by Di Morrissey
‘You lived here, after all,’ said Alice. ‘And you are my niece.’
‘Some of the best years of my life were spent here,’ said Cindy. ‘You’re a marvel, Alice. So many projects on the go.’
‘She doesn’t know how to relax. You know what she’s done at the second store, the one in Palm Desert?’ said Spencer with pride.
Cindy shook her head. Spencer had never taken much interest in Alice’s fashion business, but he was clearly dying to tell her something.
‘She’s put a hydroponic garden on the roof. It’s just the latest thing,’ Spencer announced.
‘It was my idea. I sell the food to restaurants,’ said Alice. ‘The plants grow in long trays in water with nutrients in it. I had to put up some shade cloth for the summer, but the rest of the season things go nuts. Lettuces, tomatoes, greens, you name it. I worked out the formula to feed them with a pharmacist friend.’
Cindy was surprised. Since when had Alice had any interest in gardening? ‘Good grief. How wonderful,’ said Cindy. ‘How did you discover such a thing?’
‘My nutritionist. He’s a wonder man. He was trained by Gayelord Hauser, you know. He preaches eating healthy food.’
Spencer and Babs interjected in unison, ‘Five fruits and five vegetables every day!’
‘It’s my regime and it certainly works. I’m its best advertisement,’ stated Alice loftily.
After lunch, they toured Palm Springs in Spencer’s new Chevy so that Cindy could see all the changes that had occurred in the last twenty or so years. There were lots of new stores, restaurants and hotels, encircled by sprawling condominiums and golf course estates bordered by luxurious homes. The emerald lawns sharply delineated where the water supply stopped on one side of the road, while the desert stretched into the distance on the other.
It struck Cindy that amongst the tourists and extravagantly dressed locals, the residents of this popular desert community all seemed terribly old, and were dwarfed by their large cars, which they drove very slowly, hugging the wheel protectively.
As if reading her mind, Babs commented, ‘This has become a popular place to retire, which is nice because there are people living here all year round now and not just visiting in winter.’
Spencer chuckled. ‘Most people in Palm Springs don’t buy green bananas any more, you know, Cindy.’
‘Why not?’ asked Cindy in a puzzled voice.
‘They might not live long enough to see ’em ripen.’ Spencer threw his head back and roared with laughter. Cindy guessed he’d told that joke many times before.
‘You’d need money to settle here,’ said Cindy.
‘Not everyone who comes here has money, gosh no. There are some cheaper estates further out. Ugly towns have sprung up,’ said Alice, pursing her lips. ‘And Palm Springs is full of middle-aged divorcees all looking for a rich husband. They come into my shops. No dress sense. Mutton dressed as lamb. No idea. Fake jewels. I can spot them a mile away.’
‘What about that woman, the one who offered to help you with your business dealings? You certainly gave her a makeover,’ said Babs pointedly.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Cindy.
Alice scowled. ‘She was a sneak,’ she sniffed. ‘I gave her clothes at a discount, told her how to accessorise.
I tried to introduce her to the best people.’
‘But she took you out to lunch a lot,’ said Spencer.
‘It didn’t cost her anything. Her brother owned the restaurant!’ replied Alice indignantly.
‘You told me that she was going to do your marketing. And didn’t she talk you into one of these new computer things?’ said Babs.
‘What happened to her?’ asked Cindy.
‘She ran off with an ancient millionaire,’ chortled Spencer.
‘And some of my most expensive clothes!’ snapped Alice.
‘Oh dear, not a lot, I hope,’ said Cindy. Babs was right, she thought. Alice did seem to have become more gullible and easily impressed by appearances these days.
‘Worth every cent to see her gone and a lesson learned,’ said Spencer. ‘She could have done a lot more damage.’
‘I’ve still got that silly box of a computer thing that I can’t use cluttering up my desk. I’ve no idea why she thought it would be useful. Total waste of money,’ said Alice crossly, and tried to change the subject. However, before she could launch into another story, Cindy realised that Babs was looking fatigued.
