I rolled my eyes. Violet has been on us to settle down for a while now and brings it up all the time, even setting us up on long-distance blind dates sometimes. The last one had been with some fifty year-old friend of hers living in Spain, and Kato had I had put the kaput on that one immediately.
But I laughed this time because I had some good news.
“Mom, we’re doing fine,” I assured her. “More than fine. We’ve met someone and want you to meet her.”
And that made my mom squeal.
“Karl, Kato, is it true? Have you really met someone nice? I’m so happy for you,” she chattered, “my baby boys have finally met someone, I’m so excited!”
And Kato and I shared another exasperated glance. Violet’s enthusiasm was flattering but overblown, her level of excitement off the charts and kind of embarrassing. So Kato took the receiver from my hand and said, “Yeah Ma, we’ve met someone special and want you to meet her too, introduce you gals. Can’t wait.”
And Violet was on Cloud Nine by now, heady with excitement.
“Oh I hope she likes me, I know I’ll like her, this will be so fun,” she babbled with anticipation.
“Okay Mom, so we’ll pick you up Wednesday from the airport,” I said gently into the phone. “Bye now.”
And with a soft click, the receiver went silent, leaving my twin and I staring at each other … hoping for the best between our two best girls.
TINA
Ilet them take me whenever they want, my body always open, always on call for their needs, their desires. I love being the woman in this dirty foursome, the center of attention, and it’s amazing how much I’ve learned in the past couple months, ensconced in Kristian, Kato and Karl’s arms.
Because I’ve left Miss Carroll’s and moved into an apartment with the twins, Kristian spending most nights with us. I haven’t told my parents about my set-up exactly, but the fact I’d left Miss Carroll’s didn’t go down well to say the least. The sad part is that they don’t even carewhoI’m living with now – it was all about money instead.
“Tina, what’s going on?” asked my dad, concerned. “You know your mom and I hoped that you would come out of Miss Carroll’s with some … ah, results,” he said over the phone.
“You mean, married, right?” I asked archly. “You wanted me to get my M.R.S. degree while I was there, right?”
A pause.
“Well yes, but to the right guy,” said my dad. “For young ladies of a certain social stature, a good match can be made, you know, to someone with … ah, means.”
I rolled my eyes. I hated how they beat around the bush sometimes, as if I was at Miss Carroll’s for fun and leisure, and not my family’s finances. But at the same time, I could hear real concern in his voice, and my heart gave a little because they raised me and loved me in the best way they knew how, even if things hadn’t turned out perfectly.
“Listen Dad, how much do you guys need?” I asked softly. “I’ve saved a little here and there, maybe I could help.”
I was hoping Lord Sterling would turn me down and tell me to keep my cash, but unfortunately he muttered in a small voice, “How much can you spare?”
And I took a deep breath, “Maybe five, ten thousand?” I had a little socked away from various Christmas presents, my Sweet Sixteen. So when my dad immediately accepted, my heart dropped.
“Can you wire it to us baby?” he rushed. “With Western Union I don’t even think you need formal ID, you could just use a piece of mail as identification. How soon can you get it to us?”
I shook my head. Things must have been really, really bad if my small savings was needed this urgently.
“Listen Dad,” I said slowly, “I can’t get you the money tonight because it’s already almost five, money transfer places will be closing in a few minutes. But what about my tuition from Miss Carroll’s? Have you asked about a refund on that? Pro-rated maybe?”
And this is where my mom butted in, grabbing the receiver from Lord Sterling.
“We’ve already tried,” she said frigidly. “Dropping out isn’t grounds for a refund, not even partial ones. It was in the contract.”
And a hole opened up in my stomach because tuition had been thirty thousand for a year, and I’d been there maybe two months max. So I mentally decided I’d make it up to them as best I could, in whatever small way I could.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said quietly. “I’ll get to the check cashing place first thing tomorrow morning okay? They do same-day transfers, so the money will be in your account by afternoon.”
“Make sure you do, Christina,” Mary snapped before hanging up on me.
And the pit in my stomach opened up into a cavern, a mass of worry. Sure, Mary and Robert weren’t the best parents out there with all the financial tomfoolery, but I couldn’t totally blame them. After all, they’d been raised in worlds of wealth and privilege and times had changed without them, leaving them stranded on the sand, exposed to the harsh glare of day. What had worked before, no longer did and they just didn’t get it. People worked for a living now, depending on salaries to stay afloat and my parents were shocked at the thought of holding down a job. Both of them had always relied on various trust funds and now that the money had dried up? They were adrift, grasping at whatever they could even if it was something as ridiculous as marrying off their daughter to the highest bidder.