THE GREAT BETRAYAL (23 page)

“
So, did you figure out what you’re wearing to Holly’s party tonight? I’m going with the pink dress I got in Rave yesterday.”

Thirteen-year-old Kathryn Cavanaugh moved about her bedroom gathering her dirty clothes and tossing them into the hamper. Her best friend, Jodi Lapeer, was on speakerphone.

“Ah, I’m not even sure if I’m still going or not,” Kate admitted. “I got my period today and I’m feeling kind of crappy.”

“Bummer,” said Jodi sympathetically. “Well, if today’s day one, just stick in a tampon, pop a few cramp pills, and be done with it. Come on—it’ll be fun! You can’t stay home on a Saturday night!”

Kate sighed. “I don’t know. Let me see how I feel later on. I’ll call you.”

After ending the call, Kate tossed the last of her laundry into the basket and flipped on the television. Throwing herself across her bed, she surfed over to MTV.

She really did not feel like going to the party. Her sister was in town, and Kate wasn’t sure how long she’d be staying this time around. Grace’s grandmother had recently passed away, and Leslie had been inspired to invite her to Florida for Thanksgiving, her second visit this year. She’d visited just after her twentieth birthday in May.

Kate couldn’t control her feelings. She hated Grace.

Her visits turned her mother into a completely different person, almost as if Grace were the only child she’d ever had. The only one who
really
mattered.

When Luke arrived at the restaurant, Leslie, Dawn, and Grace had already been seated. They sat perusing their menus and were engaged in animated chatter.

Before approaching the hostess, he stood just inside the entryway, observing them through the glass partition. His wife had a smile on her beautiful face, and she was laughing and giggling with her daughter as if they were a couple of school kids.

She was so happy when Grace came to town. How come she never shared that side of herself with him? Or with Kathryn? Sliding his hands into the pockets of his slacks, Luke stood observing Leslie. Why weren’t they enough?

In the years since they had learned about Jeffrey and Grace, and Leslie had made her pilgrimage to Clearwater to visit her dead husband’s grave, nothing had been the same. Their daily lives were stifled by the weight of Leslie’s skeletons.

Luke had tried to be supportive, tried to encourage her communication with her daughter. It hadn’t worked. Luke’s heart had never been in it. He wanted her past to stay buried. He didn’t want to remember that he was a dead ringer for Jeff Phillips.

For years he’d thought that knowing his wife better would bring them closer together. He could never have known it would only serve to drive them farther apart.

Now they shared the same bed, made love frequently enough, and put forth great effort to provide a stable and balanced life for their daughter Kathryn. But nothing was right. Everything was askew. If Luke had felt insecure in the marriage before, he was much more so now.

“
Hey, handsome.”

Luke turned his head. Before him was an attractive woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties, with shoulder-length blond hair lined with dark streaks. Her makeup was flawless, and her eyes conveyed a clear invitation. Where had she come from? He’d obviously been too wrapped up in his own thoughts. How long had she been standing there? How long had
he
been standing there?

“
I’ve noticed you waiting here for quite a while. Would you like to join my girlfriend and me for a drink? Are you waiting for someone?”

“
Uh…” He glanced toward Leslie’s table.

His BlackBerry buzzed. Unhooking it, he read the incoming message. It was from Dawn.

Luke hadn’t realized they’d spotted him. Feeling as though he’d been caught spying, Luke managed a half smile at the lady in front of him. “Well, uh, that’s awfully nice of you, but I’m actually meeting my wife. I, um…I was just waiting for a message. Just got it, so I’ll be joining them now.” He glanced toward the table again. All three women were watching him.

The pretty blond looked dismayed. “Aw, too bad, you’re married.” She shrugged, preparing to walk away, but not before slipping a card into the pocket of his blazer. “But just in case.” She winked.

Luke watched her saunter off before finally turning to enter the dining room.

“
Who was that?” Leslie asked less than two seconds after he sat down and greeted everyone.

“Don’t know. She just walked up to me on my way in.”

She decided not to press the issue—at least for now. She was used to the appreciative stares Luke got from other women; he was tall, blond, and deliciously handsome. But lately…he seemed to be returning the stares, his eyes lingering longer than usual. Given the vulnerable state of their marriage, Leslie’s mind had begun to wonder…

“Where’s Kathryn?” she asked. “How come she’s not with you?”

Luke shrugged. “She didn’t feel like coming.”

“Is that what she said?” Leslie asked, annoyed.

He nodded. “I knocked on her bedroom door and she said, ‘I’m not in the mood to go, Dad. Go ahead without me.’ So…here I am.” Luke opened his menu. “So what’s good here?”

Leslie turned to Grace, who’d been quietly watching the exchange. “I’m sorry about Kate. She’s been so moody lately.”

Grace waved it off, but her expression gave her away. She was disappointed. “It’s okay. She’s made it pretty clear how she feels about me, but…well, I guess…” She shrugged. “I understand.”

Luke jumped in. “I’m sure it’s nothing personal, Grace. It’s just…well…you know, at that age”—he gave an awkward laugh—“they get that way sometimes.” He cleared his throat.

“Yeah,” Grace replied, not sounding very convinced. “I suppose so.”

“We were just talking about Christmas, Luke,” Dawn said, apparently attempting to lighten the mood. “Grace was saying it would be nice to go to Disney World, bring her brother and sister. Her parents might even want to come.”

Luke looked up from his menu. “Hmm. Yeah, I guess that would be nice.”

Their waitress appeared and took their orders. They then spent the next forty-five minutes eating in unusually long silences, with Dawn and Leslie making awkward attempts to fill them. A wave of relief swept the table as they wiped their mouths and finished the last of their drinks.

