Spring, The Twosies

by Josie Brown

  Garrett be damned.

  She went to wake Zoe.

  * * *

  10:10 a.m.

  After placing Lily with the Foursies, Bettina strolled Nathaniel to the Top Moms meeting.

  Good, she thought. Everyone is on time, as requested. It’s certainly a full house—

  Except for Lorna and her minions, thank goodness.

  Still, it was certainly disconcerting when all conversation froze as the other mothers realized she was in their midst.

  She kept the smile on her face as she took the podium. “I’m so happy all of you were able to attend! Let me start by clarifying the events that took place at my home yesterday—”

  “No need,” Kelly exclaimed. In three strides, she was at Bettina’s side. “The Chronicle did an excellent job of summing up your husband’s exciting demise, as well as a recap of his financial exploits.” She rolled her eyes. “Usually, upon learning of an acquaintance’s passing, one says, ‘may he rest in peace.’ But considering the carnage Art left in his wake, I’m sure you’ll agree that ‘Good riddance’ is more than a sufficient send-off.”

  “Let me assure you: no one is more relieved than me.” The venom in Bettina’s words left little doubt in anyone’s mind of that. “Now we can all move forward—me especially. Today marks a new day for the Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club—and for me, personally. You see, I’ll be—”

  “Resigning, yes,” Kelly interrupted. “And it is truly appreciated—”

  Bettina turned to stare at her. “I’m not—”

  “Because it saves the Top Moms from having to vote on your expulsion from PHM&T—which, according to the straw poll we’ve just conducted, would certainly happen.”

  “You’ve just conducted a straw poll—on my expulsion?” Bettina, livid, went nose to nose with Kelly. “How dare you!”

  “We don’t just ‘dare.’ As the club’s titular leaders, we are bound by the club’s bylaws to do so.” Kelly pulled a piece of paper from her jacket pocket. “Clause 443-A reads, and I quote, ‘A majority vote of the club’s leadership will lead to the expulsion of any member whose actions are deemed legally, ethically, or morally derelict.” Kelly smiled smugly. “Even as you pretend to sympathize with the victims of your husband’s schemes, you were aiding and abetting him!”

  “You have no proof of that!” Bettina protested.

  From another pocket, Kelly whipped out the Chronicle article. Holding it up for all to see, she stated, “And I quote, ‘Cross’s body was discovered at the temporary home of his wife, Bettina Connaught Cross. In the past, she has purportedly denied all knowledge of his whereabouts to Federal investigators. However, she had been under tight surveillance—’”

  Ha! Is that what Daniel called it? Bettina shook her head in shame.

  “While the police have ruled the fall to his death as accidental, a gun was found on the premises and a bullet had been fired,” Kelly continued.

  Bettina sought out Kimberley. She didn’t have far to look. The redhead was sitting in the front row, next to the empty seat that Kelly had vacated.

  To Bettina’s dismay, Kimberley held the basket with the straw vote count. As her eyes met Bettina’s, the blood seemed to drain from her face.

  “Et tu Bruté?” Bettina mouthed to her.

  Kelly read on: “Mrs. Connaught Cross has maintained her innocence and ignorance about her husband’s whereabouts since his disappearance. But although the investigating prosecutor’s questions regarding her knowledge of the extorted funds were exacting, sources say that a key to a safe deposit box, discovered on the premises, should provide more answers.” Kelly slapped the paper. “Ladies, I give you cause to assume legal, moral, or ethical dereliction of duty by Bettina Connaught Cross!”

  * * *

  10:20 a.m.

  By the time Ally got to the meet-up, Lorna, Jade, and Jillian were already there, chatting.

  Lorna and Jade hugged her hello, as if nothing had happened.

  Jillian’s way of ignoring her was to slip sippy cups to the twins and then look at her watch. “We better get going, ladies! From the number of strollers already out here, I’d say we might well be the last ones through the door.”

  As Lorna and Jade made their way in, Ally reached for Jillian’s arm. “Listen, I—”

  Jillian shrugged off her hand. “Save it. Just because we’re in the same parenting group doesn’t mean we have to be friends. When the paperwork is finalized, we can just say we went our separate ways—for our children’s sake.”

