by Lucy Lambert
"So much for a nice, quiet night in," Gwen said.
"We can test the bed for squeaks another time."
"Why do you think she's doing this? I mean, she must have more than enough material by now to say that there's no way we can ever live up to the contract. Why the additional flaming hoops?"
Aiden refolded their new marching orders and tucked them into the inner pocket of his jacket. "It goes back to what I said about complications. Judith lives for this sort of drama. She does it because she can, because she likes it... You know, if you think we're already beaten, we don't have to go. We don't have to play her games anymore."
"But if we break the rules like that... Aiden, both the agreements I have with her say that I have to leave you if she isn't satisfied."
Aiden held out his hands. When she accepted, he pulled her away from the wall and against his body. He clasped his hands together behind her back, locking her to him. "You know I'd never let her do that. I'll give up Carbide Solutions first..."
"You can't!"
"I can and I will. Besides, if that doesn't work, we could always run off to Argentina or Brazil. Non-extradition treaties, she can't touch us there," Aiden said.
She didn't smile at his joke. "I didn't go through all this stuff just for us to quit at the end. You can't quit. I already made you promise that, remember? Or should I have gotten that in writing, too?"
"Ouch. Okay, fine. What do you suggest then?"
"Well, she's obviously still willing to play the game with us. I say we make it our game," Gwen said, "Let's push her until she gives in."
Judith could have called the game on account of Gwen and her parents several times now, but hadn't. Instead, she kept dragging them all with her. Gwen wondered if Judith maybe wasn't so certain of herself as she seemed.
Maybe, just maybe, her little diatribe at high tea had gotten through to something still human in the old woman. Maybe they could get her to back down, to give this whole thing up, and just let Gwen and Aiden live their lives.
"Okay, how?" Aiden said.
Chapter 20
Going to see her parents with Aiden actually felt weird. Every other time, she'd gone by herself.
"I still can't believe that mom brought Stan along," she said.
"Are we still on that Stan thing? You know, I didn't really speak to him very much, but I think he's actually an alright guy."
"Why? Because of that keen Manning character judgment your whole family claims to have? I think you all need to go down to the shop or a psychologist or something to get that checked out."
"No, because he was a nice guy to everyone. Also very... friendly," Aiden said, clearly recalling Stan's semi-naked state from their first encounter with him.
"Barf. Don't remind me. I just don't like him, okay?" Gwen said, growing irritated with his inability to mindlessly agree with her and be her echo chamber like she wanted. Sometimes all a girl wants is a little support, she thought.
"I know. And I'm pretty sure it's because he's been going out with your mother."
She stopped heading for David's room and rounded on Aiden, "That's right! He's been dating mom for months and she just decided to reveal her dirty little secret to me here. And dad knew, too!"
"Have you ever stopped to wonder why?" Aiden said.
"Give it up, Freud. I don't want to be analyzed right now."
"Gwen, I think somewhere deep inside you still expect your parents to get back together. And that's very sweet and innocent of you, but it's not going to happen. And the longer you keep believing it will, the more people you'll end up hurting. Yourself included."
Gwen pinched the bridge of her nose. Why did he have to bring all this up right now, of all times? Besides, he couldn't be right about the getting them back together thing. She knew that her parents were past healing. Why did everyone think her thoughts mimicked a Lindsay Lohan movie?
"I don't think that way," Gwen started.
"Then why are you so upset about Stan?" Aiden said. For a guy who could read women about as well he could decipher ancient Aramaic he could be annoyingly on-point sometimes.
"Shut up," Gwen said, turning away from him and marching down the hall, "Can we please just deal with one crisis at a time?" They still had to tell Gwen's parents about the latest request from Judith.
She stopped in front of the door to David's room and lifted her hand to knock.
"Hey, the door's open," Aiden said, pointing down at the latch.
It was true. The door hadn't shut all the way. What would make him forget to close it? Gwen wondered.
