substance that caused a heart attack, or had a heart
attack after he shot her?”
“They
aren't saying much of anything,” Nadia's voice was so quiet he had to strain to
hear her. “I overheard two police officers talking. They aren't ruling anything
out. It's too early in the investigation. The only thing they know for sure is
that Mom was shot. It's a homicide. They have a lot of questions.”
“And
Dylan is coming for the funeral?”
“That's
what he said. I mentioned that there will be an investigation and he could come
home or the police could come to him. He said something about his wife not
knowing his past. I guess he didn't want her to find out from the cops.”
“That
makes sense,” Troy mused. “He's diffusing the situation as best as he can.”
“Something
like that,” Nadia's tone was disinterested. “What are your feelings about
this?”
“About
what?” Troy glanced over as Phoebe came in. She still wore her evening gown and
diamond jewelry. Barefoot, she curled onto the armchair next to him and
listened.
“About
everything,” Nadia specified. “Mom being killed, Dad dying, the police. I just
wondered if you planned on attending the funeral. You haven't been here in
years and I wasn't sure if this changes things.”
“There's
no need to get aggressive,” Troy's voice remained calm and controlled. “Dylan
is trying to face the police on their own turf so I will too. I'd rather not
have people asking questions about me in LA.”
“And
about Mom and Dad?” Nadia seemed to shrink into herself. Her voice became
smaller, weaker, over the telephone line.
“They
were your parents, not mine,” Troy became dismissive. “He disowned me when I
left. He said I would be cut from the will and disinherited. My father-in-law
has been the only inspiration I've had, the only one who has helped me become
who I wanted to be. Dad was as much of a disappointment to me as I was to him.
As for Mom,” he trailed off considering. “She wasn't strong enough to keep us
together as a family. So we aren't one.”
“It's
that simple for you?” Nadia asked him. “It's that straight forward?”
“For
me it is. We aren't a family. They aren't my parents any longer, but if the
police have questions, I'll co-operate.”
“Then
I've done my job in notifying you,” Nadia replied briskly.
“You
have,” Troy told her. “Thank you for that.”
“I
stayed. I stayed so I have a responsibility to those of you who didn't.”
“You've
never forgiven us for leaving, have you?” Troy asked her. “Dad never did.”
“Mom
never got over it,” Nadia replied. “It ruined her.”
“They
brought it on themselves,” Troy answered. “Of course you only heard their side
of it. You were too young to remember what it was like.”
“That's
easy to say, isn't it?” Nadia retorted. “It's easy to say that I was too young
and I don't understand. Where were any of you to help me understand? You were
all too selfish, too busy leaving to have your own lives to remember your baby
sister.”
“That's
one way of looking at it,” Troy told her. “I'd love to be in the room when you
accuse Marianne of that.”
“Marianne
is different,” Nadia began but was cut off.
“Why?
Because Dani was her twin? That's bullshit. She was our sister too.”
“But
Marianne loved her more!”
“You
can tell yourself that,” Troy told her quietly. “But you're lying to yourself
or you've blocked it out. Dani's death destroyed us all.”
“You
left me behind,” it was almost a whisper.
“We
did,” Troy agreed. “But you stayed there willingly.”
“I
guess so,” Nadia said finally. “I'll see you for the funeral, then.”
“You
will,” Troy agreed. “Should I book a hotel?”
“I
wouldn't make you do that,” Nadia replied defensively.
“I
don't know anything about you,” Troy told her. “That's why we aren't a family.”
“You're
right, you know nothing about me,” Nadia answered. “And I have
attack after he shot her?”
“They
aren't saying much of anything,” Nadia's voice was so quiet he had to strain to
hear her. “I overheard two police officers talking. They aren't ruling anything
out. It's too early in the investigation. The only thing they know for sure is
that Mom was shot. It's a homicide. They have a lot of questions.”
“And
Dylan is coming for the funeral?”
“That's
what he said. I mentioned that there will be an investigation and he could come
home or the police could come to him. He said something about his wife not
knowing his past. I guess he didn't want her to find out from the cops.”
“That
makes sense,” Troy mused. “He's diffusing the situation as best as he can.”
“Something
like that,” Nadia's tone was disinterested. “What are your feelings about
this?”
“About
what?” Troy glanced over as Phoebe came in. She still wore her evening gown and
diamond jewelry. Barefoot, she curled onto the armchair next to him and
listened.
“About
everything,” Nadia specified. “Mom being killed, Dad dying, the police. I just
wondered if you planned on attending the funeral. You haven't been here in
years and I wasn't sure if this changes things.”
“There's
no need to get aggressive,” Troy's voice remained calm and controlled. “Dylan
is trying to face the police on their own turf so I will too. I'd rather not
have people asking questions about me in LA.”
“And
about Mom and Dad?” Nadia seemed to shrink into herself. Her voice became
smaller, weaker, over the telephone line.
“They
were your parents, not mine,” Troy became dismissive. “He disowned me when I
left. He said I would be cut from the will and disinherited. My father-in-law
has been the only inspiration I've had, the only one who has helped me become
who I wanted to be. Dad was as much of a disappointment to me as I was to him.
As for Mom,” he trailed off considering. “She wasn't strong enough to keep us
together as a family. So we aren't one.”
“It's
that simple for you?” Nadia asked him. “It's that straight forward?”
“For
me it is. We aren't a family. They aren't my parents any longer, but if the
police have questions, I'll co-operate.”
“Then
I've done my job in notifying you,” Nadia replied briskly.
“You
have,” Troy told her. “Thank you for that.”
“I
stayed. I stayed so I have a responsibility to those of you who didn't.”
“You've
never forgiven us for leaving, have you?” Troy asked her. “Dad never did.”
“Mom
never got over it,” Nadia replied. “It ruined her.”
“They
brought it on themselves,” Troy answered. “Of course you only heard their side
of it. You were too young to remember what it was like.”
“That's
easy to say, isn't it?” Nadia retorted. “It's easy to say that I was too young
and I don't understand. Where were any of you to help me understand? You were
all too selfish, too busy leaving to have your own lives to remember your baby
sister.”
“That's
one way of looking at it,” Troy told her. “I'd love to be in the room when you
accuse Marianne of that.”
“Marianne
is different,” Nadia began but was cut off.
“Why?
Because Dani was her twin? That's bullshit. She was our sister too.”
“But
Marianne loved her more!”
“You
can tell yourself that,” Troy told her quietly. “But you're lying to yourself
or you've blocked it out. Dani's death destroyed us all.”
“You
left me behind,” it was almost a whisper.
“We
did,” Troy agreed. “But you stayed there willingly.”
“I
guess so,” Nadia said finally. “I'll see you for the funeral, then.”
“You
will,” Troy agreed. “Should I book a hotel?”
“I
wouldn't make you do that,” Nadia replied defensively.
“I
don't know anything about you,” Troy told her. “That's why we aren't a family.”
“You're
right, you know nothing about me,” Nadia answered. “And I have
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