"I often do too, Dad."
Basil stared a moment. I thought he was going to blast Wade with his anger, maybe even strike him, but instead his face collapsed into a smile, and then he roared with laughter again.
"That's good. Now there's a good joke. Imagining Jeanie Emerson having an affair and getting pregnant. Why, that woman was so modest, she wouldn't even undress in front of me, and I'm talking about after twenty years of marriage. We had to make love with the lights out, for crissakes. Come to think of it, we made you in the dark, Wade. Maybe that was the problem, huh, Ami? What do you think? Is it easier or better to make love with the lights on or off?"
"Can we talk about something else?" Wade pleaded.
"Yeah, we can talk about something else," Basil said, waving his glass at Ami. "We can talk about when I'm going to have a grandchild, made in the dark or in the light."
It was as though lightning had streaked through the room, just over our heads, singeing our brains and thundering in our ears. Both Wade and Ami froze.
"Aaah, forget about it. Let's just enjoy a good dinner, a good Irish dinner," Basil shouted, and Mrs. Cukor appeared with Mrs. McAlister behind her, bringing in the food.
It was all delicious, but the tension at the table made it hard to enjoy. Wade tried to turn the conversation to my first day at school, but his father went into a rant about wasting money on spoiled children.
"A girl with her looks don't need to worry about fancy schools," he declared. He smiled at me, intending it to be a compliment, but I didn't see it that way, and neither did Ami. She went into a lecture about women's rights and a woman's place in the business and professional world.
The tips of Basil's ears grew redder and redder, either from the combination of wine and whiskey or from Ann's snappy criticism of male chauvinists. Wade was quiet most of the time. By the end of the dinner, everyone was quiet, however, and a heavy atmosphere pressed down on us all. Basil made some excuses about having to leave early.
"I got something to do early tomorrow," he said, "so I can't stay over tonight."
When he kissed Anil good night, he put his hand around her waist and dropped it to her rear. She grabbed his forearm and turned him away quickly, but I caught the whole scene. If Wade saw it, he pretended he didn't.
Basil then turned to say good night to me, but when he stepped toward me, I thrust out my hand. He looked at it as if I had a knife in it and then at me and smiled.
"I see why Ami's taken to you so quickly," he muttered, shook my hand slightly, and then left.
"Let's go for a ride," Ami said immediately. "I need some fresh air."
"But I have so much homework," I pleaded.
I saw how disappointed she was, but I didn't know what to do. Wade came to my rescue.
"Where are you going this time of night, anyway? And besides, you've enrolled her in an expensive school. Why waste the opportunity for her?"
Ami pouted, and I excused myself to go back to my room. As I started for the stairway, Mrs. Cukor appeared as if she had been waiting in the wings for me.
"Darkness is falling on this house," she warned. "You know it is, too."
"I don't know anything about any darkness," I shot back at her. "I don't know who or what you think I am, but I'm getting tired of being treated like something evil."
"You're the snake in the Garden of Eden," she muttered, not retreating.
"This was hardly the Garden of Eden before I arrived, Mrs. Cukor, and for all I know, you might be the snake."
That took her back.
She brought her hand to the base of her throat.
I am my mother's child, I thought. I will not cower before anyone. I stepped toward her.
"Beware of the darkness that is in your own heart," I said, and left her standing like a statue at the foot of the stairway.
My heart was pounding, but I felt stronger.
Maybe you're not showing yourself anymore, Noble, I thought, but you're inside me. You're inside my heart. And from that place, you will never escape.
Until I am able to let you go.