"Dad!" she said, a cold pill of panic going down her throat and then spreading through her stomach. She pushed the door open and burst through, dreading what she might find, hoping that it was all a mistake, a silly misunderstanding. Aiden followed on her heels.
"Bonjour, hello, David's daughter and her fiancé."
"But... What...?" Gwen said. She should have known. First her mother, now her father. I should really learn to expect the unexpected, she thought.
"Elsa?" Aiden said, peering over Gwen's shoulder. He chuckled again, probably at that whole ridiculousness schtick he'd been going on about at the restaurant. Gwen balled her hand into a fist and resisted the urge to hit him.
Elsa, the pretty waitress from Le Monde, sat up in David's bed, pulling the sheet up around her chest as she did. Aside from the much appreciated modesty, she didn't seem the least perturbed in being discovered.
The toilet flushed and David stepped out of the bathroom, pulling the belt of his housecoat tight as he did. He stopped when he saw Gwen and Aiden. "Oh," he said, his high forehead wrinkling.
"Your daughter and her fiancé are here," Elsa said.
"I find you're being here far more interesting," Gwen said.
Aiden whispered into her ear, his tone full of warning, "Gwen... Don't blow this out of proportion... Remember what I said about Stan."
"I'll do what I want!" Gwen snapped back. This was different. Elsa wasn't Stan. Elsa was the one who had always been ready with a fresh bottle of that lovely deep merlot to top off her parents' glasses. She'd been in on it, Gwen was sure.
"What does Judith want now?" Gwen said, pointing at Elsa, "Did she put you up to this? Are you recording it or something? Is there a camera? Where is the camera?"
"No one's put her up to anything, Gwenny," David said, "And there's no camera. Please stop looking. What does Judith have to do with any of this?"
"Dad! Judith did put her up to getting you and mom drunk that night. Aiden, back me up here for once!"
Aiden looked like he'd rather be anywhere else right then. He rubbed at the back of his head. "She isn't wrong, David. Judith did involve her in that little scene."
David sat on the bed and then squeezed one of Elsa's feet. "Did Judith, that's Judith Manning, by the way, put you up to coming to see me?"
"No," Elsa said, "I came because I wanted to see you, David."
"You see?" David said, looking back to his daughter, "This is not another diabolical scheme."
"But... He's so much older than you are!" Gwen said, remembering how she thought Elsa was probably about her age. Gross, she thought, at least mom isn't old enough to be Stan's mother.
"But he is so cute, and so charming! I could not resist calling him after all those nice things he said to me at the restaurant," Elsa said, leaning forward so she could pinch David's cheek. David held her hand there, letting his fingers travel down her wrist. They both smiled.
"There you have it. I'm irresistibly charming," David said, "So, sweetie, is there something in particular you came for?"
"Can you tell him? I don't think I can take any more of this," she said to Aiden as she pushed past him to go stand by the door and try to keep her supper down.
"Right," Aiden said, fishing the note out of his pocket. Gwen stared down into the corner, listening to him unfold the paper. “It’s Judith, she’s made another decree.”
“What is it this time?” David s
aid.
“We have to be dressed well and ready by 10 tonight,” Aiden replied.
“Ready for what?”
“That is the question no one can answer but Judith herself. It seems she wants this one to be a surprise.”
“I like surprises!” Elsa said. Gwen ground her teeth in the background. “I thought you looked so handsome in your suit, David.”
Gwen heard wet sounds. Kissing, she realized.
“So you’ll be ready?” Aiden said, “I’m not really sure what to expect, so it might be best if you came to our suite around 9:30 and we can all wait for the dramatic reveal.”
“Of course I’ll be there,” David said.
“Is this a party? Can I come? I do so love parties,” Elsa said.
Gwen wanted to say no, but that was against the plan. If Stan was coming, then why not Elsa? It would be something else to nettle Judith with.
“Gwen?” Aiden said.
