by Judith Keim
“Well, Tina,” said Christine. “This is going to be fun. You have a lovely figure and we have some things I think you’ll really like.” She turned to me. “By the way, how’s Liz? She’s such a doll. I was so glad to be able to help her get ready for her wonderful new job in DC.”
“Liz is great. She should be here for Thanksgiving. I’m sure she’ll find time to pay you a visit.”
“Okay, Tina. Let’s get started.” Christine took another long look at her. “I’m guessing you’re a size 4 or 6. Come this way.”
I was pleased. Tina was a larger size than that when she’d first arrived. She needed to be a size 2. She rolled her eyes at me but followed Christine to the back of the store to the dressing rooms.
I took a seat on a couch by Tina’s dressing room and watched as Christine moved back and forth between various racks of clothing and the dressing room, carrying an assortment of items.
Occasionally, Tina emerged to show me what she was wearing. She looked great in everything she tried on.
It took less time than I’d thought to choose a number of basic pieces of casual clothing, along with two dressier outfits to wear at the hotel for dinner. I charged them to my account, but would put it on Tina’s hotel account when we got back.
As we left the store, Tina wore one of her new outfits—a short skirt that tastefully showed off her legs and a V-neck knit top that was both sexy and stylish. She’d deny it if I called her on it, but with her new hairstyle and classier outfit, she acted more ladylike. I knew it wouldn’t last, but I took a moment to say, “You look really nice.”
She forced a frown, but I’d already seen the look of pleasure on her face.
At the hotel, I ushered Tina into the kitchen. “Rhonda, we have a special guest here.”
Rhonda studied Tina and then grinned. “Well, whaddya know. You look great, honey.” She turned to me. “What’s going on?”
“Let’s go into the office and I’ll fill you in.” I turned to Consuela. “Tina can have whatever she wants. Will you fix it for her, please?”
“Si, Annie.”
Rhonda blinked in surprise. “Really? You’re going to let Tina do that?”
“We’re going to let her do that. I’ll explain all of it to you. But first I need a cup of coffee.”
Consuela handed me a fresh cup.
I took a grateful sip of the hot liquid and carried it into the office.
“Where’s Vaughn?” Rhonda asked when we got settled in our chairs.
“At my house. He knows I’m with Tina, but I need to go to him. I’ve ignored him for too long. First, I want to tell you what I’ve done. I hope you approve.”
I started by telling Rhonda about the exchange between Tina and Vaughn, what I’d learned about Tina’s upbringing and what I’d done about Jerry.
Rhonda’s eyebrows drew down into an angry V. She knotted her hands into fists. “I could wring that woman’s neck for doing that to her daughter.”
“I agree. Tina’s more a wounded child than a young woman her age, but I think we can help her. After Vaughn leaves, she can move in with me. We’ll let her be in charge. Only she can decide if she wants the role in the movie enough to lose the weight. We can’t do it for her. And if she can’t be kind and considerate to others, she’s out.”
Rhonda gave me a worried look. “But we’ll suggest certain meals for her. Right?”
“Of course. And she can choose whether to eat them or not.”
Rhonda sat back in her chair and thought for a moment. “I like it. We’re not really giving up on helping her and we’re sorta keeping our promise to her agent. Right?”
“That’s the way I see it. But we’re not having her locked up like a prisoner anymore.”
“Okay. That’s what we’ll do. And we can use her two rooms for regular guests after we scrub and clean the hell out of them. We’ll put the gym equipment we ordered for her in our workout room. She can use it there.” Rhonda shook her head. “I have to tell ya, Annie, she better shape up and mix in or she’s gone. We don’t need her kind of behavior around here.”
“I have the odd feeling she’s going to give this new way of doing things a sincere try. If you mention going home to her, she all but blanches.”
“What a mess. I’ll talk to Tina myself and make sure Jerry’s room is cleared out so we can send the housekeepers in. Good job, Annie.” She waved me out of the room. “Now get back to Vaughn.”
