spent large amounts of time
socializing with the family since Claire and Philip made quite a fuss over the
returning granddaughter. One night they insisted on throwing a bash for all the
country club folks to introduce their own little princess.
And a princess is
exactly how they treated her. Kristina seemed quite at home with all of the
attention and played her role to the hilt. I watched from the sidelines and
even began to enjoy myself in her presence, although I made sure to avoid any
alone time with her. That was fairly easy because between my mother, Claire,
and Aunt Susan, Kristina had plenty of chaperones.
I wondered if
Kristina would get tired of the attention lavished on her. She certainly never
received anything like it as a child except for maybe when she was a tiny baby
before Pam took her away.
Claire and Philip
gave Kristina plenty of money to spend, and the women took her shopping nearly
every day.
"My car will
only hold so much, Mom," Gary told Claire one afternoon when the
"girls" returned from a shopping spree at the mall.
"Maybe Kristina
will have to stay here. How would that suit you, Mr. Selfish?" Claire
reached up and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Do you really think
she needs all this stuff?" Gary asked.
"Look who's
talking. How many suits and ties do you own? Why shouldn't I enjoy spoiling her
for a little while?"
"OK, Mom, have
your fun, but remember you created this monster."
"Are you calling
my granddaughter a monster?"
"Not a chance,
not a chance."
I loved to watch
Claire and Gary together like this without Philip around to spoil things. They
enjoyed a casual relationship that I had never been able to establish with my
own mother. Partially it had to do with Claire. She had an easy-going,
accepting style with just about everyone. She was confidant and outgoing,
whereas my own mother had always felt inadequate particularly around Claire. It
showed in my mother's relationships with others; she couldn't let down her
guard because I sensed she felt she might give away some inadequacy or
character flaw if she let anyone get too close.
One night between
Christmas and New Years, Gary and I had the opportunity to talk alone in the
kitchen at Claire and Philip's house. The night, a chilly one for Florida, kept
us transplanted southerners at the kitchen table instead of taking our
traditional walk through the neighborhood.
"What will she
do now?" I asked.
"I'm not really
sure. She hasn't talked about going back to Las Vegas, and I don't think she's
even called her mother since she arrived. I've decided that she'll be welcome
to stay with me under certain conditions."
"And, they
are?"
"First, a job.
She needs a job. I'm not going to foot her partying bills."
"Have you told
her this?"
"In so many
words."
"How many words,
Gary?"
"Now, come on,
Cuz, I'll tell her. It's not easy since I haven't had her around. At least she
doesn't bring scum home anymore."
"And you feel
guilty?" I asked.
"Maybe, I don't
know." Gary shrugged his shoulders and held up his hands. "I worry
though."
"About
what?"
"She's a little
wild, not like we were in college. Sometimes I don't think she's aware of what
she's doing. It's like she doesn't have a conscience." Gary whispered this
last sentence and looked over his shoulder as if someone might walk in on him
and overhear.
"But maybe with
your influence?" I left the question hanging in the air.
"Maybe, but she
seems to make fun of me sometimes. Like I'm stupid or something. It's usually
when I'm trying to show her some affection. It's a little scary."
"Sometimes she
does the same thing with me. She changes into this tough little street kid and
tries to be hurtful."
"When I bring up
topics that seem like I might be criticizing her or suggesting that she might
change in some way, she becomes defensive. That's why we haven't really
discussed a job yet."
"You need to put
your foot down, Gary, really. If she wants to stay, she's got to work or go to
school. You
socializing with the family since Claire and Philip made quite a fuss over the
returning granddaughter. One night they insisted on throwing a bash for all the
country club folks to introduce their own little princess.
And a princess is
exactly how they treated her. Kristina seemed quite at home with all of the
attention and played her role to the hilt. I watched from the sidelines and
even began to enjoy myself in her presence, although I made sure to avoid any
alone time with her. That was fairly easy because between my mother, Claire,
and Aunt Susan, Kristina had plenty of chaperones.
I wondered if
Kristina would get tired of the attention lavished on her. She certainly never
received anything like it as a child except for maybe when she was a tiny baby
before Pam took her away.
Claire and Philip
gave Kristina plenty of money to spend, and the women took her shopping nearly
every day.
"My car will
only hold so much, Mom," Gary told Claire one afternoon when the
"girls" returned from a shopping spree at the mall.
"Maybe Kristina
will have to stay here. How would that suit you, Mr. Selfish?" Claire
reached up and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"Do you really think
she needs all this stuff?" Gary asked.
"Look who's
talking. How many suits and ties do you own? Why shouldn't I enjoy spoiling her
for a little while?"
"OK, Mom, have
your fun, but remember you created this monster."
"Are you calling
my granddaughter a monster?"
"Not a chance,
not a chance."
I loved to watch
Claire and Gary together like this without Philip around to spoil things. They
enjoyed a casual relationship that I had never been able to establish with my
own mother. Partially it had to do with Claire. She had an easy-going,
accepting style with just about everyone. She was confidant and outgoing,
whereas my own mother had always felt inadequate particularly around Claire. It
showed in my mother's relationships with others; she couldn't let down her
guard because I sensed she felt she might give away some inadequacy or
character flaw if she let anyone get too close.
One night between
Christmas and New Years, Gary and I had the opportunity to talk alone in the
kitchen at Claire and Philip's house. The night, a chilly one for Florida, kept
us transplanted southerners at the kitchen table instead of taking our
traditional walk through the neighborhood.
"What will she
do now?" I asked.
"I'm not really
sure. She hasn't talked about going back to Las Vegas, and I don't think she's
even called her mother since she arrived. I've decided that she'll be welcome
to stay with me under certain conditions."
"And, they
are?"
"First, a job.
She needs a job. I'm not going to foot her partying bills."
"Have you told
her this?"
"In so many
words."
"How many words,
Gary?"
"Now, come on,
Cuz, I'll tell her. It's not easy since I haven't had her around. At least she
doesn't bring scum home anymore."
"And you feel
guilty?" I asked.
"Maybe, I don't
know." Gary shrugged his shoulders and held up his hands. "I worry
though."
"About
what?"
"She's a little
wild, not like we were in college. Sometimes I don't think she's aware of what
she's doing. It's like she doesn't have a conscience." Gary whispered this
last sentence and looked over his shoulder as if someone might walk in on him
and overhear.
"But maybe with
your influence?" I left the question hanging in the air.
"Maybe, but she
seems to make fun of me sometimes. Like I'm stupid or something. It's usually
when I'm trying to show her some affection. It's a little scary."
"Sometimes she
does the same thing with me. She changes into this tough little street kid and
tries to be hurtful."
"When I bring up
topics that seem like I might be criticizing her or suggesting that she might
change in some way, she becomes defensive. That's why we haven't really
discussed a job yet."
"You need to put
your foot down, Gary, really. If she wants to stay, she's got to work or go to
school. You
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