  Ally let Jillian walk in alone.

  * * *

  10:24 a.m.

  They walked in just in time to hear Kelly declaring, “—were exacting, sources say that a key to a safe deposit box, discovered on the premises, should provide more answers.” To make her point, she slapped the copy of the newspaper in her hand. “Ladies, I give you cause to assume legal, moral, or ethical dereliction of duties by Bettina Connaught Cross!”

  “What?” The question came from Lorna, where she stood in the doorway with Jillian, Ally, and Jade. She ran to the front of the room. Gazing in awe at the gathering, she exclaimed, “What the heck is happening here?”

  “Apparently, I’m being burned at the stake,” Bettina muttered. Try as she might to hold back her tears, one rolled down her cheek anyway.

  Despite all she’d heard today, she was relieved about one thing: that Lorna wasn’t leading this witch hunt.

  “But—but you didn’t let Art into the house! You were held hostage!”

  Kelly smirked. “Says who?”

  “Says my mother-in-law, Eleanor Morrow Connaught.” Lorna knew the power of the family’s name.

  “Was she actually there?” Kelly asked.

  “No,” Lorna admitted. “But Bettina told her—”

  “Bettina told her.” Kelly circled Lorna like a panther ready to pounce on its prey. “And we all know that you, in particular, trust what comes out of Bettina’s mouth.”

  Uncomfortable tittering fluttered through the room.

  “We’re all innocent until proven guilty. Even if that weren’t the case, this isn’t a court of law, Kelly,” Lorna countered. “No charges have been filed against Bettina.”

  “To meet the club’s bylaws, they don’t have to be. Even the mere odor of impropriety can get one expelled.” Kelly signaled Kimberley with a nod. Looking out at the crowd, Kelly crowed triumphantly, “Shall we vote, ladies?”

  Slowly, Kimberley rose from her chair. As she walked down the center aisle between the rows of chairs, she passed out sheets of paper and pens.

  Bettina came up behind her and tapped on her shoulder. She waited until Kimberley turned around before growling, “You witnessed what really happened—that Art threatened my life and was about to kidnap Nathaniel. Why didn’t you speak up just now?”

  Just over Bettina’s shoulder, Kelly glared at Kimberley.

  Blushing, Kimberley whispered, “Bettina, I can’t remember a moment in your presence when you haven’t made fun of me or threatened me. And now you want my loyalty? I don’t owe you anything.”

  Livid, Bettina snatched a ballot from Kimberley’s hand, checked NO in answer to the question:

  SHOULD THE CLUB BANISH BETTINA CONNAUGHT CROSS?

  She signed her name to the ballot with a flourish and stalked off.

  Kelly signaled her approval to Kimberley with a thumbs-up.

  Numbed, Kimberley turned around.

  She never thought it was possible she could feel guilty for getting back at Bettina, but she did.

  Lorna, Jade, Ally, and Jillian walked over to Bettina. “I’m so, so sorry!” Lorna exclaimed.

  But when she put her hand on Bettina’s arm, her sister-in-law tossed it off. “As my co-Chief Executive Mom, how could you stand there and let her take over the meeting?”

  “It wasn’t supposed to start for another ten minutes!” Ally held up her wrist to show Bettina her watch.

  She was right: it showed twenty minutes after t
en. “What’s everyone doing here already?”

  Bettina shrugged. “Early birds.”

  Jillian frowned. “No. Look at these women. They’ve already finished their lattes. The timing on this doesn’t ring true.”

  “My God, for once you’re right!” Bettina scrutinized the other women. “If Kelly called an early meeting in order to coerce the others to turn on me, I’ll wring her neck!” Bettina’s eyes flashed angrily. Her eyes narrowed as they shifted back to Lorna. “It’s all your fault. You were the one who wanted a larger governing board! Because of you, I may lose control of my own club!”

  Tears dampened Lorna’s eyes, but the knot of anxiety forming in her throat kept her from speaking.

  Jillian shook her head. “If you’re ousted, it’s not because of anything Lorna has said or done. Even through her pregnancy, she did everything she could to hold this club together!”

