Chapter Forty-nine
Mother’s Visit with Miss Craney
As we approached Merrick Memorial Gate, this brave, new version of my mother started to disappear. She withdrew her arm from ours and slowed her pace. Physically, Mom seemed to shrink before our eyes, shielding herself with her purse clutched to her breast. I saw her raise and then lower her eyes to take in a group of mink-clad mothers and cashmere-coated daughters.
In a barely audible voice, she mumbled, “It’s so…so big. Where do we go?”
Katie took hold of my mother’s arm in a possessive, daughterly fashion. She held on with both hands and leaned into my mother to speak. “I’ll show you the way.”
Katie lifted her head. Her face took on a mask of determination: set and firm, and protective. I feared we had just lost my mother as advocate. At least she had been moving in that direction.
How could I let her do this? Craney would gobble her up.
We had arrived at the end of Craney’s hallway. We walked down this now familiar Persian runner.
My mother knocked. I clung to her back, a gosling riding her tail feathers as much for my own safety as for hers. The door swung open. Craney’s smile oozed honey.
“Dear Mrs. Mazzini, I’ve been expecting you.” She ushered my mother in with a gracious sweep of her left hand. She thrust her open right hand to the center of my chest. “No,” she uttered, baring her teeth.
The last thing I saw was my mother awaiting Miss Craney’s orders, an assigned seat and her place. The door slammed shut.
I covered my mouth. Katie put her finger to hers. We tiptoed to the door, held our breath, and cupped our ears to capture any words the cold walls would give up.
My mother’s voice was saying, “Honored.”
Craney’s said, “Occasionally…magnanimous…opportunity to the deserving, but…”
Jeez! The first part was so clear. Craney had lowered her voice for the “but.”
“What a bum!” Katie mumbled.
I motioned for her to be quiet; my mother was crying. Katie placed her hand on my arm and shook her head. I must have looked like I wanted to kill. Katie mouthed, “You can’t.”
My mother asked, “A second chance?”
“Pardon?” was Craney’s response.
I heard Craney push her teacup back across the glass penholder. A fingernail scratch on a blackboard. She was definitely zeroing in for the kill. She raised her voice. “Ahem. The accusations are many.”
My mother retorted, “Yes. I’m sure” with a new sternness to her voice. “I certainly want to hear what my daughter has to say for herself!”
My mother’s chair scraped the floor. I almost fell into the room as she opened the door.
“Come, this moment,” she demanded.
It was over, all over. Craney had cowed my mother. Katie touched my fingers as I inched away, pulled by my mother into Craney’s office.
“Sit,” said my mother.
Craney was smirking at me. “Well, the disappearance of Dorotea, Miss Mazzini, how do you explain that? Or…do you have a different answer for me?” She inclined her head, closer to mine, holding my gaze.
I knew Craney was asking if I had decided to be her slave.
My mother nodded at me. “Go ahead.”
“I think she was depressed, but she seemed happy to go to her aunt’s,” I said.
“Out with it, Miss Mazzini!” Craney glared at me. Her command hung suspended in the air.
A wave of confusion and doubt seemed to wash across my mother’s face followed by a flash of anger.
“Ahem! If I may…” My mother raised her voice, “You’ve called the police, I hope.”
“The family…they seem to be taking care of things,” Craney muttered, fumbling with a pen on her desk.
“Let me understand then,” my mother said. “So, Dorotea did in fact arrive at her aunt’s; she’s not missing from school.”
“Well, yes—”
“I’m beginning to see. I certainly am!” My mother glared at Craney.
Craney struggled to stand, holding onto her desk. She leaned into me, her beady eyes inches from mine. “I asked you a question, Pina! Are you involved in Dorotea’s disappearance?”
“No!” I said.
“Honesty is fostered here at Albert. I’m asking you again. I will not tolerate your ‘no.’” Craney’s nearby lip started to curl. She oozed seduction and power.
My mother pulled me closer to her. I read disgust and horror on her face. She got it, the whole picture, and she was determined not to let Craney get her or me.
“Pina, did you have anything to do with this?” My mother snapped.
“No.”
