Amanda Lester and the Gold Spectacles Surprise

by Paula Berinstein

  Sasha sat up straight and almost spilled her tea. “What do you mean ‘wasn’t legal’?”

  “I don’t know how to explain it,” said Amanda. “There was this lawyer, Mr. Onion—”

  “He should come back and live with his mother,” said Sasha, gesturing with the teacup.

  Amanda blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “It is time to make this right,” said Sasha. She slammed the cup down on the saucer. “We want him to come live with us, don’t we, Basilica?”

  “Yes!” said the girl. “He’s my brother. He belongs here.”

  “You want Nick to live with you?” said Amanda.

  “We will fix things,” said Sasha. “I will love my son. I do love him.”

  Amanda was having trouble processing so much new information. “Wait a minute. Can we please back up and start at the beginning? If you don’t mind my asking, why did you give Nick up? Did you know who was adopting him?”

  “Amanda!” said Ivy.

  “No, I have to know,” said Amanda. “Did Wink know about his son? What about his wife, Celerie, and his son David? And how did Darius get into this?”

  “Darius liked you so very much,” said Sasha. “But yes, I have not been fair. I will explain.”

  Sasha’s story began with Wink Wiffle. It seemed that the two of them had dated when Wink was separated from Celerie during a particularly difficult time in their marriage. Unfortunately they decided to reconcile just before Sasha found out she was pregnant and by the time she had given birth to Nick, Wink was long gone. Fearing that she wouldn’t be able to give Nick a good home, she had given him up for adoption. Wink had never even known he existed.

  Not knowing how to go about placing her baby, she had turned to an acquaintance who had found a solicitor. This man, one Allan Nightly-Knightly, had placed the baby with Blixus and Mavis Moriarty in a double-blind transaction, meaning that neither party knew who the other was. Sasha emphasized that had she realized the couple was the Moriartys, she never would have gone through with the adoption. Of course what this said about Mr. Nightly-Knightly no one knew, but it didn’t sound good.

  At this point Amanda interjected, “But did you know about Mavis? I mean that she and Wink had dated.”

  “I knew that,” said Sasha. “It was before he met Celerie. But I think the fact that she and her husband adopted Nick, that was coincidence. She wouldn’t have known who I was and I didn’t know she would end up being my son’s mother.”

  Amanda wasn’t so sure about that, but she wasn’t about to say anything.

  “How did you find out about the Moriartys then?” said Ivy.

  Sasha fiddled with her hands. They were beautifully manicured. She wore a light pink shade of polish that popped against her black sweater.

  “Mr. Nightly-Knightly, he die and I am notified by accident,” said Sasha. “I never would have discovered otherwise.”

  “So you knew that Nick had been adopted by the Moriartys?” said Amanda hoping that she hadn’t.

  “Later,” said Sasha. “Much later. Then I read in the papers that the Moriartys go to prison and Nick, he die in the factory explosion. I was so sad.” She laid her elegant, ringless hand over her heart.

  “So you thought Nick was dead?” said Amanda.

  “Yes. But Basilica, she find out he is still alive.”

  “How did that happen?”

  “She told me about Nick,” said Basilica. Amanda could see a hint of Darius in her face but not a trace of Nick. You’d never know they were related. “For most of my life I didn’t know I had a brother. When Mum saw the news about the factory explosion she was so upset. I asked her what was wrong until she finally told me. So I looked up the article and found out that the Moriartys had two sons. I wanted to find Hugh—the other one—and talk to him about my brother. I broke into his house—”

  “What?” said Sasha, grabbing her daughter’s hand. “What are you talking about, carina?”

  “I’m sorry, Mum, but I had to. I went after school one day. I crawled in the doggie door and found Hugh tormenting Nick in that cavern. I had to do something. I grabbed a statue and coshed him.”

  Amanda was astonished. Basilica was as gutsy as her brother without even knowing him.

