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say I was a little disappointed with that house thing.”
“Wait. You knew?”
“Suspected. But que sera. You were always a mystery to me.”
“You fired me for stealing the dress but not the rhinestones?”
“I fired you because you were ready to be fired. And by the way, I do
love what you did with it.” She flicked her hand at Daddy’s dress.
I’d forgotten I was wearing something I’d have to explain.
But I really didn’t have to explain anything to her. She seemed to know
it all already.
“I want to be good,” I said as the wine rushed to my head. “I want to be
a good person who does good things and makes good decisions but it’s
just…” I drained my wine.
“It’s just?”
“It’s so hard when all the good stuff is blah.” Was I slurring already? Of
course I was. I’d had three drinks over dinner. All I needed was a few
mouthfuls of Chablis to put me over the edge. “Life is just… it’s this blah
blah blah then you die alone anyway because who wants to hang out with
blah? Nobody! They all want Bad Ella. Bad Ella’s so talented and real. Bad
Ella does such interesting things and we can watch from over here, where
it’s safe and we get to stay good.”
“Ella, dear?”
“And oh my poor husband is so bored with me being good. He just
doesn’t know it. But if I go back and do Bad Ella things, we’re finished and
I’ll have all the money in the world…” I threw my arms up. “But not him.”
I let them fall heavily to the table. “So. I’m here because you’re the only
mother I have and you’re the only one who can tell me what to do.”
“And you’ll do the exact opposite.” She switched our wine glasses.
Now the one in front of me was mostly empty, which was good and wise.
“So you’re going to tell me to rob a bank?”
“No. It’s irresponsible of me to not tell you to rob a bank though. Lord
knows, the financial sector should be paying me to tell you what to do as an
insurance policy against you actually doing it.”
“I’m sorry. Too many negatives. I’m confused.”
“Be good.” She slapped her palm on the table. “Be good and stay good.
You’ll get used to it. You’ll keep your husband, who you obviously love—”
“How do you know that?”