for a present had probably been made more out of habit than conscious thought, since from the time she had learned to talk, she’d always asked him to bring her something back when he traveled.
Today, however, Sonny was in luck. After no more than five minutes in the store, he spotted a display of remarkably lifelike stuffed black-and-white panda bears which brought a smile even from the adults who spotted them. Ten minutes later, Sonny, in an excellent mood, was back on the street with one of the bears under his arm, where he immediately ran into one of his colleagues, who was also playing hooky from the lecture.
“Oops!” Frank Mathers grinned at him mischievously. “Caught in the act! So even a staid scion of Boston can’t stomach one of Johnny Fillmore’s meandering, deadly boring tours into the cardiovascular system, hmm?”
Sonny liked Frank, a devil-may-care bachelor who took nothing seriously in life other than the practice of medicine. He didn’t necessarily approve of Frank’s life-style—Frank was good-naturedly accused by the nurses at the hospital where he practiced of having the fastest hands in the East, and they weren’t speaking of his medical prowess—but Sonny liked Frank for his ability to not only have a good time himself, but to lighten the atmosphere for everyone else around him as well.
“You’ve got it,” Sonny replied with an amiable smile. “Whoever picked old Jghn as one of the lecturers at this meeting must have been desperate.”
“They were.” Frank nodded, a twinkling look in his merry blue eyes. “I turned them down. And if you say ‘shame on you,’ ” he added quickly when he saw the look on Sonny’s face, “I’ll deck you right here on the street. I don’t get to come to New York anytime I please the way you do, and I have no intention of wasting my opportunities.”
Sonny shrugged, though Frank was exaggerating about his ability to come to New York whenever he pleased, and Frank’s face suddenly lit up with an idea.
“Speaking of opportunities,” he said with a big grin, “how would you like to get out of going to that godawful banquet they’re having tonight and have some real fun?”
At first, Sonny was a little leery of whatever Frank might have in mind, but on second thoug
ht, he decided he was definitely not in the mood for a dull dinner, and though Frank might get out of line sometimes, occasionally he came up with something worth doing.
“What’d you have in mind?” he attempted to find out which category Frank’s suggestion was going to fall in this time.
The twinkle in Frank’s eyes grew more wicked. “I ain’t talkin’,” he said, clearly laughing internally at Sonny’s cautious attitude. “But if you’re interested in some fun instead of being bored out of your mind tonight, meet me in the lobby about seven. I know a great Italian restaurant where we can fuel up for the evening, and then I’ll treat you to some entertainment that’ll blow your mind.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Sonny drawled in a dry tone. But then, feeling unaccountably reckless, he shrugged and smiled. “But you’re on,” he agreed. “I can’t stomach another piece of rubber chicken.” Frank laughed and slapped Sonny on the shoulder. “Good for you!” he boomed heartily. “Meanwhile, I’m going shopping for some lingerie for a sweet little nurse who has so far resisted my charm, but whom I expect to overwhelm any day now.”
“If she’s the type to resist your so-called charm, I doubt if she’ll be interested in the type of lingerie you’ll pick out,” Sonny responded with dry humor.
Frank was undeterred. “Still waters run deep, my friend,” he quipped as he started backing away. “Mark my words ... the ladies who are the most reserved on the surface are usually tigers when you manage to strip away their defenses . . . and I do mean strip away, ” he added with a good-humored leer.
Sonny merely shook his head, but as usual, his friend left him with a smile on his face, and his good mood lasted throughout the rest of the afternoon, which he spent at the Metropolitan Museum.
As Lissa stepped out of the tiny cramped dressing room at the club where the Freaky Foursome was to perform that night, she was feeling less resentful than usual at the prospect of having to spend her time cavorting on a stage when she would rather be studying anatomy. She had decided to be optimistic about Darla Simmons’s response to the offer she’d made. There would be time enough to be depressed if Darla didn’t come through. Meanwhile, she would do the best she could to keep from letting Danny down, in case he later had to suffer from what he would no doubt consider utter betrayal by his own flesh and blood.