7 PM, Jess pulled her car into the circular stone drive that fronted the elegant Mediterranean-style mansion. Glancing at herself in the rear view mirror she frowned––there was nothing she could do about the dark circles under her eyes, from lack of sleep, but at least the eyeliner and blush made her look more alert. She smoothed her hair back behind her ears and applied a fresh coat of lip gloss. Her father had always demanded a neat appearance from the women in his family.
Walking up the stone steps, past the huge, cream-colored marble co lumns, she paid no attention to the beautifully arranged, massive urns which contained lush bougainvillea plants in bright pinks and purples. She pressed the doorbell.
"Jessica, good to see you,” Maria said opening the door and studying her with a shrewd eye. "Something wrong? You sick?"
Jess shook her head. "No, just too much work,” she lied. “How’s Dad? I hope he’s in a good mood."
"His usual,” Maria shrugged. “ He's waiting for you in the library. Don’t forget he goes out for his walk at eight. He gets angry if you interrupt it.”
Jess nodded. “ I know, Maria. I’ll be sure to leave before then.”
The door to her father's study was closed. She stared at it for a moment, steeling herself for what she was sure w ould be an exercise in humiliation. Then she knocked lightly, opened the door and entered the room with a confidence that she didn't feel.
"Hi, Dad" she said as she approached her father. Bending down she gave him the obligatory peck on his cheek.
Mr. Banks sat ramrod straight behind his large, mahogany desk, barely acknowledging her greeting. He looked her over critically, giving her the feeling she always had around him––that she was about to be reprimanded for having committed some terrible transgression.
"Where's Danny?" he asked gruffly.
"I couldn't bring him today, Dad. He's with Lars this evening." She took the seat opposite his desk and willed herself to remain calm. She wouldn’t allow him to get to her. There was too much at stake. "I'll bring him by to see you next week, if it’s okay with you. I came alone because I needed to talk to you.” She paused to take a breath. “Dad, I desperately need your help."
"Let me guess, it's about money. Am I right?"
"Yes. But I wouldn't ask you for it if I weren't desperate. Lars transferred all our money into his private account and…there’s an emergency. I could lose Danny.”
Her father looked at her for what felt like an eternity. "That's your problem Jessica. I ’ve told you before, you had no business leaving your husband. He's a good husband, a good lawyer and it’s time you forgot this foolishness and go back to him. In my day we took marriage seriously. We didn't walk out on a whim."
"It wasn ’t a whim, Dad, Lars was cheating on..."
"Now listen to me Jes sica," he interrupted. "I thought you were different from your sister but I see now I was mistaken. You're just like her. She was always coming to me, trying to get me to bail her out of whatever trouble she was in. If you're not careful I'm going to cut you out of the will just like I did with her..."
"You don't understand anything, do you?" Jess rose from her chair. She could no longer control herself. "What good is all your money if you can't help your family in a time of need? I don't care about the da mn will. Cut me out for all I care. I need money now or I could lose my son." Her voice rose as hot tears coursed down her cheeks. "I can see why Ally hates you, why Mom was so unhappy. You’re nothing but a selfish old man.”
"Get out," Mr. Banks said, ris ing from his chair.. "Maria!"
Maria instantly appeared in the doorway.
“Show her out,” he demanded.
"I know the way," Jess said as she ran past Maria out of the room.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Maddy was about to take a bite of almond encrusted Dover sole when her fork almost fell from her hand. She couldn't
Walking up the stone steps, past the huge, cream-colored marble co lumns, she paid no attention to the beautifully arranged, massive urns which contained lush bougainvillea plants in bright pinks and purples. She pressed the doorbell.
"Jessica, good to see you,” Maria said opening the door and studying her with a shrewd eye. "Something wrong? You sick?"
Jess shook her head. "No, just too much work,” she lied. “How’s Dad? I hope he’s in a good mood."
"His usual,” Maria shrugged. “ He's waiting for you in the library. Don’t forget he goes out for his walk at eight. He gets angry if you interrupt it.”
Jess nodded. “ I know, Maria. I’ll be sure to leave before then.”
The door to her father's study was closed. She stared at it for a moment, steeling herself for what she was sure w ould be an exercise in humiliation. Then she knocked lightly, opened the door and entered the room with a confidence that she didn't feel.
"Hi, Dad" she said as she approached her father. Bending down she gave him the obligatory peck on his cheek.
Mr. Banks sat ramrod straight behind his large, mahogany desk, barely acknowledging her greeting. He looked her over critically, giving her the feeling she always had around him––that she was about to be reprimanded for having committed some terrible transgression.
"Where's Danny?" he asked gruffly.
"I couldn't bring him today, Dad. He's with Lars this evening." She took the seat opposite his desk and willed herself to remain calm. She wouldn’t allow him to get to her. There was too much at stake. "I'll bring him by to see you next week, if it’s okay with you. I came alone because I needed to talk to you.” She paused to take a breath. “Dad, I desperately need your help."
"Let me guess, it's about money. Am I right?"
"Yes. But I wouldn't ask you for it if I weren't desperate. Lars transferred all our money into his private account and…there’s an emergency. I could lose Danny.”
Her father looked at her for what felt like an eternity. "That's your problem Jessica. I ’ve told you before, you had no business leaving your husband. He's a good husband, a good lawyer and it’s time you forgot this foolishness and go back to him. In my day we took marriage seriously. We didn't walk out on a whim."
"It wasn ’t a whim, Dad, Lars was cheating on..."
"Now listen to me Jes sica," he interrupted. "I thought you were different from your sister but I see now I was mistaken. You're just like her. She was always coming to me, trying to get me to bail her out of whatever trouble she was in. If you're not careful I'm going to cut you out of the will just like I did with her..."
"You don't understand anything, do you?" Jess rose from her chair. She could no longer control herself. "What good is all your money if you can't help your family in a time of need? I don't care about the da mn will. Cut me out for all I care. I need money now or I could lose my son." Her voice rose as hot tears coursed down her cheeks. "I can see why Ally hates you, why Mom was so unhappy. You’re nothing but a selfish old man.”
"Get out," Mr. Banks said, ris ing from his chair.. "Maria!"
Maria instantly appeared in the doorway.
“Show her out,” he demanded.
"I know the way," Jess said as she ran past Maria out of the room.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Maddy was about to take a bite of almond encrusted Dover sole when her fork almost fell from her hand. She couldn't
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