Liv Constantine - The Last Mrs. Parrish

“Amber, welcome. Come meet my mother.” Daphne clasped Amber’s hand in hers. “Mom, this is my friend Amber.”

The woman stretched her arm out for a handshake. “I’m pleased to meet you, Amber. I’m Ruth.”

“Nice to meet you,” Amber replied, juggling the presents she’d brought so that she could shake Ruth’s hand.

“My goodness,” Daphne said. “What have you got there?”

“Oh, just a few presents.”

“Why don’t you put them in with the others in the conservatory? The zoo show will start soon. You don’t want to miss that,” Daphne said.

When Amber entered the conservatory, she was startled once again by the excess. Not that she wouldn’t have wanted the same kind of party as a kid, but she hadn’t even known anything like this existed when she was little. The presents were piled high, and a large table had been moved into the room for the children’s lunch. Each place was carefully set with colorful plates and napkins, and beautifully wrapped goodie bags were perched at each spot. It was completely kid-friendly and sublimely elegant at the same time. She put her gifts down and left the room. As she walked back to the party room, she saw Jackson coming down the hall. He gave her a charming smile.

“Hi there. So glad you could join us today,” he said with enthusiasm.

“Um, thank you. I’m glad to be here,” she stuttered.

He gave her another wide smile and held the playroom door for her.

They stood together and watched as the handlers brought out one animal after another and explained a little about them, Jackson with a drink in hand. Amber had difficulty keeping her eyes from straying to him. She wondered how long it would take to get him into bed. The thought that she could have this man of power and wealth under her spell exhilarated her. She knew how to please a man and suspected that after over a decade of marriage, the sex between him and Daphne had to be pretty boring and stale. Amber could picture the things she could do to make him want her if given half the chance. She resolved to take her time and carefully stick to her plan. No sense in rushing and messing things up like before.

When the show ended, the adults tried to calm the children as they tromped into the conservatory for lunch. It was noisy and riotous, with raucous laughter and high-pitched voices. Amber felt like she was going to scream, and she noticed that Jackson wasn’t in the room where everyone was eating.

Finally, Margarita brought out the huge birthday cake covered in chocolate icing and topped with eleven white candles in the shape of ballerinas. Amber noticed a small chunk missing from one side of the cake.

“Okay,” Daphne said in a loud voice. “Time to sing ‘Happy Birthday,’ and then Tallulah can open her presents.”

Amber could see the storm clouds gathering behind Bella’s eyes as the children and adults sang to her sister. Her mouth was set in a straight line, and her arms were crossed in front of her. She was having none of it.

The minute the singing stopped and Tallulah had blown out the candles, Daphne began handing her the presents. At the table, the children were happy and occupied eating cake as Tallulah unwrapped one after another and thanked the giver. After the seventh one, Bella’s voice rang out. “It’s not fair. Tallulah’s getting all the presents. Where’s mine?”

This was the moment Amber had been waiting for. “Hey, Bella. I brought a present for Tallulah, but I brought one for you too. I’ll give Tallulah hers, and here’s the one for you. I hope you like it.”

Daphne smiled at her, and Ruth looked at her with an expression Amber couldn’t quite read. Amber noticed that Jackson had just come back into the room, and she hoped he had seen the exchange. Bella ripped off the wrapping paper and opened the box. She held up the pink sweater with a white faux-fur collar and the small pink handbag with its shiny handle and smiled. She ran to Amber and flung her arms around her waist. “I love you, Amber. You’re my best friend ever.”

Everyone laughed at this show of affection, but Amber noticed that Ruth didn’t seem as amused as the rest of the guests. Tallulah was nearing the end of the presents, the last one a small box from Sabine. “Ooh, Sabine, je suis très heureuse. Merci .” Tallulah held up a gold chain with a slender cross.

“ De rien ,” Sabine said.

The local glitterati soon began arriving to pick up their little rich kids, who had once again been treated to splendiferous entertainment, yummy food, and expensive swag bags. No wonder they all grew up with a sense of entitlement. They knew nothing else.

After all the guests had gone, Surrey, the other nanny, gathered up the presents.

“Would you take the gifts upstairs with the girls? If you bathe them and get them into pajamas, we’ll have a light dinner around six,” Daphne instructed her.

Jackson poured himself another scotch. “Can I get anyone a drink?”

“I’ll have a glass of wine, sweetheart,” Daphne said. “Mom, would you like anything?”

“I’ll have a club soda.”

Jackson looked at Amber. “And you?”

“May I have a glass of wine too?”

Jackson laughed. “You may have anything you want.”

That’s what I’m hoping, Amber thought, but she simply smiled back at him.

“Daphne, have you showed Amber the photos from the fund-raiser?” Ruth said, then looked at Amber. “There were some very good ones in the Bishops Harbor Times . You look very pretty in one of them.”

Amber’s heart stopped. Photos? In a newspaper? She’d been so careful to avoid the photographer that night. When had he gotten a picture of her? Daphne brought the newspaper in and handed it to her. She picked it up with trembling hands and scanned the pictures. There she was, large as life, completely recognizable. Her name wasn’t there, not that it would have mattered — her face was the problem. She just had to assume that this small-town newspaper with its limited range would not be seen farther afield.

“Would you excuse me?” She needed to get out of that room and calm her nerves. She closed the bathroom door, put the lid down on the toilet seat, and sat with her head in her hands. How could she have been so careless? After a while, her breathing settled and she promised herself she would be more vigilant in the future. She splashed some water on her face, stood up straight, and slowly opened the door. She could hear Ruth and Daphne as she walked back to the conservatory.

“Mom, you don’t understand. I have my hands full here.”

“You’re right, Daphne, I don’t understand. You used to love singing in the church choir. It seems to me you don’t do any of the things you used to love. You’ve let all this money go to your head. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll remember your roots and come down off your high horse.”

“That’s completely unfair. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know what I see — two nannies, for heaven’s sake. And one that just speaks French. Really! A daughter who’s spoiled rotten that you can’t control. The club, all your lessons. For goodness sake, I practically have to make an appointment to see my granddaughters. What’s happened to you?”

“That’s enough, Mother.”

For the first time, Amber heard real fury in Daphne’s voice. And then the sound of the nanny and the girls coming down the stairs. They all entered the conservatory at the same time, and the conversation between mother and daughter abruptly ended.

Bella ran to Daphne, putting her head on her mother’s lap. Her cries were muted, and then she looked up and said, “Tallulah got so many presents, and I only got two. It’s not fair.”