Rhona glared at me and then turned to her mother. "We're leaving. Ma. We're going to see an attorney. I don't think you're in your right mind anymore, taking in such a tramp and exposing my daughter to such bad influences.''
"What? Exposing your daughter? You accuse me of such a thing when you run off and leave her here without so much as a phone call for nearly ten years!"
"That has nothing to do with what's happening here now. You'll see. When we return, it will be different and that tramp better not be here." she said, rising, g. "C'mon, Skeeter."
"Now wait a minute. There doesn't have to be all this unpleasantness,'" Skeeter said in a calm voice. "I'm sure your mother will change her mind once she hears more about my project. It's being done all over the country these days. Mrs. Westington, and the property values here are skyrocketing. It's not a foolish plan."
"If you're so confident, then you shouldn't be opposed to giving me something to show my business consultant," Mrs. Westington replied, her thin lips now pale and trembling.
"Sure we will," he said. "There's no sense in everyone getting all worked up like this. Relax. Rhona. Let's just take it all a step at a time."
She looked at him as if he was totally crazy and then she shrugged when he narrowed his eyes. "I can wait a little while, I suppose."
"Of course, we can. We just need a little down payment in the meantime so that we can hold on to things. If it doesn't work out, we'll return the deposit. okay?"
Rhona looked up at
him quickly and smiled. "Yes," she said. "exactly."
"What sort of down payment?" Mrs.
Westington asked.
"I think we can manage with five thousand dollars. If Rhona here asked you for it to help her along, you'd probably give it to her anyway, wouldn't you. Mrs. Westington?" he added quickly.
"And it would probably be just as bad an investment," she replied.
Skeeter laughed. "Your mother's a tough old broad, all right. She said you were a tough lady, old school, and always unfair when it came to her. Mrs. Westington."
"Rhona thought I was unfair to ask her to brush her teeth every night." Mrs. Westington quipped.
Skeeter laughed. "Well, we're going to see an attorney today for this project. As Rhona says, why don't you consider giving her the deposit money so we can avoid any unpleasantness. No one wants that, but if there is no other choice, no alternative..."
This time he sounded threatening.
"I have choices. Don't tell me I don't have choices."
"Okay, okay, but look. Mrs. Westington, you have enough to deal with here as it is and no one wants to add to that. We're just trying to do something worthwhile. Surely, you don't want to prevent that. That wouldn't be very nice, not very nice at all for you, for Echo, and for us."
Rhona looked at him as if he was brilliant, her hero. How could she permit her own mother to be treated this way? Her own daughter, too?
"I'll give you the five thousand dollars," Mrs. Westington relented, "but I warn you to not waste it. Rhona, because if you need anything, you'll have to take it from that money. I won't be giving you anymore until I see something substantial, some real indication that you've turned a new leaf."
Rhona was about to challenge her. but Skeeter gave her a sign to stay calm.
"That's very kind and reasonable of you, Mrs. Westington. Thank you," he said.
Rhona fumed but turned herself away. "I'll wait outside," she said. "You get the check from her," she told Skeeter. She glared at me on the way out of the rooln. As she passed by, she whispered. "Your days are numbered here. sweetie. Go off with your boyfriend or else.
Mrs. Westington went into the office to write the check. Skeeter followed her and then he and Rhona drove off in their van, both of them laughing. I watched from the front window, fuming. I put Mrs. Westington into this difficult position, I thought. It was my fault.
"All I've done is buy some time." Mrs. Westington muttered after she returned to the living room. "I'm only surprised she didn't show up on my doorstep with some other freeloader and make trouble years ago."
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Westington."
"Don't stand there blaming yourself, April. Whether you were here or not, she'd be doing what she's doing. I have no doubts about that."
Having heard all that went on. Tyler finally decided to join us. "April told me about your plans for Echo now. Mrs. Westington," he said. 'Seeing what's happening here. I think that you would be very wise to act on them quickly. I have the name of the