"Oh come off it. You had to know it. They couldn't keep their fucking hands off each other. I've known it since I was thirteen. Oops." Marsha glanced at her mother. "Sorry."
"Asshole!" Teddy barked.
"You didn't tell me." Cassie stared at her daughter.
"Oh, you know Daddy. He always denied everything." It was Marsha's turn to look away.
"Marsha!" Cassie grabbed her daughter's arm.
"He gave away my piano, Mom."
"I know, but Marsha!"
"He gave it away. Just like that. I said I knew what he was doing, and that day I came home and it was gone." Marsha shook her head. "He didn't think I'd ever be good."
Cassie nodded sadly. Marsha had cried for weeks. Cassie had been dumb enough to think it was about the piano.
"Every time I complained about Mona, he grounded me. He said I was a big fat pig and he'd never buy me a car. When I was in high school, he told me if I told you any lies about Mona, he'd cut me out of his will."
Teddy held his palms up in denial. "I didn't know about this. I really-"
"Of course you fucking knew." Marsha rolled her eyes.
"I thought she was a nice lady. She always defended me when he was a shit." Teddy was breathing heavily now, sweating. The front of his shirt was soaked. He looked at the dead worm at the bottom of the pool, almost white.
The sun came out again, blindingly bright. Cassie blinked. No one suggested they hurry to the hospital. She wondered if her children were afraid the family that bore Mitch's name would terminate when he did. The family's strength and power to protect and keep them safe had disappeared a long time ago, and she felt guilty. She'd always believed she was the only one to suffer in the marriage. It never occurred to her that Mitch had abused his children, too. All this time she'd just stood by. She'd let him.
"That's why I gave you the pajamas that day, why I was so mad at you for getting a face-lift," Marsha was saying.
"What?" Cassie was reeling again.
"I knew it wouldn't make any difference. He was in love with Mona. I thought you'd figure it out. Daddy never gave you anything like that."
Cassie's mouth fell open. "Marsha!"
"I couldn't tell you, Mom. I just couldn't. I'm sorry." Marsha sniffed, then leaned over and put her head on Cassie's shoulder. "I love you so much, Mom, I couldn't."
Cassie gulped. "Marsha, would you like to see your piano now?"
Marsha lifted her head. "My piano?"
"Well, Daddy bought Mona a house-" Cassie began.
"Teddy, do you know about this?" Marsha interrupted.
"What do you think I am?" Teddy asked miserably.
"I think you're a little fuck," Marsha announced.
Teddy opened his mouth and closed it.
"Teddy, you knew about this, didn't you?" Cassie said.
"She paid for the house, Mom," Teddy said in Mona's defense.
"Teddy, she did not pay for the house. I'd like to show you the house." Cassie got to her feet and smoothed her skirt. Mitch was dying, and no one wanted to say goodbye. Fine.
"Now? Isn't that a little crass?"
"Suddenly you have qualms, Marsha?"
"No, I just…" Marsha glared at her brother. "Fuck."
"Get in the car, kids. Don't fight anymore. I want to show you the little surprise your father and Mona had planned for me."
The two exchanged uneasy glances. "Do we have to?" Teddy whined.
"Yes."
Groaning, Marsha got up from the table and threw her backpack over her shoulder. Teddy's stomach rumbled loudly because it was way past one and he was used to eating a big lunch. They trudged into the garage.
"Where's the Volvo?" Teddy demanded when he saw only the Porsche and the Mercedes.
"I've upgraded." Cassie got into the Mercedes and slammed the door, thinking about her pathetic old Volvo that used to live outside in the driveway. All she'd gotten for the damn thing was a thousand dollars. How had money become so important? She was positively drowning in thoughts she'd never had before. She'd never cared that much about money, never thought about it. Except she'd always thought she'd be rewarded for sticking with Mitch and someday she'd have a lot of it.
"Do you think Daddy's dead yet?" Teddy whimpered.
Marsha punched him in the arm. "Shut up, Teddy."
Marsha took shotgun in the passenger seat next to her mother. Teddy sat in the back. Neither said anything as they drove out of their pleasant development to Northern Boulevard, then turned east to Glen Cove, and finally across Duck Pond Road.
"She was moving here?" Marsha was surprised.
Cassie slowed the car to a stop in front of the garish giant black and gold painted gates with the Sales logo of grape bunches, wine barrels, fleurs-de-lis, and crossed fucking swords.LE REFUGE was painted in gold on a green estate sign.
"Holy moly." Teddy whistled.
"That's the ugliest fucking thing I have ever seen," Marsha pronounced judgment on the gates.
Now Cassie was sure she was doing the right thing. She wanted her children on her side. She wanted them to feel Mona's evil, to know who their father had been. She pulled into the approach and kept quiet as the luxury car she hadn't been allowed to drive until now cruised up the hill, passing the majestic oaks lining the drive. Her gut tightened just as it had the first and second times she'd come to the place where her husband was planning to live when he left her. The house hadn't been difficult to find. The address was on all those ABC Carpet and Home delivery slips.
"Holy moly," Teddy said again when the castle came into view.
They covered the last thousand feet or so of driveway and stopped in front, right next to the sporty red Jag parked there.
"This is the ugliest house I have ever seen. Look at that turret," Marsha pronounced judgment on the house, craning her neck for a better look.
"Mom, she's here," Teddy said uneasily.
"She won't show herself," Cassie said.
"But what if she does?"
"Go key the car, Teddy. I always hated the bitch," Marsha commanded.
"What's that?" Cassie asked.
"You know, make scratches all over it with a house key," Marsha said.
Teddy giggled nervously. "You really want me to?"
"I'll stand behind you in case she's watching," Marsha promised.
"Go key it yourself," Teddy said.
Cassie killed the engine and got out of the car. "Come on, kids. I want you to see something."
"I don't want to see any more. It's a horrible house, terrible taste. Key the car, Teddy, and let's go." Marsha's lips were tight. "That bastard." About her dad.
"Get out, Teddy," Cassie ordered.
"I don't want to key the car, Mom. What if she calls the cops?"