| Subject: À la Vie! – Chapter 18 |
Author:
Diane
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Date Posted: Friday, October 29, 10:19:26am
In reply to:
Diane
's message, "À la Vie!" on Tuesday, October 19, 01:16:54am
À la Vie! – Chapter 18
Nikita sighed as she made another money transfer to cover her mother’s overdraft. She had already found her a better place to live and furnished it for her, bought her a reliable car, and given her a sizable allowance. Nothing, it seemed, was enough. Whatever Nikita bought her, Roberta wanted a better model. What ever monies she gave her, Roberta needed more. Her mother wasn’t drinking—Nikita saw to that. That was part of the deal. One drop of alcohol and the party was over. She just couldn’t understand where all the money was going.
She hadn’t met Simone. Simone was still using, and was forcing Roberta to split the proceeds of Nikita’s monetary gifts 50/50 as payback for finding her daughter. It wasn’t as though Nikita couldn’t support herself and her mother, but she was worried. She decided to hire a private investigator. She looked through the Yellow Pages and stopped on a name that she liked. Marco O’Brien.
“You’re going out again?” Michael asked. “That’s four times this week.”
“Relax, Michael. I’m just having dinner with my parents,” Elena lied smoothly. “I didn’t mention it to you before because I had no idea you would be home tonight. You usually aren’t.”
“You thought I would miss Adam’s birthday?” Michael asked her incredulously. “You knew I’d be home for that. Are your parents having the party at their house?”
“I thought he was too young for a party,” said Elena, improvising madly. “He’s only one. He wouldn’t remember it anyway.” She couldn’t believe she had forgotten Adam’s birthday. Why hadn’t his nanny given her the heads-up?
“Well *we* would remember, and my son is having a party. Call your parents and cancel. We’re having a blow-out party for Adam tonight, and we’re *both* going to be here to celebrate it.” What was Elena thinking? It was as if she didn’t even have a son. Or a husband. She was so wrapped up in herself lately it was like the rest of them didn’t even exist. “I’ll make all the arrangements from the office. All you have to do is be here with your parents. Do you think you can manage that?” he asked her, a trifle sarcastically.
“Of course,” she answered, praying desperately that her parents were in town.
Michael left for the office and Elena called her parents, who fortunately were at home. They were thrilled to come to Adam’s party, and had wondered when she was going to invite them. “Just one small favor, Mummy,” she asked her mother. “Michael thinks I was having dinner with you and Daddy tonight.”
“Why would he think that? You haven’t been to dinner with us in ages,” Estrella answered, perplexed.
“Michael’s been staying late at the office so much lately. I didn’t want him to think I was home alone night after night, so I told him I’ve been there with you and Daddy,” Elena said persuasively.
“I’m not sure I like this idea, Elena,” said Estrella. “Lying to Michael—“
“Just let him think I was coming there tonight,” Elena pleaded. “He may not even ask about any other time.”
“Well, I don’t like it, but—“
“Thanks, Mummy,” Elena sighed in relief. “You’re the best. Kiss Daddy for me.” She hung up the phone and dialed Jurgen’s number.
“You need to get Nikita to increase your allowance,” pronounced Simone. She was examining herself in the mirror for signs of any cocaine residue.
“I don’t think I can,” Roberta responded nervously, checking between the mini-blinds for any sign of the cops. She hated it when Simone did coke in her living room. It wasn’t that she was tempted—booze and weed had been her drugs of choice, but she had fought hard for her six years of sobriety and besides, she had promised Nikita that she would stay clean and she didn’t want to end up back on the wrong side of a jail cell.
“I’m sure you’ll find a way,” replied the petite Asian, snapping her compact shut and dropping it in her purse. “You wouldn’t want little Nik to find out about your illustrious career as a working-girl, would you?”
“You said you wouldn’t tell her anything as long as I split the money with you,” said Roberta defensively, “and I’ve done that from Day One.”
Simone tossed her long hair back dismissively. “Yeah? Well it’s not enough any more. Either she increases your allowance, or we change our split to 60/40—my favor.”
“That’s not fair,” whined Roberta. Inside, she was panicking. Since she had come into her windfall, she had taken the extra money and had begun to play the ponies. Her luck had taken a turn for the worse lately, and she had debts of her own to pay.
“Fair or not, that’s the deal,” said Simone harshly as she left Roberta’s apartment.
“Nik? It’s me. We need to talk. I’m going to need an advance on my allowance this month. Or an increase would probably cover it. Call me as soon as you get in. I’ll be waiting by the phone. I love you, baby.”
Nikita pressed the rewind button on her machine and listened to the message again. Roberta sounded nervous. Almost desperate. Something was definitely going on. She put in a call to Detective O’Brien to let him know about this latest development. She would wait until she heard back from him before calling her mother.
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