Page 21 of The Family Guest

“Is there a theme?” asked Tanya as she lithely moved around the table, numbering the coasters.

“Just a color theme. This year it’s blue and white. I still haven’t figured out what kind of flowers to put on the tables.”

Tanya looked my way. “What about forget-me-nots? The blue flowers, a reminder of all the abused and abandoned children in this world.”

“How fitting! Thank you, my dear.”

“You’re welcome.” She smiled and then handed me the marker. “I’m all done.”

I scanned the numbered coasters. Perfection.

“C’mon, sit down. Enough work for today. I really appreciate your help.” In my head, I heard a little voice reminding me that Paige had never helped me with one of my galas. I tuned it out and said to Tanya, “Let’s finish our wine.”

Joining me, we chatted about her second day at school. It sounded like she was really fitting in and enjoying her coursework.

“Good for you! I had no doubts about you.”

“Thanks! So, how did it go last night with Matt?”

At her unexpected question, I felt myself blush. Our epic sex had left a tingly warmth in my body that I’d felt all day.

“Um, er, we had a wonderful evening.”

“I thought so. You’re gorgeous, Natalie, but today you look positively radiant.”

“Thank you.” I put my hand to my heart. The heart that was again beating with love for my husband.

“By the way, what are you going to wear to the gala?”

“I’m not sure yet. But it has to be blue.”

“What about that gown you wore to that mental health extravaganza last May? It was divine.”

She was referring to one of my Dior gowns. Wondering how she’d seen me in it, I asked, “How do you know about that gown?”

“I saw a photo of you in it online. You looked absolutely stunning!”

“Oh. Thank you,” I said, recalling how many paparazzi had been at that well-heeled event. “I’ll think about it.”

Reaching for her bags, Tanya stood up. “Well, I’m going to head upstairs and get started on my homework. And try to download that Stanford application.”

“Let us know if you need any help with that.”

She padded toward the grand entrance. The staircase. “See you at dinner.”

“Thanks again, my darling, for all your help.”

For everything.

ELEVEN

PAIGE

My investigation into Tanya’s past didn’t progress much over the course of the next few weeks and I was completely frustrated. A snail moved faster.

At Will’s suggestion, I asked my mom, not Tanya, for the name of the school she went to in England. He’d told me that asking our exchange student might arouse suspicion and I agreed. The name of the school was Briarwood. Googling it, I learned it was a fancy private girls’ school located in the English countryside just outside of London. I shot them an email inquiring if they had a student named Tanya Blackstone, under the pretense we’d become best friends over the summer in London and I wanted to send her a birthday present. Apparently the school of choice for many English aristocrats and diplomats, their response was they never gave out any student information and the best thing to do was to courier the item to the school, care of the headmistress. Whether Tanya was a student there or not remained ambiguous.

I also asked my mom if Tanya was going back to England over the holidays with the hope of seeing her plane ticket, or her passport. Not to mention with the hope of having a reprieve from her. Imagine my shock and dismay when I learned that she was going to spend Christmas with us as her supposed diplomat father wouldn’t be around. Was he ever around?