‘Maybe I’m jet-lagged. I think an afternoon nap might be a good idea,’ Cindy said tactfully. ‘Would you mind if we called it a day?’
*
Cindy spent most of her visit with gentle Babs. They sat in the sun in the early morning before it got too hot, went for small walks, or an occasional drive. Special friends came by but didn’t stay too long, as Babs tired easily.
Early one morning, while Spencer took Babs to a medical appointment, Cindy drove the rental car into Palm Springs to see Alice in her store. She also went to visit Babs’s old shop, still in the same hotel foyer where it was now a desert icon. It looked much the same as she remembered it, and the children’s clothes were beautiful, but they looked to be mass-produced, albeit perhaps in limited numbers. The fine hand-stitching that Babs had done was a lost art, thought Cindy.
At lunchtime, Cindy sat on the porch waiting for Babs to join her. Even the sound of Babs making sandwiches made Cindy smile. Some things just never changed. Babs made her way slowly outside and set two plates on the table. Cindy looked up at her face, pinched from the effort. She was about to say something when Babs asked, ‘How have you found Palm Desert? There’s been a lot of changes of late.’
Cindy nodded. ‘Alice mentioned something about gangsters the other day! I wasn’t sure what she meant?’
Babs waved her hand. ‘There’ve always been gangsters here – they rented homes, gambled – but in the last few years there has been an influx of mafia leaders. One of them gave fifty thousand dollars to Cabazon Band of Mission Indians to start a casino on their land out near Indio in 1980.’
Cindy gasped. ‘Oh my goodness! You never mentioned it in your letters.’
Babs demurred. ‘Well, it’s not like the wild mobster days of Chicago here. More the high-flyers who mix with celebrities and local rich businessmen. Spencer used to talk about the tycoons, tuxedos, clubs, beautiful women dripping in diamonds. Not a part of the desert we ever saw.’ Babs smiled. ‘It’s been going on for twenty years. But using the Indians is not good.’
‘Good heavens, how did that come about?’ asked Cindy.
‘The local Indians have declared their lands exempt from California gaming laws, so they’ve set up bingo halls and gambling places on their reservations. It’s a smart way to fund their own community projects.’ Babs took a sip of iced tea and coughed for a moment, holding a hankie over her mouth with a pale hand.
Cindy frowned at her, but Babs waved that she was okay. ‘I suppose so,’ Cindy said. ‘I remember you mentioning some of these changes, but it didn’t really register with me how big they were. And speaking of Indians, do you know what happened to Adsila, the Indian woman who used to work for Sol and Deidre?’
‘I still see her from time to time. She and Francis are very involved in the American Indian Movement. They have a place in La Quinta, near Indio, where they run a gallery and shop. It’s a picturesque village, you should visit one day. It’s only about thirty minutes’ drive away,’ suggested Babs.
‘Really? I’ll do that! How wonderful. I might even go this afternoon, when you’re having a rest,’ replied Cindy.
*
Cindy thought La Quinta village was quaint, its main street filled with interesting and arty shops. She quickly spotted the modest gallery advertising Indian handicrafts.
Inside, a young woman was busy unpacking some items from a box, so Cindy walked around to admire the w
oven rugs and wall hangings, basketry, intricate carvings and other tribal artefacts. There were wonderful copies of old photographs of tribespeople and paintings of scenes that she remembered well from more than twenty years ago.
The pretty girl looked up. ‘Can I help you with anything? I can explain what things are, which tribe or family made them. They are all from around here.’
‘Yes, I can see that. Actually, I was looking for the owner of this gallery. Is she around? Adsila … ?’
‘Yes, that’s my mother. She’s in the back. Shall I get her?’ the girl asked curiously.
Cindy’s eyes widened. ‘You’re Adsila’s daughter? My goodness.’ Cindy recalled the shy little girl who had to be coaxed to share a smile. ‘I remember you. I visited your home a long time ago. Please tell your mother that Cindy, Babs’s niece, is here. I hope she still remembers me.’
The young woman looked bemused and hurried out to summon her mother.
