"I'm--"
"That's okay," she continued. "I'll let you manipulate me as long as I get what I want. I just knew that clinic of yours would be the death of us. You can't spend your entire life around disturbed people day and night and not be damaged in some way or another. Why can't you simply have a practice like some of your colleagues and work a nine to five office with weekends off and vacations and--"
"Maybe someday. Alberta," I said to stop her.
She looked at me and shook her head. "Na. Claude, you'll never do it. All right." she said with a deep sigh. "I'll agree under the conditions you have outlined and promised. What I will expect from you now is a lot more attention to my needs. however. I am tired of showing up to my affairs without my husband, the distinguished doctor, at my side."
"I understand." I said. She didn't know it, but there was practically nothing I wouldn't have agreed to do that night.
"Good." she said. "Good. Well, go on, get ready. We have an important occasion to attend this evening," she ordered.
Why was it when I stood up and left that bedroom that night, Willow. that I felt as if I had just made a pact with the devil?
When I told Grace, she was ecstatic, of course. I left out all the promises and stipulations I had made with Alberta. and I made it sound more like Alberta was positive and encouraging. Why give Grace any more to worry about? I thought.
"Oh. Claude, at least our child will be with you." she said. ''How wonderful."
"That way, Grace, you will always be with me. too," I said. "and in time--"
"Let's not talk about anything else just yet. Claude." she said. "Let's just take it all a step at a time. Please," she begged. "No fantasies for now."
I laughed and agreed.
Six weeks later you were born, Willow. Grace and I had sat many nights discussing what we would name you if you were a girl, and she thought naming you after the clinic itself was a wonderful idea.
"It ties the baby even closer to us." she said.
She was seeing so many things faster and clearer than I was those days. I was still tiptoeing around Alberta, terrified that she would somehow change her mind. To ensure she didn't. I moved quickly on renovations, each major change and expense locking up our deal more tightly. She didn't miss a chance to complain in advance, of course, making me promise to get rid of you should you prove to be a psychologically ill child.
In the meantime I concentrated on finding your nanny. Obviously, she had to be a very special person. Willow. She had to be someone in whom I could confide. Whoever it was, she was sure to see Alberta's indifference to the infant, and in time would surely realize the complexities of our situation. She had to be someone who could tolerate Alberta. too. So you see, this was to be a very difficult search.
Ralston helped me here. His wife. Palma. was Portuguese and had relatives in Brazil. An aunt of hers had a friend who wanted to come to America. Her name was Isabella Martino, the woman you would come to call Amou because she used the Portuguese phrase Amou Una whenever she spoke to you, a phrase that meant "laved one." How lucky I was to find her. Willow.
I arranged for her trip to America and, through some influential friends of mine in the government, made it possible for her to stay here and work for us. As soon as I met her. I liked her. You never knew this. but I had her meet your mother just before you were barn.
We didn't tell Isabella everything immediately. I was afraid that the weight of such information might frighten her off. It turned out to be an unnecessary fear. Na one could have handled it all as well as your wonderful Amou did. She understood everything quickly, and nothing- more quickly or more deeply than she understood Grace's love for me and mine for her. Later, some
time after that one and only meeting she had with Grace with me present, of course, she told me she knew then, just by the way we looked at each other, and spoke to each other that we were the parents of the child.
I began by telling Amou all the things I had told Alberta. She accepted it. She would believe anything I wanted her to believe. That was clear. The most emotionally nervous time for me was the first time I introduced her to Alberta. I had told Alberta that I believed I had found a wonderful nanny. She had little interest in whether the nanny was as good for the child as I said she was. She couldn't have made that any clearer to Amou than she did that first meeting at our home.
After I showed Isabella where her quarters would be and where the nursery was, right next to her room with an adjoining door. I introduced her to our current household help, Miles in particular. I could see he liked her very much. Later, of course. Amou would take aver more of the household chores, especially the cooking. Alberta, despite herself, liked Amou's cooking, and Amou quickly learned how to handle your stepmother.
"You understand," Alberta told her during that first meeting. that you will be totally in charge of this infant. You won't have much time off. The only way you will be able to have a day off is if Claude finds a suitable baby-sitter. I am far too busy to have any of those responsibilities."
"I have no place to spend a day off. Mrs. De Beers," Isabella told her. "This home, these grounds are so beautiful, I will enjoy my free time here. I'm sure."
"Yes, well, the grounds weren't always as beautiful as they are now," Alberta made a point of telling her, glaring at me at the same time. "I am still in the process of completing the project."
"You are doing some job," Isabella said. "There are beautiful gardens around some magnificent estates in Brazil that don't compare.'
'Well, I'm glad someone can come here and immediately appreciate my efforts. If you have any problems with the baby, medical or otherwise, you will call my husband to discuss them. You understand that?"
"Si. Yes," Isabella said, glancing at me. We had already discussed all that, and I had prepared her for Alberta's indifference.
"It's very important that the child be kept from my guests whenever I have a dinner party. I don't want some screaming infant tearing their attention away."
"Yo comprendo," Isabella said.