Grand Passion

I may be forced to select another location for my seminars,” Valence warned.
    “As I said, Mr. Valence, we'll do our best to keep you up and running.”
    Valence grunted a rather dissatisfied response. “Well, that's that, then. We shall just have to see, won't we?”
    “I guess so,” Cleo said. “Have a good day, Mr. Valence.”
    “Thank you. Same to you.”
    Valence stopped, made a neat one hundred and eighty degree turn, and started back toward the inn.
    Cleo watched as he tucked his chin into the warmth of his expensive coat and leaned resolutely into the crisp breeze. Then she continued on her way along the bluffs. She thought about what she had just told Valence about Max. I don't know how long he'll be staying .
    An excellent reason for being extremely cautious, Cleo thought. Max was definitely an unknown quantity, even if she did have the distinct sensation that she had been waiting for him all of her life.
    * * *
    Cleo delayed the family meeting on Trisha until after the last of the crowd of seminar attendees had checked out the following day. She held it during the lull that ensued in the afternoon before preparations began for the evening meal.
    Andromeda, Daystar, Trisha, Sylvia, and Cleo sat down on the benches of the kitchen nook. Trisha looked at the others and burst into tears.
    “There now, dear, don't fuss so.” Andromeda handed her a napkin to blot her eyes. “You aren't the first woman to find herself in this sort of situation, and you won't be the last. The important thing to remember is that you aren't alone.”
    “I thought he loved me,” Trisha whispered.
    “I think he does,” Cleo said gently. “But Benjy's confused about a lot of things.”
    “Too confused to use any birth control, apparently,” Daystar muttered. She gave Trisha a severe look. “I seem to recall mentioning the subject to you a while back, young lady. What went wrong?”
    Trisha started to sob heavily. “I'm sorry. I just wasn't thinking. You don't know what it's like.”
    “Don't I?” Daystar snorted. “I'm sixty-two years old, my girl, and I didn't spend those years in a box. Believe me, I know what it's like. Passion is no excuse for stupidity. A woman has to use her head. She has to stay in control of the situation.”
    Trisha cried louder.
    Cleo glared at Daystar. “For heaven's sake, this is getting us nowhere.”
    Andromeda gave her friend a scolding look. “Cleo's right. There's no point lecturing poor Trisha now. The damage is done. We have to go forth from here. As that Mr. Valence has been telling everyone all weekend, we have to think positive. Problems should be looked upon as opportunities.”
    “You're right. I'm sorry.” Daystar patted Trisha with gruff affection. “Don't worry, Trisha. We're going to survive this.”
    “It was all my fault,” Trisha wailed.
    “It takes two,” Cleo said firmly. “Benjy had just as much to do with this as you did.”
    “The difference is that Benjy can walk away from it,” Daystar said bluntly. “Trisha can't.”
    “You know,” Andromeda mused, “I'm surprised that Benjy did walk away. I thought that boy was finally getting his act together, as they say. He was working hard here, attending classes at the community college part-time. He was even starting to talk about the future in a positive manner. I really believed he was going to make it.”
    “He was trying,” Trisha said loyally. “I know he was.”
    “I agree,” Cleo said. “And I know he cares for Trisha. I imagine he's feeling pretty scared at the moment.”
    “Maybe we should have gotten some professional counseling for the boy,” Andromeda said.
    Daystar shrugged. “Don't know if that would have done any good.”
    Cleo decided to take charge before the discussion degenerated into a what-went-wrong-with-Benjy session. “I've been doing some thinking. We've known Benjy for a year and a half. He's a good kid, and I can't believe he's really run out on his responsibilities. I'll bet he's just gone off someplace to think for a while.”
    Trisha looked up from the napkin. There was a tiny flicker of hope in her eyes. “Do you really believe he'll come back?”
    Cleo pursed her lips in thought. “I'm sure Benjy is very confused and shaken at the moment. He probably needs someone to talk to.”
    “Well, why didn't he talk to one of us?” Daystar demanded. “We're his family.”
    Cleo grimaced. “Have you noticed that with the exception of Sammy, we're all female? Poor