Relative Happiness by Lesley Crewe Page A

opened the door.
    â€œCome here you little monkey,” she laughed. Gabby always laughed. It was the first thing everyone noticed about her. Almost the first thing.
    After she covered the poor child with lipstick kisses, she stood and faced them.
    â€œEveryone. This is Richard Becker. Richard, this is my family.”
    â€œMy God,” Beth whispered to her. “He does look like Prince Eric.”
    Naturally, Lexie never had boyfriends who looked like Ken dolls. She attracted needy types. In university, these pathetic losers hung off her. “Lexie feed me. Mom didn’t send my allowance.” Or, “Lexie, if you do a wash, take mine. Our clothes can be dirty together.”
    They thought they were hilarious. But none of them compared to the jerk that cornered her every Saturday night when he was sloshed.
    â€œYou look like you need sex, Lex. How about it? You’ve got incredible jugs. How about I relieve your suffering? What do you say?”
    She put up with these idiots her whole life. They thought she was their mother. They ran to her to complain about their horrible girlfriends. They’d snuggle up, and put their heads in her lap.
    â€œYou’re so great Lex, thanks for listening.”
    Yeah sure.
    One guy was cute. He made her laugh.
    â€œRub my back Lex.” She would. One night he turned over and looked at her.
    â€œYou have the most beautiful brown eyes, Lexie.”
    Her heart skipped a beat. “No, I don’t.”
    â€œYes, you do.”
    He touched her face with the back of his hand. “And the most beautiful skin.”
    â€œNo, I don’t,” she whispered.
    â€œWhy don’t you see it, Sunshine?”
    â€œNo one’s ever said it before.”
    â€œThat doesn’t make it not true. You need to believe it.” He reached for her. That was her first time. He left school shortly after that.
    If she was so wonderful, why did he leave? She remembered she cried for a week.
    Gabby came over to her and gave her a hug. “So. What do you think?”
    â€œHe’s definitely hunky.”
    Gabby smiled at Richard. Lexie loved it when she smiled. Her sister opened her satin clutch and took out her gold lighter and cigarette case. Beth grabbed the baby. “Don’t smoke in front of the kids. You know better.”
    She put them back. “Sorry.”
    Lexie smirked. She knew Beth wasn’t annoyed about the smoke. She was annoyed Gabby looked so damn good. Her hair was like a copper halo. No one in the family knew where she got it.
    She wore a stovepipe black skirt, high heels and a very expensive white silk blouse turned up at the collar. How did she do that? Anyone else would get make-up on it. A pearl necklace was at her throat. She reminded Lexie of a forties film star.
    She looked around as their dad poured a drink for Richard. Lexie saw her stop. Her eyes got big and she stayed very still. She didn’t know what she was looking at.
    Gabby said softly, “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend, Lexie?”
    Oh, brother. Here comes the charm. Luckily Adrian will see right through her. She turned to him but something was wrong because he didn’t crack wise or pull a face. He just stood there and stared at Gabby. Lexie was fed up. This always happened. She was tired of the little games Gabby played on men. She had no business doing it to Adrian.
    She turned back to give Gabby a look that said knock it off, but she didn’t. She didn’t recognize the woman who made men dance like puppets on a string. That woman was gone. There was only a girl, and she looked frightened.
    â€œGabby,” Richard said from across the room, “why don’t you show your mother the pictures we took in Los Angeles?”
    Had he seen it? Had she?
    â€œI’ll get dessert,” Lexie said to no one in particular. Not that anyone noticed or heard her. It was like old home week.
    Mom’s dinner was a roaring