A few seconds later, Adsila, heavier, her glowing face a little more lined, came into the gallery. She was wearing a traditional Indian dress, elaborately beaded. Her hair was braided and wound up on her head, a silver and turquoise comb holding it in place, and on her feet were a pair of soft felt moccasins. She walked toward Cindy, arms outstretched.
‘Cindy! My old friend. I am so happy to see you.
It has been a very long time.’
They embraced and laughed together.
‘It’s wonderful to see you too, Adsila. You have such lovely special pieces in the shop. I so treasured the bowl you made and gave me,’ said Cindy.
‘You still have it?’ asked Adsila.
‘Not exactly, but I know where it is,’ replied Cindy, and explained how she had buried it all those years ago under the peppercorn tree.
‘That is very sad. You must take something to replace it. Please, Cindy, choose anything from in here as a gift from the Agua Caliente people,’ said Adsila.
‘Thank you, Adsila, I’ll choose something small, maybe some jewellery for my daughter, but I would like to buy a few other items to take home as gifts. Who makes all these wonderful things? How did this all start?’
‘Over the years Francis and I have been active in promoting our people and fighting for our rights, and this shop enables them to raise money through Indian craftwork.’
‘What a wonderful thing to do. Please give Francis my best wishes.’
They talked about their children, and Adsila told Cindy proudly that she was a grandmother, and that her grandchildren were doing well and had had a good education.
‘Much better than the one Francis and I received,’ said Adsila. ‘But we are doing well too, the family is around us and we are accepted as part of the history in the desert here now.’
After an hour, Cindy left with the gifts she’d bought in a small bag: a necklace for Sally, earrings for Joanna and belts with elaborate silver buckles studded with turquoise for Murray and the boys.
Cindy hurried excitedly back to Babs’s house, keen to show her aunt the items she’d bought for her family at Adsila’s. Entering the house, she found her aunt resting on the porch. Cindy put her handbag and car keys down on the hall stand and took a seat in the chair opposite Babs.
‘Adsila seems so different. Not at all like the shy woman who used to iron for Deidre. She seems so full of confidence now,’ Cindy said, pouring herself a glass of some of Babs’s homemade iced tea from a jug on the table.
‘I still remember how we chatted as she did Deidre’s ironing when we first arrived. Joey really liked her,’ said Babs.
‘That was a long time ago,’ sighed Cindy.
Babs leaned on her pale hand. ‘Yes, a long time.’
Cindy paused. ‘You were so brave, doing what you did, leaving Howard,’ she said slowly. She was thoughtful a moment. ‘I don’t think I ever told you, Babs, but Murray’s mother was also abused.’
Babs looked at Cindy in shock. ‘Abused? By Lawrence?’
Cindy nodded. ‘Yes. Murray told me that he saw his father hit his mother and leave her bleeding on the bathroom floor, and shortly after that incident Rose left. For many years, poor Murray felt that his mother had gone because he couldn’t protect her.’
‘That’s terrible! He was just a little boy then, wasn’t he?’ said Babs indignantly.
Cindy nodded and took a sip of iced tea. ‘I guess you can understand why Rose left, can’t you, since you left Howard for the same reason,’ said Cindy. ‘But I still just can’t imagine leaving my child.’
Babs pursed her lips. ‘Cindy, it wasn’t an easy decision for me to leave. Howard was violent and, although I felt I had no choice other than to go, I often felt guilty that I had deprived Joey of his father.’
‘Does Joey know about the abuse?’
Babs nodded. ‘We’ve spoken about it. He doesn’t blame me for leaving. A lot of women can’t leave. Many stay in violent and unhappy marriages because they think that staying is best for the family. Some women think it’s their fault. And many women are just too frightened and haven’t anywhere to go.’
‘But you managed to leave,’ said Cindy.
Babs shook her head. ‘I did, but it’s not always easy to be able to get out. Money is always an issue. Remember, it took me the best part of a year of planning before I went.’ Babs’s eyes were wet, her voice soft. ‘I think Rose must have been very brave to leave, especially as she knew she was giving up her son, so she must have felt she had no other choice.’