  “That Hugh, he was nasty,” said Basilica. She gestured still holding Sasha’s hand as if she were a marionette. “He liked hurting those people. You two, my brother, those nice kids. I really liked the one with the big glasses. Oh, and that short man. Was he your teacher?” She meant Simon Binkle and Professor Kindseth. Amanda and Ivy nodded. “I couldn’t let him do that.”

  “I am glad you are good at hiding things because I would have been worried sick to my stomach,” said Sasha. She kissed her daughter’s hand. “But you will never do something like that again, do you understand?”

  “I understand,” said Basilica, winking at Amanda.

  “Well, that clears up one mystery,” said Ivy. “We couldn’t figure out who your brother was. We were completely baffled.”

  “My brother is brilliant,” said Basilica. “I would never let anyone hurt him.”

  “How do you know he’s brilliant?” said Amanda.

  “Because he’s my brother,” said Basilica, grinning. “I’ve always wanted a brother and now I have one. He has to be.”

  Amanda couldn’t quite accept her logic but the conclusion was valid. Nick was brilliant, both in the English and American senses of the word.

  “He is,” said Ivy. “Truly.”

  “I knew it,” said Basilica smugly. “That thing about him blowing up the factory, that wasn’t true.”

  “Oh, it was true,” said Amanda. “But he was under a bad influence. He’s really a good person. You’re right about that.”

  “His father, he is a good person,” said Sasha sadly.

  “You mean Wink?” said Amanda.

  “Yes. I miss him every day.”

  Why was she using the present tense? Wink had been gone more than a year. Amanda was getting a sick feeling.

  “Um, Sasha, why did you say he’s a good person?”

  “Because he is. I understand why he went back to his wife. He broke my heart but he is a good person.”

  “You don’t know then,” said Amanda.

  “Amanda . . .” said Ivy.

  “No, I have to tell her,” said Amanda. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.” Sasha looked stricken already. This was not a strong woman. “Wink is dead.”

  “What?” said Sasha, clutching her chest. “What do you mean?”

  “It was more than a year ago. Mavis Moriarty killed him.”

  Sasha looked as if she was going to pass out. Basilica ran to her and held her, then dashed through the debris for a glass of water.

  “Both of them gone then,” said Sasha, tears running down her face. “Because of those Moriartys.”

  “Both of . . .” said Amanda.

  “Wink and Darius,” said Sasha. “My two great loves.”

  “I’m sorry, Mum,” said Basilica, returning with the water. She had to step over so many things it was a miracle she didn’t spill more than she did. “I didn’t know.”

  Sasha held the water on her lap. Her hands were shaking so hard Amanda was sure she’d spill it. “No, of course you didn’t, darling. How could you?”

  “Actually, the police don’t think Blixus killed Darius,” said Amanda. “His death was an accident.”

  “But he went off to find Moriarty,” said Sasha, her face all black from her eyeliner tears. Yup. The water was spilling all over her jeans. “He told me he was going.”

  “He what?” said Ivy.

  “He wanted to make a film about him. That’s what he said. But I see something more behind his words. Oh, look what I’ve done.”

  Basilica jumped up and grabbed the water. Then she sprinted into the kitchen, came back with a towel, and threw it to her mother.

  “You don’t mean he wanted to kill Blixus, do you?” said Amanda.

  “I’m
not sure,” said Sasha, dabbing at the wet spot and then her face. She was even more beautiful without the makeup. “He was very passionate about those criminals. Obsessed. But not a murderer, no.”

  “I wish I’d got the chance to know him,” said Basilica. “Do you want a hair dryer, Mum?”

  Sasha shook her head. “It will dry.”

  “You didn’t see him because he lived in the U.S.?” said Amanda.

  “No, because he didn’t know about his daughter,” said Sasha. “I didn’t tell them about each other.”

  “I don’t understand,” said Amanda.

  “Last summer—he was supposed to see you, Amanda,” said Sasha. “He told me he was on his way to Windermere. I Skyped him and told him about Basilica. He came to London to meet her.”

  “Wait,” said Amanda. She couldn’t be referring to then, could she? “Was that around the middle of August?”

