Deception by Jane Marciano Read Free Book Online Page B

would never discuss that part of my life with my children.”
    “But I’m no longer a child.” I waited, but when she didn’t speak I shook my head at her in frustration. “Who are you protecting by remaining silent? What does it matter who did what to whom?”
    She raised her chin, and there was that old defiant look back again. “I don’t know or care if you’re still in touch with your father, Bailey, but if you are, and he should ever choose to discuss it with you, then that’s his prerogative. But don’t look to me to talk to you on the subject, because I shan’t, so please stop trying to wheedle things out of me.”
    I gave a short, contemptuous little laugh. “And you wonder why I choose not to come and live with you,” I said.
    There was a long silence, which eventually my mother broke. But when she did speak, it was as if all we’d said just then had never been mentioned, for her tone was so light and teasing.
    “You do realise that you’ve outstayed your welcome around here, don’t you?”
    I decided to imitate her tone of voice, and made myself smile. “Don’t I know it,” I said. “If Miranda gets much brighter around me she’ll explode.”
    I received a quick smile in response, but some of the awkwardness between us still survived, making me jumpy. So, standing up, I jammed my hands into my pockets and went over to the windows, looking out at the street. It was late June and at last the sky was a shining blue and people were outside, enjoying the spell of fine weather, not knowing how long it may last.
    I spoke over my shoulder. “So, you might as well know, I’ve decided I’m going to take a long break, take some time off work. I’m due a sabbatical. Or they can tell me where to go if they don’t like it. I don’t really care.”
    “Oh? And do what?” She got up and followed me to stand beside me. But she didn’t try to touch me, didn’t make contact. I could feel her holding herself aloof, as if any display of maternal affection needed my permission.
    I knew that in some way I’d helped create the gulf that now existed between us, but though part of me ached for her, for the mother I’d once known and loved, another part of me resented her, blamed her for the rift that had caused the gulf in the first place.
    I made myself sound neutral. “I need to get away from… all this.” I made a vague gesture with my hand, encompassing all my surroundings. “I need time to recoup and consider my options, and I need to go somewhere where I can relax and be myself.”
    “And where would that be?”
    “Somewhere quiet and peaceful.” I paused, and then dropped the words into the void between us. “Somewhere like Jersey,” I said.
    She didn’t speak, but I felt her flinch, and could feel the sudden friction in the air.
    “I’d like to see Dad again,” I said. “It’s been way too long. Years.”
    I felt her stir beside me. “He’s agreeable to seeing you?” she asked, her voice even and not betraying her feelings.
    “Why shouldn’t he want to see his daughter?” I answered, my tone just as cool as hers. “It’s been fifteen years or so since I last visited them at the hotel ‘Pegasus’. I was just a school girl then. Gwen was charming enough to me, of course, and her twins, Max and Megan, were nice enough, though I thought Megan was a bit of a snob and Max was a bit of a brat. Everyone’s moved on now, of course. We’re all that much older, but I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t just hang out with them for a while, spend a bit of time with Dad, get to know him again.”
    “I see.”
    “I’d like to study the layout, as it were,” I went on. “After all, if my father’s been involved in helping to run a hotel for all these years, why shouldn’t I also be interested in the same business? We do share the same genes, after all.”
    She didn’t reply but I could feel the tension reaching out to me like a damp blanket. Feeling the need to put some distance