Claire at Sixteen (11 page)

“I had something more romantic in mind,” Claire said. There was no money in suicide attempts. Not that Scotty's goal was money. Actually, if she were Scotty, she'd think about it. Faking a suicide might be the way to get some attention. She could picture Thea rushing to Scotty's bedside, all compassionate and remorseful. But this was hardly the time to tell Scotty that.

“You've got me,” Scotty said. “Something romantic and running away that'll drive everybody else crazy. What is it?”

“How about if we got married?” Claire said.

Scotty laughed. “You're crazy,” he said. “Or is this the price I pay for going to bed with you?”

“No, no,” Claire said. “I liked going to bed with you. I wanted to. There's no price.”

“Just a wedding ring,” Scotty said.

“We don't have to stay married,” Claire said. “We wouldn't stay married. I'm only sixteen. I'm not about to stay married to anyone, not even you, Prescott. We'd elope, that's all, and then we'd come back, and tell our parents. Yours would be hysterical. Can you imagine their reaction when you tell them? It's just the kind of thing Schyler would do.”

“He thought about it once,” Scotty said. “A few years back. He was seeing a girl they didn't approve of, but he never went through with it.”

“And Thea,” Claire said. “If we eloped, then she'd realize she could lose you. She'd think she had. She only keeps sticking to Kip because he turns her down all the time. If you eloped with me, then she'd go crazy. It'd be like her walking in on us, only a thousand times better.”

“I don't want to hurt her,” Scotty said.

“Why not?” Claire asked. “She's been hurting you for over two years now. And besides, it's for her own good. She should be in love with you. Kip's garbage. We all know it. Kip knows it. And you're so wonderful.”

“If I'm so wonderful, how come you want Thea to fall in love with me?” Scotty asked.

“I love you enough to want you to be happy,” Claire said. “Besides, Thea's been in this room the entire time we've shared it. Her soul, her ghost. I have my memories now. I know that loving you for the past two years hasn't been a waste. I can give you up, if I know you're going to be with the woman you truly love.”

“You really are amazing,” Scotty said. “Get married, huh? You think it would change Thea's feelings?”

“And your parents',” Claire said. “It'd be great for you. It would be like a terminal illness, only you don't have to linger and die. They'd all realize how much they loved you, and they'd all worry just a little bit about you forever.”

“How does eloping work?” Scotty asked. “Not that I'm agreeing to anything.”

“It's easy,” Claire said. “I looked it up in the
World Almanac
this morning. All we have to do is go to New York City, get a license, and then get married. No blood tests, no waiting period. We go to city hall and someone marries us, and then we come straight back here and tell your parents. They'll be back by then, right?”

“They're getting in tomorrow,” Scotty said. “It's a hell of a way to greet them.”

“It'll serve them right for deserting you on Christmas,” Claire said. “And all those other Christmases you spent away from them. They'll get hysterical, call me all kinds of nasty names, and insist on an annulment.”

“You won't fight them on that?” Scotty said. “This isn't some kind of trick?”

“I'll be thrilled to give you an annulment,” Claire said. “But of course that'll bring my parents into it, and if they know, then Thea'll be sure to find out, and she'll call me nasty names, too, but she'll end up in your arms. I'll put it in writing if you want.”

Scotty rested on one elbow and looked Claire over. “What's in it for you?” he asked. “Besides being called nasty names.”

Claire took a deep breath. This was the real risk, telling him the truth. But if there was one thing she'd learned from years of observing Nicky in action, it was that the truth on occasion could be as potent as a lie. “I need the money,” she said.

“What money?” Scotty asked, instantly protective of his inherited wealth.

“I need twenty-four thousand dollars,” Claire said.

“For what?” Scotty asked. “Gambling debts? Drugs?”

Claire shook her head. “For Sybil,” she replied. “She called yesterday. That's what the rehab center would cost for six months of intensive therapy. But at the end of the six months, they said, she'd hardly even limp. No canes, no crutches. Scotty, I have to have that money. If we eloped, that would be the price I'd charge for the annulment.”

“I'm not sure I want you asking my parents for that kind of money,” Scotty said.