“Thanks.” Vaughn was a good guy but it wasn’t always fair to him for me to be so tied up in the hotel business. “He’s flying out tonight and I want to spend as much time with him as I can.”
Rhonda gave me a sly look and a thumbs up sign.
CHAPTER TEN
As I walked into my house, I heard Vaughn moving about in the kitchen.
“Hello!” I called out.
He appeared in the doorway, a scowl on his face. “Where were you? I’d about given up on you. It’s almost lunch time.”
I hurried over to him. “Oh, Vaughn, I’m sorry. Dealing with Tina took longer than I’d thought. What have you been doing while I’ve been gone?”
“I met with Manny for a while and now I’m hungry. I’m making ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches. Want one?”
“Sounds good. Tina and I didn’t have a real breakfast.”
“What were the two of you doing?” he asked with a bit of irritation still in his voice.
I followed him into the kitchen, and while we sat and ate our sandwiches, I told him about my morning.
“It sounds like a good idea. Then if she doesn’t lose the weight, she can’t blame you.” He leaned over and gave me a kiss. “Smart woman.”
“Thanks. I’m not at all sure the plan is going to work, but I knew I had to try something different to help Tina. It was becoming an issue at the hotel. My duties at the hotel are pulling me in deeper and deeper. Sometimes, with all the goings-on there, it feels like I’m walking in quicksand full of problems.”
Vaughn stood and gave me a sexy smile. “I’ve got a way to get your mind off the problems at the hotel. Come with me.”
I smiled. “You’re on.”
Later, after making delicious love, we lazed in the pool and talked idly about our children. His son Ty lived in San Francisco and was in a relationship with a nice Chinese girl who worked at the same computer company as he. I’d met him once and liked him a lot. He had the same kind of quiet strength as his father. Nell, his daughter, was like a second daughter to me. We’d connected from the first time we met when she’d come to the hotel to visit Vaughn during the filming of The Sins of the Children. She’d already promised to come for Christmas.
“Liz is going back to school next semester. She’s got everything in place but the financing.” I made a face. “She made me promise to call Robert to ask him to pay for it like he was supposed to do.”
“You mean to pay back the dollars he stole from her?” scoffed Vaughn. He had yet to meet Robert and wasn’t in any hurry to do so.
“You’re right. The education fund was hers all along. I’ll call him, but not until tomorrow. I don’t want to ruin my time with you.” Sitting with him in the pool, talking freely, was such a treat. Robert hadn’t had the patience to relax and enjoy simple things with me. More than that, conversation with him wasn’t fun. He liked to correct whatever I had to say.
Vaughn pulled me into deeper water and wrapped his arms around me. “I hate the thought of leaving.”
“Me too. When do you think you’ll be back?”
“It depends on how fast we can wrap up the film. The weather has been working against us.”
I said nothing, determined not to make his departure more difficult. Falling in love with someone like him had its trials. I was a planner, someone who liked to know what was going to happen and when. Not knowing when I’d see him again was hard for me.
Too soon the time came for Vaughn to leave. He was driving back to Miami. From there, he’d fly to Dublin.
Packed
and ready, Vaughn stood with me outside.
I swallowed hard, wondering how I could bear to let him go. He filled my life with a deep-seated joy I’d never known.
“I’ll be in touch,” he said leaning down to kiss me Good-bye.
I closed my eyes, storing the taste and touch of him in my mind for me to pull out and savor on lonely nights.
“Love you, Ann,” he murmured, pulling away.
“Love you too. Be safe.” Sadness seeped through me as I watched him climb into his rental car. The door closed, and he settled behind the wheel. Determined to be better about spending quality time with him, I waved long after his car had left my driveway, already feeling empty and alone.
As I returned to the house, I was well aware I couldn’t put off a call to Robert any longer. In my office, I stood by the window looking out at the tropical plantings, fighting the idea of talking to him. The waving of palm fronds playing in the breeze calmed me enough to pick up the phone.