My mother cleared her throat. “Miss Craney, sit down.”
Craney drew in her breath as she regained her chair.
“Miss Craney, my daughter does not lie,” my mother said.
“Be that as it may—”
“Allow me to finish, please!” My mother cut her off. “I occasionally check Pina’s facts, but she is not a liar. Nor do I believe she is fabricating stories about your threats—”
“How dare you!” Craney blanched.
“Yes, I dare. Threats to expose her as a lesbian if…if she didn’t…what? Comply? Pina is not your plaything!” Mother’s voice ricocheted off the walls.
My mother sat back in her chair, scarlet and perspiring heavily. My insides were roiling; yet, I had to suppress a smile itching to cross my lips. My mother passed me a hankie in complicity.
Miss Craney drank a large draft of water. Her voice quavered. “Hmm. We have a history of dignity and discretion here at Albert. We eschew scandal at all costs, and your daughter’s lewd, aberrant behavior—”
“Enough!” said my mother.
I felt a twitch. Craney digressed; she wasn’t going to answer my mother. I guessed that maybe I wouldn’t either. Sitting in the chair with steam almost rising off her, my mother seemed more like a raging bull than her petite, demur self.
Having regained her composure, my mother leaned over the edge of Miss Craney’s desk to admire a bronze owl.
Miss Craney pointed to the owl. Her voice was flat. “Symbol of the Goddess of—”
“Wisdom,” my mother said. “Athena. Yes, I do know. In our family we, too, honor wisdom and strong, educated women. I am neither strong nor educated. Athena, my sister-in-law—so, yes, we know all about goddesses and wisdom—she’s one of those women: educated, independent. Paid her own way and can pay Pina’s. She is Pina’s godmother and a role model for Pina. She has not needed a husband.”
My mother picked up the owl, dusted off the spot it had sat on, and replaced it. She looked up at Miss Craney, who sat hands braced on either side of her on the desk.
I blinked at my mother. I didn’t dare breathe.
Miss Craney slowly shook herself alert. “There must be consequences for Pina’s, ahem, behaviors.”
“Yes,” said my mother, encouraging me. I gave an assertive nod.
My mother smiled broadly. “Saying no to an authority figure does not come cheaply.”
Miss Craney gasped. “I have to reflect upon Pina’s expulsion. Morals, particular friendships…”
“Moral high ground?” My mother sighed as if bored with this whole meeting. “You and I both know this is not about Dorotea. Miss Craney, the truth is out. I know who and what my daughter is; I can say the word ‘lesbian.’ Let’s be honest. Dorotea is not a threat. You, Miss Craney are the threat!”
Miss Craney closed her eyes, twitching ever so slightly.
“Come. It’s time for us to leave, Pina. Oh, and Miss Craney, you’ll be seeing Dr. McGuilvry later tonight,” my mother added.
“But, it’s Mothers’ Weekend,” Miss Craney sputtered.
“Yes,” said my mother. “I have claimed both daughters for today. And what a pleasure it will be to visit with her dad.”
“You’ll, uh…stay, Mrs. Mazzini?” Craney asked with an almost imperceptible tremor.<
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“Of course. To give you time to reflect,” said my mother.
A smaller, frailer Miss Craney stood with difficulty from her great chair. She pointed to the door and startled when my mother said, “Do call for us later.”
We heard a quiet, “Yes, of course,” as we exited through the velvet drapes. The thick, lustrous fabric muffled my mother’s words, “Right now, I’m taking my girls to lunch.” The alcoves and companion drapes seemed to wave in approval.
Chapter Fifty
Flush
Katie and I hugged and petted my mother so much she blushed all the way out of Damper Hall. We helped her down the stairs to the loggia, whose only occupants today were its statues.
I stopped my mother and spun her around. I pondered her standing there for a moment while I dreamed up some harmless prank. My mother smiled back at me, as if to say, “Okay, what are you up to?” She was going along for the ride.
I gently positioned Mom against the stone wall to mimic the statues of Venus and Athena. Katie threw her scarf around my mother’s shoulders.
“Hail Queen,” Katie and I intoned.