  “On the other hand, you went A.W.O.L.—and lied about why you did,” Ally pointed out.

  “He told you, did he?” Bettina scowled. “I knew I could never trust Brady Pierce!”

  “What? You…and Brady?” Ally looked as if she’d been punched in the gut.

  “Why? You don’t think we make a great team?” Bettina smirked. “Well, maybe you’re right—especially if he can’t keep his mouth shut!”

  “Brady never said anything. Matt said you had depression issues and spent your time at the Palace of Fine Arts, feeding the ducks!” Lorna exclaimed.

  “And you believed him? Really?” Bettina was livid. “Why? Is it easier for you to imagine me going crazy than being in an illicit affair?”

  Jade scowled. “Bettina, you’re your own worst enemy!”

  “Look who’s talking!” Bettina hissed. “A woman who sabotaged her marriage, and then came crawling back because her ex waved a check in front of her face!”

  “Right now, everyone thinks Art did the same to you,” Jillian countered. “You’ve always treated us as if we’re your enemies! Why should we believe differently?”

  “Because…because…” Bettina brushed away a tear. “I love this club. Maybe too much. But I created it, and I want to see it succeed—in spite of my own stupidity.”

  She walked off.

  Ally, Jillian, Lorna, and Jade exchanged glances.

  “Were we too hard on her?” Lorna asked.

  “It’s Bettina,” Ally reminded her. “The blunter, the better.”

  Jade turned to Ally. “When she mentioned Brady, was she implying—”

  “What do you think?” Ally retorted. “You know him as well as I do—possibly better.”

  Jade shook her head. “Don’t be silly! The last person he’d be attracted to is Bettina. Besides, he’s gaga over you.”

  Feeling Jillian’s gaze, Ally looked down at the ground.

  Just then, Kimberley walked by. Lorna stopped her. “We’ll need four ballots and pens.”

  Kimberley handed them over, but avoided looking Lorna in the eye and then scurried off.

  “I’ve never been able to figure her out,” Lorna murmured. “One minute she’s sucking up to Bettina, the next she’s sidling up to Kelly.”

  “She can’t be trusted,” Jade muttered.

  “Neither can Kelly,” Lorna declared. “I learned that the hard way.”

  Jillian put her arm around Lorna. “You’re always giving others the benefit of the doubt.”

  Lorna looked out at the roomful of women. “I wish more people would do the same. If they don’t, I’m afraid Bettina will be sorely disappointed.” Quickly, she filled out her ballot.

  The others did the same.

  “Let’s get to the podium so that we can monitor the vote count.”

  The count, conducted by Mallory and Sally, was a tie.

  “Let’s do it again,” Lorna and Kelly said in unison, and then glared at each other.

  The second time didn’t change the result.

  Mallory did a head count. “There are only twenty ballots,” she growled. There should be twenty-two.”

  “Shoshanna isn’t here. She texted me this morning that she was skipping meet-up because her child has a cold. That being said, we should have an uneven number,” Lorna reminded her.

  “That still means one person hasn’t voted.” Scowling, Mallory scanned the room for the culprit.

  “The ballots are signed,” Bettina pointed out. “Call out the name of each one—and their vote.”

  “Why?” Sally stuttered. “If someone didn’t vote for you, will you have them knocked off?”

  “Despite what was in the newspaper, I’m not the one with mob connections. That was my ex-husband.” Exasperated, Bettina looked skyward. To Lorna, she muttered, “And besides, if I wanted someone knocked off, Kelly would already be six feet under, believe me.”

  Lorna raised a brow to warn Bettina to keep her thoughts to herself. Turning to Mallory, she declared, “Call out each name—but it’s only fair to keep the voting private.”

  Bettina shot her a scowl.

  Slowly, like an executioner calling prisoners to the gallows, Mallory shouted out each mother’s name—

  Except for Kimberley’s.

  All eyes turned to her.

  To avoid eye contact with anyone—particularly Kelly or Bettina—Kimberley stared straight ahead.

  Kelly grabbed an empty ballot and a pen and handed it to her. “Your turn,” she purred.