Liz had talked about applying for a scholarship, but it wouldn’t be enough. And as Vaughn had mentioned, Robert had stolen the money we’d set aside for Liz. The fact that his business had taken a deep hit was not my problem. If he’d listened to me and the other board members, it might not have happened.
I drew a deep breath. I had to talk to him. There was no way I could pay for Liz’s tuition. Not with all that was going on at the hotel.
I reluctantly punched in his private office number and waited for several rings for him to pick up.
“Hi, Ann. What is it?” he snapped without even a courteous hello. As Rhonda had assured me many times over the last months, Robert was a jackass.
“Hello, Robert. I’m calling because Liz asked me to talk to you about her going back to school. She needs the money we’d set aside for her education to pay for her tuition. With the sale of your house, you must have enough money to pay for it. It’s only fair.”
“What isn’t fair is that my business is struggling. That’s why I had to sell the house I was building for Kandie and our boys.”
“Boys? Are you having another child?”
“We’re trying. Every boy needs a brother, but then you wouldn’t know about that.”
His words pierced me, and he knew it. Tears blurred my vision. I’d wanted a lot of children, but it hadn’t happened. After several miscarriages, my doctor had told me it was harming my health to keep trying.
Holding back a seething retort, I managed to say, “Your daughter needs what is rightly hers. I don’t care how you come up with it, Robert. It’s your responsibility. I’m asking you to abide by our agreement.”
“What don’t you understand?” he snarled. “I need the money for my new family.”
“I really don’t want to call my lawyer, but I will if you don’t follow through. You and I both know what you did was criminal.”
“What has happened to you, Ann? Is it all that success at the hotel or that movie star that’s made you think you’re better than you are?”
His demeaning way of talking to me struck a nerve. I’d lived with it at one time, but I wouldn’t allow any more. I clicked off the call and screamed with frustration.
“What’s going on?”
I whirled around. Tina stood before me with a frightened look on her face.
Adrenaline left my body, making me feel weak. I sank onto my office chair. “It’s a personal issue. What’s up?”
“Rhonda is clearing out my room. She said to come to your house. I’ve brought some of my things.”
“Okay. Give me a minute and I’ll help you get settled.”
I took a couple of deep breaths, telling myself not to let Robert’s words destroy my happiness.
“Are you okay?” Tina asked, eying me curiously.
I nodded and rose, unwilling to give any more of my time to worrying about Robert.
We walked into the living room.
Tina gazed all around, her eyes wide with curiosity. “I didn’t know you had a pool and everything.”
“It’s small but nice,” I said, allowing a sense of pride to enter my voice. After all that Robert had done to hurt me financially during the divorce, I was very proud of what I’d accomplished.
“Where do you want my things?” Tina asked.
“I’m going to put you in Liz’s room. She won’t be home until Thanksgiving.”
Tina followed me into the room Liz had helped me decorate. Pale yellow washed the walls. A green floral bedspread with a multitude of pillows added a tropical touch to the room and was duplicated by the greenery outside the windows. A number of framed certificates on the walls announced Liz’s success in swimming.
“Make yourself at home. Liz tells me the bed is very comfortable.” I went over to the closet and pushed clothing aside to make room for Tina’s things.
Tina stepped back. “This is so not me. It’s all so perfect. And those certificates. I’ve never had anything like that. I’ve been too busy working.”
“Anyone home?” came a voice from the front entry.
Manny’s nephew Paul met me in the hallway. “Here’s the rest of Tina’s things.”
“Thanks. Let’s take them right into her room.” I took a small bag from his arms, and he rolled a large suitcase into the room.
I turned to Paul. “Thank you.”
He bobbed his head and left.
“If you like, I’ll help you unpack,” I said to Tina.
She remained unusually quiet as I helped her hang up her clothes and rearrange clothing in the bureau to give her things space.
“What?” I finally asked when she continued to stare at me.