“See you at home?” Leslie said as they were exiting the restaurant. Dawn and Grace had gone ahead, already in the parking lot.

“I may actually be late tonight. You probably shouldn’t wait up.” Luke bent and kissed her cheek.

“The beach house?” Although she had only a vague idea of its location, whenever they argued and tension yawned between them, Luke had begun taking refuge at the house he’d bought out east, near the beaches. He would simply call, saying he had work to do and would be spending the night there.

“
Maybe,” he replied, reaching for his sunglasses. “Evan and I have some proposals to go over…It’s likely to be a late night.”

Their eyes locked, and held.

“
Luke—” she began.

“I’ll call you later.” He slipped on his opaque shades, and walked away.

Leslie didn’t know what to do. She was torn.

Why were they making things so difficult for her? Couldn’t Luke and Kathryn just accept Grace as a member of the family?

Giving it time had not worked. For four years she’d kept Grace at bay, delaying her desire to visit Florida, to spend more time with Leslie and get to know her family.

What more could she do? How were things supposed to get better?

When she got home, Leslie found Kathryn in her room, lying in bed. Matchbox Twenty blared on the stereo. She was glad to see that the mess of T-shirts, hip-huggers, and tank tops had been cleared from the floor.

“Kate, why didn’t you come with your dad to lunch? You know Grace is going back to Memphis this evening.”

“Didn’t feel like it, Mom,” she replied without meeting her eyes. “Besides, I’m sure I wasn’t missed.”

“This attitude isn’t helping matters, young lady. Why can’t you just give her a chance? What has Grace done to you? This is hard for her too, you know.”

Kathryn sat up. “Is it really? Gee, I don’t see why, because now she’s got
two
mothers…half the time I’m not even lucky enough to have
one
.”

Leslie stepped into the room. “Katie, that’s not fair. You’re always pulling that card to play the victim when it’s ridiculous. Grace has been here only twice before. How has that affected our relationship? I’ve never stopped being
your
mother. It’s because of you and your father that she wasn’t able to visit sooner. It’s because I’m thinking of
you
that she stays with Dawn instead of here with us! I’ve always tried to put
your
needs first.”

Kate sighed. “Forget it, Mom…because now
you’re
playing the victim.”

“What can I do, Kate?” Leslie asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. “What do you two want me to do? Ignore Grace and pretend she doesn’t even exist?”

Kate gave her a pointed look.

“Okay. Touché.” Leslie touched her daughter’s arm. “We all make mistakes, Kathryn. You’re young yet, but you’ll see. Sometimes it’s much easier to forgive than to hold on to bitterness and anger. Can’t you at least
try
to forgive me? Can’t you see the bright side? You have a big sister!” she said, smiling. “And she wants to get to know you better. She wants to become a part of your life. Gosh, after all the years that have passed, can’t you try to get used to the idea? Embrace it, and give Grace a chance?”

Kate remained silent, thinking. Then she said, “You say that like it’s so easy to do.”

Leslie tossed her head to the side in frustration, her gaze falling on the enormous Justin Timberlake poster plastered on the wall above Kate’s pink bureau. Why the hell was she making this so difficult?

“
Somebody comes in,” Kate was saying, “out of nowhere, disrupts everything, and everybody’s just supposed to jump up and down for joy? Go with the flow? Why can’t she just stay where she belongs? It’s because of
her
that you and Dad don’t get along. It’s because of her that—” She broke off.

“
That what, Kate? What?”

“
Nothing, Mom. I don’t want to talk about Grace anymore. Could you just go, please? I have to get ready for Holly’s party.”

“
I don’t think so.” Leslie stood up. “You didn’t feel like coming to lunch; you certainly shouldn’t feel like going to some party.”

Kate looked up, her jaw stubborn. “What do you mean? I can’t go?”

“
No. You can’t go. I think you should stay in tonight and think about how difficult you’re selfish attitude is making things for this family.” She left the bed. “It also wouldn’t hurt for you to do some studying, young lady. Your grades haven’t exactly been the best of late.”

“
But, Mom—”

Leslie left the room, closing the door behind her with a snap of finality.

She needed to stop coddling Kathryn. Ditto for Luke. Maybe then they would both realize it was time to stop wallowing around indefinitely in martyrdom!

Leslie didn’t realize the irony of her desire.

Chapter 43

Fourteen-year-old Holly Samson was best known around West Palm Academy for two things: Giving the best blow jobs—on account of the fact that her mouth was the size of Aruba—and throwing the coolest parties in her parents’ white-picket-fenced backyard.

When Kate and Jodi arrived at the party that evening, Green Day blared from the speakers as kids drank, ate, danced, and screamed into one another’s ears to be heard over the music.

They had arrived together, looking stylish in figure-hugging designer dresses, and greeted everyone as they made their way through the house. Ever the perfect host, Holly Samson worked the room like a future debutant in training.

Navigating through all the other kids, Kate and Jodi managed to work their way over to the grill and grabbed a couple of hot dogs.

Suddenly Jodi shrieked, “Oh, my God!” She nearly spilled her punch as she tugged on Kate’s jacket, gawking over her shoulder.

“What?” Kate said, turning to look.

“Adam’s here,” Jodi breathed, practically salivating. The love of her life…at least the current month of said life.

Watching Adam as he strolled in, Kate grinned. She turned back to her friend. “You gonna make out with him tonight?”

Jodi smiled. “I don’t know…maybe.”

They giggled.

Kate became serious for a moment. “Does he know about the Chalet?”