Page 56

"Oh, Rose. I've been a stupid schoolgirl, it seems," she said, her voice so choked it was only a whisper.

"I don't understand."

"Grover left me this morning. And it was embarrassing. too. He didn't pay the hotel bill."

"What? Why?"

"He got up earlier than I did, and when I went looking for him, I was given a note he had left at the desk. He said he had made a mistake thinking he could be with only one woman. He said he didn't want to hurt me any more, so it was best he just leave.'

"Why haven't you come home?"

"I'm too embarrassed. I had to sell some of my jewelry to pay the bill here."

"I'll pack and come to you. Mommy. Tell me where to come."

"No, honey, no. You're in a safe place with your brother. Stay there. I'll work things out for myself."

"Have you called Charlotte?"

"Not yet."

"Well, call her. She'll send you money."

"I will. I want to spend some time alone, thinking about my life. I might try to get some work for a while. I'm not Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire-- I don't want to depend on the kindness of strangers anymore. I'll be all right, Then I'll come back and well figure out what to do."

It was then that I told her about the Senetskv school and what had happened. She was very happy for me.

"Oh, you should do it. Rose. Do it."

"I don't know yet." I said. "There's money involved."

"Well find a way. Do it," she pleaded.

"Mommy, I can't do anything until I know you'll be all right."

"I'll be all right if you will," she promised. "and you will if you have something to achieve. I'll call you in a day or so. I promise. I've been such a selfish, selfabsorbed fool and neglected you. Rose. I'm so sorry."

"Mommy..."

"Get yourself in that school. Do it," she said before hanging up.

Evan knew how much I was waiting for her call. He was in the hallway, watching for me. We went into his room and I told him what had happened. He looked very suspicious.

"She's telling me the truth. Evan. by are your eyes so full of doubt?"

"Remember 'something is rotten in the state of Denmark'?" he said cryptically.

"Yes."

I had no idea what he meant.

"There's something you should know," he said. "I never told you because I didn't want you feeling worse or angrier at your... our father. The night my mother was killed by that drunken driver, she was going to rendezvous with our father. My aunt Charlotte made her go. I overheard their conversation. She wanted her to blackmail him, make his life miserable. I don't think she was going to do that, but I know my aunt Charlotte. When my mother was killed, she felt cheated."

"What does this have to do with what happened to my mother?" I asked,

"Maybe nothing," he said. "I don't know."

He thought a moment and then he said. "Just follow me."