  Sasha nodded. “Yes. The airport was so crowded. Summer, you know.”

  “So that was why he was late,” said Amanda. “He was supposed to meet me and he didn’t show up until about five days later. He never said why.”

  “He was kind of freaked out,” said Basilica.

  “I don’t think he was thinking clearly,” said Sasha.

  “But if you don’t mind my asking,” said Amanda, “why didn’t you tell him about Basilica?”

  “Oh dear, I am a bad person, aren’t I?” said Sasha.

  “No, I didn’t mean that,” said Amanda. Weird, timid, lost, but not bad. She could tell Sasha had a kind heart.

  “He was a big movie director,” said Sasha, fiddling with one of her large hoop earrings. “I didn’t want him to think I was after his money. At least that was what I told myself. I think it was more that I didn’t think he loved me and I didn’t want him to feel trapped. Last year I found out that he actually did. Love me, I mean. He told me that he left me because he thought I didn’t love him.”

  Amanda sighed. It was sounding more and more like Sasha had made some bad decisions and suffered deeply as a result. Amanda felt sorry for her. Perhaps if she could find Nick that would help make up for lost time—for both of them.

  Later when the girls got up to leave, Sasha touched Amanda’s arm and said, “There is one other thing, carina.”

  “What’s that?” said Amanda. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear whatever it was. What other shocks did this woman have in store?

  “It is a little awkward,” said Sasha running across the room and grabbing some papers. She came back and shoved them into Amanda’s hand. “Darius, he leave you something in his will. You read.”

  Amanda recognized legal documents when she saw them. She was surprised. Darius had been her mentor but they hadn’t been close.

  “That was nice of him,” she said, envisioning a gift of an original script or production sheet. “He didn’t have to do that.”

  “He thought he did,” said Sasha. “You see, he had no family in the U.S. He obviously thought you were the right person.”

  Amanda couldn’t imagine what she was talking about. Right person for what? Movie memorabilia wasn’t that big a deal unless it was really classical and rare. She glanced over at Basilica. The girl was beaming.

  “Read it,” she said, stabbing at the papers with her finger. “He left you his production company, Plover Films. Surprise!”

  Amanda was so stunned she couldn’t speak. It was a joke—it had to be. Darius would never do something like that. His company was worth millions.

  She turned to Sasha and squeaked, “Nick will like you. You have a good sense of humor.”

  “Oh no,” said Basilica. “It’s true. My father meant for you to lead his company.”

  Amanda felt the blood drain from her face. “But I’m fourteen. And you’re his daughter. You should have it.”

  “I’m twelve,” said Basilica with a grin. “And I don’t know anything about making films. You win.”

  As soon as they got out the door, Amanda texted Nick to tell him she’d found his mother and sister. The message never showed as read and she never received an answer. She didn’t know if she hadn’t gotten through or he no longer cared.

  A Funny Feeling

  Amanda and Ivy made their way to Gloucester Road Station. Their train to Oxenholme was scheduled to leave at 3:30, which meant they were cutting it close. Suddenly Amanda got a weird feeling, as if someone were watching her. This had never happened to her before and she felt funny about it. Detectives weren’t supposed to get all paranormal about things. She looked around but everyone seemed to be minding his or her own business. Oh well. Maybe she’d been hanging around Ramon Splunk and his ghost hunting stuff too much and it was affecting her brain.

  She settled Ivy and Nigel next to a pillar and got into the very long ticket line. Gosh they were slow. If the clerk didn’t start moving faster they would miss their train. She craned her neck to see what was going on at the window but there were too many people in the way so she stepped sideways and was dismayed to see an old lady at the front who couldn’t seem to understand a word the ticket seller was saying. As she was watching the woman fumble for her money, then drop it all over the floor, Amanda got that funny feeling again.

  She turned around slowly and surveyed the scene. No one was even looking in her direction. Meeting Nick’s mother and sister and hearing about what Darius had done for her must have really freaked her out. Or perhaps it had been the coffee. That Italian stuff was strong. Who knew what it might have done to her nerves?