“Girls, stop. You’re being silly.” My mother placed her hand on her reddened cheek.
I grabbed Katie’s arm and nodded for the hymn to begin. We sang “Hail Holy Queen” from our Catholic School days. We enunciated the line “Oh Maria” doo-wop style – O-MA-RI-A and screeched, “Triumph all ye cherubim” in the worst falsetto possible.
I hugged my mother hard. “I love you so much, Mommy. You are one in a million.”
“Oh…honey,” my mother sobbed.
“I love you, too!” Katie said with a sheepish grin.
“Oh my girls…” My mother dabbed at her eyes with her hankie. “You’re so silly, my angels!” She used the same hankie to fan herself despite the November chill.
****
In the Olde Anchor restaurant, my mother announced she was feeling flush and ordered a four-pound lobster for us. We wore silly bibs and held mock claw wars.
My mother coughed and checked around her with darting glances to see if the other staid, well-dressed diners were looking at Katie and me.
“Girls, really. Behave yourselves.”
My mother composed herself and brushed imaginary crumbs from her burgundy silk dress. She cleared her throat. “You know, Pina, Miss Craney will probably expel you.”
I sucked my lower lip a second and turned away. “Yeah. I know.” I knew, but nothing had really sunk in. In a quiet voice, I added, “I am sorry, Mommy.”
“No.” She paused and sighed. “It will be all right. I don’t think she’ll publicize it.”
“Why?” I scrunched up my face. It was hard to imagine Craney having mercy on me.
“I guess I took the wind out of her sails.” My mother laughed. “No one was going to accuse you of being a liar.”
“Yeah! Craney probably figured she’d disgrace Pina and shock you, Mrs. Mazzini. And the way you talked about Pina’s godmother…Wow! Craney almost fell off her chair.” Katie was grinning from ear to ear.
“Well, Katie, I think your father’s visit might also be a serving of humble pie for her. She might fear litigation.” My mother dabbed at the last bits of lobster tamale on her lips.
My mother’s choice of words, her mannerisms, her carriage seemed altered. She applied her lipstick with aplomb and used her compact to spy on the loud woman seated at the table behind ours.
“But, Mom, what about Dorotea?”
“The police might question you, but I doubt it. Pina. Aunt Athena can afford any school you would choose. We’ll talk to Daddy and see.”
“Oh…Daddy. How’s he going to take this?”
“Don’t you worry. He knows about his sister.”
“No. I mean about me. About…Katie, about—”
“Pina,” Katie broke in, “remember my father. He’ll help, big time. You might not get kicked out.”
“Yeah, but I have to face my father. You might not get thrown out, Katie, but me?”
“But my father said he was working on something.” Katie crossed her fingers.
“Pina, Daddy’s a smart man. He loves Katie.”
My mother took our hands, licked her lips, and spread out the embossed menus once again. “Ladies, ladies. It’s time for crème brule, pumpkin soufflé, or apple crisp?”
****
After lunch, I walked my mom back to the Inn for the nap she said she needed after the morning’s events. Katie went to the bookshop.
Seated next to me on the loveseat, she patted my hand and turned away to block a tear.
“You know, this isn’t what I would have wanted for you. I do love you. I want you to know that, honey.”
I leaned over and threw my arms around her. “I love you. Especially now, Mommy. I know this is hard for you.”
She smoothed my hair and dabbed my eyes with her hankie. “We’ll work it out. Don’t you worry about Daddy.”
“Oh, and Mom, thanks for how you are with Katie.”
“Pina, listen to me. Katie is in our lives. She’s been one of the family and will continue to be. Now let me rest. I have to look sharp for Dr. McGuilvry later tonight.”
Chapter Fifty-one
Bronte’s
Mothers’ Weekend at Albert had come and gone; my mother remained.
Katie, my mother, and I were enjoying the coziness of the blazing hearth at Bronte’s restaurant while we waited for Dr. McGuilvry to arrive.
Somewhat later than expected, Doc entered the restaurant, where he often called Albert’s Board of Directors to order, and left his overcoat at the coat check. Katie ran to greet him and all but tackled him with her powerful hug. She led him by the hand over to my mother.
