"Shocked," he said, nodding, but turning back to the television set.
"And then I thought, so that's why she's always in Echo's room and why she had Echo sleep with her!"
"That's not true!" I cried.
She shrugged. "Hey. I don't knock anyone's sexual preferences. I would have to admit that I experimented with same partner sex on occasion or participated in a... what do they call it, Skeeter?"
"What? Oh, menage a trois."
"Right. menage a tra la la or whatever. However." she said, losing her self-satisfied grin, "when it comes to some tramp coming here and seducing my innocent, deaf daughter--"
"That's all a lie," I cried.
"Maybe. But I'm sure I could get that Tyler to testify that you told him those things and with Skeeter and I adding what we saw here. I think the police or whoever would believe us or find it interesting enough to investigate, don't you? Would Echo there deny being in your bed?"
For a moment it felt as if all the air had been sucked out of my body and I couldn't breathe in any new air. My face was hot with the blood that had rushed up through my neck. I looked at Echo, whose eyes were full of questions and confusion.
"Don't worry," Rhona said, "I'm not going to do it unless I absolutely have to do it. It would probably devastate poor little Echo there to be dragged into a police station and asked all sorts of questions about her body, your body, stuff like that."
"You're disgusting." I said.
"Me? I don't go around telling boys I just met how I slept with my sister's girlfriend,"
"I didn't say that!"
"You said enough. I doubt that Tyler would have made it all up, don't you. Skeeter?"
"No," he said, half listening, "I mean yes," he added, unsure of what she wanted. She glared at him and then turned back to me.
"Do you deny that you have a gay sister? Will she deny it if she is asked by the police?"
Words choked in my throat like cars on a highway smashing into each other.
"You get the point. I think we understand each other a little better. Now, let's get back to what I said at the beginning. I'll let you stay here a while longer, but you have got to help me with my mother. I want you to convince her to sin over the money that belongs to me anyway. We had the paperwork prepared for us and all she has to do is sin a power of attorney document. You can convince her that once that's done, we'll be on our merry way, right. Skeeter?"
"Sure," he said. "We'll make like a tree and leaf."
"In the meantime, tell that cleaning girl to go home, She's annoying. I don't like the way she looks at me and she's in my face too much. She acts like she owns the place and has the nerve to complain about the mess she had to clean up in here. Tell her my mother told you to send her home. Do it!" she screamed. I couldn't help but wince and even jump back. "Then get dinner started. We saw steaks in the freezer. Both of us like them medium. Don't overcook them. And Trevor is not invited. You tell him not to come to dinner here. Go on. Do what I say," she ordered.
"Mrs. Westington isn't going to believe you," I offered, finally responding with some defense.
"Oh. really? You actually want me to go to the hospital and put on a scene about my daughter being sexually assaulted by some transient girl my mother stupidly took in to live with us? Because I will do it and you know I will," she said firmly, her eyes fixed on me with such evil and hate. I didn't doubt her for a moment. "How will her doctor like that? Who the hell do you think people will blame for my mother's bad health and maybe death? Me? Her daughter just trying to protect her own poor, deaf child? Or you, a runaway with no home, no school, nothing but a history of disgusting behavior?"
I felt my body soften in defeat.
"She won't listen to me. You're wasting time having me ask her to sign those papers." I said weakly. After what Mrs. Westington had told me she had done with her lawyer already, it was pointless to go up there and try to convince her of anything. I thought. but I couldn't tell Rhona about that.
"Maybe, maybe not. She seems to have taken to you and in the condition she is in right now, there's a good chance she'll listen. Look," she continued, softening her tone. "you'll have prevented all sorts of horrible. unpleasantness if you get her to do it. Think of it that way. Think of how you're protecting everyone. You'll be a regular heroine, won't she. Skeeter?'"
He looked at me and smiled. You know." he said. "girls who like ,girls more than boys always intrigued me. Is it because you're afraid of men or is the sex somehow better?"
Rhona smiled,
Echo was signing now, asking me why we were standing there and what were all these words, some of which she had caught by reading lips. Why were her mother and I arguing so much? I had to get her away, to protect her, to ironically do what Rhona said, look after her.
"It's a fair question, April," Rhona said. "You've been with both now. Which do you prefer?"
"You're both disgusting," I said.