Cindy was quiet for a moment. ‘You’re right,’ she said finally.
Babs studied Cindy. ‘How can you continue to associate with Lawrence? How can you trust your children to be around him when you know he can be violent?’
‘I felt much better after we moved out of the big house,’ said Cindy. ‘And Lawrence has been somewhat different these past few years. Not warm or friendly, but not rude to me like he used to be. It’s like he knows I have his number and have seen through the façade. He’s done the best he can for Murray and I do believe deep down he loves his grandchildren.’
Babs nodded thoughtfully. ‘Just the same, be careful of him, Cindy. Men like him …’ She trailed off. ‘Just be careful, that’s all.’
Suddenly, Babs coughed hard and held a papery hand up to her face. Cindy noticed she was trembling.
‘Are you all right, Babs?’ Cindy asked, concerned. She reached over to Babs, but her aunt waved Cindy away.
‘Just feeling a bit worn out. I think I’ll take a nap.’
Cindy watched Babs’s retreating back. Her aunt was sicker than she was admitting.
*
Joey and his family arrived the next day from San Bernardino, where he worked as a realtor. The cousins were overjoyed to see each other. Cindy was amazed to be confronted by a tall, handsome man and found it hard to believe this was the sweet little boy she’d shared Babs’s house with all those years ago. Kelly, or as Joey called her, My Lovely Lady, was a pretty sylph with long blonde hair cascading down her back. She wore bold-patterned, flared bell-bottomed pants and a contrasting vest, and had silver and gold chains and big hoop earrings. Compared to the power suits, the punk look and the newest trend to wear exercise clothes around in public – a particular abhorrence of Alice’s – Kelly looked comfortable and casual in a late hippy sort of way.
‘Kids, say hi to Cousin Cindy,’ said Joey to his two small children. The children stared shyly at Cindy, who gave them a quick embrace, as well as the two toy koalas she’d brought from Australia for them.
Joey kissed his mother gently, studying her, giving her a raised eyebrow and a questioning look. She flicked him away with a smile.
‘I’m doing just fine, honey. It’s so wonderful having Cindy here.’
They settled around the living room.
Kelly unpacked a basket of food she’d brought and Joey poured drinks as the child
ren huddled around their grandmother, telling her their latest exploits and achievements at school.
Some time later, Joey and Cindy found themselves in the kitchen.
‘Is life good?’ asked Cindy.
‘Yes. Except I worry about Mom. I know it means a lot to her that you came. I’m so glad you did.’ He smiled. ‘I try to visit her every week or so, but it’s hard doing that, what with work and Kelly’s Master in Environmental Science. Sometimes we have to do a lot of juggling.’
‘I can understand that,’ said Cindy. ‘Goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a degree in environmental science. What will Kelly do with it? Are there jobs in that field?’
‘You bet. Sadly, in a way, it’s a growing job market. Remember that huge oil spill off Santa Barbara?’
‘Yes, of course. I read about it. The beach was unusable for ages. I had so many happy memories of that beach. It was a terrible thing,’ Cindy replied.
‘Kelly remembered it too, and Earth Day inspired her to work towards protecting the environment and not just exploiting it. She’s quite passionate about it.’
‘What about you, Joey? I would never have picked you to go into something like real estate.’
‘Yeah, me either. But it pays the bills. I’m working on other things. I helped make a documentary that went around the festival circuit.’
‘You did! How come Babs never told me?’
He shrugged. ‘I was the third banana, so it was no big deal, but I learned a lot. You remember how much I loved the movies? I’m doing a cinema course, and I’m writing a film script. And Kelly and I are both involved in the local theatre group.’
Cindy playfully punched her cousin in the arm. ‘Well, good for you, Joey! You sound very busy. I hope I’m invited to your big movie premiere one day.’ Suddenly Cindy felt as though she was treading water. Here was Joey involved in exciting projects, and her life seemed monotonous and unexciting in comparison.
‘You make me feel guilty. Lazy even. When I go back home I’ll have to look for a more exciting interest than playing tennis and going to CWA meetings,’ she told Joey.