“Oh, you’re no help,” Gwen replied. He meant to leave all this to her, even though he could have easily said yes. He probably intended it as some sort of character building exercise for her, some way to finally accept the truth about her parents (even though she already had; Why can’t anyone see that?).
So Gwen twisted her lips into something she hoped looked like a smile and stood beside Aiden. She gripped his arm with both hands and put her head against his shoulder. “Of course she can! The more the merrier. Isn’t that right?”
Then she dug her fingernails into his bicep. He jerked, and breathed sharply. “Right, so very right.”
She intended to give him a few character building workouts later tonight after whatever it was Judith intended was over with. “Wear your best,” she said, “Dad, you still have the tux rented?”
“Yes, sweetie. We’ll be there, don’t worry about us!”
She couldn’t wait to get out of that room. As soon as they got into the hall and the door closed on that horror scene, she leaned against the wall.
“Come on, that wasn’t so bad,” Aiden said.
“She’s young enough to be my sister.”
“Oh, yes. I suppose I wasn’t thinking about it that way...”
Rather than drag the awkward out any longer than she needed (thanks to her new No Procrastination Policy) she pushed away from the wall and went to her mother’s room.
Barb answered the door fully clothed, which was a relief in more ways than one. Gwen had seen more than enough of that for one lifetime, and she’d been more than half expecting Stan’s grinning face to greet her.
“Gwen! Is everything okay?” Barb said, noticing Aiden standing behind her. She sounded a little apprehensive, which Gwen had to give her a pass for. Lately, every time they saw each other it devolved into a shouting match. Something Judith probably wanted to happen.
“No, everything’s fine. Actually, Judith wants us to do something else tonight. No, I don’t know what yet. All I know is it’s happening at 10 tonight and we have to be dressed well...”
Aiden nudged her lightly, so she continued, “So... it would be nice if you and Stan came over to our suite by 9:30.”
Barb started into something about how rude it would be to not invite Stan along too before her brain caught up with her ears. “Stan and me? Are you sure, sweetie? Because if you’re still upset, I’m sure he’d be willing to wait it out here in the room...”
“No, mom, really. It’s fine. I realize that this is something I should accept, and that I should probably be happy for you, rather than tearing your head off over it... there’s just been so much happening lately and, oh!”
Barb cut her off by pulling her daughter in a hug, giving Gwen a snoutful of some powerful perfume that must have been a gift of Stan’s. “I’m so glad to hear it! Oh, Stan’s going to be so excited. I told him to pack a suit. Would you two like to come in for a bit? We’re thinking of ordering room service and maybe a movie.”
“No, but thanks,” Gwen said, wriggling her nose, water pooling in her stinging eyes, “We have some other stuff we need to take care of first.”
The perfume followed Gwen down the hallway. By the time they reached the elevators, most of the cloud dissipated. “This is why you should always let the woman pick the perfume.”
Although, in Aiden’s case, she might leave it up to his judgment. He did always smell nice. Maybe it was because he always went with understatement versus loud and obnoxious with just about everything, from the cars he chose to drive to his suits.
“Now that one I’ll give you. That wasn’t so bad at all, was it?” Aiden said, prodding the down button for the elevator. “Perhaps the start of a beautiful friendship? Who knows, maybe your mom will ask you to be the maid of honor.”
“Wonderful. You’ve been so jokey lately. Are we on our way back to the suite? Because I don’t think I’m done paying you back for all the help you’ve been giving me with my parents.” She cracked her knuckles and smiled at him sweetly.
“You know, while that does sound like a great deal of fun, I actually need to go somewhere by myself.”
The elevator arrived and they stepped in. Aiden hit the button for the main floor. They both stood there a few moments while the car lurched into motion, the hum of the motors just barely audible over the light melody of the classical music whispering down from a hidden speaker.
“Are you going to tell me?” Gwen said. “Because I thought we were through with all the secret keeping.”
“I’m going to see Judith.”