She shrugged. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
I blinked in surprise. “In what way?”
“You know, helping me get settled here.”
It struck me then. “Your mother never did this with you?”
“I can take care of myself,” she said defensively. “I don’t need you or anyone else to help me.”
“Oh, okay.” Wondering at her change in attitude, I left the room and headed into my office. I was about to call Rhonda when I saw her approaching my house. I went outside to greet her.
“Thought I’d better come over to check on Tina,” said Rhonda. “I’ve got the housekeepers cleaning her suite. It’s a freakin’ disaster. I’m worried she’s going to make a mess here. We need to talk to her about it.”
“The rooms were that bad?”
“It burns my butt that someone like Tina can be such a slob. In order to get rid of the smell of cigarettes, we’re going to have to recover the furniture or replace it, along with the carpet. And, Annie, I think we should repaint the walls.”
I couldn’t help sighing. It was an expense we didn’t need.
Rhonda and I entered the house to find Tina lounging outside by the pool. Wearing a bikini that hid nothing, she smiled up at us. “This is much nicer than staying in my room.”
I sat down on a chair beside her and Rhonda pulled up another chair. “That’s the point of being here,” I said. “But it comes with a price.”
She snorted. “I’ve got plenty of money.”
“You don’t understand,” I said. “The cost has nothing to do with money. It’s all about your cooperation.”
Tina sat up. “What do you mean?”
“We mean you can’t be a slob in this house,” said Rhonda. “Do you have any idea what it will cost us to make your suite available to other guests? You broke our no smoking rule and otherwise trashed the rooms.”
“Yeah? So what?”
Rhonda’s face turned bright red. I held up a hand to stop Rhonda from saying anything else and turned to Tina. “That selfish attitude won’t work here at the hotel or in my house. It may seem impossible to you, Tina, but the world doesn’t revolve around you. You’re only one person here. And rules are set up to help everyone.”
Tina lifted her sunglasses and rolled her eyes at me. “So now you’re going to treat me like a baby?”
> “Noooo,” I said slowly. “We’re going to treat you like an adult. If it doesn’t work out, our problem will be over. You’ll be gone.”
Tina jumped to her feet and scowled at us. “Maybe I’ll go now.”
“Okay. I’ll help you pack.”
Tina stamped her foot. “You make me so fucking mad!”
Rhonda hefted herself to her feet. “Annie, this isn’t going to work. I’m going to call her agent. With everything else that’s going on, we don’t have time for this.”
“You wouldn’t do that!” Tina said. “You can’t!”
Rhonda placed her hands on her hips and glared at Tina. “Yeah, I can. Trust me.”
Tina sank down on the lounge chair. “Okay. What do I have to do to stay at this frickin’ place?”
“The rules are simple,” I began, feeling as if I were talking to an eight-year-old. “Keep yourself and the room neat and tidy. No smoking. No alcohol here at the house without permission. And if I ever hear you talk to any of the staff disrespectfully, you’re out. Understand?”
“And I can eat anything I want?”
“Yep. If you want to regain the weight you’ve lost, there’s nothing I can do. It’s up to you as to whether you lose and keep off the weight for the movie.”
“Yeah,” said Rhonda. “You decide.”
After a short hesitation, Tina nodded. “Okay. I guess I’ll stay. I don’t want to go back home.”
Rhonda and I exchanged meaningful glances.
“Okay, that’s settled,” I said. “I’m going to be working here for a while and then I’ll go over to the hotel. We have a small dinner party tonight that I have to oversee.”
“What’ll I do?” said Tina in a voice that held a whine.
I shrugged. “You could learn your lines, exercise, watch television or come to the hotel. It’s up to you.”
She looked down meekly.
I realized then that she was used to being programmed and wondered if by leaving her on her own, we were about to create a nicer person or a monster.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Rhonda paced the office. “One more hour! I can’t wait to see Angela. What am I going to do if I can’t stand her boyfriend? He sounds so awful!”