“I'd ask your grandfather,” Claire said. “I wouldn't want to involve your parents that way, either. But your grandfather can afford it, and you said he was cruel to you. This way, he could pay you back.”

“You've given this a lot of thought,” Scotty said. “You're willing to go through a lot of pain for this money. It's that important to you.”

“It's for Sybil,” Claire said.

“I remember at the hospital while she was having her surgery,” Scotty said. “It was like there was a glass wall surrounding your parents and you and Thea and Evvie. Not even Sam could get in, let alone Clark or me. I envied you then, that intense sense of family. We've never been like that, not the Prescotts or the Hugheses. Clark's the only one who's ever really tried to be close to me, and he's just a distant cousin.”

“I'd kill for Sybil,” Claire said. “I'd even get married for her.”

Scotty stared at Claire, and then he laughed. “What the hell,” he said. “It's vacation. We can be annulled before next semester begins.”

“You'll do it?” Claire asked.

“Sure,” Scotty said. “But we'll have to buy you a new pair of gloves. Ones big enough to cover your wedding ring.”

Claire bent over and gave Scotty a kiss of gratitude. They'd definitely have a double-ring ceremony. One for her finger, and one through his nose.

C
HAPTER
E
IGHT

“I'm back!” Evvie called as she unlocked the door. “And I come bearing gifts.”

“What kind?” Claire asked.

“Chinese takeout,” Evvie replied. “Help me with the bags, okay. I got eggplant in garlic sauce and chicken with cashews. It seemed to me those were your favorites.”

“Oh, Evvie,” Claire said. “They are. But I ordered us a pizza with mushrooms and onions. That's your favorite, right?”

“It sure is,” Evvie said, and laughed. “Gift-of-the-Magi time I guess. I can smell the pizza. When did it come?”

“About thirty seconds ago,” Claire said. “It's still hot.”

“So's the Chinese,” Evvie said, unloading the cartons in the kitchen. “I guess we'll be multiethnic tonight.”

“I'll get the plates,” Claire said. Evvie took off her coat and flung it onto a conveniently located chair. Soon the sisters were sitting at the dining room table, chewing contentedly their different favorite foods.

“Megs would die if she saw what we were eating,” Evvie said. “After all those wonderfully cooked meals she's made us.”

“We've eaten more than our share of pizza the past few months,” Claire replied. “She puts in so much time with Sybil, she doesn't have the energy to cook anymore.”

“I hope we hear from Thea soon,” Evvie declared. “You know the eggplant and the pizza are almost all right together. Do you think she'll be able to calm Nicky down?”

“It doesn't matter,” Claire said. “We still need the money for Sybil.”

Evvie nodded. “Twenty-four thousand,” she said. “There was a time Nicky could have waved a magic wand and the money would have materialized.”

“Along with the sheriff,” Claire replied.

“It was never that bad,” Evvie said. “But it'll be a disaster if he tries the lawsuit. Aunt Grace would never forgive him. Megs would definitely be out of the will.”

“Do you think she's in it?” Claire asked. “Seriously.”

“Seriously?” Evvie said. “I think so. A token request with a lot of conditions. But what's token to Aunt Grace would be a windfall to us, especially now.”

“She'll live forever,” Claire said. “She's obviously looking forward to dancing on Nicky's grave.”

“Is that what the two of you talked about?” Evvie asked. “How she feels about Nicky?”

Claire took another slice of pizza. “He came up in conversation,” she said. “But mostly I had to listen to her reminiscences. Old times with the Boston elite.”

“Is that all?” Evvie asked. “I know how Aunt Grace can be, when she gets going.”

Claire took a bite of pizza, just to drive Evvie a little more crazy. “She did mention something kind of interesting,” she said.

“What?” Evvie asked.

“It was about Sam,” Claire replied. “She said his mother was still alive.”

“Did she now,” Evvie said. “How did that come up?”

“It was all part of her anti-Nicky tirade,” Claire replied. “She mentioned how dishonest he was, and then she said Sam was, too, because his mother was still alive and he lied about it. Something like that.”

“Did you ask her about Sam?” Evvie asked. “I'm sure she was dying to tell you the whole story.”