“Giusy Mazzini, it’s good to see you. You look well.”
“Doctor McGuilvry,” She extended her hand, but he had already bent over to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you,” she said.
I rushed over to be scooped up into his arms. Every time this giant of a man gave me one of his bear hugs, wafts of his Bay Rum and the nub of his Aryan Island tweed vest brought me back seven years to the first time I met him and Katie. He reached out and pulled Katie into this joint embrace. All was good.
“Well, ladies, I’m exhausted, but I wanted to see you all before turning in. I see you’ve all eaten; I’ll just have some tea,” said Doc. “Giusy, I want to thank you before anything else. I should have been the one to confront Miss Craney, but my conference in Rome prevented that.” Doc stifled a yawn.
“Yes, but she accused Pina, not Katie,” said my mother.
“Be that as it may, I’m sure these girls have been through enough. I regret that they didn’t tell me all the details from the start.” Doc took a sip of his tea. “You’re a brave mother; of course you have a brave girl in Pina. I’m afraid that by sending her here, I gave her a monumental task: break into Miss Craney’s ‘system.’ I knew she was rigid from working with her on the Board of Directors. Heard she was a bit bizarre, but…” Doc seemed to be weighing his next words.
“Doctor, Pina knew what to expect. She said she could handle it,” said my mother.
“Please, call me Ron. Yes, the peer pressure, the academics, the money. But Miss Craney’s, well, hovering over Pina, the unwanted attentiveness—should I say fawning over Pina?—her gifts, her spying…I hadn’t expected that. Unfortunately, Pina and Katie say they have no proof, but we’ll see about that.
“I imagine the biggest trial for Pina must have been figuring out what her role was in all of Miss Craney’s warped machinations.” Doc took another sip. “The other struggle, that’s the toughest. I know; it’s a hard awakening to realize who you love—and to accept it.”
“Oh,” said my mother. “You knew?”
“Yes and no. I was speaking for myself. I had to untangle the same questions, but late in my life. So much time wasted in the struggle. So much unnecessary shame. You really are quite a brave mother, Giusy. I wish my mother had been like you.�
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“I’m not sure I understand.” My mother wrinkled her brow.
“You do know Joe, Joe Gallo, my companion. I was…scared. Scared of what people would say if they knew.”
“Oh…oh, but Ron, you’ve always done the right thing.”
“Yes, my wife thought so too.”
“I am sorry.” My mother lowered her eyes. I placed my hand on my mother’s arm. She smiled at me and reached for Katie’s hand. “Thank you, Ron,” she said. “Thank you for telling me.”
Katie and I kept looking at each other. How long would they talk like this? I was beginning to squirm. Did my mother really get what Doc was saying? Katie and I knew he and Joe were homosexual. Found that out last summer. And my parents met Joe, but…well, she’d figure it out. Doc was pretty honest. It had to come up in his meeting with Craney.
I couldn’t contain myself anymore. “I’m not expelled, yet,” I blurted out.
“Dad, you should have seen Mrs. Mazzini. She was great.” Katie tugged on his sleeve.
“I called her bluff.” My mother blushed.
“Mrs. M is being modest, Dad. Tell him about your sister-in-law, Mrs. M,” said Katie
“Ron, my sister-in-law, Pina’s godmother is…she’s…”
“Homosexual?” Doc took a sip of his tea and gently replaced the cup in its saucer. “Like me and Joe?”
“Well, like Pina,” she said.
“As I said, Giusy. You are a brave mother.”
Doc turned to us and said, “Girls, I know I’ve left you out of this conversation tonight. I don’t want you to worry. I’ve been working on some things with Joe—some old stories about Albert and a certain instructor fired by Miss Craney, which I’ll explain later.
“You know, it was a long flight from Rome. I am really tired now, and I have a nine A.M. meeting with Miss Craney tomorrow. I’ll see if I can do as well as you, Giusy! What say we meet for lunch tomorrow?” Doc leaned over to hug us all before retrieving his coat from the check. He waved his hat. “Good night, ladies!”
Chapter Fifty-two
Doc and the Mistress
Love and Lechery at Albert Academy Page 18
