"He's between things." was all she would say and leave it as cryptic as that.
I couldn't deny he was one of the best-looking men I had seen, and when he put on his tuxedo to take her to some extravagant Palm Beach charity event he looked strikingly handsome. Whether Mommy had been invited to something or not, she now made it her business to find out what was happening, where it was being held, and then, if it was a charity event, bought tickets for both of them, no matter what the cost. It was apparent to me that what she wanted was to be seen with him. Maybe it was her way of getting back at the stuffy social crowd. I thought, but I could actually feel Mommy slipping away, sinking into him. I had nightmares in which he was made of quicksand and she could not pull herself out. and I could not pull her out, either.
One day while I was shopping for some things I needed, the Carriage sisters approached me as I was leaving the mall. They were together so much I was beginning to wonder if they were joined at the hip.
"Oh. Grace, dear, how have you been?" Thelma asked in a syrupy sweet voice, "Brenda and I were just talking about you and your mother. We were worried."
And we were worried about you, Mrs. Carriage. Not hearing from you for so long. I mean." I said in a voice a pound of sugar sweeter than hers.
"Yes, well, we've been so busy with it being the season and all. What I meant was, we were worried about your mother." she corrected, her voice sharper now.
"My mother?"
"We heard she was being escorted by that Kirby Scott just about everywhere she goes these days." Brenda said.
"Oh, you know Mr. Scott?" I asked her.
"We know of him, dear," Thelma replied, pursing her lips which were so overladen with lipstick she looked as if she possessed a second set
overlapping the first. "We do not know him. He's escorted many wealthy women in Palm Beach. I hope she's not thinking of him in any sort of serious light," she added, "He is a man of little means and. I'm afraid, little character. Any woman with means should be cautioned."
"I'll let her know your advice," I said, still holding the smiling mask over my face.
"I wish you would," Thelma said, not
retreating. She pulled her shoulders back and shook them like a hen.
"And what about you, dear?" Brenda asked. "What have you been doing with yourself? Are you in college again?"
"Not yet. I have so much to do these days. it being the season and all." I said. "Nice to see you both and how little you bath have changed and how much you know about everyone else's business. Goodbye." I said. and walked off. leaving them looking after me. their mouths moving to bring up the words choking their throats.
I had put on a good performance. but I was literally shaking so hard it took me a few moments to get hold of myself so I could drive my car home. If the Carriage sisters had the nerve to say all those things right to me, it was obvious people were talking about Mommy. What was Mommy doing? Why had she gotten so involved with such a man? It was one thing to have a lover but another thing to have one with whom you were proud to be seen. How did she think this was going to raise her status in the snobby social world?
I went home prepared to argue with her about it. She had been seeing Kirby for months and months now He was certainly not, as she had told me, a distraction anymore. She had even forced me to go out with them on my birthday, a day I had hoped would be special for just the two of us. The truth was. he was there now for every unique occasion in our lives these days. Sometimes I felt he was paying mare attention to me and resting his gaze on my face more than he was on Mommy's. Twice at events I had let Mommy talk me into attending with her and Kirby, he had asked me to dance and held me so tightly I was embarrassed. One time I was sure he was sexually aroused, and it made me very nervous. He was always touching me, taking an opportunity to kiss me, and too often, if not on the lips, close to them. Mommy seemed oblivious to it all. I had tried to ignore it and buried my head in the sand. I had to bring her to her senses.
Unfortunately, when I arrived home I could hear from their laughing voices that he was with her. I would have to wait for a better opportunity. Intending to ignore them and go up to my suite, I headed directly for the stairway, but one of the maids came hurrying out to tell me my mother wanted me to come to the den immediately. Reluctantly I did. They were both at the bar. They had music playing and were clinking glasses of champagne when I entered.
"Grace, honey, we've been waiting for you. We swore we wouldn't open another bottle of champagne until you got home, didn't we, Kirby?"
"Absolutely, but that was two bottles ago," he said, and they both laughed, pressed their foreheads together, and kissed.
I thought I was going to heave up the light lunch I had just eaten.
"I'm tired. Mommy. I'm going upstairs," I said.
"Wait, wait!" she cried. She poured another glass of champagne and held it out toward me. "Join us in a toast. honey."
"A toast? For what?" I asked, not moving any closer. Little bells of warning tinkled around my heart.
She held out her hand, palm down, as a way of replying. The new diamond ring picked up the light coming through the patio doors and glittered.
"Kirby and I are engaged," she said. But don't worry." she added quickly. "We're not going to have one of those extravagant Palm Beach weddings and put you through all of that. No, we're going off to get married. Probably to the U.S. Virgin Islands."
I stared for a moment. When I didn't respond immediately, she pulled her hand back as if I had slapped it.
"Well, you could say something nice, like good luck or something. Grace, instead of just standing there and staring at us."
"Good luck," I said, turned, and ran out of the room. I pounded up the stairs as quickly as I could, their silly laughter frill of champagne bubbles resounding behind me.