  Slowly, Kimberley took it. She stared at the ballot for the longest time. Finally, she put pen to paper. But her hand shook so hard that those watching—everyone—wondered if her ballot could even be read.

  Mallory at least made an attempt. With a stentorian shout, she declared, “Kimberley votes for expulsion!” She handed it to Lorna for verification.

  Lorna looked at it. She then looked over at Bettina. Slowly, she nodded.

  Bettina looked around the room. Her eyes dwelled on each face. She spoke so softly that those in the back row had to strain to hear what she had to say:

  “For those of you who voted to keep me in the club, I thank you.”

  She grabbed her purse and walked out the door.

  Lorna reached for her coat and purse as well.

  Kelly grabbed her arm. “Wait—where are you going?”

  Lorna shrugged. “You got your wish. Bettina is out. You are free to run the club.”

  Kelly chuckled with disbelief. “But…you wanted her out as well!”

  Lorna laughed in disbelief. “Really? Is that what you thought? Well, you were wrong. The reason I put all that time and effort into this club is because of Bettina, not in spite of her.” Lorna shook off her hand. “What makes you think I’d work so hard for you?”

  “If not for me, think of them!” Kelly’s arm went out, as if encompassing the rest of the room. “You’re already co-CEM. Granted, in the next election, they may want me as Chief Executive Mom. Think of what a great team we’d make.”

  Lorna smiled sweetly. “I presume I should be honored at the very generous invitation. But to be honest, I wouldn’t join any club that would have you as a member.”

  “Touché,” Jillian murmured.

  Jade giggled. “Not Shakespeare. Still, aptly put. Gotta love Groucho Marx, right?”

  Lorna waved as she walked away.

  Jade, Ally, and Jillian weren’t far behind.

  When they got to their cars, Jade declared, “I’ve decided to ask Bettina to our wedding.”

  “That’s sweet of you—but you know you don’t have to,” Lorna cautioned her.

  “No, seriously, I want to. I mean, if she hadn’t decided to do the club’s advanced placement classes, I would have never met Reggie, right?”

  That got a grin out of Ally. “It’s a stretch, but it works.”

  “And besides, Bettina needs friends right now.” Jade shrugged. “Since she doesn’t really have any, I guess we’ll have to do.”

  “Lucky us,” Jillian declared. “Hey, what happened between her and Daniel anyway?”

&nb
sp; Lorna sighed. “According to Eleanor, it looks like he may be out of the picture permanently. During the raid, he discovered a few too many secrets she’d kept from him.”

  Did one include her relationship with Brady? Ally wondered.

  Before the others noticed she was upset, she waved goodbye and rolled Zoe’s stroller toward her car.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Tuesday, 12 May

  Ally’s plea to Christian to take Zoe to Lafayette Park for a fourth day in a row was met with an adamant NO.

  “Sorry, doll,” he added sternly, “But you know that, eventually, you’re bound to run into your old posse. Might as well get used to smiling pretty at them even as you wave from afar.”

  “It’s not me who gets upset. It’s Zoe,” Ally argued. “She puts up a fuss when she sees them. And she cries all the way home.”

  “Lafayette may be the closest park, but it’s not the only one.”

  “That’s just it. I’m just as likely to run into them at Moscone or Alta Plaza.”

  “There’s always North Beach.”

  She shook her head. “If I drive it’s hard to find parking. And it takes too long to walk to it, what with all the conference calls I’m on during the day.”

  Christian raised a perfectly arched brow. “This Garrett person has turned out to be quite a taskmaster. I’ll bet you yearn for the good old days when you and your partners could hold board meetings while the children were in the sandbox, and all you had to do to get caught up on the company’s financials was nudge the guy in bed beside you.”

  Angrily, Ally plucked Zoe from her playpen and plopped the toddler into her stroller. “Oh, never mind! I’ll take her myself.”

  As she shoved the stroller through the threshold, Christian called out, “She misses the twins. Just sayin’.”

  Ally slammed the door behind her.

  The playground was fuller than Ally had expected. She scanned the crowd. Convinced that the coast was clear, she was about to lift Zoe out of the stroller when she heard Jade say, “Hi, stranger!”