Cutler 03 - Twilight's Child

out in the corridor. She stared up at me, a look of innocence and confusion on her face. "I couldn't help but overhear some of the things you were saying to Christie as I was walking by," I said. Then I shook my head. "She's much too young to learn about the birds and the bees." I smiled. "She's not quite six yet."
    "I knew all that stuff when I was her age," Fern snapped back. "Clayton made sure I did."
    "Well, things are different here, Fern, dear. There is no Clayton. Christie has time to learn about sex. We've got to let her be a little girl first, okay? I know you want only to be a nice aunt to her, but—"
    "Clayton used to do that, too," she said quickly, glaring at me.
    "Do what, honey?"
    "Spy on me whenever I had friends over," she said accusingly.
    "I wasn't spying on you, Fern. I was just passing by and—"
    "It's the same thing," she said. "If two people are having a private conversation in a room, another person is not supposed to stand by the door and listen," she lectured. I felt myself grow crimson.
    "I'm sorry if you felt spied upon, Fern, but Christie is my daughter, and I must be concerned about everything she does, sees and hears. Now please don't bring up that subject with her again, okay? When the time comes you can be a great help to her. You're a very mature young lady, and—"
    "Okay," she said. "We'll just do baby talk. I'm tired anyway," she added. "I'm going to go to bed and read and go to sleep. Am I excused?"
    "Yes, honey. Good night."
    "Good night," she said, and she sauntered off.
    "Where's Aunt Fern?" Christie cried when I looked in on her again.
    "She was tired and went to bed, sweetheart. You should think about getting ready for bed, too."
    "But we were playing a game . . school. She was the teacher and I was the pupil," she protested.
    "You can play again tomorrow."
    Christie gave me one of her furious little looks and reluctantly marched to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Afterward, when I went downstairs, I told Jimmy what I had overheard Fern telling Christie and about my conversation with her. He was sitting in the big cushioned armchair and reading one of his car magazines.
    "She was very put out that I chastised her," I added. He shook his head and lowered his magazine.
    "Poor kid," he said. "All those years of abuse must have done some terrible damage."
    "Maybe we should arrange for her to see someone, Jimmy. Perhaps a child psychologist," I suggested.
    "I don't think so," he said. "I think her just living in a normal world with people who love her and care about her will heal her. After a while all that other stuff will fade away, I'm sure."
    "I don't know, Jimmy. According to what she tells us, she's suffered for years and years. That's not forgotten overnight or even after months. And I'm just afraid that Christie . . ."
    "What?" he said, snapping the pages of his magazine. "Don't tell me you think my sister is going to corrupt Christie." Jimmy's eyes were the same bright coal color Fern's had been.
    "I didn't say that, Jimmy. Of course she won't, but Fern hasn't been around a child this young, and especially not one who is so bright and quick. If you could just have a talk with her, too . . ." I suggested softly.
    His face relaxed, and he sat back.
    "Sure," he said. "I'll talk to her, but we've got to be understanding. She's been through hell. We don't want her to feel she's left one horror only to fall into another."
    "I hardly think living here with us will ever resemble a horror, Jimmy," I said.
    "No, no, of course not. Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. "I'll handle it. I'm sorry if I seemed abrupt. I just can't help getting furious about what happened to her."
    "I understand, Jimmy," I said. I went over to him to plant a kiss on his cheek. He smiled and went back to reading his magazine, but I couldn't help feeling that the tiny crack in the veneer of our marriage had widened some.
    And for reasons I didn't quite understand.
     
    If Fern was unhappy about my chastising her the night before, she didn't show it the following morning. In fact, for the first time, when she and Christie were about to leave for school in the limousine, she stood waiting while Christie kissed me good-bye. Then she stepped forward.
    "Good-bye, Dawn," she said. "I'll see you in the hotel after school," she promised, and she threw her arms around me the way she threw them around Jimmy and kissed me on the cheek. Before I could respond, she took Christie's hand and rushed out with her.