Claire shrugged. “I didn't ask,” she declared. “I figured it was Sam's business, and yours, but not mine, and certainly not Aunt Grace's. Besides, I knew it would irritate her if I didn't ask.”

Evvie looked at Claire quizzically. “I'll never understand you,” she said. “Sometimes I think you'll do anything, hurt anybody, to get what you want. And then other times you behave really decently. You confuse me.”

“Sorry,” Claire said. “From now on, I'll just be a louse, and you won't have any trouble pegging me.”

“How about just behaving decently instead?” Evvie said. “I'll tell you about Sam, if you want.”

“Only if you want,” Claire replied. “Of course I'm curious, but I don't have to know.”

“It's okay,” Evvie said. “No one else knows, not Thea or Megs or Nicky or Sybil.”

“Just Aunt Grace,” Claire said.

“That is dumb, isn't it?” Evvie said. “Aunt Grace has a way of knowing things. Actually, Clark knows, too, and Schyler, and probably Scotty. Everyone from Eastgate knows, but nobody at Harvard, and no one on Long Island, except Sam's grandparents.”

“It doesn't sound like a well-kept secret,” Claire said.

“It isn't a secret,” Evvie said. “It's more like two lives. Hell, Sam didn't know himself until he was eleven. He thought his parents had died in a car crash, but they hadn't. They were radicals, and they blew up a bank, only the bomb went off too soon, and his father died in the explosion, along with some other people. His mother got away, and she's been underground ever since. Sam was just a little kid when it happened, and his mother's parents took him in and changed his name from Steinmetz to Greene, except that when he stayed with his father's parents in Eastgate, he called himself Steinmetz, which is why we all call him that. Legally his name's Greene. Everyone at Harvard calls him Sam Greene. It's a terrible mess.”

“Names are funny,” Claire said. “So are grandparents.”

“I wouldn't know,” Evvie said. “All I know is it's very hard on Sam, being two people. He's opened up to me more than he ever thought possible, but he still isn't comfortable when people know about his mother. And he has reason not to be. The FBI is still looking for her. They had agents at both his grandparents' funerals. The first time, they had to be pointed out to me, but by the second one, I could spot them for myself.”

“And you want to marry him, anyway?” Claire said.

“Sure,” Evvie said. “Why not? It could be a great convenience. Instead of having to pick between you and Thea and Sybil for maid of honor, I'll just ask for a female FBI agent. As long as she looks good in lavender, it'll work out fine.”

“Lavender?” Claire said. “You aren't seriously thinking about lavender?”

“It's a great color for me and Sybil and Thea,” Evvie replied. “Megs, too.”

“Purple maybe,” Claire said. “But I refuse to wear pastels.”

“Okay,” Evvie said. “Two different shades of lavender for Thea and Sybil and purple for you. There's no law that says all the bridesmaids have to wear the same color.”

“Have you decided who your maid of honor is going to be?” Claire asked. She didn't even know why she was bothering, when it so obviously was going to be Thea.

“Aunt Grace,” Evvie said. “And Clark will be flower girl.”

Claire laughed. “He'd probably agree,” she said. “I can see him strewing rose petals now.”

“I know we can't afford a big wedding,” Evvie said. “I'm not even sure I want one. Just the immediate family and the FBI. It won't matter. The day is going to be special no matter how small the wedding is.”

“Or how cheap,” Claire said.

“I'd rather spend the money on Sybil,” Evvie replied. “Wouldn't you?”

Claire thought about Evvie's remarks that night as she tried to fall asleep. It was hard even keeping her eyes closed, when she knew all the things she was going to do the next day, go to New York, get married, confront Sebastian Prescott, save Sybil. Evvie was willing to sacrifice a big romantic wedding to help Sybil. Much as she hated to admit it, Claire knew Thea would also willingly make that kind of sacrifice. They'd all loved Sybil before the accident, but something had happened in those moments when they were waiting to learn if Sybil would live. They'd discovered then just how fragile their family really was. No matter how hard Nicky and Megs tried to protect them, to create a special world no one else could really enter into, it could all evaporate in a moment. Sybil had become more than a sister or a daughter. She'd become all of them, all of what they were together, and that was why it was so important she be healthy, and that was why they were all of them willing to give up their dreams and their desires for her.