weren’t working out
between her and the cats, though they had their moments of affection. But she
was so wound up in Taury there was no room for anyone else. She finally let the
Finches talk her into giving the cats to them.
Life became full and sure and happy.
Stephanie called her every few days or so, expounding on the joys of being free
and in love. And Fawn could match her word for word – life could not have been
sweeter.
Of course, her parents tried,
unsuccessfully, to shame her once they learned she was seeing a man so soon
after her divorce. She wouldn’t have told them at all, knowing exactly how they
would act, but during a rare phone exchange June had mentioned that Richard was
back in San Diego, hoping to get in touch with her.
“Why would I want to talk to him,
Mom?” she asked.
“Because he was your husband for four
years, Fawn. You have an obligation.”
“I have no obligations to that jerk!
He’s the one who walked out, remember? And God I am so glad he did!”
“How can you say that? His leaving
made you out a failure.”
“I am not a failure!”
“You couldn’t hold a man, Fawn. I
wouldn’t call that being a success as a woman.”
“I couldn’t hold him because I didn’t
truly love him. But I have a real love now, and I’m holding him just fine,
thank you!”
She flicked her head back in anguish
as soon as the words flew out of her mouth. There was silence at the other end
of the phone.
“Who is this man?” her mother finally
questioned in a low, disturbing voice.
“He’s a businessman,” Fawn said. “His
family owns a candy company upstate.”
“Really? Where you ever going to tell
us about him? Or bring him around for a visit?”
“We’ve been terribly busy, Mom. He
owns Connie’s old beach house, and I’ve been helping him restore it.”
Again, the silence; Fawn thought her
mother had hung up then she heard a stifled sigh.
“You mean that Trahern boy? We know
all about him. I keep careful tabs on what happens to my childhood home.”
“Yes, his name is Trahern. But I
don’t get why you’d care about that house. You were so unhappy there.”
“I had always dreamed of living in
that house myself, and raising my children there after Connie was gone. I was
devastated when she sold it to the Traherns!”
“I had no idea. And I’m sure Connie
didn’t either.”
“Well, never mind that. This boy, so
you’re sleeping with him already? Are you a gold digger now, Fawn?”
“I can’t sit here and listen to this.
You have no idea what is going on between us, but I can tell you one thing …
Taury Trahern is no boy, he’s more of a real man than Richard will ever be!”
“I’m sorry to hear you talk like
that. But I’m sure it’s from that boy’s bad influence. He’s probably a rich
thug.”
“I cannot believe you! For once I
thought we could have a civil conversation, but God was I wrong!”
Fawn began to cry.
Taury had been sitting beside her,
fidgeting as he listened to her side of the call. He had stood it as long as he
could, but once the tears fell, he made his move. He took the phone from her.
“Hello, Mrs. Brennan. This is Taury
Trahern. I would like to meet you someday, when you are capable of enjoying
Fawn’s happiness. But right now, you’re upsetting her, and I won’t let that
continue. I’m having her phone disconnected. If you want to keep in touch, you
can talk to me. My number is 555-4576549.”
Fawn felt the old familiar urge to
wallow in grief. She realized it was jealousy that drove her mother to strike,
but she was conditioned to obey, and surrender. That kind of brainwashing was
very hard to fight.
“Then surrender to me,” Taury told
her after she explained her feelings. “Let me fight it for you.”
“No, this is something I have to do
on my own. But I’ll let them stew a bit. I say them, because Dad always listens
in on the extension, though he rarely speaks. Since the divorce I’ve been a
pariah to him.
between her and the cats, though they had their moments of affection. But she
was so wound up in Taury there was no room for anyone else. She finally let the
Finches talk her into giving the cats to them.
Life became full and sure and happy.
Stephanie called her every few days or so, expounding on the joys of being free
and in love. And Fawn could match her word for word – life could not have been
sweeter.
Of course, her parents tried,
unsuccessfully, to shame her once they learned she was seeing a man so soon
after her divorce. She wouldn’t have told them at all, knowing exactly how they
would act, but during a rare phone exchange June had mentioned that Richard was
back in San Diego, hoping to get in touch with her.
“Why would I want to talk to him,
Mom?” she asked.
“Because he was your husband for four
years, Fawn. You have an obligation.”
“I have no obligations to that jerk!
He’s the one who walked out, remember? And God I am so glad he did!”
“How can you say that? His leaving
made you out a failure.”
“I am not a failure!”
“You couldn’t hold a man, Fawn. I
wouldn’t call that being a success as a woman.”
“I couldn’t hold him because I didn’t
truly love him. But I have a real love now, and I’m holding him just fine,
thank you!”
She flicked her head back in anguish
as soon as the words flew out of her mouth. There was silence at the other end
of the phone.
“Who is this man?” her mother finally
questioned in a low, disturbing voice.
“He’s a businessman,” Fawn said. “His
family owns a candy company upstate.”
“Really? Where you ever going to tell
us about him? Or bring him around for a visit?”
“We’ve been terribly busy, Mom. He
owns Connie’s old beach house, and I’ve been helping him restore it.”
Again, the silence; Fawn thought her
mother had hung up then she heard a stifled sigh.
“You mean that Trahern boy? We know
all about him. I keep careful tabs on what happens to my childhood home.”
“Yes, his name is Trahern. But I
don’t get why you’d care about that house. You were so unhappy there.”
“I had always dreamed of living in
that house myself, and raising my children there after Connie was gone. I was
devastated when she sold it to the Traherns!”
“I had no idea. And I’m sure Connie
didn’t either.”
“Well, never mind that. This boy, so
you’re sleeping with him already? Are you a gold digger now, Fawn?”
“I can’t sit here and listen to this.
You have no idea what is going on between us, but I can tell you one thing …
Taury Trahern is no boy, he’s more of a real man than Richard will ever be!”
“I’m sorry to hear you talk like
that. But I’m sure it’s from that boy’s bad influence. He’s probably a rich
thug.”
“I cannot believe you! For once I
thought we could have a civil conversation, but God was I wrong!”
Fawn began to cry.
Taury had been sitting beside her,
fidgeting as he listened to her side of the call. He had stood it as long as he
could, but once the tears fell, he made his move. He took the phone from her.
“Hello, Mrs. Brennan. This is Taury
Trahern. I would like to meet you someday, when you are capable of enjoying
Fawn’s happiness. But right now, you’re upsetting her, and I won’t let that
continue. I’m having her phone disconnected. If you want to keep in touch, you
can talk to me. My number is 555-4576549.”
Fawn felt the old familiar urge to
wallow in grief. She realized it was jealousy that drove her mother to strike,
but she was conditioned to obey, and surrender. That kind of brainwashing was
very hard to fight.
“Then surrender to me,” Taury told
her after she explained her feelings. “Let me fight it for you.”
“No, this is something I have to do
on my own. But I’ll let them stew a bit. I say them, because Dad always listens
in on the extension, though he rarely speaks. Since the divorce I’ve been a
pariah to him.
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