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“But Tiffany said—”
“Screw Tiffany!”
“Mom?” Janie’s sniffling turned into a laugh of delight and her eyes popped wide. “Can I say that to her the next time she’s mean to me? Can I? Can I?”
“I’m afraid not, baby.” Jenna pulled her daughter into her arms and rocked. “When someone is mean to you, you don’t make it worse by sinking to their level.”
Snorting her frustration, Janie shrugged out of her mother’s arms. “So I’m supposed to just let Tiffany, Amber, Britney, other Britney, and new Britney all call me names?” Janie marched off to the office, dragging her backpack behind her. “Maybe if I at least knew something about my dad I could shut them up.”
****
After dinner, Jenna left her daughter in Randi’s care. Though looking at Randi, sipping wine, teary eyed and angry, Jenna wondered who was caring for whom. She drove to the Baldwin Estate, her fingers holding tight to the steering wheel as she passed between tall pillars. At the top of a long driveway, the house sat in graceful splendor amid huge oak and maple trees. It was a monolith of white clapboard, scaling windows, and glossy black shutters. Gas lanterns flickered on both sides of the double doors. Still seething, Jenna strode to the entrance and jabbed the doorbell with her thumb as if she were poking out an eye. Chimes rang out like high mass at Notre Dame.
Declining an announcement, Jenna brushed past the maid. The Baldwin family, Ash and Mother Baldwin included, were gathered around the dining table.
Cheryl began to rise. “I beg your pardon?”
Her mother-in-law held up a wrinkled hand laden with jewelry and motioned for her to stay seated. She addressed Jenna. “Young woman, do you make a habit of barging into people’s homes and disrupting their dinner?” The elderly woman articulated each consonant like the snap of a whip.
Unfazed, Jenna snapped back. “Only when one of those people spreads nasty rumors that make my daughter cry.” Jenna shot Tiffany a loathsome glower before returning her attention to Cheryl. “Did you know your daughter is telling her friends Janie is a bastard?”
“A…wha…what? Tiffany!” Cheryl appeared genuinely shocked. “Why would you say such a thing?”
Lifting one of the three silver forks at her place setting, Tiffany Baldwin stabbed a baby carrot from her salad plate and tucked it into her mouth. “I heard it from you.” She pointed to Cheryl and gnashed the tuber between her teeth. “You said it at your luncheon the other day. You said Mrs. Black didn’t seem to have an ex-husband and that Janie Black was probably illegitimate, a ‘bastard’ baby.”
Jenna crossed her arms and aimed fire at Cheryl. “Don’t you ever say anything about my daughter to your gaggle of gin swigging friends ever again. Or do you want the entire PTA to know what a vicious gossip you are?”
Mother Baldwin’s salad fork hit her plate with an angry clatter, and she turned toward Cheryl. “I do hope there is an explanation for this.” Her aim then settled on her younger son. “Teddy, I’ve warned you to keep your family in line. I’ll not have these embarrassing scenes.”
Ash also fixed heated eyes on his sister-in-law. He slapped his linen napkin onto the table and rose from his seat. “Jenna, let me see you to the door.”
She offered a curt apology to his mother and walked with him. “I’m sorry I interrupted your meal. I didn’t mean to make such a scene.”
In another lifetime, she had been the focus of many, and had promised herself never to be at the center of one again. Blinding anger had made her break that vow.
Ash inched closer and laid his hands on her shoulders. “Tell me what I can do?” His voice was steeped in concern.
“It’s all right. I think I made my point.”
He exhaled a tired breath. “I’m not going to let my sister-in-law ruin our friendship. I value it.” His hands were still lightly resting on her arms, more caressing than touching. “I apparently didn’t make myself clear the other night. I guarantee she’ll never say anything about you or your daughter again. And as for my darling niece…I’ll leave her to Mother.”
Chapter Thirteen
If Eric added up the price of his suit, tie, imported shoes, sunglasses, and wristwatch, it would amount to a higher figure than the one Ina needed to borrow. Stepping into the First National Bank of Newton, Eric Laine was in full-successful, no-nonsense, I get what I want at once, regalia. With his expensive clothing and a clean shave, there would be no mistaking him for a redneck named Mike. A woman who was sitting at a desk and sifting through a stack of papers, looked up as he approached. Her mouth yawned open into a slack O.
He smiled. “Excuse me, I’d like to speak with a loan officer.”
A robbery would have caused less of a commotion as all the tellers gawked in his direction. Customers did the same, their eyes widely regarding him as if he were the grand finale at a fireworks display. The manager rushed over and led him into his cubicle and away from the dumb struck group.
“Have a seat please. Sorry for the stares, but I don’t think we’ve ever had a celebrity just wander in here. Have you moved to the area?”
“No, but I have business to discuss. I’d like to secure a loan for a friend over in Cromline. She’s having a tough time getting one at the bank there. I’m going to transfer funds to an account, and I’ll act as guarantor. I want it kept confidential though.”
Eric’s next stop was to a car dealer. He made a quick call to the agent handling the insurance for Nick’s limousine company; and in less than two hours, Eric drove off the lot with a brand new pickup truck. After a shopping spree at The Home Warehouse,he returned to Ina’s with enough plumbing supplies, hardware, and power tools in the bed of the truck to not only repair a house but to practically build one.
The next day, more supplies were delivered, and he set to work at once. Though climbing a forty-foot extension ladder was not really where he wanted to be, he decided to assess the roof’s condition anyway. Heights had never bothered him until he almost fell to his death while performing a stunt in a movie. Remembering the near fatal accident turned his thoughts to Jenna and how he’d awakened to find her at his bedside. He’d been in such pain and so lost he’d embraced slipping into the shelter of death. Then he heard her begging him to stay and he forced his eyes open. It was her face, her beautiful face that offered him hope.
Why the hell didn’t I look for you after I got better? Why did I let another four years pass?