  She turned back to the front and saw the old woman getting ready to leave. Suddenly she glimpsed something out of the corner of her eye—a head of dark hair, a man’s chin, a raincoat—and then the figure was gone. There was something familiar about him but she couldn’t place him. Was it someone she’d seen in a film? Her view had been so fleeting she couldn’t tell. It was so annoying when that happened. You’d see someone you know out of context and not recognize them. Perhaps if she just forgot about him it would come to her.

  The next few people in line seemed to move quickly, but then another slowpoke hit the window. Amanda glanced at her phone. They were going to miss their train and the next one wasn’t for an hour. They’d miss their connection to Windermere, return to Legatum late, and be a mess the next day, but there was nothing to be done about it. Sighing, she pressed her Candy Crush icon and began to move the colorful shapes around.

  After about an hour and a half, or so it felt, she was able to purchase the tickets and return to Ivy, who had her earphones in. She was concentrating hard.

  “Whatcha listening to?” Amanda said, circling her arm through her friend’s.

  “You’re going to laugh,” said Ivy, pulling out the buds.

  “I won’t. Go on.”

  “I’m trying to learn Russian. I’ve got an app.”

  “Really?” said Amanda craning her neck to see Ivy’s screen. “You never said.”

  “Well, I’m probably hopeless so it wasn’t worth mentioning.”

  “I think that’s great,” said Amanda, who didn’t believe her for a moment. Ivy could do anything. “Russian is an important language.”

  “It’s hard,” said Ivy. She disengaged from Amanda and pulled on her lips. “I can’t seem to make my mouth go the way it needs to.”

  Amanda touched her shoulder. “Say something.”

  Ivy thought for a moment. “Ya plokha gavaryoo pa rooskee.”

  “It sounds perfect to me. What does it mean?”

  “It means my Russian is terrible.”

  “I don’t believe it. But you should have told Sasha. She could probably help you.” Wouldn’t that be something—Nick’s mother teaching Ivy Russian—if she knew it, of course. Just because her dad was Russian didn’t mean she did.

  “I don’t know,” said Ivy. “It didn’t seem the right time.”

  “I’m sure she—hang on.” She could feel a brainstorm brewing. “What languages can you study with that app?”

  “J
ust about anything. Spanish, German, Chinese, even Swahili.”

  “What about BSL?”

  “British Sign Language? Why—oh. Do you think . . .”

  “I don’t know what to think. I don’t know if he’s ever coming back. I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to hear again. But I do know that if he can’t and he does, I want to be able to talk to him.”

  Ivy looked doubtful. “Amanda . . .”

  “I know. If he learns he’ll be admitting he’ll never be able to hear again.”

  “Yes,” said Ivy. “But I can tell you something. When I went blind I didn’t want to admit it either, and I gradually came to accept it. You have to.”

  Amanda couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Hadn’t Ivy been blind from birth?

  “You’re not saying anything,” said Ivy.

  “I, uh, um.” What was she supposed to say?

  “You don’t have to feel weird. I didn’t tell you because there wasn’t any reason to. And of course you didn’t ask because people don’t. Or at least they think they shouldn’t. I don’t mind anymore. Of course at first it was terrible and I would have bitten your head off. You wouldn’t have recognized me.”

  “You, bite someone’s head off?” said Amanda. Ivy could be stern when she needed to be, but the idea of her snapping at someone was so out of character she couldn’t picture it.

  “I would have and I did,” said Ivy. “Would you like to hear what happened?”

  “You don’t have to. Really. I just can’t believe—”

  “As I said. It’s not something you bring up.”

  “Well what happened then?” said Amanda.

  Suddenly she heard a commotion behind her. She whirled around to see three bobbies sprinting through the station.

  “What’s happening?” said Ivy, clutching her arm.

  “Cops. I think they’re chasing someone. Ivy, the weirdest thing happened.” She proceeded to describe the eerie feeling and the way she saw someone she thought she recognized. “Do you think it was a criminal? Maybe they’re after him.”