That wasn’t what Gwen had been expecting, and it took her aback. “Why would you want to see her? Especially now? Ooh, are you going to try and find out what she wants us to do tonight? Because that would actually help a lot.”
“Yes,” Aiden said, “I’m not sure how long I’ll be, either. Are you okay entertaining yourself for a while?”
“Yeah,” she replied. She didn’t like the sound of letting him go do that all by himself, but he had that cast to his face that meant arguing with him would result in him stonewalling her. She didn’t imagine Judith would take too kindly to Gwen showing up again. And getting into another screaming match couldn’t help.
She figured that she’d probably just head back to the suite and look through her dresses to pick out something nice. After going out and getting some air. The hotel didn’t seem so big to her anymore.
The door opened, revealing the lobby and all its marble. They squeezed their way around the people trying to get on and then kissed, promising to rendezvous at the appointed time and place.
Chapter 21
Aiden took a breath as he watched Gwen walk towards the front door. An old woman walked passed him, tugging along some rolling luggage with a squeaky wheel. Hundreds of feet pattered across the floor, adding some percussion to the rhythm of the various conversations.
He straightened his tie and made sure to tug his sleeves down over his cuffs. He started in the opposite direction, walking behind a group of Finns speaking quietly to each other in their language.
He’d made inquiries and knew that his grandmother would be in the hotel parlor, so he followed the signs and arrows posted along the walls.
Lying to Gwen left an unpleasant feeling in his stomach. And he kept wanting to tug his tie loose in order to get out some of that frustration, but each time he started lifting his hand to do so he forced it back down.
Judith had always scolded him as a child if any part of his clothes wasn’t in perfect order. And maybe that was why he always kept his tie loose and top button undone whenever possible, as some small act of residual childhood rebellion.
Gwen’s voice popped into his head, telling him to stop with the psychoanalysis. He couldn’t though.
He hated lying to her. But it wasn’t really a lie. More like only part of the truth. That smacked of being disingenuous. Lying by omission. An excuse that Henry had been fond of as a justification for a number of things he did to various people.
However, if he’d told Gwen the truth, he wasn’t ce
rtain she would have let him go through with this. And this was something he knew he should do, should have done when all this first started.
This far away from the main lobby, the marble accents gave way to less expensive, but still impressive stained wood paneling. Wainscoting along each wall, the doors to various offices and amenities set into deep and massive frames. It all leant a warmth to the place that Aiden found himself wondering why the hotel didn’t just have this instead of the marble.
The flow of traffic tapered off here, too. The Finns he’d been following had broken off in the previous stretch to go into the spa.
Tension knotted the muscles in his back and shoulders, and he tried not to think of how nice a deep-tissue massage would be right about then.
Then he arrived at his destination. The word Parlor was engraved in the plaque above the door In three languages. Aiden forced himself to reach out and push that door open despite his apprehension. Which was another thing he’d been doing his entire life, fighting the fear and doing something anyway.
The parlor was decorated like some kind of classic study room. Overstuffed leather chairs, couches, and love seats everywhere. Enormous mahogany monstrosities of desks that rivaled the one Henry used to use before Aiden took over and had it replaced with something more sensible. Chic little accounting desk lamps with green shades serviced most of those desks. There were a few billiards tables here and there, as well.
Enormous bookcases with a sliding ladder for each section lined all the walls, floor to ceiling. All the walls except for the outer one, which instead consisted of a massive window of one solid pane of glass that gave the discerning viewer an amazing and uninterrupted view of the mountain range.
The sun had begun to set, splashing most of the room in vibrant orange light.
The large room was also mostly empty. It smelled vaguely of leather, tobacco, and uncountable glasses of gin that had been consumed in it over the decades.
Judith sat near the window in an overstuffed wingback chair, facing away from the view, that dwarfed her old body. That same butler Aiden had seen before stood at her side, ready to go and get her a fresh pot of tea if she demanded one.