out.”
“Bravo. Excellent.” She laughed softly. “I’m proud of you. I take it she didn’t like your defiance.”
“No.” Gillian palmed her jaw. Barbara had definitely not liked it. “She was rather impressively angry. After she left I cried. I was so shocked and happy at the same time. I needed to tell someone.”
“You know my number, call at any time. You did a good job.”
“Thank you. I just don’t understand.”
“Understand what? Your ability to stand—”
“No, my mother. Why is she so vicious? I don’t think I’ve ever done anything to warrant such an attack, but she seems to be constantly at me.”
“I don’t know, Gillian, there are many reasons why she’d be so adverse to you. I can’t really explain it, Gillian. I wish I could. However, I would have to say she exhibits signs of a narcissistic personality. Just be careful, and don’t be afraid to stand up to her. You’re stronger than you think.”
“I guess.” Gillian tensed at the ringing of the doorbell. “Uh-oh, I have to go. Someone’s here.”
“Your mother?”
“She just lets herself in; there’s someone at the door.” Gillian wiped at her eyes and inhaled shakily. “I’ll let you go. See you on Tuesday.”
“See you Tuesday.”
Gillian hung up, wiped at the tears drying on her cheeks, and hurried to the door. A glance at the clock revealed it was close to ten. Her mother would be too busy to harangue her for at least another three hours. She swung the door open and stared at a tall, sandy-haired boy dressed in threadbare jeans and a ragged T-shirt smiling at her.
“Uh, hello?” Sticking her head out the door, Gillian glanced down the steps.
“Yeah, hi.”
“Hi, is there something I can do for you?”
“Hi, my name’s Todd. I’m wondering if you have anything you’d like help with? I’m trying to earn enough to buy a new bike.”
“Um, well, not really. I mean, I don’t—”
“I can wash windows or your car, and I’m a hard worker.”
“I’m sure you are.” Gillian raked a hand through her hair. From his lanky frame, she figured he needed a few meals in his belly rather than a new bike. Where was his mother? With a faint sigh, she offered a smile, her resolve strengthening. “I don’t have anything at the moment, but if you’re interested I might be able to use your help at the museum. It’s five dollars an hour and I’ll feed you.”
“Like what?”
Gillian sighed at the doubt and hope in his voice. “Cleaning up and stuff. Here’s my office number. I want you to call me on Monday, okay? As long as your mom and dad don’t mind.” She picked up her purse and dug through for one of her business cards. Pulling a blank one out, she made a mental note to get more. After jotting down her office number, she handed him the card with a smile.
“Oh, Mom won’t mind.” Todd shrugged. “She works lots. Thanks.”
Gillian leaned on the doorjamb and watched him dart off with a half-smile on his face. Straightening, she closed the door and appraised the apartment. She needed to get some boxes, packing tape, and start looking for a new place to live.
* * * *
The impatient buzzing of his phone drew a strangled curse from Jack as he pulled to a halt beneath a couple of trees. He glanced at the picnic basket sitting on the seat beside him and smiled. Gillian would be surprised, but he wasn’t going to give her a chance to get cold feet over their relationship.
“Hello.”
“Jack, where are you?”
“Busy, Lenny. What’s up?” Jack checked his mirrors, impatiently tapping the steering wheel. For some reason, the man had decided he needed to be a more active participant in his life. It bothered him; after all, his interest seemed to be only since his interest in Gillian had become known. In spite of their longtime friendship, Lenny was driving him crazy harping on something he had no right to.
“Barbara’s tied up with some function and I was hoping to get together for a
“Bravo. Excellent.” She laughed softly. “I’m proud of you. I take it she didn’t like your defiance.”
“No.” Gillian palmed her jaw. Barbara had definitely not liked it. “She was rather impressively angry. After she left I cried. I was so shocked and happy at the same time. I needed to tell someone.”
“You know my number, call at any time. You did a good job.”
“Thank you. I just don’t understand.”
“Understand what? Your ability to stand—”
“No, my mother. Why is she so vicious? I don’t think I’ve ever done anything to warrant such an attack, but she seems to be constantly at me.”
“I don’t know, Gillian, there are many reasons why she’d be so adverse to you. I can’t really explain it, Gillian. I wish I could. However, I would have to say she exhibits signs of a narcissistic personality. Just be careful, and don’t be afraid to stand up to her. You’re stronger than you think.”
“I guess.” Gillian tensed at the ringing of the doorbell. “Uh-oh, I have to go. Someone’s here.”
“Your mother?”
“She just lets herself in; there’s someone at the door.” Gillian wiped at her eyes and inhaled shakily. “I’ll let you go. See you on Tuesday.”
“See you Tuesday.”
Gillian hung up, wiped at the tears drying on her cheeks, and hurried to the door. A glance at the clock revealed it was close to ten. Her mother would be too busy to harangue her for at least another three hours. She swung the door open and stared at a tall, sandy-haired boy dressed in threadbare jeans and a ragged T-shirt smiling at her.
“Uh, hello?” Sticking her head out the door, Gillian glanced down the steps.
“Yeah, hi.”
“Hi, is there something I can do for you?”
“Hi, my name’s Todd. I’m wondering if you have anything you’d like help with? I’m trying to earn enough to buy a new bike.”
“Um, well, not really. I mean, I don’t—”
“I can wash windows or your car, and I’m a hard worker.”
“I’m sure you are.” Gillian raked a hand through her hair. From his lanky frame, she figured he needed a few meals in his belly rather than a new bike. Where was his mother? With a faint sigh, she offered a smile, her resolve strengthening. “I don’t have anything at the moment, but if you’re interested I might be able to use your help at the museum. It’s five dollars an hour and I’ll feed you.”
“Like what?”
Gillian sighed at the doubt and hope in his voice. “Cleaning up and stuff. Here’s my office number. I want you to call me on Monday, okay? As long as your mom and dad don’t mind.” She picked up her purse and dug through for one of her business cards. Pulling a blank one out, she made a mental note to get more. After jotting down her office number, she handed him the card with a smile.
“Oh, Mom won’t mind.” Todd shrugged. “She works lots. Thanks.”
Gillian leaned on the doorjamb and watched him dart off with a half-smile on his face. Straightening, she closed the door and appraised the apartment. She needed to get some boxes, packing tape, and start looking for a new place to live.
* * * *
The impatient buzzing of his phone drew a strangled curse from Jack as he pulled to a halt beneath a couple of trees. He glanced at the picnic basket sitting on the seat beside him and smiled. Gillian would be surprised, but he wasn’t going to give her a chance to get cold feet over their relationship.
“Hello.”
“Jack, where are you?”
“Busy, Lenny. What’s up?” Jack checked his mirrors, impatiently tapping the steering wheel. For some reason, the man had decided he needed to be a more active participant in his life. It bothered him; after all, his interest seemed to be only since his interest in Gillian had become known. In spite of their longtime friendship, Lenny was driving him crazy harping on something he had no right to.
“Barbara’s tied up with some function and I was hoping to get together for a
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