April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick

pulled a cigarette from the pocket of her robe and tossed it away again impatiently. "But what can I do?" She looked at Cobbs, annoyed. "What can I do, I ask you? Fred doesn't even know me. I can't do anything for Fred."
    "No, madame."
    "If I stay, I'll go crazy."
    "Yes, madame."
    "Between Fred and Adam, I'll just go out of my mind, won't I, Cobbs?"
    "Right into the straitjacket, madame."
    "So the best thing I can do for Fred is to stay away and leave him in peace, right, Cobbs?"
    "I'm sure of that, madame."
    "New York this time, can you believe that?" Mrs. Thome looked angrily at Belinda. "I was only there last month -- why can't they have problems somewhere else for a change?"
    Belinda stared at her, dismayed. "But what about Adam?"
    Mrs. Thome paused on the top step, her face confused. **What about Adam?"
    'Well ..." Belinda looked back at Cobbs, who remained expressionless. "I mean . . . with the accident and everything --^"
    "/ didn^t ask him to come here, did I?" she said coolly. "He's not my responsibility. I'm sure you and Cobbs can handle his needs." Her eyes narrowed on Belinda disapprovingly. "If he was really important to anyone around here, his father would have had him come while he was still alive enough to enjoy him."
    The door slammed behind her, and Belinda realized she'd been gripping the bannister so hard that her hand hurt. She felt a lump in her throat and looked furiously at Cobbs, who was inspecting a tabletop for dust.
    "How could she say that?" Belinda asked tightly. "How can she be so -- heartless! Doesn't she care about anyone?"
    "Yes," Cobbs nodded. "Mrs. Thorne."
    "I know Adam heard her, he couldn't help but hear all that --"
    "The Statue of Liberty herself couldn't help but hear all that," Cobbs said, giving the table a quick dab with the end of his sleeve. "Perhaps you should go up, miss."
    "Does Adam know I'm coming?"
    "He'll be overjoyed, no doubt."
    Belinda sighed and made her way to Adam's room. When her knock brought no response, she put her mouth close to the door. "Adam? It's Belinda. Are you ready to study?"
    No answer.
    Belinda turned the knob and peeked in. Total darkness just like before . . . the silhouette by the window. She could feel his belligerence even from
    here, and it touched her with sudden cold. Again she recalled the photograph on the windowsill, the handsome face, the daring expression. . . . Me against the world, it had said. And she knew that he had heard his stepmother's comments outside and something told her that he had heard comments just hke them all his life, that he had grown used to them and now expected them --
    "We don't have to study today if you don't want to. We can just talk. About anything you want --"
    The silence went on and on. She knew they were in a contest of wills, and her sympathy battled with her determination. IVs obvious he doesrCt want you here, so why don't you just go and spare yourself all this hassle -- you don't need this right now, and Adam certainly doesn't need you, and you're just upsetting him, and what possible good can it do anyone --
    Someone knocked on the door behind her, and Belinda nearly jumped out of her skin. Cobbs came into the room without hesitation and set something down on the table.
    "I don't want it." Adam sounded surly.
    "I'm sure you don't," Cobbs repHed. "God forbid you should take anything to improve your disposition." He turned and left the room again, and Be-hnda stifled the urge to call him back.
    There was a slow scraping from the corner, as if something were uncoiling. Belinda thought of the snakes downstairs and shivered.
    "So," Adam Thorne said, "you want to talk."
    "Only if you do."
    "About anything I want?" His voice was mocking, smooth, wrapping around her like an invisible web. "Then ... I choose you."
    "Me?" Belinda glanced selfconsciously toward the shadows. "Oh, I don't think that'd be very interesting. I'd rather -- "
    "You said ^anything.' Why shouldn't it be you?"
    Belinda's heart fluttered in