A Love for All Seasons by Bettye Griffin

he’d pick up Daphne and lift her high, and then how he’d rub your shoulder like some kind of postscript at the end of a letter. He’d talk about Daphne so much that people who didn’t know him probably didn’t realize he had two daughters. We fought about it all the time.”
    â€œMom, I wouldn’t want to be the cause—”
    â€œStop apologizing, Alicia. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
    â€œMom, you’re getting excited.” She could see it in Caroline’s face, and in her body language, the way she suddenly straightened up and punched her pillow. Alicia found it alarming. “Calm down, please.”
    â€œThat’s my whole point. Alicia, you never even looked disappointed when your father acted the way he did, but I’ve watched you look disappointed all day today with every phone call you received. I’m not sure what to make of that, but I am afraid that the way your father treated you might have a negative effect on your relationships with men.”
    â€œMom, don’t worry. I know Pop loved me in his own way. He told me so before he passed. He was always there when I needed him, just like you were. He sent me to school, gave me an education…and he provided for me, didn’t he?”
    â€œYes, he did,” Caroline admitted.
    â€œSo he had a little touch of favoritism when it came to Daphne. I was hardly treated like an ugly stepsister.” Alicia refrained from pointing out that in her opinion, at least, she turned out much better than Daphne.
    â€œAnd I know he was very proud of you, Alicia. But I do worry about you. I don’t want you to accept second-class treatment from any man—”
    â€œI never have, Mom. I never will.”
    â€œNor do I want your father’s favoritism of Daphne to stop you from loving anyone.”
    â€œThat’s silly, Mom. I love you .”
    â€œYou know very well what I mean, Alicia.” Caroline’s expression grew serious. “You’re my eldest child. You came along at a time when I thought your daddy and I were destined to be without a family of our own. You brightened our whole lives, and you are dearer to me than I can ever tell you.”
    Alicia beamed.
    â€œBut there’s something I have to—”
    â€œOkay, here we are,” Martha called out cheerfully. A moment later she entered the room with a large tray holding two plates, orange juice and coffee.
    Alicia reached for the rattan weave tray on which Caroline took her meals when in bed, unfolding the legs from each side and placing it over Caroline’s lap. Martha transferred the food onto it. “Thanks, Alicia.”
    â€œI’ll sit at the coffee table, Martha,” Alicia said.
    â€œYou can stay right there. I brought a tray for you.” She handed Alicia a Formica tray trimmed in pecan wood. “We have a set of these. Miss Daphne uses one all the time when she eats in your mother’s room.”
    Alicia found something disconcerting in Martha, who at forty-two was considerably older than the notyet-thirty Daphne, using the courtesy title of “Miss” when referring to her. She knew Martha did it only to appease her sister’s highfalutin’ ways, but it made her wince nonetheless. Daphne didn’t sign Martha’s paychecks…she just acted like she did.
    â€œMartha, Mom’s going to go to church this morning,” she said proudly. “The nurse said she’s up to it.”
    â€œThat’s wonderful, Miss Caroline! I’ve been telling you that you’re looking wonderful these days.”
    â€œI feel pretty good, too. Thanks, Martha.”

Chapter 7
    Hello, Little Girl
    Stamford, Connecticut
    Late 1970s
    F letcher Timberlake held his new baby daughter and gestured for Alicia to come to him. “Here she is, Alicia. Your mother and I have named her Daphne. Your mother always said she liked that name.”
    â€œThen why did